Brookfield Engineering celebrates its 75th anniversary with the introduction of the Falling Ball Viscometer, an instrument to assess the dynamic viscosity of transparent Newtonian fluids.
According to the company, the viscometer utilizes the Hoppler principle to measure viscosity—the basic concept to measure the elapsed time required for the ball to fall under gravity through a sample-filled tube inclined at an angle. The tube is mounted on a pivot bearing, which allows a 180-degree rotation of the tube, thereby allowing the repeat test to run immediately. Three measurements are taken and the average time is converted into a final viscosity value in centipoise.
The viscometer can be used for quality control in various industries as well as academic institutions to illustrate scientific methods. It can also be used with a circulating bath for rapid sample temperature control, to provide more accurate and repeatable results.
TheModel KF10 has a fixed angle of 80 degrees in accordance with the DIN 53015, and the Model KF20 provides variable angle settings for flexibility in testing a broader range of materials. Both models include a set of six balls, each with separate viscosity measurement ranges and a temperature probes.