Welcome to the UIUC Chemical Laser Group's homepage on the World Wide Web. UIUC is engaged in COIL commercialization efforts. These studies involve optimizing COIL efficiency with nitrogen diluent using new nozzle design concepts. A COIL was used at AFRL for cutting aluminum and carbon steel. Cut depths of 20mm were obtained in aluminum and 41mm in carbon steel using an N2 gas assist and 5-6 kW of power on target.
COIL cuts carbon steel and stainless steel at approximately the same rate.
For a given cut depth, power and spot size, COIL cuts steel approximately three times faster than a CO2 laser using an inert gas assist. COIL cutting speeds in carbon steel are improved by approximately a factor of three when an O2 assist is used in lieu of an N2 gas assist. With an N2 gas assist, COIL cuts aluminum at approximately the same rate as CO2 cuts steel. Click here for an image and more information about the cutting experiments. The details of the calculation show complete mixing in the laser cavity region at low pressure, but incomplete mixing at higher pressures.