Soran University

Faculty of Engineering
Department of Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum Property

Title: Effect of temperature on the viscosity of fluids

Experiment No: 02
Name: Muhammed Star Braim
Group: A4
Date: 24 February 2020
Supervisor: Mr. Foad & Ms. Meriam
Contents
Aim.............................................................................................................................................. 1
Theory ......................................................................................................................................... 1
Apparatus ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Material .................................................................................................................................... 2
Equipment ................................................................................................................................ 2
Calibration ................................................................................................................................... 3
Procedure ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Calculation ................................................................................................................................... 4
Result and discussion ................................................................................................................... 5
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 6
Reference ..................................................................................................................................... 7

List of Figures
Figure 1 Graduated cylinder ......................................................................................................... 2
Figure 2 Thermometer.................................................................................................................. 2
Figure 3 Beaker ............................................................................................................................ 2
Figure 4 viscometer ...................................................................................................................... 2
Figure 5 Heater ............................................................................................................................ 2
Figure 6 Hydrometer .................................................................................................................... 2
Figure 7 Ubbelohde Viscometer ................................................................................................... 3
Figure 8 chart of relation between kinematic viscosity with temperature ...................................... 5
Figure 9 chart of relation between dynamic viscosity with temperature ........................................ 6

List of Tables
Table 1: Result ............................................................................................................................. 5
Aim
The aim of this experiment is to knowing how to measure the dynamic and kinematic
viscosity of fluids and effect of temperature on the viscosity of fluids.

Theory
Viscosity is a fluid property that can be interpreted as the ‘thickness of a fluid. This property
describes the level of resistance to the sliding motion of one layer of the fluid to another one.
Viscosity is very important in many aspects. More specifically, lubricants have different viscosities
to satisfy the needs of different machinery for which they are used, and without the correct viscosity,
the machines will not be able to operate properly. A fluid’s dynamic viscosity is the resistance to
an externally applied shear stress (Naterer and Camberos, 2008).

The two most common types of viscosity are dynamic and kinematic. The relationship between
these two properties is quite straightforward. Dynamic viscosity is the measurement of the fluid’s
internal resistance to flow while kinematic viscosity refers to the ratio of dynamic viscosity to
density. Based on the expression above, two fluids with the same dynamic viscosities can have very
different kinematic viscosities depending on density and vice versa (Durst, 2008).

The viscosity of a fluid will be affected by its temperature. By increasing the temperature of a fluid,
the viscosity is reduced because when a temperature rises, the attractive forces between molecules
weaken, and the molecules are freer to move. Oppositely, if the temperature decreases, then the
molecules slow down, and the liquid becomes more viscous. The effect of temperature on viscosity
can be identified with flow rate or the rate of flow of a liquid.

𝑣 = C X T ……eq (1)
Where: 𝑣 =kinematic viscosity (mm²/s = cst)

C = is viscometer constant, for used viscometer is equal to (0.02714 mm²/s2)

T = time of flow (s)
μ = 𝑣 X ρ ……eq (2)
Where: μ = dynamitic viscosity ( 0.01(g/s.cm) = cp)

ρ =density (g/cm³)
the above equations used to measure the kinematic and dynamic viscosity (Viswanath. et al, 2007).

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 Apparatus
Material
Kerosene
Equipment
Heater (show in figure 5)

Beaker (shown in figure 3)

Hydrometer (shown in figure 6)

Thermometer (shown in figure 2)

Graduated cylinder (shown in figure 1)

Viscometer (shown in figure 4)

Figure 1 Graduated cylinder Figure 3 Thermometer Figure 2 Beaker

Figure 5 viscometer Figure 6 Heater Figure 4 Hydrometer

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Calibration
Calibrate each viscometer at the test temperature by using fluids of known viscosities of appropriate
viscosity standards to determine the viscometer constant, C. The viscosity values of the calibration
standards should bracket the expected viscosity value of the sample liquid.

Procedure
A. Fill the cylinder with Kerosene.
B. Put the thermometer on the Kerosene and record the temperature.
C. Put the hydrometer on the Kerosene carefully and record its density.
D. Calibrate the viscometer.
E. Clean the viscometer using suitable solvents, and by passing clean,
dry, filtered air through the instrument to remove the final traces of
solvents. Periodically, traces of organic deposits should be removed
with chromic acid or non-chromium cleaning solution.
F. If there is a possibility of lint, dust, or other solid material in the liquid
sample, filter the sample through a fritted glass filter or fine mesh
screen.
G. Charge the viscometer by introducing sample through tube L into the
lower reservoir; introduce enough sample to bring the level between
Figure 7 Ubbelohde Viscometer
lines G and H.
H. Place the viscometer into the holder, and insert it into the constant temperature bath.
Vertically align the viscometer in the bath if a self-aligning holder has not been used.
I. Allow approximately 20 minutes for the sample to come to the bath temperature.
J. Place a finger over tube M and apply suction to tube N until the liquid reaches the center of
bulb D. Remove suction from tube N. Remove finger from tube M, and immediately place
it over tube N until the sample drops away from the lower end of the capillary into bulb B.
Then remove finger and measure the efflux time.
K. . To measure the efflux time, allow the liquid sample to flow freely down past mark E,
measuring the time for the meniscus to pass from mark E to mark F.
L. Calculate the kinematic viscosity of the sample by multiplying the efflux time by the
viscometer constant.

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 M. Pour the Kerosene to the beaker.
N. Put the beaker on the heater and increase the temperature to required temperature.
O. Repeat the above procedures for required times.
P. Calculate the kinematic viscosity of the sample by multiplying the efflux time by the
viscometer constant (Viswanath. et al, 2007).

Calculation
First test

T=15C time= 171s density= 0.834 g/cc

𝑣 = c.t → 𝑣 = 0.02714x171= 4.641 or cst → 4.641x 0.01= 0.04641 st

𝜇 = 𝑣. 𝜌 𝜇= 0.04641X 0.834= 0.0387 poise = 3.87 cp

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second test

T = 20 C time= 169s density =0.83g/cc

𝑣 = 0.02714x 169 = 4.5866 cst = 0.04586 stoke

𝜇 = 0.04586 x 0.83 = 0.038 poise = 3.8

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Third test

T= 25C time= 167s density = 0.826 g/cc

𝑣 =0.02714 x 167 =4.5323 cst = 0.04532 stoke

𝜇 = 0.04532 x 0.826 = 0.03743 poise = 3.743 cp

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forth test

T =35C time=164s density= 0.821 g/cc

𝑣 = 0.02714 x 164= 4.4509 cst = 0.0445 stoke

𝜇 =0.0445 x 0.821= 0.03653 poise = 3.653 cp

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Fifth test

T=45C time= 159s density= 0.815 g/cc

𝑣 =0.02714 x 159= 4.3152 cst = 0.04315 stoke

𝜇= 0.04315 x 0.815 = 0.03516 poise = 3.516 cp

Result and discussion

Table 1: Result

Test T (C°) Time (s) Density (g/cc) v (stoke) 𝜇 (poise)

1 15 171 0.834 0.04641 0.0387
2 20 169 0.83 0.04586 0.038
3 25 167 0.826 0.04532 0.03743
4 35 164 0.821 0.0445 0.03653
5 45 159 0.815 0.04315 0.03516

0.047 0.04641
0.04586
0.046
kinematic viscosity (st)

0.04532

0.045 0.0445

0.044
0.04315
0.043

0.042

0.041
15 20 25 35 45
Temperature (c°)

Figure 8 chart of relation between kinematic viscosity with temperature

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 0.039 0.0387

0.038
0.038 0.03743
Dynamic viscosity (p)

0.037 0.03653

0.036
0.03516
0.035

0.034

0.033
15 20 25 35 45
Tempreture (c°)

Figure 9 chart of relation between dynamic viscosity with temperature

The results show the relation between temperature and viscosity of kerosene that provide
the viscosity of kerosene will reduce when the temperature increased and vice versa. From eq (1)
the kinematic viscosity can be measured when the time of flow is knowing, after that use the result
of eq (1) in eq (2) to find dynamic viscosity when the density of kerosene at require temperature is
known. Figure (8 and 9) illustrate the relationship between the dynamic and kinematic viscosity
with temperature that is clear the relation is inversely proportional but it is not linearly. While
testing Some errors was encountered which are the temperature drop while testing because this
experiment needs to a large period of time and /or any mistake may be happened.

Conclusion
Viscosity is a fluid property and it’s a resistance of fluid to flow and it is an important term
in petroleum industry specially while drilling and transportation. This lab experiment is helpful to
knowing how to measure the dynamic and kinematic viscosity of fluids and the effect of
temperature on the viscosity.

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Reference
Naterer, G.F. and Camberos, J.A. (2008), Entropy based design and analysis of fluids engineering
systems, CRC press.

Durst, F. (2008), Fluid mechanics: an introduction to the theory of fluid flows, Springer Science &
Business Media.

Viswanath, D.S., Ghosh, T.K., Prasad, D.H., Dutt, N.V. and Rani, K.Y. (2007), Viscosity of liquids:
theory, estimation, experiment, and data, Springer Science & Business Media.