Types of viscometer

Capillary viscometer
A capillary viscometer is an instrument used to measure the viscosity, or thickness, of a liquid by measuring how long
it takes the liquid to flow through a small-diameter tube, or capillary.

The flow, or efflux, time is directly proportional to the liquid's kinematic viscosity, and may be converted directly
to viscosity by use of a conversion factor unique to each instrument. Viscosity is generally temperature dependent,
so the capillary viscometer is usually used in a controlled-temperature water bath set to a specific temperature
Viscosity may be thought of as the internal friction of a liquid, or its tendency to resist flowing. Viscosity is thus an
important property of fluids. It is of critical concern in lubricants, paints, beverages, and in any case where a liquid
must be transferred, stirred, or manipulated.A capillary viscometer may take any of several designs, but most
common is the U-shaped or Ostwald viscometer, of which the Cannon-Fenske and Ubbelohde types are typical. A
Cannon-Fenske capillary viscometer is a U-shaped piece of glass tubing bearing two glass bulbs or chambers on one
arm, separated by a calibrated length of capillary tubing. Another bulb is low on the other arm, to which the sample
is charged. The sample and the capillary viscometer are then suspended in a fixed-temperature water bath and
allowed to come to thermal equilibrium.Once thermal equilibrium is reached, the sample is drawn up into the upper
chamber, and the test begins. The test sample is allowed to flow from the upper chamber to the lower through the
capillary, and the efflux time, or time it takes to traverse the length of the capillary, is measured. Capillary
viscometers come with a manufacturer-supplied conversion factor which allows calculation of the kinematic
viscosity directly from the efflux time.

Ostwald Viscometer
It is a type of capillary viscometer. There is ‘U’ shape tube with two bulbs and two
marks as shown in the following figure,It is used to determine the viscosity of
Newtonian liquids. In one arm of the U is a vertical section of precise narrow
bore (the capillary). Above this is a bulb, with it is another bulb lower down on
the other arm. In use, liquid is drawn into the upper bulb by suction, then allowed
to flow down through the capillary into the lower bulb. Two marks (one above and
one below the upper bulb) indicate a known volume. The time taken for the level
of the liquid to pass between these marks is proportional to the kinematic viscosity.
Most commercial units are provided with a conversion factor, or can be calibrated
by a fluid of known properties.

Ubbelohde suspended level viscometer

A Ubbelohde type viscometer or suspended-level viscometer is a measuring instrument

which uses a capillary based method of measuring viscosity [1]. It is recommended for
higher viscosity cellulosic polymer solutions. The advantage of this instrument is that the
values obtained are independent of the concentration. The device was invented by the
German chemist Leo Ubbelohde (1877-1964). The Ubbelohde viscometer is closely
related to the Ostwald viscometer. Both are u-shaped pieces of glassware with a
reservoir on one side and a measuring bulb with a capillary on the other. A liquid is
introduced into the reservoir then sucked through the capillary and measuring bulb.
The liquid is allowed to travel back through the measuring bulb and the time it takes for
the liquid to pass through two calibrated marks is a measure for viscosity.
The Ubbelohde device has a third arm extending from the end of the capillary and
open to the atmosphere. In this way the pressure head only depends on a fixed height
and no longer on the total volume of liquid.

Falling sphere viscometer

Falling sphere viscometer consists of cylindrical transparent
tube having graduated section near the middle of its length
and generally a steel ball that is allowed to fall through the
tube. Stokes' law is the basis of the falling sphere viscometer
, in which the fluid is stationary in a vertical glass tube.
A sphere of known size and density is allowed to descend
through the liquid. If correctly selected, it reaches terminal
velocity, which can be measured by the time it takes to
pass two marks on the tube. Electronic sensing can be used
for opaque fluids. Knowing the terminal velocity, the size
and density of the sphere, and the density of the liquid,
Stokes' law can be used to calculate the viscosity of the fluid
. A series of steel ball bearings of different diameter is
normally used in the classic experiment to improve the
accuracy of the calculation. The school experiment uses
glycerine as the fluid, and the technique is used industrially
to check the viscosity of fluids used in processes. It includes many different oils, and polymer liquids such as
solutions.In 1851, George Gabriel Stokes derived an expression for the frictional force (also called drag force)
exerted

on spherical objects with very small Reynolds numbers (e.g., very small particles) in a continuous viscous fluid by
changing the small fluid-mass limit of the generally unsolvable Navier-Stokes eq

Rotational viscometers
use the idea that the force required to turn
an object in a fluid, can indicate the viscosity of that fluid. The
viscometer determines the required force for rotating a
disk or bobin a fluid at known speed. 'Cup and bob'
viscometers work by defining the exact volume of sample which
is to be sheared within a test cell, the torque required to achieve
a certain rotational speedis measured. The
Example digital viscometer with temperature control
re are two classical geometries in "cup and bob" viscometers, known
as either the "Couette" or "Searle" systems - distinguished by
whether the cup or bob rotates. 'Cone and Plate' viscometers use
a cone of very shallow angle in theoretical contact with a flat plate.
With this system the shear rate beneath the plate is constant to
a modest degree of precision, a graph of shear stress (torque)
against shear rate (angular velocity) yields the viscosity.

Rotational viscometers fall into two main types:

1. Synchronous (Stepper) Motor / Spring

2. Servo Motor / Digital encoder

The first type uses a stepper motor to drive the main shaft. A spring & pivot assembly rotates on the shaft.
The spindle or rotor hangs from this assembly. As the spindle rotates the spring is deflected by the viscosity of
the sample under test.
The second type uses a precision servo motor to drive the shaft. The Spindle or rotor is attached directly to the
shaft. High speed microprocessors measure the speed from a digital encoder and calculate the current required
to drive the rotor at the test speed. The current required is proportional to the viscosity of the sample under test.
Stabinger viscometer
By modifying the classic Couette rotational viscometer, an accuracy comparable to that of kinematic viscosity
determination is achieved. The internal cylinder in the Stabinger Viscometer is hollow and specifically lighter than
the sample, thus floats freely in the sample, centered by centrifugal forces. The formerly inevitable bearing friction is
thus fully avoided. The speed and torque measurement is implemented without direct contact by a rotating
magnetic field and an eddy current brake. This allows for a previously unprecedented torque resolution of 50 pN·m
and an exceedingly large measuring range from 0.2 to 20,000 mPa·s with a single measuring system. A built-in
density measurement based on the oscillating U-tube principle allows the determination of kinematic viscosity from
the measured dynamic viscosity employing the relation

The Stabinger Viscometer was presented for the first time by Anton Paar GmbH at the ACHEMA in the year 2000.
The measuring principle is named after its inventor Dr. Hans Stabinger.
Stormer viscometer
The Stormer viscometer is a rotation instrument used to determine the
viscosity of paints, commonly used in paint industries. It consists of a
paddle-type rotor that is spun by an internal motor, submerged into a
cylinder of viscous substance. The rotor speed can be adjusted by
changing the amount of load supplied onto the rotor. For example,
in one brand of viscometers, pushing the level upwards decreases the
load and speed, downwards increases the load and speed.
The viscosity can be found by adjusting the load until the rotation
velocity is 200 rotations per minute. By examining the load applied and
comparing tables found on ASTM D 562, one can find the viscosity in
Krebs units (KU), unique only to the Stormer type viscometer.

Oscillating Piston Viscometer

Sometimes referred to as Electromagnetic Viscometer or EMV viscometer, was invented at Cambridge Viscosity in
1986. The sensor (see figure below) comprises a measurement chamber and magnetically influenced piston.
Measurements are taken whereby a sample is first introduced into the thermally controlled measurement chamber
where the piston resides. Electronics drive the piston into oscillatory motion within the measurement chamber with
a controlled magnetic field. A shear stress is imposed on the liquid (or gas) due to the piston travel and the viscosity
is determined by measuring the travel time of the piston. The construction parameters for the annular spacing
between the piston and measurement chamber, the strength of the electromagnetic field, and the travel distance of
the piston are used to calculate the viscosity according to Newton’s Law of Viscosity.
Oscillating Piston Viscometer Schematic View
The Oscillating Piston Viscometer technology has been adapted for small sample viscosity and micro-sample
viscosity testing in laboratory applications. It has also been adapted to measure high pressure viscosity and high
temperature viscosity measurements in both laboratory and process environments. The viscosity sensors have been
scaled for a wide range of industrial applications such as small size viscometers for use in compressors and engines,
flow-through viscometers for dip coating processes, in-line viscometers for use in refineries, and hundreds of other
applications. Improvements in sensitivity from modern electronics, is stimulating a growth in Oscillating Piston
Viscometer popularity with academic laboratories exploring gas viscosity.

Bubble viscometer
Bubble viscometers are used to quickly determine kinematic viscosity of known liquids such as resins and varnishes.
The time required for an air bubble to rise is directly proportional to the visosity of the liquid, so the faster the
bubble rises, the lower the viscosity. The Alphabetical Comparison Method uses 4 sets of lettered reference tubes,
A5 through Z10, of known viscosity to cover a viscosity range from 0.005 to 1,000 stokes. The Direct Time Method
uses a single 3-line times tube for determining the "bubble seconds", which may then be converted to stokes