Instruction Manual &

Experiment Guide

VISCOMETER
 HITEC UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Experiment
To determine the Viscosity of Fluids using Viscometer Method

Apparatus
Viscometer, Vernier Caliper, Stop Watch, Weights

Figure 1: Concept of Viscometer

Lab Manuals Prepared By: Asim Malik Lab Assistant Fluid Mechanics Lab
 HITEC UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

THEORY
The viscosity of a fluid is a property that represents a measure of its ability to resist shear
deformation or strain. The layer of a viscous fluid in contact with a solid surface sticks to it. This
sticking action is caused by viscosity and is known as “no slip condition”. The shear stress τ is
proportional to the rate of shear strain du dy  and the constant of proportionality is the dynamic
viscosity μ (sometimes called absolute viscosity, coefficient of viscosity or simply viscosity).
Newtonian fluids are the fluids that exhibit a linear relationship between the shear stress and the
rate of the shear strain and according to Newton’s law of viscosity τ = μ du dy  .
The viscosity of liquids can be measured by using many devices such as the Viscometer and the
Falling Sphere Viscometer. In this experiment we will use only the first device namely, the
viscometer.

The viscometer consists of a rotating inner cylinder mounted on a vertical spindle at the top and
free at the bottom. This inner cylinder is hollow and rotates inside another fixed outer cylinder of a
larger diameter as shown in Fig. 1. The space between the outer and inner cylinders is filled with
the liquid for which the viscosity is to be measured.

The inner cylinder is rotated by means of a vertically falling weight, which imparts rotational
motion to the cylinder by using a pulley and a cord arrangement. For a given weight, W, the speed
of rotation of the inner cylinder is higher when the viscosity of the fluid is lower and vice versa. The
viscometer is calibrated by using liquids of known viscosity and measuring the time taken to hit the
ground, when different weights (and hence different Torques) are used.

PROCEDURE

1. Insert the fluid in the outer cylinder of unknown viscosity.

2. Attach the first weight (W = 100 grams) to the cord. This weight is the sum of the weight of the
pan and the weight in the pan.
3. Release the brake and measure the time elapsed to hit the ground.
4. Note the distance covered by the pan.
5. Repeat the above procedure for the other four weights.
6. The viscosity of the fluid is now the average of the five values obtained from the above steps.
 HITEC UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Calculations:
1. Calculate the dimensions i.e. radius of inner cylinder “R”, length of the cylinder “L”
submerged in the fluid, radius of outer shaft “r”.
2. Use vernier caliper for this purpose
3. Calculate clearance of inner cylinder from outer cylinder and denote it by “y”.
4. Equate the applied torque which is due to weight with the resisting torque.
Resisting Torque = Applied Torque ------- (a)
Drag force × R = Tension in the thread × r
5. Calculate viscosity using “b” equation, by putting it in “a”:
du
FD  A ---------- (b)
dy
Where “A” is the area of the cylinder,
du VD
= = velocity of inner rotating drum/Lap in which oil is filled
dy y

Distance Time Velocity of Angular Velocity of Viscosity

Covered Taken outer shaft Velocity inner cylinder
Symbols “s” “t” s VD Vd    R m r  y
& VD   
t r A  R  Vd
Formulas
Units (m) (sec) (m/sec) (rad/sec) (m/sec) ( N.s m 2 )
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
 HITEC UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Precautions:
1. Pulleys are assumed to be friction less.
2. Height is ignored for some initial distance due to acceleration.

Observations:
1. Does µ changes with Temperature.
2. Observe the change of µ with temperature for both liquids & gases.

Note: that µ is a physical property.