US 12,228,487 B2
Method and systems for characterization of viscous fluids
William W. Schultz, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and Subramaniam Balakrishna, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Filed by THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Filed on Nov. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/991,502.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/281,362, filed on Nov. 19, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0160802 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 11/16 (2006.01); G01N 9/00 (2006.01); G01N 33/487 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 11/165 (2013.01) [G01N 33/487 (2013.01); G01N 9/002 (2013.01); G01N 11/167 (2013.01); G01N 2203/0094 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for characterizing a viscous fluid sample, the method comprising:
with the viscous fluid sample mounted between parallel plates, each having a circle shape and having a radius, Rp, and spaced apart from one another a spacing distance, L, imposing an oscillatory movement on at least one of the parallel plates to create an extension and contraction on the spacing distance, L, thereby imposing an oscillation on a resulting filament of the viscous fluid sample therebetween;
obtaining images of a profile of the filament of the viscous fluid sample captured at different points during the oscillation cycle and identifying filament profiles in the images; and
for each obtained image, performing a nonlinear regression curve fit on the filament profiles and comparing the nonlinear regression curve fits to a periodic solution to a one-dimensional (1D) model for a radius of the resulting filament, the 1D model being scaled by the radius, Rp, a density of the viscous fluid sample, and an oscillation frequency, ω, of the oscillatory movement, where the periodic solution is formed of coefficients that are each a function of a Reynolds number, a Weber number, and an initial aspect ratio of the viscous fluid sample that is a ratio of an initial spacing distance, L0, to the radius, Rp; and
determining from the comparison surface tension, viscosity to density, or relaxation, of the viscous fluid sample.