대표
청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. A method for cooling a cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining a workpiece during high-energy cutting, comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a cryogenic fluid; and delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid from a nozzle to the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece during high-energy cutting, wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding or at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than ...
The invention claimed is: 1. A method for cooling a cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining a workpiece during high-energy cutting, comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a cryogenic fluid; and delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid from a nozzle to the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece during high-energy cutting, wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding or at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, and wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet pulses with a jet pulsation amplitude of less than 25% of a time-averaged flowrate of the free-expanding stabilized jet while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece. 2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the cutting tool has a cutting edge and wherein a means for delivering the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool has at least one discharge point spaced apart from the cutting edge by a distance greater than or equal to 0.1 inches and less than 3.0inches. 3. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid has a temperature below minus 150 degrees Celsius (-150° C.). 4. A method as in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the cryogenic fluid has a pressure greater than or equal to 25 psig and less than or equal to 250 psig during or immediately prior to discharge from the at least one discharge point. 5. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid has a substantially uniform mass flowrate greater than or equal to 0.5 lbs/minute and less than or equal to 5.0 lbs/minute. 6. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid has a flow pulse cycle time less than 10 seconds if the jet pulsation amplitude exceeds 25% of the time-averaged flowrate of at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet before or during at least a portion of a time while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece. 7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the cutting tool has a rake surface and at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid impinges on at least a portion of the rake surface. 8. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the cryogenic fluid is selected from a group consisting of liquid nitrogen, gaseous nitrogen, liquid argon, gaseous argon and mixtures thereof. 9. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the cutting tool has a traverse rupture strength (TRS) value of less than 3000 MPa. 10. A method for machining a workpiece with a cutting tool using a method for cooling the cutting tool as in claim 1. 11. A workpiece machined by a method for machining the workpiece with a cutting tool, the method for machining using a method for cooling the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece, the method for cooling the cutting tool comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a cryogenic fluid; and delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid from a nozzle to the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece, wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding or an open space at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, wherein the workpiece is characterized by an improved surface having a much cleaner and shinier as-machined surface with a lower level of at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen compared to an other as-machined surface of an other workpiece machined by dry cutting or emulsion flood cooling. 12. Recyclable chips obtained as a byproduct of a method for machining the workpiece with a cutting tool, the method for machining using a method for cooling the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece, the method for cooling the cutting tool comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a cryogenic fluid; and delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid from a nozzle to the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece, wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding or an open space at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, wherein the recyclable chips are characterized by an improved purity having a lower level of at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen contamination compared to other recyclable chips obtained as an other byproduct of an other method for machining using dry cutting or emulsion flood cooling. 13. A method for cooling a workpiece while the workpiece is being machined by a cutting tool during high-energy cutting, comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a cryogenic fluid; and delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid from a nozzle to the workpiece while the workpiece is being machined by the cutting tool during high-energy cutting, wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, and wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet pulses with a jet pulsation amplitude of less than 25% of a time-averaged flowrate of the free-expanding stabilized jet while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece. 14. A method for controlling cooling of a cutting tool during a high-energy cutting operation, comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a cryogenic fluid; delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool; and regulating the flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool at a substantially uniform mass flowrate, whereby a frost coating is maintained on at least a portion of the cutting tool during substantially all of the high-energy cutting operation in an atmosphere having an ambient relative humidity in a range of 30% to 75% and an ambient temperature in a range of 10° C. to 25° C., wherein the free-expanding stabilized let is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater then the second pressure, and wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet pulses with a jet pulsation amplitude of less than 25% of a time-averaged flowrate of the free-expanding stabilized jet while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece. 15. A method for machining a workpiece with a cutting tool using a method for controlling cooling of the cutting tool as in claim 14. 16. A workpiece machined by a method for machining the workpiece with a cutting tool, the method for machining using a method for controlling cooling of the cutting tool during a cutting operation, the method for controlling cooling of the cutting tool comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a cryogenic fluid; delivering a flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool; and regulating the flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool at a substantially uniform mass flowrate, whereby a frost coating is maintained on at least a portion of the cutting tool during substantially all of the cutting operation in an atmosphere having an ambient relative humidity in a range of about 30% to about 75% and an ambient temperature in a range of about 10° C. to about 25° C., wherein the workpiece is characterized by an improved surface having a much cleaner and shinier as-machined surface with a lower level of at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen compared to an other as-machined surface of an other workpiece machined by dry cutting or emulsion flood cooling. 17. Recyclable chips obtained as a byproduct of a method for machining the workpiece with a cutting tool, the method for machining using a method for controlling cooling of the cutting tool during a cutting operation, the method for controlling cooling of the cutting tool comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a cryogenic fluid; delivering a flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool; and regulating the flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool at a substantially uniform mass flowrate, whereby a frost coating is maintained on at least a portion of the cutting tool during substantially all of the cutting operation in an atmosphere having an ambient relative humidity in a range of about 30% to about 75% and an ambient temperature in a range of about 10° C. to about 25° C., wherein the recyclable chips are characterized by an improved purity having a lower level of at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen contamination compared to other recyclable chips obtained as an other byproduct of an other method for machining using dry cutting or emulsion flood cooling. 18. A method for cooling a cutting tool having a cutting edge while the cutting tool is machining a workpiece during high-energy cutting, comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a cryogenic fluid; providing a nozzle adapted to discharge a jet of the cryogenic fluid, said nozzle having at least one discharge point spaced apart from the cutting edge by a distance greater than or equal to 0.1 inches and less than 3.0 inches; and delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid from the discharge point to the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece during high-energy cutting, wherein the cryogenic fluid has a temperature of minus 150 degrees Celsius (-150° C.) at the discharge point, wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, and wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet pulses with a jet pulsation amplitude of less than 25% of a time-averaged flowrate of the free-expanding stabilized jet while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece. 19. A method for controlling cooling of a cutting tool during a high-energy cutting operation, comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a cryogenic fluid; providing a nozzle adapted to discharge a flow of the cryogenic fluid, said nozzle having at least one discharge point spaced apart from the cutting tool; delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid from the discharge point to the cutting tool; and regulating the flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool at a substantially uniform mass flowrate greater than or equal to 0.5 lbs/minute and less than or equal to 5.0 lbs/minute having a flow pulse cycle time less than 10 seconds, whereby a frost coating is maintained on at least a portion of the cutting tool during substantially all of the high-energy cutting operation in an atmosphere having an ambient relative humidity in a range of 30% to 75% and an ambient temperature in a range of 10° C. to 25° C., wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, and wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet pulses with a jet pulsation amplitude of less than 25% of a time-averaged flowrate of the free-expanding stabilized jet while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece. 20. An apparatus for cooling a cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining a workpiece during high-energy cutting, comprising: a supply of a cryogenic fluid; and means for delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece during high-energy, wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, and wherein the free-expanding stabilized let pulses with a jet pulsation amplitude of less than 25% of a time-averaged flowrate of the free-expanding stabilized jet while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece. 21. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein the cutting tool has a cutting edge and wherein the means for delivering the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool has at least one discharge point spaced apart from the cutting edge by a distance greater than or equal to 0.1 inches and less than 3.0 inches. 22. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid has a temperature below minus 150 degrees Celsius (-150° C.). 23. An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid has a pressure greater than or equal to 25 psig and less than or equal to 250 psig during or immediately prior to discharge from the at least one discharge point. 24. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid has a substantially uniform mass flowrate greater than or equal to 0.5 lbs/minute and less than or equal to 5.0 lbs/minute. 25. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid has a flow pulse cycle time less than 10 seconds if the jet pulsation amplitude exceeds 25% of the time-averaged flowrate of at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet before or during at least a portion of a time while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece. 26. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein the cutting tool has a rake surface and at least a portion of the free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid impinges on at least a portion of the rake surface. 27. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the cryogenic fluid is selected from a group consisting of liquid nitrogen, gaseous nitrogen, liquid argon, gaseous argon and mixtures thereof. 28. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the cutting tool has a traverse rupture strength (TRS) value of less than 3000 MPa. 29. An apparatus for machining a workpiece with a cutting tool using an apparatus for cooling the cutting tool as in claim 20. 30. A workpiece machined by an apparatus for machining the workpiece with a cutting tool, the apparatus for machining using an apparatus for cooling the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece, the apparatus for cooling the cutting tool comprising: a supply of a cryogenic fluid; and means for delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece, wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding or an open space at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, wherein the workpiece is characterized by an improved surface having a much cleaner and shinier as-machined surface with a lower level of at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen compared to an other as-machined surface of an other workpiece machined by dry cutting or emulsion flood cooling. 31. Recyclable chips removed from a workpiece by an apparatus for machining the workpiece with a cutting tool, the apparatus for machining using an apparatus for cooling the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece, the apparatus for cooling the cutting tool comprising: a supply of a cryogenic fluid; and means for delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece, wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding or an open space at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, wherein the recyclable chips are characterized by an improved purity having a lower level of at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen contamination compared to other recyclable chips obtained as an other byproduct of an other method for machining using dry cutting or emulsion flood cooling. 32. An apparatus for cooling a workpiece while the workpiece is being machined by a cutting tool during high-energy cutting, comprising: a supply of a cryogenic fluid; and means for delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid to the workpiece while the workpiece is being machined by the cutting tool during high-energy cutting, wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, and wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet pulses with a jet pulsation amplitude of less than 25% of a time-averaged flowrate of the free-expanding stabilized jet while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece. 33. An apparatus for controlling cooling of a cutting tool during a high-energy cutting operation, comprising: a supply of a cryogenic fluid; means for delivering a free-expanding stabilized jet of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool; and means for regulating the flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool at a substantially uniform mass flowrate, whereby a frost coating is maintained on at least a portion of the cutting tool during substantially all of the high-energy cutting operation in an atmosphere having an ambient relative humidity in a range of 30% to 75% and an ambient temperature in a range of 10° C. to 25° C., wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet is expanded from a first pressure into an unconfined surrounding at a second pressure, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure, and wherein the free-expanding stabilized jet pulses with a jet pulsation amplitude of less than 25% of a time-averaged flowrate of the free-expanding stabilized jet while the cutting tool is machining the workpiece. 34. An apparatus for machining a workpiece with a cutting tool using an apparatus for controlling cooling of the cutting tool as in claim 33. 35. A workpiece machine by an apparatus for machining the workpiece with a cutting tool, the apparatus for machining using an apparatus for controlling cooling of the cutting tool during a cutting operation, the apparatus for controlling cooling of the cutting tool comprising: a supply of a cryogenic fluid; means for delivering a flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool; and means for regulating the flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool at a substantially uniform mass flowrate, whereby a frost coating is maintained on at least a portion of the cutting tool during substantially all of the cutting operation in an atmosphere having an ambient relative humidity in a range of about 30% to 75% and an ambient temperature in a range of about 10° C. to about 25° C., wherein the workpiece is and characterized by an improved surface having a much cleaner and shinier as-machined surface with a lower level of at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen compared to an other as-machined surface of an other workpiece machined by dry cutting or emulsion flood cooling. 36. Recyclable chips removed from a workpiece by an apparatus for machining the workpiece with a cutting tool, the apparatus for machining using an apparatus for controlling cooling of the cutting tool during a cutting operation the apparatus for controlling cooling of the cutting tool comprising: a supply of a cryogenic fluid; means for delivering a flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool; and means for regulating the flow of the cryogenic fluid to the cutting tool at a substantially uniform mass flowrate, whereby a frost coating is maintained on at least a portion of the cutting tool during substantially all of the cutting operation in an atmosphere having an ambient relative humidity in a range of about 30% to about 75% and an ambient temperature in a range of about 10° C. to about 25° C., wherein the recyclable chips are characterized by an improved purity having a lower level of at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen contamination compared to other recyclable chips obtained as an other byproduct of an other method for machining using dry cutting or emulsion flood cooling.
