What should be used to measure viscosity?

[JimPghPA]

I am working with pure (about 91 percent straight chain, about 7 percent same C and H count but not straight, about 2 percent other C H molecules close to chosen) hydrocarbon molecules C12 H26, C14 H30, C16 H34, C18 H38. Because each of these are fairly pure they have a narrow range of temperature for the melting point.

In actual uses, two of these are blended together to get a desired melting point temperature.

Initially, a section of containment is exposed to temperature far enough below melting point to create some wax and avoid supper cooling problem. What I am working with is the viscosity of the oil in the rest of the containment. Data is needed on viscosity for the temperature range where these blends of oils thicken up, to where they become wax.

Is there anything normally used to measure viscosity and temperature while oil turns to a wax?

What I really require is something that allows me to express the viscosity in percent of change, and possibly in percent of change of flow when simply powered by gravity.

Also, is there a lab that could do this?

 

[Boomer]

You are aware that when you blend two of these, you get a eutectic mixture. If you are not, google this term and look at what happens in melting a eutectic mixture.

 

[JimPghPA]

Boomer, thanks for the reply. And I know that eutectic means two or more chemicals making it up. But I will look up eutectic melting point. Thanks.

I am aware that the range of temperature for the phase change does increase. It is also interesting that the final melting point is not the average of the two with respect to moles, or volume. But it still remains relatively narrow. I have been working with this stuff for a few months now.

One of the most interesting things I have seen is a film of the thicker molecules forming on walls of containers when they are drained while at a temperature where the majority of the mix is liquid, but cold enough for the thicker molecule to form a wax. This thin film is usually only noticed when the container is warmed enough for it to melt, and collect in a corner on the bottom, and then allowed to cool into a wax.

If you know of any normally used methods or device to measure thick viscosity I would be interested.

I am thinking of building something. Maybe a simple container with a hole, or maybe something with moving paddles.

 

[rclint]

I thought to measure viscosity you raised the temperature to a standard (you can set this or go by other standards) and even at this you will want a pretty accurate gauge to measure the temp. Then you have a stock/scale you put into the liquid, when removed the liquid will break at a certain point, and that will be your viscosity.. I have never dove into measurement of liquids very much.. but I remember this from somewhere, maybe I'm way off...

 

[JimPghPA]

Boomer, just looked at some of the things that came up when I googled "melting a eutectic mixture". Saw some interesting graphs for lead and tin, and how when mixed in eutectic ratio it acts as curve for one chemical. Interesting. The chemical curves that I had looked at years ago regarding eutectic, were for optimum lowering of freezing point of water treated with salt. But the curves for melting point with respect to viscosity would be more aligned with the lead tin curves.

 

[JimPghPA]

Interesting that I can easlily blend two to get a melting point that IS between the normal melting point of each. While the melting point of lead and tin is lower than each.

 

[JimPghPA]

BTW, I am still looking for a machine to measure viscosity, or a lab.

 

[morris]

i have a seed of an idea for a machine to measure viscosity. but its just an idea. iam no expert in oil i just play on TV. LOL