EXPERIMENTAL DETERMINATION OF THE APPARENT

VISCOSITY OF SLURRIES: SAND-WATER SYSTEM,

USING THE ROTATIONAL VISCOMETER METHOD


BED TIBOR
*

Transilvania University of Brasov, B-dul Eroilor nr. 29, 500036, Brasov, Romania


Abstract: Measurement and characterization of viscous behavior of non-Newtonian fluids
serve multiple purposes. They help understanding a fluid's response to deformations;
knowledge essential in developing critical specifications for handling, transportation,
application, and in determining the optimum conditions for the efficient operation of
processing equipment. This information pertains to design and/or select appropriate
equipment for mixing, dispersing, storing, pumping, and processing. In this paper the
measurement of the apparent viscosity of slurries: sand-water system, was made by a
simple technique employing the rotational viscometer method.


Keywords: viscosity, slurries, rotational viscometer method



1. INTRODUCTION

Slurry and non-Newtonian flows occurs in a wide range of industries, for example mining, wastewater and food
processing. These flows are divided into two separate types called non-Newtonian/non-settling and non-
Newtonian/settling. Non-settling slurries entail very ne particles which can form stable homogeneous mixtures
exhibiting increased apparent viscosity. These slurries usually have low wearing properties but require very
careful consideration when selecting the correct pump and drive as they often do not behave in the manner of a
normal liquid. When ne solids are present in the slurry in sufcient quantity to cause this change in behavior
away from a normal liquid, they are referred to as non-Newtonian. Settling slurries are formed by coarser
particles and tend to form an unstable mixture. Therefore, particular attention must be given to ow and power
calculations. These coarser particles tend to have higher wearing properties and form the majority of slurry
applications. This type of slurry is also referred to as heterogeneous [1].

A variety of industrial operations (mineral, metal and material processing) require the transportation of slurries
and suspensions. Measurement and characterization of viscous behavior of non-Newtonian fluids serve multiple
purposes. They help understanding a fluid's response to deformations; knowledge essential in developing critical
specifications for handling, transportation, application, and in determining the optimum conditions for the
efficient operation of processing equipment. This information pertains to design and/or select appropriate
equipment for mixing, dispersing, storing, pumping, and processing.

Viscosity, in particular non-Newtonian viscous behavior, is an important material property that contributes to a
fluid's performance, and often is the main source of problems in handling, processing, and application.

The relationship between shear stress and shear rate for a Newtonian fluid can be shown as a straight line passing
through the origin, where the slope of the line gives the liquids viscosity. For a non-Newtonian/non-settling
slurry this is not the case. The relationship might not be linear or may not pass through the origin. The viscosity

*
email bedo.tibor@unitbv.ro
of these types of slurries is dependent on the shear rate commensurate with the engineering conditions which
apply at the time. This viscosity is sometimes called apparent viscosity. The figure 1 shows the different types of
viscosity [2].


Fig. 1. Types of viscosity

The classical viscometry is based on generation of a deformation or motion in the slurry and observation of the
resultant stresses or vice versa. In the study of fluids flow it is important to know the velocity gradient of
deformation or the shear rate , because the shear stress is proportional with the deformation rate or the
deformation rate is dependent of shear stress and time. The relation between shear stress and the velocity
gradient (shear rate) for an isotropic fluid is given by:

ij
i
ii ij ij
& & + =

2 (1)

where and are material parameters,
ii
is the volumetric shear rate and
ij
is the form deformation rate. Lot of
important industrial materials is non-Newtonian fluid. From such materials the dynamic viscosity coefficient
depend on shear stress. The correlation between
ij
and
ij
is:

ij
ij
a

&
= (2)

where
a
represent the apparent viscosity which is dependent on structural transformations given up in fluid by
the shear stress. Apparent viscosity a slurrys resistance to deformation when subjected to shear stress. This
term is applied to differentiate from absolute viscosity which is used in conjunction with Newtonian fluids.

Standard rheometric methods of estimating the apparent viscosity of slurries are based either on capillary flow
(Oswald and Ubbelhode viscometer) or the rotational flow (rotary viscometer). The standard viscometers as
mentioned above have their limitations in measuring the apparent viscosity of slurries that are not sufficiently
dilute.

In rotational methods the test fluid is continuously sheared between two surfaces, one or both of which are
rotating. These devices have the advantage of being able to shear the sample for an unlimited period of time,
permitting transient behavior to be monitored or an equilibrium state to be achieved, under controlled rheometric
conditions. Rotational methods can also incorporate oscillatory and normal stress tests for characterizing the
viscoelastic properties of samples. In general, rotational methods are better suited for the measurement of
concentrated suspensions, gels, and pastes, but are generally less precise as compared to capillary methods.
Rotational measurements fall into one of two categories: stress-controlled or rate-controlled. In stress-controlled
measurements, a constant torque is applied to the measuring tool in order to generate rotation, and the resulting
rotation speed is then determined. If a well-defined tool geometry is used, the rotation speed can be converted
into a corresponding shear rate. In rate-controlled measurements, a constant rotation speed is maintained and the
resulting torque generated by the sample is determined using a suitable stress-sensing device, such as a torsion
spring or strain gauge. Some commercial instruments have the capability of operating in either stress-controlled
or rate-controlled modes. The device measures fluid viscosity at fixed rotation speeds by driving a measurement
tool ("spindle"), immersed in the test fluid (figure 2). The calculated shear rate depends on the rotation speed, the
tool geometry, and i the size and shape of the sample container. For Newtonian fluids the torque is proportional
to the product of viscosity and rotational speed, but this proportionality is lost in the case of a non-Newtonian
fluid. Because these instruments are robust and fairly simple to use, they have found wide application in
industry, but they offer limited capabilities and precision for research-oriented applications [3].


Fig. 2. The device for fluid viscosity measurement

2. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

Notwithstanding these limitations, the rotary viscometers are considered more efficient. In this paper the
measurement of the apparent viscosity of slurries: sand-water system was made by a simple technique [4]
employing the experimental set-up presented in figure 3. Typically, the flow of suspensions and slurries in an
agitated vessel depends on three parameters:
the vessel geometry and the aspect ratio of the vessel;
the type of impeller, the number and location of blades in the impeller, the diameter of the impeller, the
clearance of the impeller from the vessel bottom, etc.;
the rheology of the slurry system.

Fig. 3. Experimental set-up

The first two parameters decide several phenomena, such as, the macro fluid dynamics, local hydrodynamics
near the agitator, local energy dissipation rate, bulk fluid mixing, etc. For characterising the flow patterns of a
slurry in a stirred viscometer, the Reynolds number (N
Re
) and power number (N
P
) have been defined
approximately as:

2
Re
D n
N
r l

= (3)

5 3
D n
P
N
r l
P

=

(4)
where
l
is the density of the fluid medium, [g/cm
3
], n
r
the speed of the impeller, [rps], D the impeller
diameter, [cm], the fluid viscosity, [cP], P the power input to the agitator, [W].

In stirred vessels, the flow of a Newtonian fluid is turbulent if N
Re
>2 10
4
and laminar if N
Re
<10. Thus, unlike
pipe flow, a large transition regime between 10<N
Re
<2 10
4
, is observed in a stirred vessel. The power number N
P

represent the equivalent to the friction factor for pipes. N
P
vs. N
Re
(N
P
/N
Re
) characterises the slurry
hydrodynamics in stirred vessels and is analogous to the friction factor vs. N
Re
in pipe flow. For the rheological
fluids the product of power number (N
P
) and the Reynolds number (N
Re
) becomes a constant:

i P
C N N =
Re
(5)

where the magnitude of the constant C
i
depends on the impeller-vessel configuration.

The rheology of the slurry needs to be ascertained in order to determine the apparent viscosity. Adopting a
suitable mathematical model can do this. Table 1 provides three models in common use for characterising slurry
rheology: the power law model, the Prandtl-Eyring model and the Ellis model [5].

Table 1. Simple models for slurry rheology
No. Name of model Equation Parameters Remarks
1 Power law = k
n-1
k-consistency
n = 1 Newtonian fluids
n < 1 shear thinning
n > 1 shear thickening
2 Prandtl-Eyring = k
1
arcsh ( / k
2
)
k
1
,k
2
coefficient of
material

3 Ellis = / (k
1
+ k
2

n-1
)
k
1
,k
2
coefficient of
material
k
2
= 0 Newton law
k
1
= 0 power law

Since stirred vessel viscometer does not involve very high or very low shear rates, it is usually preferable to
employ a two parameters power law model for describing the slurry rheology owing to its simplicity.
Unfortunately the presented models are empirical expressions and their use is limited to the concrete conditions
mentioned by the model.

2.1. Experimental results

Employing a simple technique for measurement of apparent viscosity of slurries: sand-water system [4], in the
present paper is shown the variation of apparent viscosity with sand concentration. For the experiment was used
silica sand with medium granulation = 0,23 mm and the uniformity degree GU=52%. Sieve analysis of used sand
is shown in table 2 and figure 4. Experiments were carried out using various weight % of sand in water: 6,25%
(100 g sand + 1500 g water); 11,76% (200 g sand + 1500 g water); 16,66% (300 g sand + 1500 g water); 21,05%
(400 g sand + 1500 g water); 25% (500 g sand + 1500 g water); 28,57% (600 g sand + 1500 g water).

Table 2. Sive analysis of silica sand used
No. Mesh number Particle size [mm] Wt. [%]
1 1,0 over 1,0 -
2 0,63 0,63 1,0 0,4
3 0,40 0,40 0,63 5,6
4 0,315 0,315 0,40 17,52
5 0,25 0,25 0,315 17,82
6 0,20 0,20 0,25 17,72
7 0,16 0,16 0,20 15,82
8 0,10 0,10 0,16 17,72
9 0,063 0,063 0,10 3,4
10 tray 0,02 0,063 4,0


Fig. 4. Medium silica sand M(50) = 0,23 mm

I have used in these experiments a cylindrical vessel with one blade straight propeller. The size of the tank is 150
mm diameter and 170 mm height. Height of the liquid column in unagitated condition was kept constant at 85
mm from the bottom of vessel. The diameter of the impeller is D=110 mm, the breadth of blade is 35 mm and
the distance of the blade from bottom of vessel is 20 mm.

The evaluation of apparent viscosity of sand-water slurries was made as follows:
Using pure water at room temperature (Newtonian liquid) power data were generated at different stirrer
speeds.
Using the above power data N
P
vs. N
Re
curve was drawn (figure 5). For water, the density was taken as
1 g/cm
3
and viscosity as 1 cP. Its easy to see that the correlation is linear and the product of power
number and the Reynolds number is approximately constant. The C
i
constant was calculated for each
stirrer speeds. The value of C
i
constant is between 0,035 10
7
and 0,040 10
7
.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
67760 76230 84700 93170 101640 110110
Reynolds number
P
o
w
e
r

n
u
m
b
e
r

Fig. 5. N
P
vs. N
Re
curve

The power input to the stirrer was calculated for each slurry concentrations and stirrer speed.
Using the power curve drawn for the Newtonian liquid and the power data calculated previously it was
determined the apparent viscosity of sand water slurries as follows:

) (
2
) Re(
s a
r s
slurry
D n
N

= (6)

where
s
is the density of slurry (calculated by law of mixture) [g/cm
3
], n
r
revolution of stirrer per second, D
diameter of the impeller [cm],
a(s)
apparent viscosity of the slurry system which is required to be determined
[P].

3. CONCLUSIONS

Table 3 and figure 6 shows the values of viscosity of sand-water slurry for different concentrations and stirrer
speed.
Table 3. Experimental results
No. Slurry n
r
[rps] U [V] I [A] C
i

) ( s a
[Poise]
1
11,76 % sand
5,6 2 1 399135,54 0,0117647
2 6,3 2,25 1,1 367308,92 0,0125
3 7,0 2,5 1,17 364387,02 0,0120618
4 8,4 3 1,3 366265,84 0,0111111
5
16,66 % sand
5,6 2 1,05 399135,54 0,0123529
6 6,3 2,25 1,15 367308,92 0,0130682
7 7,0 2,5 1,25 364387,02 0,0128866
8 8,4 3 1,4 366265,84 0,0119658
9
21,05 % sand
5,6 2 1,1 399135,54 0,0129411
10 6,3 2,25 1,2 367308,92 0,01363638
11 7,0 2,5 1,3 364387,02 0,01340208
12 8,4 3 1,45 366265,84 0,01239316
13
25 % sand
5,6 2 1,15 399135,54 0,01352942
14 6,3 2,25 1,25 367308,92 0,01420456
15 7,0 2,5 1,35 364387,02 0,01391755
16 8,4 3 1,5 366265,84 0,0128205
17
28,57 % sand
5,6 2 1,15 399135,54 0,01352942
18 6,3 2,25 1,25 367308,92 0,01420456
19 7,0 2,5 1,4 364387,02 0,01443301
20 8,4 3 1,55 366265,84 0,01324786
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
5.6 6.3 7 8.4
n [rps]
A
p
p
a
r
e
n
t

v
i
s
c
o
s
i
t
y

[
P
o
i
s
e
]
28.57% sand
25% sand
21.05% sand
16.66 % sand
11.76% sand

Fig. 6. Correlation between the apparent viscosity of slurry [Poise] and the impeller speed [rps]

It may be noticed:
a simple technique for measurement of apparent viscosity of slurries (the author used sand-water
system) - it was necessary only the measurement of power input to the stirrer;
generally at high rotation speed of the stirrer the apparent viscosity of slurry decreased though it is
expected that the viscosity should increase. This discrepancy can be explained on the basis of particle
distribution around the blade, piping and air-entrainment condition and the design of the blade;
the apparent viscosity are in the range of 0,011 0,014 when the slurry concentration varied between
11,76% and 28,57% and the stirrer rps between 5,6 and 8,4;
over a certain value of stirrer speed the apparent viscosity of slurry decrease with the increase of the
stirrer speed (figure 6), which is constant with the characteristics of the pseudoplastic fluids.

REFERENCES

[1] http://www.scribd.com/doc/52052493/6/CHARACTERISTICS-OF-A-SLURRY (5.03.2011)
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Viscous_regimes_chart.png (15.03.2011)
[3] http://ciks.cbt.nist.gov/~garbocz/SP946/node14.htm (15.03.2011)
[4] Biswas, P.K., Godiwalla, K.M., Sanyal, D., Dev, S.C., A simple technique for measurement of apparent
viscosity of slurries: sand-water system, Materials & Design 23 (2002), p 511 519
[5] Tudose, R.Z., Volintiru, T., Asandei, N., Lungu, M., Meric, E., Ivan, Gh., Introducere n reologie, Editura
Tehnic, Bucureti, 1982