CHP 452-WORKED OUT TUTORIALS

QUESTION SEVEN

A co-axial viscometer was used to measure the viscosity of a non-newtonian fluid. The inner
cylinder is 60cm high and of radius 20cm while the outer cylinder is of radius 30cm. Compute
the viscosity of the fluid if a torque of 0.2kg.m is required to maintain an angular velocity of 80
r.p.m.

SOLUTION

T −1 kT
μ¿ ¿ )= where μ = viscosity, T = torque on the inner cylinder in kg.m, h =
ω 4 πh R 02 ω
height of inner cylinder in m, ω = angular velocity in Rad/s, Ri = radius of inner cylinder
and k = viscometer constant.
Convert 80 r.p.m into Rads/s giving 80*2π/60 = 8π/3 Rads/s.

On substitution and computation μ =0.04kgm-2s.

QUESTION TEN

A fluid with a finite yield stress is sheared between concentric cylinders, 50mm high. The inner
cylinder is 30mm in diameter and the gap is 20mm. The outer cylinder is held stationary while a
torque is applied to the inner cylinder. The moment required just to produce motion is 0.01Nm.
Calculate the torque needed to ensure all the fluid is flowing under shear if the plastic viscosity is
0.1Ns/m2.

SOLUTION

Concentric-cylinder viscometers are in widespread use. The liquid whose viscosity is to be

measured is contained both in between the cylinders and inside the inner cylinder and is sheared
between the stationary inner and rotating outer cylinders. Either may be driven, but the flow
regime which is established with the outer rotating and inner stationary cylinder is less disturbed
by centrifugal forces. The couple transmitted through the fluid to the suspended stationary
cylinder is resisted by a calibrated spring, the deflection of which allows calculation of the
torque, T, and hence the inner wall shearing stress Ri is given by: T = -Riri2πrih. This torque T
originates from the outer cylinder which is driven at a uniform speed. On the inner surface of the
−T
outer cylinder the shear stress is R0 and T = -R0r02πr0h. Therefore R0 = and Ri =
r 02 πr 0 h
−T
. For any intermediate radius r, the local shear stress is: Rr = -T/(2πrr2h) = R0 (r02/r2) =
r i 2 πr i h
Ri(ri2/r2).

T = 0.01Nm, ri = 0.015m, h = 0.05m, r0 = 0.035m. Calculating, Ri = 141.5 N/m2. As motion

just initiates under the action of this torque, this shear stress must equal the yield stress and
therefore Rγ =141.5N/m2. If all the fluid is to be in motion, the shear stress at the surface of the
outer cylinder must be at least this value and the shear stress at the inner cylinder will be higher,
and will be given by: Ri = R0 (r02/ri2). On computing Ri = 770N/m2. The required Torque is then

T = -Riri2πrih = 770*0.0152*0.05*2*3.14 = 0.054Nm.