MEASURING VISCOSITY OF CERAMIC SLURRIES

• US 20130340507A1
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brookfield Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Brookfield Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brookfield, David A., Cicchese, Steven, Murray, Joseph F.
• Application Number:
  US13/527,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20130340507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/54.25
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 11/16 by measuring damping effect upon oscillatory body
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2011/0046 In situ measurement during mixing process

Abstract

A viscosity measuring instrument for measuring ceramic slurries, e.g. in a casting tank, with a probe having an elbow and presenting a transducer part in substantial alignment with a flow direction of the ceramic slurry relative to the active part and a barrier orthogonal to such relative movement direction is interposed in front of the transducer part by one or more stand-off rods to form a partial enclosure that moderates flow to the active part and provides a long term stable measuring capability.

Claims

1. A viscosity measuring instrument for use in measurement of viscosity of ceramic slurries comprising:

means defining an instrument with a transducer portion constructed and arranged for immersion into and movement within a vessel containing the slurry to present a portion of the transducer in substantially linear opposition to movement relative to the slurry for a continuous time range of contact and positioned to block direct flow of the slurry at the transducer along the direction of rotating movement of slurry,

the transducer being of a linear form substantially aligned with the direction of relative movement, and

means defining a barrier substantially orthogonal to the direction of relative movement, the barrier being held out from the transducer by one or more stand-off parts, the combination of barrier and stand-off being constructed and arranged to effect a tortuous path of slurry to the transducer and limit build up of coating on the transducer end.

2. The viscometer measuring instrument of claim 1 wherein the transducer is provided at the end of a probe vertically insertable into a vessel containing the ceramic slurry at various depths and having an end that orients the transducer to a horizontal direction of alignment with local flow of the ceramic slurry.

3. The viscometer measuring instrument of claim 2 wherein the probe end is essentially an elbow bend with the transducer comprising sensor at the end such as a rod, wire or cylinders, with external power source and response measuring means to excite the active part and derive a viscosity relatable response by measuring relaxation of the active part and/or power requirement for the excitation and the barrier is a flat or bent plate protecting the active part from direct linear contact and the plate is held out by one or more stand-off parts forming a partial enclosure of the active part that allows a moderated portion of slurry to reach the active part interact with it and relatively move on with minimal, if any, build up of coating of the active part.

4. The viscometer measuring instrument of claim 1 in combination with an external power supply and measuring and control system.

5. The viscometer measuring instrument of claim 1 in combination with means for creating slurry movement within a vessel containing it.