When a fluid is subjected to external forces, it resists flow

due to internal friction.

The internal friction is caused by intermolecular friction

exerted when two layers of fluids attempts to slide by an
other.

Viscosity is a measurement of this internal friction.

If two parallel plane elements in a fluid are moving

relative to one another, it is found that a steady force must
be applied to maintain a constant relative speed. This force
is called the viscous drag because it arises from the action
of viscous forces.
 If the plane elements are at a
distance Z apart, and if their
relative velocity is u, then the
force F required to maintain
the motion has been found,
experimentally, to be
proportional to u and
inversely proportional to Z
for many fluids. The coefficient of proportionality is called
the viscosity of the fluid, and it is denoted by the symbol µ.
Thus from the definition of viscosity:

F/A = µ (u/Z) … (1)

Dynamic (Absolute) Viscosity

It is the tangential force per unit area required to move

one horizontal plane with respect to the other at unit
velocity when maintained a unit distance apart by the
fluid.

µ = (F/A) /(u/Z ) = shear stress / shear strain

µ is also called Dynamic or Absolute Viscosity of the fluid

It is the ratio of the Dynamic (Absolute) Viscosity to the
density (d) of the fluid and is denoted by η

Thus
Kinematic Viscosity = Dynamic Viscosity / Density

η = µ/d

Also known as the coefficient of kinematic viscosity.

The relationship in which viscosity is a constant regardless
of shear stress is called Newton's Viscosity Law. Many
common solvents, mineral base oils, synthetic base fluids
and fully formulated single-grade oils obey Newton's
Viscosity Law, and are called Newtonian fluids.
Non-Newtonian fluids can be defined as those for which
viscosity is not a constant, but varies based upon the shear
stress at which it is measured.
Non-Newtonian liquids are ceiling paint, quicksand, rubber
cement etc.
The dimension of kinematic viscosity is L 2 /T
where, L is dimension of length and T is dimension of
time.
The SI unit of kinematic viscosity is mm 2 /s, which is 1 cSt.
The SI unit of dynamic viscosity is the milliPascal-second
(mPa.s) or Poise
1 Poise = 10-1 Pa.s.
Conversion factors are as follows:
1 centipoise (cP) = 0.01 poise (P) 1 Pa.s = 10 P
1 cP = 0.001 Pa.s = 1 mPa.s 1 Pa.s = 1000 cP
Viscosity of liquids is measured using Viscometers. These
Viscometers can be classified into three major types :
1. Capillary Viscometers : measure the flow rate of a fixed
volume of fluid through a small orifice at a controlled
temperature. The rate of shear can be varied from near
zero to 106/s by changing capillary diameter and applied
pressure.
Types of capillary viscometers and their mode of operation
are:
 Glass Capillary Viscometer (ASTM D 445 & D 446) —
Fluid passes through a fixed diameter orifice under the
influence of gravity. The rate of shear is less than 10/s.
All kinematic viscosities of automotive fluids are
measured by capillary viscometers.
 High-Pressure Capillary Viscometer (ASTM D 4624 and
D 5481) - Applied gas pressure forces a fixed volume of
fluid through a small-diameter glass capillary. The rate
of shear can be varied up to 106 /s.
This technique is commonly used to simulate the viscosity
of motor oils in Operating crankshaft bearings. This
viscosity is called high temperature high shear (HTHS)
viscosity and is measured at 150°C.
 2. Rotary Viscometers : use the torque on
a rotating shaft to measure a fluid's
resistance to flow.
The Cold Cranking Simulator (CCS),
Mini-Rotary Viscometer (MRV),
Brookfield Viscometer and Tapered
Bearing Simulator (TBS) are all rotary
viscometers.

3. Miscellaneous instruments : operated by a number of

principles; for example, the falling time of a steel ball or
needle in a fluid, the vibration resistance of a probe, and
the pressure applied to probe by a flowing fluid.
The glass capillary viscometers of various types and sizes
which are used by the end users to determine the kinematic
viscosities of transparent and opaque liquids which flow in a
Newtonian manner.
Calibration of a glass capillary viscometer consists of
determination of its calibration constant or viscometer
constant, using suitable transparent viscosity oils that flow
in a Newtonian manner under the required temperature
conditions of the calibration.
A standard viscometer of known viscosity constant and the
test viscometer of approximately the same constant are
charged with the same selected viscosity oil.
The oil is selected out of the listed viscosity oils and mounted
together in the same thermostatic bath and after the charged
viscosity oil has attained desired calibration temperature,
flow times for flow of the charged oil from top fiducial mark
to lower fiducial mark of each viscometer are determined
separately by means of calibrated stop watches.
The calibration constant C t of the Test Viscometer are
determined by the relation :
C t1 = C s1 x ( ts1 / tt1) ------------ (1)

where, C s1 = calibration constant for the std. viscometer-1

ts1 = (ts1.1 + ts1.2 + … … . . + ts1.n)/n
tt1 = (tt1.1 + tt1.2 + … … . . + tt1.n)/n
n = number of times the flow times are measured.

and then
C t2 = C s2 x ( ts2 / tt2) ------------ (2)

where, C s1 = calibration constant for the std. viscometer-2

ts2 = (ts2.1 + ts2.2 + … … . . + ts2.n)/ n
tt2 = (tt2.1 + tt2.2 + … … . . + tt2.n)/ n

From eq. 1 & eq. 2

C t = (Ct1 + Ct2) / 2 ------------ (3)
Standard viscometers

Two glass capillary standard viscometers which have been

calibrated by a step-up procedure using viscometers of
successively larger diameters, starting with distilled water
as the primary viscosity standard, are used to compare the
test glass capillary viscometers.

Viscosity oil standards

Viscosity oil standards are transparent stable Newtonian

Viscosity oils, the viscosity of which have been related to the
viscosity of water through a step-up procedure and are used
as medium for calibration of glass capillary viscometers.
Thermostatic bath
A thermostatic bath (thermostatic to t C ± 0.01 C)
containing water, deep enough to immerse the standard
viscometer and the test viscometer, is used such that the
upper fiducial mark of each viscometer is at least 3 cm
below the water surface and the inserted thermometer can
also be clearly seen.
Thermometer
Calibrated high precision thermometers graduated to 0.01
C least count are used to measure the temperature of the
bath. These thermometers are normally of short range say (t
± 1) C with long stem.
Stop watche
Calibrated stop watches readable to 0.01 s are used to
determine the flow time of viscosity oil from top to bottom
fiducial mark on the viscometer.
Suction pump & oven
Oven and suction pump are used to dry the viscometers
after cleaning it with chromic acid.
Exhaust fan
An exhaust system is used to exhaust all vapours / fumes of
the oils which are harmful for health.
Environmental conditions
The viscometers are calibrated under normal stable room
temperature conditions.
It is desirable to have room temperature as (27 ± 2) C and
relative humidity below (50 ± 10) %.
 Viscometer Cleaning
Viscometers are filled completely with chromic acid solution
during evening and these viscometers are left overnight in this
condition.
Chromic acid is taken out of the viscometers next morning.
Now these are cleaned with water repeatedly till water filled in
the viscometer appears colorless. Water is drained out of the
viscometers.
These are now cleaned with one filling of acetone (AR, GR or
LR quality) and kept filled for about ten minutes and then
these viscometers are dried by passing a stream of dry air or by
keeping the viscometers in an oven at about 50 C for about an
hour or more.
For drying with air a suction pump is used. For subsequent
cleaning, petroleum ether and acetone are used. Since the
vapours of chromic acid P.E. and acetone are health hazardous,
use of Goggles, acid hand gloves, mask and strong exhaust fan
system is necessary.
Filtering the viscosity oil
Viscosity oil to be used for calibration is filtered through a
sintered glass filter of porosity grade 1 or through a B.S. 200
mesh sieve before it is used for calibration.
Water level
Water surface level in the bath is brought at least to lowest
required minimum point and maximum up to the point
such that water does not over fill the bath when loaded with
viscometers at the desired working temperature.
Suspended level viscometer

Charge the viscometer with the viscosity oil through the

filling tube such that the U-Tube part at the bottom is filled
with the oil about (5 to 10) mm below the lower end of the
vent tube.

U-tube viscometer

Charge the viscometer with the oil through filling tube

slightly above the filling mark on the viscometer. When the
viscosity oil has attained calibration temperature i.e. (t ±
0.01) C (minimum half an hour for low viscosity oils) adjust
the liquid level to filling mark.

For higher viscosity oils more time is required for the oil to
attain (t ± 0.01) C.
Cannon-Fenske viscometer

Charge the viscometer with the oil at a temperature (22 to

32) C keeping the viscometer in inverted position through
suction tube connecting the capillary by applying suction
through the adjoining tube. Fill it slightly past the lower
fiducial mark, remove suction, return the viscometer to
normal position and wipe the tube containing capillary,
clean from outside and load on the thermostat bath, allow
the oil to come to bottom position of the viscometer under
the action of gravity.
Reverse flow viscometer

Reverse flow viscometers are U-tube type viscometers

meant for measurement of viscosity of opaque liquids. It has
two filling marks. One-upper mark on the filling tube and
the lower filling mark on the timing tube (containing timing
marks). Liquid level head causing flow through the capillary
is maintained between these two fill marks by using a
rubber bung through the top end of the timing tube.
Capillary of Reverse Flow viscometers is connected to filling
tube having upper fill mark.
The time is measured in seconds for a fixed volume of
calibrating viscosity oil (fixed volume of the standard and
the test viscometer may or may not be identical) to flow
under the action of gravity through the capillary of the
selected standard viscometer and the capillary of the test
viscometer at a controlled temperature.
When the viscosity oil in the viscometers loaded on the
thermostat bath, desired calibration temperature (t ± 0.01)
C, the viscosity oil is sucked about 1 cm above the upper
fiducial mark and then allowed to fall under the action of
gravity.
The time of fall of the bottom of the meniscus of the oil from
top edge of the upper fiducial mark to top edge of the lower
fiducial mark is measured by means of a quartz stop watch.
Repeat measurements of time are taken until al least three
successive times of flow agree to 0.1 % of their mean. These
operations are done for both the standard and the test
viscometers.
For opaque viscosity oils (reverse flow viscometers)
In reverse flow viscometers when the viscosity oil has
attained the calibration temperature the upper edge of the
meniscus of the oil below the lower edges of the two fill
marks is maintained for about five minutes before the
rubber bung is removed to cause flow of the viscosity oil.
 Petroleum Ether has low boiling point and vapours of
P.E., Acetone, viscosity oils and chromic acid are toxic in
nature.
 Fire safety, strong exhaust fan system and other
protective arrangements for safety from toxic vapours
inhalation and skin burn should be provided along with
the first aid.
 For precision measurements, precision of the thermostat
bath should be ± 0.01 C.
 For minimum number of time measurements with one
viscosity oil at the temperature.
 Calibration in no case the observed minimum flow time
be less than 200 s.
 Fans and hot blowers should be switched off during the
measurements.
 Before taking measurements it must be ensure that
calibrating oil has acquired calibration temperature.
 Fluorocarbons and Silicon fluids should not be filled in
the viscometers.
 Calibrating viscosity oils must be filtered before it is used
for calibration.
The viscosity constant C of a viscometer under test is
determined by comparing its flow time with that of a
reference viscometer at some reference temperature using
suitable thermostatic bath at required temperature. It is
desirable to determine the constant C for each viscometer
using at least two reference materials of viscosity.

C = C s . (t1 / t2) .............. (4)

and (C/C) 2 = (Cs/Cs)2 + (t1/t1)2 + (t2/t2)2 .............. (5)

C : standard uncertainty in the value of C
C s : standard uncertainty in the value of C s .
t1 : standard uncertainty in the measurement of t1
t2 : standard uncertainty in the measurement of t2
If the step 4 is repeated by n time using the same reference
viscometer, the mean of n repeated values of C will be given
by :

C1 =  C i i = 1 to n

with standard deviation, s1 = √[ (C i – C1)2/(n-1)], i = 1 to n

Standard uncertainty of Type A 1 , u A1 = s1/ n

Standard uncertainty of Type B1, uB1 = (C 1 /C 1 ) from eq. (5).

The combined standard uncertainty, uc1 = (uA12 + uB12)

Steps 4 and 5 are repeated using another reference
viscometer Vs2 with
C 2 = C i i = 1 to n
with standard deviation, s2 = √[(Ci - C2)2/(n-1)] i = 1 to n
Standard uncertainty of Type A 2 , u A2 = s2/ n

Standard uncertainty of Type B2, uB2 = (C2/C2) from eq.(5).

The combined standard uncertainty, uc2 = (uA22 + uB22)

Mean value of the constant, C = (C1 + C2)/2

The combined standard uncertainty, u c = (uC 12 + u C 22)/2

The expanded uncertainty, U = k. uc with k=2.
 Environmental conditions
Correction factors : Temp. : -3.0°C RH : -12.2% Press. : + .px

Uncorrected value Corrected value

Date Time Pressure Temperature Relative Pressure
Temp. (°C) RH (%)
(mbar) (°C) humidity (%) (mbar)
10.04.2017 10:30 AM 28.5 62.5 25.5 50.3
12:30 PM 28.6 58.9 25.6 46.7
2:30 PM 28.8 61.8 25.8 49.6
12.04.2017 10:00 A M 28.2 64.2 25.2 52.0
12:00 PM 27.8 63.5 24.8 51.3
2:00 PM 28.1 60.8 25.1 48.6

Mean Value 28.33 61.95 25.33 49.75

 Date

12.09.2023

Mean Value

Observation
Time

10:00 AM
11:00 AM
12:00 PM
1:00 PM

Reference Standard Used

Correction factors :

No. of
Obs.

1
2
3
4
5
Temp.
Temp. (°C)

Description

Temperature
(°C)
20.0
20.0
20.0
20.0
20.0

Mean
22.70
22.75
22.78
22.90

22.78

Standard viscometer - 1
Standard viscometer - 2

:
Uncorrected Values

RH (%)

55.2
55.6
55.8
56.2

55.70

0.052 °C

Uncorrected Values

Flow time, t1 (s)

785.60
785.62
785.68
785.72
785.56
₃₂
Pressure
(mbar)

Identification

Oc
I

Time :

Standard viscometer - 1 [Oc ]

Temperature
(°C)
20.05
20.05
20.05
20.05
20.05

20.05
Temperature
(°C)
22.71
22.76
22.79
22.91

22.79

0.02 s

Corrected Values
Corrected Values

Flow time, t1 (s)

785.62
785.64
785.70
785.74
785.58

785.66
Relative
humidity (%)
55.1
55.5
55.7
56.1

Viscometer constant
Value (mm 2 /s2 )
0 .004 950
0 .015 713
55.61

Uncertainty (%) [k=1]

0.20
0.22

Viscosity, υ *
(mm 2 /s)

3.888 8
3.888 9
3.889 2
3.889 4
3.888 6

3.889 0
Pressure (mbar)
 No. of
Obs.

1
2
3
4
5

* Viscosity of oil, υ = C . t

Uncertainty calculations
Standard viscometer - 1 [Oc ]
₂
₃
Uncorrected Values
Temperature
(°C)
20.0
20.0
20.0
20.0
20.0

1. Relative Type A uncertainty, u rA

Standard deviation, s =
Mean

0.06 s
Standard viscometer - 2 [I ]

Flow time, t2 (s)

247.65
247.60
247.68
247.76
247.80

Type A uncertainty in the measurement of efflux time, u A = s / √n =

Corrected Values
Temperature
(°C)
20.05
20.05
20.05
20.05
20.05

20.05

Relative type A uncertainty in the measurement of efflux time, u rA = uA / t1av =

2. Relative uncertainty due to viscometer constant, u rk

Viscometer constant of the viscometer, C =
Relative standard uncertainty in the value of C, u rk =
0.002 000

3. Relative uncertainty due to temperature measurement, u rT

0.007 °C
Relative uncertainty, u rt = ut / temperature measured =
0.001 000

Expanded uncertainty of the thermometer (from the calibration certificate), U T =

Standard uncertainty, u T = UT / 2 =
0.007 °C /
Flow time, t2 (s)

247.67
247.62
247.70
247.78
247.82

247.72

Kinematic viscosity at 20.0 °C =

0.03 s
Viscosity, υ *

0.000 038

0.014 °C

20.05 °C =
(mm 2 /s)

3.891 6
3.890 9
3.892 1
3.893 4
3.894 0

3.892 4

3.890 7 cSt (mm 2 /s)

0.000 349
4. Relative uncertainty due to stop watch, u rt

Expanded uncertainty of the stop watch (from the calibration certificate), U t = 0.14 s
Standard uncertainty, u t = Ut / 2 = 0.07 s
Relative uncertainty, u rt = ut / time measured = 0.07 s / 785.66 s = 0.000 089

5. Relative uncertainty due to inclination of the viscometer axis with respect to vertical axis, u ri
The standard uncertainty due to inclination of the viscometer is assumed as 0.152 °.
The relative uncertainty, u ri = [1-COS(inclination*π/180)]/√2 = 0.000 002

7. Combined uncertainty, uC

Relative combined standard uncertainty, u c = √(urw 2 + urT 2 + urt2 +urA2 +uri 2 +urKE 2 ) = 0.001 064

8. Expanded uncertainty, U

Effective degree of freedom is calculated from the Welch-Satterhwaite formula, υ eff = (n - k) × [u4 C / u4 A]
Expanded uncertainty, U = u c . k where, k Coverage factor

Effective Degree of freedom, υeff = 2458624

Coverage factor, k = 2.00 for confidence level of 95.45 % and above effective degrees of freedom.

Relative expanded uncertainty in the determination of viscosity constant, U 1 = uc × k = 0.002 128 = 0.21 %

Uncertainty budget
Probability Standard Relative
Source of uncertainty Estimates Limits DOF
distribution uncertainty uncertainty
Xi xi Type Divisor u(x i) ci
Time determination, t1 785.66 s 0.06 s A, Normal 2.236 0.03 s 0.000 038 4
Viscosity of oil 3.889 0 mm /s2
0.20 % B, Rectangular 2.00 0.10 mm /s 2
0.001 000 ∞
Stop watch 785.66 s 0.14 s B, Normal 2.00 0.07 s 0.000 089 ∞
Thermometer 20.05 s 0.014 s B, Normal 2.00 0.01 s 0.000 349 ∞
Inclination B, Normal 0.152 ° 0.000 002 ∞
Relative combined standard uncertainty in viscometer constant, u 0.001 064
Effective Degree of freedom 2458624
Coverage factor, k for confidence level of 95.45 2.00
Expanded Uncertainty in the determination of viscosity constant, U 1 0.002128 = 0.21 %
Thanks