Lab #3

Viscometry
 Outline
• Goals of lab
• Flow behavior curve for time-independent fluids
• Rotational viscometer (Newtonian fluid)
• Rotational viscometer (non-Newtonian fluid)
• Flow behavior for a shear thinning fluid

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 Goals of Lab

• Determine the viscosity of a Newtonian fluid

• Determine the rheological properties of a non-
Newtonian fluid

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 Flow Behavior for Time-Independent Fluids
(Herschel-Bulkley Model for Shear Stress vs. Shear Rate)
Yield stress    0  K (  ) n
 = Shear stress (Pa)
n<1 0 = Yield stress (Pa)
.
 = Shear rate (s-1)
n=1
 K = Consistency coeff.
  0  K ( ) n

n>1
(Pa sn)
n = Flow behavior index

Newtonian
0 = 0, n = 1
.
Then, K = 
Herschel-Bulkley Model:    0  K (  ) n Power-law Model:   K (  ) n
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 Rotational Viscometer (Newtonian Fluid)
• Principle
– Measure torque [a measure of shear stress (in Pa]
.
versus rpm [a measure of shear rate (in s-1]
– Use equation below to calculate viscosity

T  1 1 
 2  2  2 
8 NL  R i R o 
T: Torque (N∙m)
N: Revolutions per second (s-1)
L: Spindle length (m)
Ri, Ro: Radius of spindle, cup resp. (m)

Plot “T” on y-axis versus “N” on x-axis. The slope of this

graph is “82L/[1/Ri2 – 1/Ro2]”. Obtain  from this.

nist.gov 5
Rotational Viscometer (Non-Newtonian Fluid)
• Principle
– Sophisticated viscometers can be used to determine shear
.
stress [(in Pa] versus shear rate [(in s-1]
• Basic viscometers yield only torque versus rpm data
– From shear stress and shear rate values, the Herschel-
Bulkely model (     K  ) can be used to determine the
0
n

rheological parameters (0, K, and n)

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 Flow Behavior for a Shear Thinning Fluid

Ln (Shear stress): ln ()

Shear stress ()

Shear rate (  ) Ln (Shear rate): ln (  )

This graph shows the This graph can be used to
shear-thinning behavior determine ‘K’ and ‘n’
  K  n ln()  ln(K )  n ln(  )
Plot ln() on y  axis versus ln(  ) on x  axis
Slope = n n = Slope
Intercept = ln (K) K = eintercept 7