Gazi University

Chemical Engineering Department

KM 380E Chemical Engineering Laboratory 1
Experiment Number: 1a

VISCOSITY MEASUREMENTS
PURPOSE

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the viscosities (viscous flow coefficients) of the liquids at the
desired temperature by kinematically and dynamically.

A) Determination of Viscosity by Terminal Velocity Method

1) Theoretical Information

In our daily life, it is possible to observe that the fluids such as honey, hard flowing liquid oil etc. flow more
slowly than the others. The movement of a fluid can be thought as a slip between adjacent fluid layers. Here,
the internal friction between neighboring liquid strata with different velocities, which are interactions with
each other, is called viscous flow. In other words, it is a measure of the internal resistance against the flow of
liquid. Let us consider two parallel planar layers with a surface area S of a very small (molecular order)
distance apart in a real fluid (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Experiments have shown that the resistance force of a liquid layer to the unit surface is proportional to the
rate of change between the layers. So;

F / S = η Δv / Δr (1)

Where η is the viscous flow coefficient and its value is dependent on the type of liquid. In CGS units, unit is
dyne.s/cm2 = poise and in MKS units, N.s/m2. The viscosity of the liquids decreases as the temperature
increases, while the viscosity of the gases increases as the temperature increases.

The resistance of the liquids against the moving objects is proportional to the viscous flow coefficient.
According to the Stokes Law, this resistance force as follows.

R=6πηrv (2)

The forces that affect a solid body (eg, steel or lead ball) as it falls in the liquid:

P = 4 π r3 d' g / 3 (3)
weight of the ball and,

3
F=4πr dg/3 (4)

the lifting force exerted by the liquid to the ball. Here;

r: radius of the ball

v: terminal velocity
g: 9.8 m/s2, acceleration of gravity
d: density of liquid
d': density of the ball material

From the moment when the compound force of these three forces acting on the ball is zero, the ball continues
to fall at the velocity it reaches. In this case ;

R+F–P=0

Using the equations (2), (3), (4) if their values are substituted

3 3
6 π η r v + 4 π r d g / 3 - 4 π r d’ g / 3 = 0

for viscous flow coefficient

2
η= 2 g r (d’-d) / 9v (5)

is obtained.

2) Tools to be used

Figure 2 Figure 3

 Glass Cylinder (Figure-2)

 Liquid to find viscous flow coefficient
 Hydrometer (density meter) (Figure-3)
 Chronometer
 Micrometer
 Steel, lead balls.
3) Experimental Procedure

1) Measure diameter of steel ball to be used in the experiment with a micrometer.

2) The liquid to find viscous flow coefficient is filled into the glass cylinder. On the cylinder, there
are two marking lines one at the top and the other at the bottom. Measure the height (h) between
these two marking lines.
3) Slowly release the ball to the liquid surface. When it passes through the first marking line, press
the chronometer. Stop the chronometer when the ball reaches the second marking line. Thus, you
read in chronometer that the ball has taken that height in time t (s).
4) For the time t, find v terminal velocity according to v = h / t.
5) Use a hydrometer to measure the density of the liquid. For this, hydrometer is immersed into the
liquid. After reaching the equilibrium, read the value that coincides with the liquid surface.
6) If the balls you use in the experiment are steel, d '= 7800 kg / m3 and for lead, d' = 11.3 * 103 kg /
m3.
7) By applying equation (4), calculate the viscous flow coefficient (η) of the fluid you are
experimenting with.

4) Results

Table 1- Experimental results

Diameter (m) Height, h (m) Time, Velocity Density Viscosity

3
t (s) v=h/t d ( kg / m ) η ( kg /m.s)

B) Viscosity Evaluation with Engler Viscosimetry

The experimental system is shown in Figure 4. The container is filled to the marking points. The bath is
filled with water or oil according to the temperature to be experiment as the heating medium. The bath is
heated by electricity. All viscosities are proportional to the water at 20°C. The container and standard
hole are washed with ether, then thoroughly rinsed with alcohol to remove oil residues. The flow hole is
closed with a plug. The container is filled with water at 20°C until the mark points. The collecting
container is placed below the flow hole so that the liquid can not penetrate the edges. The plug is pulled.
At the same time, the elapsed time for the flow of 50 ml (or 100 ml, 200 ml) water is measured by
pressing the chronometer. The same process is repeated in the other petroleum fractions. However, since
the temperature may be different, the bath is constantly controlled by the thermometer. The temperature
must not exceed the temperature at which the experiment is to be carried out. After the bath reaches the
desired temperature, wait 3 minutes and measure.

The flow time (sec) of the liquid at T (°C) (6)

Viscosity at T (°C) =
The flow time (sec) of the water at 20 °C
Note :

1) The amounts of liquid and water flowing are the same. 50 ml or 100 ml or 200 ml .
2) The viscometer should be in a place free of air flow and sudden temperature change.
3) Do not set the temperature of the sample by inserting hot or cold objects into it. Otherwise it causes
changes on the sample.
4) You read the results with about 0.1 second.

Standard experiment temperatures: 25, 37.8, 50, 54.4, 60, 82.2, 98.9 °C

Figure-4. Engler Viscosimetry

Preliminary:

1. What is the kinematic viscosity?

2. What is dynamic viscosity?
3. How does the viscosity of liquids change with temperature?
4. How does the viscosity of the gases change with temperature?
5. Explain why the most important parameter that can cause deviation in the viscosity measurement is.
6. How are the viscosities determined by other devices?
C) Viscosity of Polymer Solvents - Viscosity Average Molecular Weight Test

Ubbelohde viscometer is used to obtain viscosity average molecular weights of polymer samples. This
method is basically based on measurements of viscosity of dilute polymer solutions. The Ubbelohde
viscometer is shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Ubbelohde viscosimetry

0.2 g is taken from the polymer sample and dissolved in 20 ml of solvent. Thus, 1% solution is
obtained. With the addition of toluene in the required amounts, 0.8%, 0.6%, 0.5% and 0.4% of diluted
polymer solutions are prepared. Viscosities of these solutions are measured in a Ubbelohde viscometer.
The experimental method of working with Ubbelohde viscometer is given below.

A viscometer is placed in the Ubbelohde in a thermostated and stirred water bath. Water bath is held
constant at 25 °C. The solution whose viscosity is to be measured is filled into the well 1 from the
section marked with 4 on the figure. Closing the nozzle of the number 6, with the help of a fair from
point 5, solution filling is provided until the upper balloon. The ends of tubes 5 and 6 are opened to
allow the solution to flow freely between 3 and 2 points. The flow time is determined by a chronometer.
This is done first for the solvent, then for the diluted polymer solutions. Using measured flow times,
relative viscosities (μ r) are calculated.

 = (7)
t o: flow time for solvent

Using the relative viscosity value, the specific viscosity (μsp) is calculated.

 = −1 (8)

The intrinsic viscosities (μ I) corresponding to each concentration are calculated.


 = (9)

The intrinsic viscosities are plotted against the concentration (Figure-6). The absolute viscosity [μ] is
calculated.
 Figure 6. Change of intrinsic viscosity by polymer concentration

[] = 𝐾 𝑀 (Mark-Houwink Equation) (10)

From Equation 10, the viscosity average molecular weight (𝑀 ) of the polymer chains is calculated.
Here, K and α are constants, which are taken from the literature depending on the type of polymer, the
molecular weight, the type of solvent and the temperature (*).

(*) Brandrup, J. and Immergut, E.H., 1966, Polymer Handbook, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., USA.

A 2-week plan designed for this experiment:

1st week: The groups are expected to conduct research on the experiment and to come prepared for the
above preliminary questions. A general discussion of the experiment will be held during the
first week of the experiment and for a given polymer sample, the viscosity average molecular
weight experiment will be carried out.
nd
2 week: Viscosity measurement experiments will be carried out using terminal velocity method and
Engler viscometer.