A computational fluid dynamics analysis on mist behaviors in nanofluid minimum quantity lubrication milling process

This paper discusses flow characteristics of nanofluid minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) in the milling process of a titanium alloy by usingnumerical analysis. A mist of nanofluids including nanodiamond and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) particles is sprayed into a tool-workpiece interface with conditions varying by spray angle and flow rate. The milling. are experimentally measured and minimized by the determined optimal spray angle and flow rate. The subsequent numerical analysis based on a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach is conducted to calculate the penetration ratios of the nanofluid droplets into a tool. At the experimentally obtained optimal spray angle and flow rate of the nanofluids' mist, the calculated ratio of penetration is highest and, therefore, the optimal spray conditions of the nanofluids are numerically validated.