Experimental Analysis of EDM Process with Nanopowder Mixed Vegetable Oil as Dielectric Fluid Coupled with Cryogenically Treated Electrode

Abstract

Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is a widely used unconventional method that employs hydrocarbon oil based dielectric fluids. It creates harmful solid, liquid, and gaseous bi-products that are not environment-friendly. Recently, the use of vegetable oil based dielectric fluid is used to have a cleaner and greener environment in manufacturing. In EDM process, dielectric fluids play a major role in proper machining. Ecological issues that are reported earlier are due to the usage of conventional dielectric such as hydrocarbon oil-based dielectric. Based on the literature limited approaches are reported to convert EDM to a green and sustainable machining process. Dry EDM is a step towards green EDM process, which uses gases as a dielectric medium instead of liquid, but liquid based dielectric plays a major role to improve the stability in EDM. In dry EDM, low MRR is a major problem and other problems include low stability, debris particles that get suspended in the machined area, gas concentration increases in the working zone and adherence of debris to the electrode are still prevailing. In the near dry EDM process, there is a chance for fire and explosion due to a concentrated volatile mixture of gaseous and liquid elements. newlineWater-based dielectric fluids are one of the best approaches for improving sustainability improvement in the EDM process. Water-based dielectrics produce fewer toxic wastes and can be safely opened to municipal sewage due to minimize environmental impact and land pollution. But on the contrary, Water based dielectric also generated some environmental issues such as sludge, de ionizing resin, vapor of water, ozone, carbon monoxides, nitrous oxide, aerosols and polluting operators working environment. Water differs from conventional dielectric due to its values of specific weight, viscosity, dielectric strength, ionization mechanisms. Water based dielectric also produces, electrolysis corrosion of the tool and work materials and existence of corrosion-prone working environment.