Imaging microviscometer

US10018547B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Malvern Instruments Limited · GB

Inventors

• E. Neil Lewis · Olney, US
• Kenneth S. Haber · Frederick, US
• John McCaffrey · Columbia, US
• Vishal Patil · Corvallis, US
• Samiul Amin · Ellicott City, US
• Rohit Goswami · Columbia, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 20, 2014
• Grant date: Jul 10, 2018
• Expiry date: Aug 14, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2011/008
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Viscometers and viscometry methods are disclosed. In one general aspect, a fluid is driven through capillary tubes with different inside volumes, and successive images of the fluid are acquired as it advances through the inside volume of the capillary tubes. A range of different viscosity values of the fluid are derived from the successive acquired images, and results of this step are reported in a manner that provides insight into non-Newtonian effects in the fluid. In another general aspect, a viscosity value is selected based on detected pressure levels.