Nearly every day we have a question about differences between Viscosity, Consistency and Surface Tension. There is usually a second part of the question;
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Topics: Viscometers, Viscosity, Bostwick Consistometer, Tensiometer, Surface Tension Measurement, Surface Tension, Liquid Properties
What do an Irish music technology developer, a British manufacturer of arcade and retro-style furniture, and a dance bar in San Francisco have in common? Given a million guesses, I’d never have thought of this:
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Topics: Surface Tension Measurement, Surface Tension, Liquid Properties
Abused Bostwick Consistometer - Before and After
Which looks more durable to you?
The value of a Bostwick Consistometer is that it’s easy to use, which makes it simple to do repeatable testing. The Consistometer is made of stainless steel. One would think that this means a long and useful life. However, as I regularly discover, the real world often defies theory.
A Consistometer’s value is diminished if its leveling plate and screws get bent out of alignment. The story that follows tells how people in the real world handle, or mishandle, this instrument, and what can be done to save it.
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Topics: Abuse Protection Option (Consistometer), Bostwick Consistometer, Consistency, Liquid Properties
I used to think that liquids were pretty simple things. Is that what you think too?
Not so fast. Let’s take a look at three properties of liquids and see if we change our view.
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Topics: Newtonian Fluid, Viscometers, Viscosity, Bostwick Consistometer, Consistency, duNouy Rings, Surface Tension Measurement, Surface Tension, Liquid Properties
Not Much of a Science Person Learns About Viscosity
Since I joined CSC Scientific in July 2013, I’ve been on a steep learning curve. You see, I’ve never been much of a science person. There was even one particular chemistry class in high school used to give me migraine headaches - routinely.
Having no real background in the sciences means that I’ve had a lot to learn since I joined a company that sells scientific testing equipment. Maybe you’re nodding in sympathy with me right now. Many of our clients – that is, the people doing the purchasing on behalf of their company – are not scientists and don’t have a thorough knowledge of the scientific principles behind the products they’re told to buy.
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Topics: Newtonian Fluid, "The Basics", Viscometers, Viscosity
Sieve testing, as I have stated many times, is the Cinderella of particle size analysis because it delivers more value than expected from something that’s so easy to use and relatively inexpensive. However, the problem with standard sieving techniques using wire mesh sieves is that they begin to exhibit accuracy problems in the lower micron sizes.
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Topics: Sieve Shakers, "Ask Art", Sonic Sifter, Micron-Sized Particles, Particle Size Analysis, Sieve Testing, Sieving Process
Can you do a fast moisture test?
The answer is, “maybe”.
The direct methods of Loss on Drying and Karl Fischer have the benefit that between them they can get a good moisture content result on almost any product or material.
But these tests usually take several minutes.
When you need the moisture content in a truck load of grain while the load is being dumped, or when you need to check several hundred bags of coffee at an auction, or when you need to get a moisture gradient in a pile of corn, a faster test is crucial.
Can you do it?
The short answer is, “yes”. There are, however certain caveats to this answer.
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Topics: "Ask Art", Moisture Analysis, Moisture Testing
