VISCOSITY Every liquid has got certain resistance to flow and is called its viscosity.

The resistance to flow is due to the friction caused when one layer passes over the other. In everyday terms (and for fluids only), viscosity is "thickness" or "internal friction". Thus, water is "thin", having a lower viscosity, while honey is "thick", having a higher viscosity. ut simply, the less viscous the fluid is, the greater its ease of movement (fluidity). !iscosity " in a fluid is the resistance to its change of shape, which is due to molecular attraction in the liquid that resists any change due to flow or motion. #hen a force is applied to a fluid at rest, the molecular layers in the fluid tend to slide on top of each other as shown in $ig. %elow.

The force F resisting motion in a fluid is given %y

#here is the proportionality factor called viscosity. The applied force is therefore proportional to the area (') and velocity gradient (u) in the fluid and inversely proportional to the distance %etween the plates (y) This equation can %e e&pressed in terms of shear stress

Thus the shear stress %etween layers is proportional to the velocity gradient in the direction perpendicular to the layers. This gives the relation %etween the shear stress st and the velocity gradient

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Types of viscosity There e&ist a num%er of forms of viscosity(

Newtonian( fluids, such as water and most gases which have a constant viscosity. Shear thickening( viscosity increases with the rate of shear. Shear thinning( viscosity decreases with the rate of shear. )hear thinning liquids are very commonly, %ut misleadingly, descri%ed as thi&otropic. Thixotropic( materials which %ecome less viscous over time when shaken, agitated, or otherwise stressed. Rheopectic( materials which %ecome more viscous over time when shaken, agitated, or otherwise stressed. ' Bingham plastic is a material that %ehaves as a solid at low stresses %ut flows as a viscous fluid at high stresses. ' magnetorheological fl i! is a type of "smart fluid" which, when su%*ected to a magnetic field, greatly increases its apparent viscosity, to the point of %ecoming a viscoelastic solid.

Viscosity coefficients !iscosity coefficients can %e defined as follows( "ynamic viscosity, also a#sol te viscosity, It is defined as the ratio of shear stress (+) to the velocity gradient (du,dy) produced %y it. Typical units is a-s, oise ( ). o . / 0.. a-s, o . c / . m a-s / 0.00. a-s. o . poise / 0.. 12s,m3 o #ater at 30 45 has a viscosity of ..0030 c $inematic viscosity is the dynamic viscosity divided %y the density (typical units cm3,s, )tokes, )t). o #ater at 30 45 has a kinematic viscosity of a%out . c)t. %l i!ity& The reciprocal of viscosity is fluidity, usually sym%oli6ed %y / . , or F / . , , depending on the convention used, measured in reciprocal poise (cm-s-g7.), sometimes called the rhe.
SPECIFIC VISCOSITY '(S) is the ratio of a%solute viscosity of the fluid (8) to the a%solute viscosity of a standard fluid (8st) at the same temperature.

R*+,TIV* VISCOSITY '-R) is the ratio of a%solute viscosity of the fluid at a given temperature (8t) to the a%solute viscosity (8st) of a standard fluid at 3045.

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VISCOSITY IN"*. 'IV) is an empirical num%er that indicates the effect of changes of temperature on viscosity of a fluid. 9arge Iv means lower sensitivity to temperature. Non/stan!ar! nits The :eyn is a ;ritish unit of dynamic viscosity. 't one time the petroleum industry relied on measuring kinematic viscosity %y means of the )ay%olt viscometer, and e&pressing kinematic viscosity in units of Saybolt Universal Seconds ()<)). =ther a%%reviations such as ))< (Saybolt Seconds Universal) or )<! (Saybolt Universal Viscosity) are sometimes used. Coefficient of Viscosity an! Temperat re& ' change in .o$ may produce as much as .0 > change in viscosity. 's a general rule it can %e stated that the temperature should %e kept constant. Types of Viscometers& )ome of the important viscosity meters or simply viscometers are given %elow. .. 5apillary !iscometer 3. )ay%olt?s !iscometer @. :otameter Type !iscometer Capillary Viscometer =f the different methods of viscosity measurement for liquids the classical method due to oiseuille is still the standard and the viscometer %ased on this technique is known as the capillary viscometer. #hen the liquid flows through a tu%e of small diameter 3: as shown in figure %elowA

5onsider for an annular flow channel of radial thickness dr at a distance r from the central line, the viscosity equation is given %y,

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#here, v B !elocityA

B ressure difference across the tu%e of length l : and corresponding v / v 0.

Integrating in the limits r / r

!olume flow rate,

Cence a%solute viscosity is given %y,

The capillary method has %een successfully used in refineries for measuring viscosities of petroleum products. The schematic arrangement is shown in figure %elow. This is a continuous method. The liquid is forced at a constant velocity through the capillary (friction tu%e). The pressure drops across the ends of the tu%e is measured %y a pneumatic force %alance type Differential ressure Transmitter (D T). The indicator can %e directly cali%rated in viscosity. This method can measure viscosity from 01/2 poise to 2111 poise. It is usa%le at high static pressures and is suita%le for remote indication and control.

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Say#olt3s Viscometer& )ay%olt?s viscometer works upon the same principle of operation of capillary viscometer, %ut this method measures kinematic viscosity. The schematic set up of the method is shown in figure %elow.

It consists of a graduated tu%e with a capillary at the %ottom. The tu%e placed in a constant temperature %ath is filled with the liquid and a measured quantity of liquid is drained trough the capillary. $or varying viscosity, the time required should vary. The time t required to drain E0 cc of the liquid indicates viscosity and is denoted %y )ay%olt num%er. 'n empirical equation relating kinematic viscosity and time is as given %elow.

Cere ' and ; are constants. ' is having a value of 3F and ;, .G00 for )ay%olt?s viscometer.

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The following formulas may %e used to convert centistrokes (c)t units) to appro&imate )ay%olt universal seconds ()<) units). $or )<) values %etween @3 and .00

$or )<) values greater than .00

Rotameter Type Viscometer& In this type, rotameter %o%s may %e designed to %e viscosity sensitive. Therefore with a rotameter in the line of flow, viscosity can %e measured if flow rate is constant. $igure %elow shows a scheme of the method.

' rotameter with two %o%s, one sensitive and another immune to viscosity is mounted in a %ypass line through which the flow is regulated %y a suita%le regulator. ;y ad*usting the regulator, the flow rate inde& is set at the inde& mark. The other %o% will indicate viscosity. If the range is required to %e changed, the flow rate can %e changed and the scale readings can then %e related to the viscosity %y empirical cali%ration. This method is commonly used up to a viscosity of 211 centipoises(cp), %ut the range is e&tendi%le. It measures viscosity and also checks consistency at high static pressure.

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CONSIST*NCY Hany fluids undergo continuous deformation with the application of shearing stress. If the force B flow relation is linear, the fluid is 1ewtonian. $or non B 1ewtonian fluids, the force B flow relation is not only nonlinear %ut changes from material to material. #hen continuous deformation occurs, the fluid tries to oppose this with a frictional resistance. This resistance can %e measured in terms of consistency. 5onsistency of 1ewtonian fluid is called viscosity. Consistency meas rement is also important in industry particularly in the manufacturing processes. )ome commonly used methods are .. :otating !ane 5onsistency Heter 3. =scillating Type 5onsistency Heter Rotating Vane Consistency 4eter In paper or food processing industries, online consistency control is done %y suspending an agitator wheel in the flow %o& and driving it %y an electric motor. The method is similar to the one descri%ed earlier. #hen the consistency of the material changes, there is a change in torque of the driving motor, which can %e measured %y either pneumatic or electrical methods. ;y measuring the power required to drive the agitator motor, consistency can also %e measured. The wattmeter is empirically cali%rated. The schematic circuit is shown in figure %elow.

Oscillating Type Consistency 4eter It consists of two concentric cylinders. The inner cylinder is given an a&ial sinusoidal motion through a mechanical drive rod as shown. The fluid in the annular space gets a shearing force and the motion to the inner cylinder will %e transmitted to the outer cylinder %ecause of the metal %ellows. The magnitude of this transmission will depend on

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the consistency of the fluid flowing through the instrument. The magnitude of transducer outputs are compared for the consistency. This also requires empirical cali%ration. This system is schematically shown in figure %elow(

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