Devising an eco-friendly alternative in machine lubrication, the College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram (CET) has invented a green cutting fluid (GCF) that can replace the mineral oil-based ones that are commonly used in shaping machinery such as lathe, milling and drilling equipment.
The leading engineering institution has bagged a patent for the emulsion composition that was developed by its Advanced Tribology Research Centre. The inventors include Associate Professor Muhammed Arif of the Chemistry department, Assistant Professor S. Rani of the Mechanical Engineering department, research scholars Sneha Edla and Ananthan D. Thampi of the Mechanical Engineering department, and Vishnu V.S. and Abhijith B.K. Pillai who have been pursuing an M.Tech course in Manufacturing and Automation.
The innovation involves the use of rice bran oil with bio-additives like herbal oils that forms a sustainable product that is non-toxic and biodegradable.
India currently imports cutting fluids from countries including Switzerland, China and Germany. While the finding has the potential to reduce the country’s dependence on imported cutting fluid, the patent application noted that the GCF composition has improved tribological properties, oxidative stability and corrosion inhibition. The usage of herbal oils such as holy basil (or tulsi) and clove oil significantly improved oxidation and corrosion stability of rice bran oil.
The researchers point out that India currently produces roughly 1 million tonnes of rice bran oil. While only 60% of the produced oil is utilised for edible purposes, the remaining is used for local industrial purposes.
“If the country’s entire rice bran were to be used for oil production, rice bran oil production could touch 1.6 million tonnes,” they estimated. The team has been exploring the commercial viability of the product and hopes to tap on the college’s strong alumni base for support.
Elaborating on the CET’s initiatives for evolving sustainable solutions, principal V. Suresh Babu said a multidisciplinary team has been working on novel technologies to produce lubricants from edible and non-edible vegetable oils. The group also focused on devising waste disposal techniques by recycling waste oil and plastic waste to develop industrial products.
