CFD simulation and experiments of abrasive water jet polishing for micropores

Objectives: Femtosecond laser technology has become the primary method for micropore processing due to its high precision and low energy consumption. However, during the process, it is easy to cause microcracks and burrs in the micropores. Additionally, due to the small size, low structural stability and weak wear resistance of the micropores, conventional methods are ineffective in polishing them. To address the challenge of polishing femtosecond laser-processed micropores, the abrasive water jet polishing method is employed. This method leverages the stable removal function and strong adaptability of the abrasive water jet to improve the quality of femtosecond laser-processed micropores. Methods: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of the abrasive water jet micropore polishing process under different process parameters were carried out by using Fluent software. A finite element model of abrasive water jet polishing for femtosecond laser-processed micropores was established under various working conditions. The flow field distribution, the erosion rate and the wall shear force under different parameters were analyzed. Corresponding experiments were conducted for each variable discussed in the Fluent simulation, and the variation patterns of micropore inner wall roughness were summarized. Subsequently, optimization experiments were conducted on the three factors, namely jet target distance, jet pressure and abrasive particle size, using the response surface method. The mean square error of shear force on the inner wall of the hole was taken as the response value Y, and the response surface equation was established. The optimal polishing parameter combination was obtained through the response surface equation and experimentally verified. Results: A jet impact angle of 90° is suitable for polishing the inner wall of the micropore, as wall erosion is uniform and the shear force distribution is concentrated at this angle. At a target distance of 4.2 to 6.0 mm, the jet on the end face enters the deceleration stage, and the jet velocity decreases as the target distance increases. The shear force increases with increasing jet pressure. When the jet pressure is 0.80 MPa, the shear force is the smallest, concentrated in the range of 1 500 to 3 500 Pa. At a jet pressure of 1.50 MPa, the shear force is the largest, concentrated in the range of 3 500 to 5 500 Pa. When jet pressure increases from 0.80 to 1.50 MPa, the shear force on the inner wall of the hole increases more than twice. The effects of abrasive particle size and jet pressure on wall shear force are similar. When the abrasive particle size is 1.0 μm, the shear force is the smallest, concentrated in the range of 1 000 to 2 500 Pa. At an abrasive particle size of 30.0 μm, the shear force reaches its maximum, concentrated between 3 000 and 5 500 Pa. Corresponding tests are carried out for each variable discussed in the simulation, and the minimum roughness R_a of the inner wall of the micropore was 0.386 μm. The optimal process parameter combination obtained through response surface analysis is as follows: jet impact angle of 90°, jet target distance of 3.5 mm, jet pressure of 1.10 MPa, and abrasive particle size of 15.0 μm. Under the optimal parameter combination, with an abrasive mass fraction of 5% and a polishing time of 5.0 minutes, the surface roughness R_a of the polished micropore inner wall surface was reduced to 0.354 µm, which is better than the minimum roughness of 0.386 µm observed in the simulation. Polishing efficiency is improved by about 3%, and the quality of the micropore inner wall surface is further enhanced. Conclusions: When the impact angle is constant, the shear force on the inner wall of the hole increases with increasing jet pressure and abrasive particle size. It increases first and then decreases with the increase in jet target distance, with jet pressure having the greatest influence on the wall shear force. Different structural segments of the jet can be applied to different working conditions due to different properties. Additionally, the simulation and experimental results are in good agreement, and the improvement in roughness is significant. This indicates that abrasive water jet polishing significantly enhances the quality of micropore walls, and the data model for response surface prediction has high accuracy.