INVESTIGATING THE EFFECT OF COOLING/LUBRICANT FLUIDS ON THE AMPERAGE DRAW OF DISC CUTTING MACHINES FOR HARD ROCKS

Abstract

One of the most crucial steps in producing dimension rocks is the rock cutting process, which incurs a high cost. The amperage draw of rock cutting machines is a major cost factor of this production process. Determining the effect of factors, such as the machine’s operating configurations, mechanical and physical characteristics of the rock, and type of cooling/lubricant fluid, on the cutting machine’s performance can significantly reduce operational costs. This study evaluates the electrical current consumption of a disc cutting machine during the cutting of hard rocks for producing dimension rocks under different operating conditions and using different fluids for cooling/lubrication. For this purpose, a number of cutting tests were performed under different operating conditions (cutting depths of 0.5, 0.7, 1, and 1.3 cm and feed rates of 45, 60, 75, and 90 cm/min) with five cooling/lubrication fluids, including tap water, soap water with a ratio of 1:40 and 1:20, and a commercial cutting power (Abtarash) with a ratio of 30:10 and 15:10. After examining the relationship between operating parameters and the amperage draw of the cutting machine in the presence of five fluids, several linear and nonlinear multivariate statistical models were developed to predict the amperage draw of the cutting machine. The developed models were evaluated using the t-test and F-test statistical methods. The results showed that using the developed models, the amperage draw of the cutting machine can be accurately predicted from the properties of the cooling/lubrication fluid, including viscosity and pH.