Patent ID: 6085577
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An apparatus for determining the surface tension of a liquid comprisinga vessel, reactor, or process pipe system for containing a liquid under pressure;a pair of tubes having orifices of different diameters positioned below the surface of the liquid in said vessel, reactor, or pipe system;means for adjusting the depth of immersion of the said orifices in the liquid;means for providing a source of gas pressure to said tubes using a separate mass flow controller for each tube;means connected between said source of gas and said tubes for providing a regulated, constant volume flow rate of gas to the tubes independently of pressure inside the vessel, reactor, or pipe system;means for automatically controlling the flow of gas to the tubes and therefore the bubble rate of gas at the orifices independent of the pressure inside said vessel, reactor, or pipe system;means for measuring the maximum differential pressure of the bubbles forming at the probes as a function of the surface tension of the liquid, using a differential pressure transducer;means to measure the temperature of a standard calibration fluid and automatically calculate the correct temperature compensated surface tension value;means to automatically sequence the flow controller settings and generate dynamic surface tension curves using a sequential flow-control setting/calibration sequence.