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D_A_V_E
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 52
Helped: 3
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 03 Oct 2008 17:17 viscosity sensor |
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Hi guys,
I am looking for a "small" analog or digital sensor that can measure the viscosity of liquids. Does anyone have some ideas or link(s) where to buy them.
thanks guys for you help
D
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kender
Joined: 19 Jun 2005
Posts: 957
Helped: 70
Location: Stanford, SF Bay Peninsula, California, Earth, Solar System, Milky Way
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House_Cat
Joined: 21 Feb 2002
Posts: 1349
Helped: 274
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| 05 Oct 2008 1:53 Re: viscosity sensor |
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D_A_V_E -
I hope you're ready to spend a lot of money to buy a sensor. The ones described in http://www.sengenuity.com/tech_ref/VI_ViSmart_Starter_Kit_Spec_Sheet.pdf
cost between $7KUSD and $10KUSD. You can buy a used Viscosimeter for a lot less than that.
You could also use a rotary viscosity sensor, but they aren't small or cheap ( http://www.levitronix.com/Documents/ProductBrochures/Technical_Brochure_Viscometer.pdf ).
Depending on what exactly you are trying to do, you can make a viscosimeter by drilling a calibrated hole in the bottom of a cup, and timing the fluid as it drains from the cup. Painters use a tool like that for checking the viscosity of paint before using a paint sprayer. Some labs also use that method for checking to make sure a fluid is within a certain viscosity specification.
College lab students have constructed their own rotary viscosimeters by using a paddlewheel on the shaft of a DC motor and measuring the voltage generated by the motor as the fluid rotates the paddlewheel over a measured time period. Look around on the Internet, and you'll probably find their lab reports describing how it was done.
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FvM
Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 2635
Helped: 431
Location: Bochum, Germany
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| 05 Oct 2008 9:18 viscosity sensor |
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| As said, there is definitely no cheap, ready to use sensor. Depending on the application, particularly the intended viscosity range, simple solutions may me possible. Reviewing the existig measurement techniques (House_cat listed some) and defined standards helps to learn the state of the art. You can either try to find a template or design the sensor on your own from the scratch (my preferred method usually).
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