Redwood Viscometer

A standard Britishtype viscometer in which the viscosity is determined by the time

, in seconds, required for a certainquantity of liquid to pass out through the orifice under
given conditions; used for determining viscosities of petroleum oils.

Description of the Redwood viscometer

It is divided in to three parts
1. Oil Cup;Material- Silver plated brass
Height-90mm
Diamtere-46.5mm
It holds the test sample of lubricating oil. The bottom of the cup is fitted with polished-
agatedischarge tube containing an orifice of specified dimension2. Water BathOil cup is
surrounded by water bath for adjusting the temperature3. Kohlrausch Flask It receives
the oil from polished-agate discharge tube.

PROCEDURE: -
1. Clean the viscometer cup properly with the help of suitable solvent e.g. CCl4, ether,
petroleumspirit or benzene and dry it to remove any traces of solvent.
2. Level the viscometer with the help of leveling screws
3. Fill the outer bath with water for determining the viscosity at 80ºC and below.
4. Place the ball valve on the jet to close it and pour the test oil into the cup up to the tip
of indicator.
5. Place a clean dry Kohlrausch flask immediately below and directly in line with
discharging jet.
6. Insert a clean thermometer and a stirrer in the cup and cover it with a lid.
7. Heat the water filled in the bath slowly with constant stirring. When the oil in the cup
attains adesired temperature, stop the heating.
8. Lift the ball valve and start the stop watch. Oil from the jet flows into the flask.
9. Stop the stop watch when lower meniscus of the oil reaches the 50 ml mark on the
neck of receiving flask.
10. Record the time taken for 50 ml of the oil to collect in the flask.
ENGLER’S VISCOMETER

Engler viscometer is used for measuring the viscosity of lubricating oils. The first
prototype of Engler viscometer is probably the unit constructed by Lomonosov in 1752. It
measured the viscosity of liquids by the number of drops. This idea was the basis for the
Engler viscometer. The device consists of an oil cup with a spherical bottom. In its center
there is an oil tube with a plug at the top. On the inner surface of the oil cup there are three
marks. The liquid is poured up to the 200 cm3 mark. Viscous fluids can be influenced by
ambient temperature. To compensate, the cup is surrounded with a thermostat with a
thermometer. Engler viscosity is expressed in Engler degrees and is determined by a special
formula: calculating the ratio of time of outflow of 50 ml of liquid at 20 ° C to the time of
outflow of the same volume of distilled water at 25 °C. The kinematic viscosity is calculated
on the basis of the empirical equation obtained previously.

PROCEDURES
1. Thoroughly clean and dry the cup and outlet tube of theviscosimeter and insert
the stopper. Fill the outer bath and bring it to the required temperature of
test. Maintain the bath not more than 1°C high for tests at 25°C,4 0 ° C , o r
5 0 ° C , a n d n o t m o r e t h a n 2 o r 3 ° C h i g h f o r t e s t s a t 100°C.
2.Pour the material into the cup until it exactly reaches the tops of the three
measuring points when the instrument is level. Position the 50 mL testing flask so
that the bottom of the flask is 130±5 mm below the discharge end of the efflux tube and
adjust it so that the effluent will strike the narrow portion of the neck of the
flask near or slightly below the calibratin online.
3. Place the lid and inner thermometer into position and maintain the bath,
with frequent agitation, at such a temperature that the material in the viscometer
cup remains at the test temperature. Maintain these conditions for 3 min. Check
the accuracy of the temperature reading by holding the
stopperfi r m l y i n p o s i t i o n a n d r o t a t i n g t h e c o v e r a t s h o r t i n t e r v a l s during
the first 2 min, but do not disturb the material during the last minute. When these
conditions have been met, withdraw the stopper from the efflux tube,
simultaneously start the timer,and suspend the stopper by the hook on the cover.
Determine t h e t i m e i n s e c o n d s f o r 5 0 m L o f m a t e r i a l t o fl o w f r o m
t h e viscometer.

NOTE
2—Once the material has started to flow through the efflux tube do not use
the ring burner, but maintain the required temperature by the addition or
removal of water at suitable temperatures, or by an auxiliaryburner momentarily
directed at the outside cylindrical portion of the water jacket.
SAYBOLT VISCOMETER
The apparatus mainly consists of a standard cylindrical oil cup surrounded with a
water bath with an immersion heater and a stirring device. The apparatus is supplied
with twoS.S. Orifice jets namely Universal jet & Furol jet, which can be fitted at the
bottom of the oil cup as per our requirement. A rubber cork stopper arrangement is
provided also at the bottom to facilitate start and stop the oil flow from the Viscometer.
Two thermometers are provided to measure water bath temperature and oil temperature
under test. A round flat-bottomed flask with a 60-ml marking on the neck is provided
to measure 60 ml of oil flow against time. The oil cup with the water bath is supported
on a stand with levelly screws.

PROCEDURES
1. Clean the oil cup with a solvent preferably C.T.C (Carbon Tetra chloride) and
wipe it dry thoroughly with a paper napkins or a soft cloth (do not use cotton waste) and
theorifice jet with a fine thread.

2. Keep the water bath with oil cup on the tripod stand and level it.
3. Pour water into the water bath up to 15 to 20mm below the top portion.
4. Close the Orifice opening from bottom with the rubber cork provided. Pour oil to be tested into
the strainer by keeping the strainer on the oil cup until the oil fills up in the oil cup as well as
in side well. Withdraw the excess oil in the side well and position the
thermometers in water bath and oil cup.
5. Take a clean dry 60ml flask and place it under the orifice jet of the oil cup and center it.
6. Pull the rubber cork open and simultaneously start a stopwatch and allow the oil
into the receiving flask.
7. Adjust the receiving flask (60ml) in such a way that the oil string coming out of
the jet strikes the neck of the flask to avoid foaming (formation of air bubbles) on
the oil surface.
8. Wait till the oil level touches the 60 ml mark, stop the watch and record the
time in sec.
9. Repeat the experiment at different temperatures above ambient.
10. Use specific nozzle suitable for lubricant or oil.
PENSKY MARTEN’S FLASH AND FIRE POINT APPARATUS
DESCRIPTION:
This apparatus is used to determine the flash point of fuel oils and lubricating oils.
Flashing above 49ºC. It consists of an oil cup with a circular marking for oil level
indication. A lid to cover the oil cup with sliding shutters with ports, oil stirring
mechanism and dipping wick holder, cast iron oil cup holder (air bath), electric heater
with control.
PROCEDURES
1. Install the apparatus on a table near a 230V, 50Hz, 5amps single-phase power
source.Keep the electrical heater on the table. Position the oil cup holder (air
bath) on the heater.Insert the oil cup into the bath and position it.
2. Pour oil to be tested into the oil cup up to the mark.
3. Close the lid.
4. Connect the heater to the electrical power source and heat the oil at a slow
steady rate of 2ºC /min with the help of the regulator. Keep stirring the oil with the
stirring mechanism.
5. Maintain a small flame on the wick.
6. Introduce the flame to the oil surface by operating the circular handle, which
makes themaintained flame to dip into the oil cup by opening the shutter. This is
done at every half minute, only after the sample oil reaches 15º to 17ºC before
the expected flash point.
7. Record the temperature at which first flash occurs and report as flash point of the
sampleoil.
8. To stop the experiment, switch of the heater and allow it to cool.
ABEL’S FLASH AND FIRE POINT TEST
DESCRIPTION:
This apparatus consist of standard size cylindrical cup. it is held in the metallic holder,
which is heated by means of an electrical heater. A provision is made on the
top Edge of the cup to hold the mercury glass thermometer in correct position. A perma
nent mark is in scribbled on the inner surface of the cup .the oil sample is filled up to this
mark.
PROCEDURES
1. If the sample is too viscous for ease of pouring at laboratory temperature, warm it
gently in its closed container in a water-bath taking care not to raise the
temperature of the sample higher than 20’ F (11’C) below its flash point.
2. Fill the water-bath and the annular space between the oil-cup and the waterbath
completely with water, or with water and glycerol if it is expected that the flash
point will be near or above 212’ F (100’C). With the oil – cup thoroughly clean
and dry and in position, heat the apparatus to a temperature which is
substantially the same as that of the preheated sample in (1), and which, in any
case, is not higher than 20’F (11’C) below the flash point of the sample.
3. Fill the oil-cup to the level indicated by the point of the gauge with the sample
treated according to (1), put the cover in place and fit the thermometer.
4. Start the stirrer and regulate its speed to 70-80 rpm with a downward thrust. If
this speed cannot be attained with very viscous materials at the start of heating,
increase it as soon as the oil is warm enough.
5. Light the test flame and adjust it to a bead approximately 0.15 inch (4mm)
diameter. Apply heat to the water-bath so that the rate of temperature increase of
the oil in the cup is less than 0.75’ F (o.4’C) nor more than 1.25%F (0.7’C) /min.
6. At each “2’ F (1’C) , without stopping the stirrer, apply the test flame. Make the
first application at least 20’F (11’C) below the flash point and make all
applications in the following manner: Draw the slide slowly open while a
metronome, set at 74-80 beats per min, beats three times, and close during the
fourth beat. A pendulum of 24 inches (60cm) effective length may be used in
place of the metronome, counting one beat from one extremity of the swing to the
other.
7. Continue in this manner until the application of the test flame cause a distinct
flash in the interior of the cup, but do not confuse the actual flash with the bluish
haze that sometimes surrounds the test flame. Record the temperature indicated
by the oil-cup thermometer at which the actual flash occurs and also the
barometric pressure to the nearest millimeter.
CARBON (CONRADSON) RESIDUE TEST
Conradson carbon residue, commonly known as "Concarbon" or "CCR" is a laboratory
test used to provide an indication of the coke-forming tendencies of an oil.
Quantitatively, the test measures the amount of carbonaceous residue remaining after
the oil's evaporation and pyrolysis. In general, the test is applicable to petroleum
products which are relatively non-volatile, and which decompose on distillation at
atmospheric pressure. The phrase "Conradson carbon residue" and its common names
can refer to either the test or the numerical value obtained from it.
PROCEDURES
1. We bring the empty dry and clean crucible and weighted on the analytical
balance (M1) in gm.
2. We shake the sample for testing, first heated to 50 C to reduce its viscosity.
3. We weights the 10g of the sample (free of moisture and suspended matter) into
porcelain crucible which contains 2 glass beads (M2).
4. We placed the crucible in the center of skid more crucible which is set at the
center of the iron crucible and applied covers for both skid more andiron crucible.
5. And applied the strong flame from the gas burner to have high heat for a period
10 min.
6. We moved the burner after the smoke appears form the chimney or tilted to ignite
the vapor then removed temporary.
7. When the vapor starts to burn the heat is reapplied till the bottom of the sheet
iron crucible is cherry red.
8. We removed the burner and apparatus is cooled until no smoke appears then the
cover of skid more crucibles is removed (for about 15 min).
9. The porcelain or silica crucible is removed, cooled and weighted again accurately
M3 gm. and the % of carbon residue is calculated based on the original sample.
.