26 Analytical Instrumentation Whenever innovative solutions are required…
Density Measurement of Bitumen Paves the Road to Success
The composition of bitumen is sometimes crucial, for example when it comes to paving roads. Being an asphalt constituent, bitumen considerably defines the characteristics of the road surfacing: providing stability in the summer without changing the texture, and avoiding frost heaves in the winter.
Determining the density of bitumen is considered a suitable method to characterise whether the bitumen sample meets the requirements for the designated use. The standard test method asks for a pycnometer to be partially filled with the heated bitumen sample without the sample touching the sides of the pycnometer above the sample’s filling level, followed by completely filling the pycnometer with water and using the determined weights to calculate the sample’s density. This procedure is not only time-consuming and cumbersome, but also requires a lot of practice and skill. In addition, the achieved precision is moderate.
It is therefore no wonder that the need arose for a faster and easier method that is not dependent on the skill of the operator. The solution is the DMA HP density meter. In combination with
the DMA 4100/4500/5000 M evaluation unit, this instrument is especially suitable for samples with a high melting point. It can be used at temperatures as high as +200 °C, which allows the samples to remain liquid inside the measuring chamber. Together with the high-precision U-tube measuring technique, the high-temperature applicability makes it an indispensable tool for the density determination of bitumen and related materials.
An optional accessory is available to fill and empty the measuring cell: the External Heating Block. It keeps the tubing that leads in and out of the measuring cell at an elevated temperature. This not only allows simple filling and removal of the sample after the measurement, but also avoids changes of the sample volume with temperature changes.
The DMA HP density meter requires only low sample volumes and ensures safe working conditions for the operator. It is a reliable instrument to determine the density of bitumen samples quickly, effortlessly and with high precision. The optional accessory External Heating Block allows easy and safe filling and removal of the sample.
Reader Reply Card No 63
10 Years of the Stabinger Viscometer - a Continuing Development
The Stabinger Viscometer has been revolutionising viscosity measurement for over ten years. Anton Paar’s SVM 3000 Stabinger Viscometer has already moved from being a fascinating novelty to a recognised and standardised solution. A great number of users equip their laboratory with SVM 3000 due to its countless advantages over conventional capillary viscometers. As with all Anton Paar instruments, SVM 3000 is continuously being further developed with the clear goal of increasing the benefits for users:
2000 The SVM 3000 Stabinger Viscometer is presented at the Achema exhibition. 2004 SVM 3000 Generation 2 is developed, including a comprehensive reworking of the electronics and measuring cell.
2004 Publication of ASTM D7042-04 "Standard Test Method for the Stabinger Viscometer” with the proof that D445 and D7042 are equivalent.
2006 Launch of an automatic sample changer, “Xsample”, with up to 96 positions. 2008 Reference to ASTM D6074-08: Standard Guide for Characterising Hydrocarbon Lubricant Base Oils.
2009 Generation 3 with new Firmware 3.0 allows easier and faster operation, higher measuring precision and a wide range of additional functions.
2010 Introduction of a heated sample changer, e.g. for heavy oils. 2010 Reference to ASTM 2270-10: Standard Practice for Calculating Viscosity Index from Kinematic Viscosity at 40 and 100 °C.
2011 Combination of the SVM 3000 Stabinger Viscometer and an Anton Paar Abbemat refractometer to determine e.g. the carbon type composition.
The story continues… Reader Reply Card No 65 Reader Reply Card No 64 April / May 2012 •
www.petro-online.com
The exploration and subsequent operation of crude oil wells are supported by the accurate viscosity measurement of fracturing fluids and drilling muds. Further downstream, the viscosity of crude oil affects the amount of fluid that can be transported in a pipeline during a specific period of time. Accurate knowledge of the viscosity allows operators to determine the energy required to run a pump for a specific product. This significantly reduces the operating costs. Practical application of viscosity measurement data often leads to the need for in- process control of viscosity. Process viscometers have important applications in the real-time quality and process control for the petroleum industry achievable by no other means. In-process viscometers instantly detect changes in viscosity and allow the viscosity to be adjusted accordingly before it can affect exploration, transportation or product quality. Using process viscosity measurement ensures that the process is operating within specified viscosity parameters and enables manufacturers to:
• Significantly improve product quality • Increase manufacturing efficiency • Rapidly respond to processing problems
Established commercial instruments such as rotational, vibrating, and capillary viscometers may suffer from short lifetime or inadequate performance under harsh conditions. Typical problems are friction-loaded torque measurements, undefined shear rate, density dependence, poor sample replacement, small penetration depth, as well as sensitivity to pressure, vibration, and flow rate.
Anton Paar has developed a unique rotational process viscometer – L-Vis 510 - based on a fluid dynamic measurement principle. L-Vis 510 is immersed directly in the production liquid in the pipework or tank so no bypass is required. It continuously measures and displays the viscosity and temperature, allowing 24- hour monitoring of petroleum products. Drops in pressure or flow rate do not affect the measurement results. L-Vis 510 achieves excellent repeatability, even under harsh process conditions such as pressure and temperature variations and when measuring abrasive and inhomogeneous fluids and suspensions.
Anton Paar’s inline viscometer is built to the same high standards of performance and value as its laboratory viscometers and rheometers, with particular attention devoted to making instruments that are rugged and easy to maintain for long service in demanding industrial environments.
Reliable Viscosity Determination Directly in the Production Line
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