Process and apparatus for measuring rheological properties of semi-solid bodies by harmonic shear in rotation
AssigneeInstitut National de la Recherche Agronomique
InventorsAlain Gervais, Daniel Vermeire, Olivier Cerf, Jacques Toux
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Abstract
A process and apparatus for measuring rheological properties of semi-solid bodies. The apparatus comprises a vessel (4) containing the body (5 ) to be tested, a measuring head (3) immersed in the vessel (4) in the middle of the body, and a drive for driving the head (3) in rotation through the intermediacy of an axle. The driver imparts a sinusoidal or pseudo-sinusoidal rotational motion to the axle (2), a torque sensor (7) and an angle sensor (8) which are mounted on the axle (2) and are both connected to a processing device for processing information, such as a device for processing signals (9) connected to a microcomputer (10).
Claims12
A process for measuring rheological properties of semi-solid bodies utilizing a measuring head (3) including an axle, comprising the steps of:
- introducing the measuring head into the body to be tested;
- reciprocally rotating the measuring head axle starting from a continuous circular motion, converting said continuous circular motion into a rectilinear reciprocating motion and then into a sinusoidal or pseudo-sinusoidal rotational motion, thereby driving the measuring head with a sinusoidal or pseudo-sinusoidal rotational motion, with controllable frequency and amplitude, and independently of the body to be tested;
- and
- determining the conditions of motion of the head which serve as values representing the rheological properties of the semi-solid body due to the stressed applied by the head moving within the body.
An apparatus for measuring rheological properties of semi-solid bodies comprising essentially a vessel (4) containing the body to be tested (5), a measuring head (3) immersed in the vessel (4), within the body, and means for driving the said head (3) in rotation through the intermediacy of an axle (2), which comprises means (1) for driving the axle (2) with a sinusoidal or pseudo-sinusoidal rotational motion, a torque sensor (7) and an angle sensor (8) which are mounted on the axle (2) and are both connected to means for processing information, such as a device for processing signals (9) connected to a microcomputer (10).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.