(230b) Viscometer for on-Site Rheology Measurements:  Development and Application

It is vitally important to have accurate rheological measurements for fluids when designing equipment for processes requiring mixing of viscous, non-Newtonian fluids. In many cases, it is convenient to send samples to a laboratory and have the measurements made there but there are certain processes in which the properties of the fluid change so rapidly in time that representative measurements can only be made at the site where the process is carried out.

This presentation will discuss the development of a portable viscometer which can be easily transported to a site and used to measure rheology. A case study will be presented demonstrating how the viscometer has been used to investigate problems in a high solids concentration slurry mixing process.