The Viscosity Sheet Exp 2

Petroleum Refinery Lab.
Experiment No.: 5
Standard Test Method for

Kinematic Viscosity of Transparent Liquids
(The Calculation of Dynamic Viscosity) D445
Objective:
 To determine the kinematic viscosity, υ, of a transparent petroleum product
 To calculate the dynamic viscosity using kinematic viscosity.
Introduction: The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to flow. It is a useful property
in petroleum production, refining and transportation. It is used in calculation of power required
in mixers or to transfer a fluid, the amount of pressure drop in a pipe or column.
Dynamic viscosity (sometimes called absolute viscosity) is the ratio between the applied shear
stress and rate of shear of a liquid, it is the product of kinematic viscosity and the density of the
a liquid, both at the same temperature. It has units called poise (p) and its hundredth is called
centipoises (cp).
Kinematic viscosity is the absolute viscosity of a fluid divided by its density at the same
temperature of measurement. It is the measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow under gravity. To
determine kinematic viscosity, a fixed volume of the test fluid is allowed to flow through a
calibrated capillary tube (viscometer) that is held at a controlled temperature. The kinematic
viscosity, in centistokes (cSt), is the product of the measured flow time in seconds and the
calibration constant of the viscometer. The unit of kinematic viscosity is the stoke which has the
dimensions centimeters-squared per second. In the petroleum industry kinematic viscosity is
usually expressed in centistokes, cSt (mm2/s), so that 1 St = 100 cSt.
The kinematic viscosity of many petroleum fuels is important for their proper use, for example,
flow of fuels through pipelines, injection nozzles, and orifices, and the determination of the
temperature range for proper operation of the fuel in burners.
The quantity of oil flowing up a wick is related to the viscosity and surface tension of the oil.
The kinematic viscosity, υ is related to the dynamic viscosity, µ as described by the following
equation:
υ = µ/ρ
Viscosity Index (VI) is an arbitrary scale used to show the magnitude of viscosity changes in
lubricating oils with changes in temperature. Oils with low VI number such as VI=0 have high
dependence of viscosity change on temperature. The viscosity of oils with high VI number such
as VI=100, will still change with temperature, but again not as much as low VI oil.
Crude oil viscosity is affected by the following factors:
 Oil composition: described by API, as API increases, oil viscosity decreases.
 Temperature: oil viscosity decreases with temperature rise.
 Dissolved gas: as solution gas oil ratio increases, oil viscosity decreases.
 Pressure: oil viscosity increases almost linearly with pressure
Petrochemical Dept. Page 1

Apparatus:
The apparatus consists of:
1- A viscometer, U-shaped glass tube, the arm, L has a

larger diameter and a reservoir at the bottom, it is used
to fill the viscometer with sample. The other arm, N
with capillary has two bulbs; the lower bulb has two
marks E & F.
2- Viscometer holder,
3- Temperature control bath,
4- Temperature controller,
5- Temperature measuring device
6- Timing device.
Procedure
1- Adjust and maintain the viscometer bath at a required
test temperature.
2- Select a clean, dry, calibrated viscometer having a range
covering the estimated kinematic viscosity (that is, a wide capillary for a very viscous
liquid and a narrower capillary for a more fluid liquid). The flow time shall not be less
than 200 s.
3- Charge the viscometer and draw the test portion into the working capillary and timing
bulb, place rubber stoppers into the tubes to hold the test portion in place, and insert
the viscometer into the bath.
4- Allow the viscometer to reach bath temperature (10 – 15 minutes).
5- Remove the stopper from capillary arm and allow the sample flowing freely, measure, in
seconds to within 0.1 s, the time required for the meniscus to pass from the first (E) to
the second (F) timing mark, (the flow time should not be less than 200 s).
6- Find the viscometer constant from the table and calculate the kinematic viscosity of the
sample.
Results & calculations:

Record the measured flow time, t in seconds
Find the viscometer constant , C from the table.
Calculate the kinematic viscosity, n, from the measured flow time, t, and the viscometer
constant, C, by means of the following equation:
υ = C·t
Where:
υ = kinematic viscosity, mm2/s,
C = calibration constant of the viscometer, (mm2/s)/s, and

t = mean flow time, s.

Calculate the dynamic viscosity, µ, from the calculated kinematic viscosity, υ, and the
density,ρ, by means of the following equation:
µ = υ. ρ
Where:
µ = dynamic viscosity, mPa·s, (cp)
ρ= density, g/cm3, at the same temperature used for the determination of the kinematic
viscosity, and
υ = kinematic viscosity, mm2/s (cSt)
Recommended Viscosity Ranges for Cannon-Fenske Routine Viscometers
Discussion:
1- What is the importance of viscosity measurement for the following:

 Crude oil
 Lubricating oils
 Fuel oils
2- Explain the behavior of liquid and gas viscosity with temperature rise.
3- What is viscosity index?
4- How can you calibrate a viscometer?

Worksheet
Experiment no.: 5
Title: Kinematic Viscosity
Name:
Class:
Date:
Sample:
Viscometer Number:
Temperature, oC Flow Time, sec

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Petroleum Refinery Lab.

Standard Test Method for

Petrochemical Dept. Page 1

1- A viscometer, U-shaped glass tube, the arm, L has a

Results & calculations:

Petrochemical Dept. Page 2

t = mean flow time, s.

1- What is the importance of viscosity measurement for the following:

Petrochemical Dept. Page 3

Temperature, oC Flow Time, sec

Petrochemical Dept. Page 4

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