Intertial torque device for viscometer calibration and rheology measurements
AssigneeAmetek, Inc.
InventorsJames A. Salomon, Mark Genovese
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An embodiment includes an inertial torque device (ITD) for calibrating a viscometer. The ITD comprises a body, a coupling for connecting the body to a viscometer measurement interface, a rotatable inertial load device coupled to the body, an electric motor coupled to the rotatable inertial load device and coupled to the body, and a controller configured to calibrate the viscometer by controlling the electric motor to rotate the rotatable inertial load device at a predetermined acceleration to apply a predetermined torque to the coupling connected to the viscometer.
Claims29
An inertial torque device (ITD) for calibrating a viscometer, the ITD comprising:
- a body;
- a coupling for connecting the body to a viscometer measurement interface;
- a rotatable inertial load device coupled to the body;
- an electric motor coupled to the rotatable inertial load device and coupled to the body;
- and
- a controller configured to calibrate the viscometer by controlling the electric motor to rotate the rotatable inertial load device at a predetermined acceleration to apply a predetermined torque to the coupling connected to the viscometer.
A method of controlling an inertial torque device (ITD) to calibrate a viscometer, the ITD having a coupling for connecting a body of the ITD to a viscometer measurement interface, a rotatable inertial load device coupled to the body of the ITD, an electric motor coupled to the rotatable inertial load device and coupled to the body of the ITD, and a controller configured to control the motor, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the controller, an instruction requesting a predetermined torque;
- and
- calibrating the viscometer by controlling, by the controller, the electric motor to rotate the rotatable inertial load device at a predetermined acceleration corresponding to the predetermined torque to apply the predetermined torque to the coupling connected to the viscometer.
An inertial torque device (ITD) having a rotatable body for performing rheology measurements, the ITD comprising:
- a body;
- a coupling for connecting the ITD to a spindle for immersion in a fluid to be tested;
- a rotatable inertial load device coupled to the body of the ITD;
- an electric motor coupled to the rotatable inertial load device and coupled to the body;
- and
- a controller configured to perform the rheology measurements by controlling the electric motor to rotate the inertial load device at a plurality of different predetermined accelerations to apply a plurality of predetermined torques to the spindle.
A self-contained spindle viscometer for measuring viscosity, the spindle viscometer comprising:
- a body having a spindle shape, the body including a weighted bottom section for biasing the spindle viscometer in an upright position when immersed in a fluid to be tested;
- and
- a rotatable inertial load device enclosed within the body of the spindle viscometer, the rotatable inertial load device including:
- an electric motor coupled to the rotatable inertial load device,
- a controller configured to perform viscosity measurements by controlling the electric motor to rotate the inertial load device to apply a predetermined torque to the body of the spindle viscometer, and determine a viscosity of the fluid under test based on the applied torque, and
- a wireless interface for outputting the determined viscosity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.