Household products are becoming increasingly complex as “Generation X” consumers demand superior product quality and function. Manufacturers seeking developing these products must carefully consider storage, dispensing and application properties.

Flowability is strongly correlated to perceived quality. Rheology measures the time-temperature-dependent flow and deformation of liquids and deformable solids under an applied force. Significant use is made of rheology in the Polymers and plastics industries for deformable solids and in oil and lubricant where viscosity is critical aspect to product performance.

Industries need to reduce waste and improve process control, requires rheological data in real time. Currently in-line rheological measurements are made by adapting conventional rotational technology. However this is not suitable for samples where flow rate modifies the behaviour, and for pipeline operations where cost, size, dependability, reliability, and ease of integration into control systems is an issue.

Ultrasonic methods are ideal process sensors. Ultrasonic Spectroscopy characterises of the thermo physical properties of materials using the response to a high frequency Mechanical wave. Hence ultrasound can be used as a measure the rheological properties of a material. Specifically the attenuation and velocity information can be used to determine the materials longitudinal bulk modulus.

Ultrasound is the propagation of a mechanical wave through the molecular, microscopic and macroscopic structure of a material or materials. Ultrasonic Spectroscopy is the measurement of the frequency dependant ultrasonic response of a material. It is closely related to rheology however operates at higher frequencies and shorter length scales.

ITS has developed an Ultrasonic Spectroscopy instrument the m3000u which provides attenuation and velocity information on liquids and soft solids.

This technology can be used for measuring: wind speed and direction (anemometer), fullness of a tank, and speed through air or water. For measuring speed or direction a device uses multiple detectors and calculates the speed from the relative distances to particulates in the air or water. To measure the amount of liquid in a tank, the sensor measures the distance to the surface of the fluid. Further applications include: humidifiers, sonar, medical ultrasonography, burglar alarms, and non-destructive testing.

Systems typically use a transducer which generates sound waves in the ultrasonic range, above 20,000 hertz, by turning electrical energy into sound, then upon receiving the echo turn the sound waves into electrical energy which can be measured and displayed.

The technology is limited by the shapes of surfaces and the density or consistency of the material. For example foam on the surface of a fluid in a tank could distort a reading.

Household products are becoming increasingly complex as “Generation X” consumers demand superior product quality and function. Manufacturers seeking developing these products must carefully consider storage, dispensing and application properties.

Flowability is strongly correlated to perceived quality. Rheology measures the time-temperature-dependent flow and deformation of liquids and deformable solids under an applied force. Significant use is made of rheology in the Polymers and plastics industries for deformable solids and in oil and lubricant where viscosity is critical aspect to product performance.

Industries need to reduce waste and improve process control, requires rheological data in real time. Currently in-line rheological measurements are made by adapting conventional rotational technology. However this is not suitable for samples where flow rate modifies the behaviour, and for pipeline operations where cost, size, dependability, reliability, and ease of integration into control systems is an issue.

Ultrasonic methods are ideal process sensors. Ultrasonic Spectroscopy characterises of the thermo physical properties of materials using the response to a high frequency Mechanical wave. Hence ultrasound can be used as a measure the rheological properties of a material. Specifically the attenuation and velocity information can be used to determine the materials longitudinal bulk modulus.

Ultrasound is the propagation of a mechanical wave through the molecular, microscopic and macroscopic structure of a material or materials. Ultrasonic Spectroscopy is the measurement of the frequency dependant ultrasonic response of a material. It is closely related to rheology however operates at higher frequencies and shorter length scales.

ITS has developed an Ultrasonic Spectroscopy instrument the m3000u which provides attenuation and velocity information on liquids and soft solids.