Patent ID: 6470736
Filing Date: 2002-10-29
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An apparatus for determining viscosity of a fluid, comprising:an elongated tube for sampling a fluid, said elongated tube having a fluid inlet orifice and a fluid outlet orifice and wherein said elongated tube has a length L determined by the relations L&ap;1/100(&rgr;/&mgr;)2gD4, wherein: &rgr; is the fluid density; &mgr; is the fluid viscosity; g is the acceleration due to gravity; and, D is the diameter of the tube; a fluid sample container arranged beneath said elongated tube for receiving a sample of fluid exiting said fluid outlet orifice of said elongated tube; means for supporting said fluid sample container, said means for supporting providing a plurality of weights of said sample of fluid; and, a computer operably connected to said means for supporting, said computer comprising a computer readable program for enabling said computer to receive digital signals representing said plurality of weights from said means for supporting and then interpreting said digital signals as a measure of viscosity of said sample of fluid.