Viscosity and pH (Control)

pH

By definition, pH is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen-ion concentration in aqueous

solution. This means that a solution having a pH value of 4 has ten times more hydrogen ions
than a solution whose pH is 5. For control systems neutralizing spent acids or bases, pH value
per se is of little consequence except as a control point for the neutralization.

 HOW PH CONTROL SYSTEMS WORK

Basically, a pH control system measures the pH of the solution and controls the addition of a
neutralizing agent (on demand) to maintain the solution at the pH of neutrality, or within certain
acceptable limits. It is, in effect, a continuous titration. These pH control systems are highly
varied, and design depends on such factors as flow, acid or base strength or variability of
strength, method of adding neutralizing agent, accuracy of control (i.e., limits to which pH must
be held), and physical and other requirements. The following discussion, therefore, deals with
basic designs rather than specific systems.
 Viscosity
The father of viscosity was Sir Isaac Newton. Yes, the man who was hit in the head with an
apple was instrumental in the development of viscosity measurement. For lab and process,

A common mistake when using cups is the viscosity range.

Test cups are recommended for flow times of more than 20
sec. But in practice, there are many operations that make
measurements in the range of 10-15 sec. The relative
inaccuracy is then much too high. In such a case, it is
urgently recommended to change to a smaller nozzle size.
Getting an expert recommendation regarding the proper test
cup to use in your process is a good first step to improve
viscosity control.

The most accurate viscosity cup remains subject to the operator. With different operators
handling these cups, the manual nature of this measuring process can interfere with producing
the desired color results. When manual measurement with viscosity cups is not consistent with
your process, there are a multitude of automatic systems available to provide precise viscosity
control.

 Devices that Controls Viscosity

 Automatic viscosity control can be

accomplished using a simple analog-type
control. This control connects with a
rotation sensor and valve to create a fully
automatic system. With this type of control
unit, the operator can bring the ink to color,
turn on the switch, and adjust a
potentionmeter to set the level to control the
viscosity.
  Fully digital automatic controls such as
the Junior VC connect with rotation or
falling ball sensors. The unit was
designed as a straightforward control to be
used in print and liquid media
applications where viscosity and valve
timing control is paramount to the
process. The valve timing has precise
controls for delay, on, and off times.

 Importance of Viscosity Control

What is the impact of the slurry viscosity being out of range? Operating outside of the targeted
range could result in variations in shell thickness. If the back-up viscosity is running thick, then
the mold weight could increase by up to 10%, especially in the later dips. If the viscosity is
below the lower limit that could result in a thinner slurry layer and potential shell failures
including run-outs or surface finish defects.
For the measurement of viscosity in controlled settings (typically laboratory) where the majority
of variables are maintained as constant, engineers and scientists use off-line viscometers. Typical
examples include: Capillary, Couette, Falling Ball, Cone and Plate and Oscillating Cylinder. It is
very important to keep these instruments in a regulated environment with a stable temperature
(such as in a water bath) because of viscosity's sensitivity to changes in temperature.

References:

 https://www.emerson.com/documents/automation/Application-Data-Basics-of-pH-
Control-en-68430.pdf
 https://flexoglobal.com/flexomag/08-September/flexomag-viscosity.htm
 https://www.keyprocessinnovations.com/importance-viscosity-control/
 https://eng.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Industrial_and_Systems_Engineering/Book
%3A_Chemical_Process_Dynamics_and_Controls_(Woolf)/
03%3A_Sensors_and_Actuators/3.07%3A_pH_and_Viscosity_Sensors
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