Influence of Using Rexine-Pasted Wheel or Pneumatic Barrier on Air Layer Pressure around a Grinding Wheel

In grinding, high heat is generated at the grinding zone per unit volume of material removed. To control this temperature, generally, grinding fluid is employed. Due to formation of a stiff air layer around the grinding wheel, grinding fluid cannot enter easily inside the grinding zone. In this experimental work, formation of air layer around a rotating grinding wheel has been investigated to observe variation of air layer pressure around the wheel periphery under different wheel speeds. Bare wheel, rexine-pasted wheel and bare wheel with pneumatic barrier set up have been employed to find out their effect on formation of air layer. Significantly less air layer pressure is noted around the wheel with both faces rexine-pasted, and using pneumatic barrier set up. In aggregate, about 50% reduction in the air layer pressure is achieved in the pneumatic barrier set up compared to that with the rexine-pasted wheel. Pneumatic barrier set up is thus quite effective to facilitate grinding fluid reach deep inside the grinding zone.