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Cylinder Method
Brendan Arnold
27th April 2003
Abstract
We measured the viscosity, (), of Energol oil using Searles original rotating cylinder method but with significant improvements in data
collection. We determined to be 0.1228 0.0130 dyne second centimetres at room temperature (18.6o C) by immersing the cylinder in
various depths. Following that we investigated how the viscosity varies
with temperature. We varified the relationship exp(Ea /kb ) where
Ea , the activation energy, was found to be (1.3130.071)1025 joules.
Introduction
Viscosity is a measure of the internal friction of a fluid. For water, this was
determined by allowing it to flow through a narrow tube, however this technique is problematic for more viscous fluids. Dr G. F. C. Searle developed an
accurate method for such fluids, (in particular Lyles Golden Syrup). Our
setup is fundamentally identical to Searles apparatus save the fact that our
data was taken electronically thus reducing much of the human error in time
measurement. In addition our apparatus was furnished with a system for
evenly heating the oil to a variety of temperatures allowing us to investigate
the effects of heat on viscosity.
Knowing the viscosity of a fluid is critical when dealing with problems
of lubrication. Motor oil, for example, has its viscosity rated as well as how
it varies with temperature which is essential for engineers who design car
engines and other high performance machinery.
2
2.1
Setup
Equipment
Pulley wheel
Optoelectronic switch
Spindle
Water In
Oil
Inner cylinder
Water jacket
4 bit counter
(see fig. 2)
Weight
Water Out
Baffle plate
Screw to adjust
depth of immersion
Outer cylinder
purposes and so the temperature was taken using a seperate electric thermometer. The reservoir was mixed by a paddle connected to an electric
motor to ensure even heating.
The depth of immersion of the inner cylinder can be adjusted by loosening a screw and working the outer cylinder up or down around the inner
cylinder. The inner cylinder had a scale etched onto it calibrated in millimetres allowing us to easily obtain the correct depth. The baffle plate below
the inner cylinder prevents the fluid in the area below from rotating with
the cylinder and causing an unwanted whirlpool effect.
All diameters were measured using calipers and masses were measured
using the Sartorus balance in the level 2 laboratory. Because it is difficult
to measure the outer cylinder width directly, the width was calculated by
taking the diameter of the entire apparatus and substracting the width of
the water jacket.
2.1.1
The opto-electric switch was connected to a timer via a 4 bit counter interface. The interface featured two array of four switches, one array set the
number of rotations at which the timer starts, the other set the number
of rotations at which the timer stops. The basics of the interface unit are
shown in figure 2.
From optoelectric
switch
4 binary select
switches
Reset button
Conditioning and
divide by two
4 bit digital
comparator
Output P
4 bit digital
comparator
Output Q
Counter/Timer
4 bit digital
counter
Instrument
4 binary select
switches
2.2
Procedure
3
3.1
Theory
Newtons Law of Viscous Flow
Imagine that liquid flows in layers over a flat surface. It has been shown
experimentally that the layer at x + dx distance from the surface flows at a
greater relative velocity than a layer of liquid at distance x from the surface.
If we call the difference in velocities between the layers dv then we get a
velocity gradient of dv/dx, see figure 3.
v
dx
dv
Surface
3.2
a
b
dv Outer cylinder
wall
Inner Cylinder
(3)
G 1
d
=
. .
dr
2h r 3
(4)
G = r2rh
or
G
1
. 2 +C
2h 2r
5
(5)
.
(6)
4h r 2 a2
When r = b, the angular velocity is , and so
1
1
G
.
=
4h b2 a2
(7)
Rearranging, we get
G a2 b 2
=
(8)
4ha2 b2
We know G to be the torque produced by the weights on the spool. If
the spool has radius D cm and the total mass of the two weights is M grms.,
then G = DM g. The angular velocity, , is 2/T , where T is the time for
one rotation in seconds. Hence we finish with the formula
gD a2 b2
MT
(9)
=
8 2 a2 b2
h+k
where k is an offset of h due to the drag induced by the bottom of the
inner cylinder. To determine k we use the fact that M T (h + k) for a
given . By plotting a graph of M T against h, we find k as the point where
the line crosses the h axis.
k induces a moment according to the area of the bottom of the cylinder
(b2 ). This will be less than the moment induced by a similar area on
the side of the cylinder (2bh) because of the overall shorter moment arm.
Equating the two, we find a valid range for k to be
b
2
which can use this to varify our experimental results.
0<k<
3.3
A fluids viscosity arises from intermolecular forces. An increase in temperature of a fluid gives the molecules greater kinetic energy and weaken these
forces. Hence viscosity decreases with temperature.
= Ae kb
(10)
3.4
Non-laminer flow
Inner, rotating
cylinder
Outer cylinder
wall
Results
Description
Outer cylinder radius
Inner cylinder radius
Spool radius
Total mass of pans
Value
(2.53 0.050) cm
(1.87 0.025) cm
(0.96 0.025) cm
(13.779 0.001) grms
After a few trial runs we collected data for room temperature (18 o C) at
different depths and weights. For a given depth, M T is constant, hence we
took an average over a range of weights. We plotted our results in a graph
of M T against h (figure 6). We find the value of k to be (0.537 0.093)
cm which fits within our expected range.
50
45
40
MT (grms.S)
35
30
25
f(x)=10.096x+5.422
20
15
10
5
0
1
k=0.537cm
2
h (cm)
4.1
The rest of our data was taken with a constant depth of 4 cm and a variety
of temperatures and weights. Our experimental values for viscosity, e are
tabulated below along with the manufacturers value, m 2 .
Temp. (o C)
18.6
18.6
18.6
18.6
18.6
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
Depth (cm)
0.5
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
e (Dyne.S/cm2 )
0.125 0.018
0.123 0.014
0.124 0.012
0.117 0.010
0.126 0.011
0.082 0.007
0.049 0.003
0.035 0.003
0.028 0.003
m (Dyne.S/cm2 )
0.137 0.018
0.137 0.018
0.137 0.018
0.137 0.018
0.137 0.018
0.080 0.005
0.057 0.002
0.038 0.001
0.027 0.001
ln[] (1/ln[Dynes.S/cm2])
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
0.45
0.5
0.55
15
20
25
30
Temp (Deg. C)
35
40
45
1.3131025
kb
(11)
4.2
(Dynes.S/cm2 )
0.168 0.020
0.123 0.014
0.108 0.013
0.110 0.013
0.106 0.012
Discussion
Our results at room temperature show an obvious linear relationship between depth, h, and the value M T . This yields a value of k that satisfies
0 < k < b/2. Our results for the reciprocal of the log of viscosity against
temperature also show, a less striking, linear relationship. This however can
be explained by the fact that the measurement of temperature was relatively
imprecsise with an estimated accuracy of 1 o C and the exponential relationship between temperature and viscosity meant that this could make a great
deal of difference. Nonethless the experimental values for closely resemble
those of the manufacturers with most results falling within a margin of one
or two errors. These slight differences could be due to contamination of the
oil with dust or other airbourne particles or maybe wear has affected the
properties of the oil.
As we can see from our typical sample of data for room temperature, the
viscosity decreased as the trials went on, when it should have remained the
same. This is also echoed by a consistantly lower than expected value for
the viscosity in all the room temperature trials. This is almost certainly due
to the effect of heating by the rotation of the cylinder since during the room
temerature trials we did not use the stabalising effect of the water jacket.
Taking the first trial for 1cm depth at room temperature, the manufacturers
data suggest that it was at a temperature of 18.4 o C, taking the final result
in this set of data the manufacturers data suggests a temperature of 22 o C,
an increase of around 3.5o C. For future experiments it would be advisable
to have water flowing through the jacket at all times to act as a heatsink.
It is interesting to note that in most cases the viscosity drops sharply to
begin with but then decreases much more slowly. This is probably due to
10
Conclusions
11
References
[1] Dr. G. F. C Searle, A simple viscometer for very viscous liquids May 1912
[2] Champion & Davy, Properties of Matter The Students Physics Vol. 3, 1943
(Blackie & Son), Pages 243 259
[3] Halliday, Resnick & Krane, Physics 4th Edition Vol. 1, 1992 (Wiley), Pages
407 411 & 398
[4] Newman & Searle, General Properties of Matter 1948, (Arnold), Page 219
[5] A. R. Paterson, A first course in fluid dynamics 1997, (Cambridge), Pages 144
to 148
[6] NIST website http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Constants/
[7] E. Lee & R. Sisson, Liquid Viscosity Models Project
http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/ceng402/proj02/beckys/
12
13
Temperature 18.6 o C
Depth (cm)
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
Weight (grms.)
43.779
53.779
33.779
23.779
13.779
13.779
23.779
33.779
47.779
53.779
17.779
23.779
33.779
43.779
53.779
63.779
17.779
23.779
33.779
43.779
53.779
63.779
17.779
23.779
33.779
43.779
53.779
63.779
14
(Dyne.S/cm 2 )
0.113 0.016
0.112 0.016
0.114 0.016
0.121 0.017
0.166 0.024
0.168 0.020
0.123 0.014
0.108 0.013
0.110 0.013
0.106 0.012
0.154 0.015
0.131 0.013
0.123 0.012
0.114 0.011
0.113 0.011
0.110 0.011
0.146 0.013
0.127 0.011
0.114 0.010
0.108 0.010
0.105 0.009
0.103 0.009
0.171 0.015
0.130 0.011
0.119 0.010
0.114 0.010
0.111 0.010
0.108 0.009
Temperature 25o C
Depth (cm)
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
Weight (grms.)
17.779
23.779
33.779
43.779
53.779
63.779
(102 Dyne.S/cm2 )
9.854 0.868
8.709 0.752
8.032 0.693
7.719 0.666
7.537 0.650
7.421 0.641
Weight (grms.)
17.779
23.779
33.779
43.779
53.779
63.799
(102 Dyne.S/cm2 )
5.085 0.441
4.944 0.427
4.877 0.421
4.852 0.419
4.836 0.417
4.864 0.421
Weight (grms.)
17.779
23.779
33.779
43.779
53.779
63.779
(102 Dyne.S/cm2 )
3.410 0.295
3.484 0.301
3.504 0.303
3.525 0.304
3.603 0.311
3.605 0.312
Weight (grms.)
17.779
23.779
33.779
43.779
53.779
63.779
(102 Dyne.S/cm2 )
2.910 0.252
2.864 0.248
2.755 0.240
2.721 0.235
2.505 0.588
2.865 0.247
Temperature 30o C
Depth (cm)
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
Temperature 35 o C
Depth (cm)
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
Temperature 40 o C
Depth (cm)
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
15
Error Calculation
Measurements with calipers had an assumed error of 0.05 cm.
Measurements of weight had an assumed error of 0.0005 grammes.
The temperature of the oil was no more accurate than 1 o C.
Errors in the period were calculated by taking the standard deviation
of results.
Error in k and Ea were determined using Gnuplot3 which uses an
implementation of the non-linear least-squares Marquardt-Levenberg
algorithm.
The errors in the manufacturers data are from reading off a logarithmic
graph.
Error in was found using Maple and the following generic formula
f2
a2
f
a
2
See http://www.gnuplot.info
16
b2
f
b
2
...