Method and arrangement for measuring characteristics of a non-newtonian fluid

A method of measuring characteristics of a non-Newtonian fluid, comprising:

• providing a non-magnetic container having a winding therearound and a magnetic body therein;
• receiving a non-Newtonian fluid into the non-magnetic container;
• supplying input AC currents of different amplitudes to the winding to generate magnetic fields of different strengths in the container to cause the magnetic body to oscillate at different shear rates in the fluid,
• optically measuring at least one of amplitudes and phases of the oscillations of the magnetic body;
• determining shear rates of the non-Newtonian fluid by measuring differences between amplitudes and/or phases of the oscillations of the magnetic body and the amplitudes and/or phases of the input AC currents, the amplitude difference at a specific shear rate being proportional to the viscosity of the fluid, and the phase difference at a specific shear rate being to the viscoelasticity of the fluid.

An arrangement for measuring characteristics of a non-Newtonian fluid, comprising:

• a non-magnetic container for receiving the fluid,
• a magnetic body being contained in the container, and
• a winding provided around the container,
• an AC current supplying device connected to the winding for supplying input AC current of different amplitudes thereto to generate magnetic fields of different strengths in the container to cause the magnetic body to oscillate at different shear rates in the fluid;
• a measuring device adapted to optically measure amplitude and/or phase of the oscillations of the magnetic body, and
• a shear rate determining device for determining the shear rates by measuring differences between the amplitude and/or phase of the oscillations of the magnetic body and the amplitude and/or phase of the input AC currents, the amplitude difference at a specific shear rate being proportional to the viscosity of the fluid, and the phase difference at a specific shear rate being proportional to the viscoelasticity of the fluid.