SBIR Phase I: A Non-Invasive Viscometer for Materials Analysis and Process Control

*96-61122 Barrall这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将用于磁共振(MR)粘度计，并开发商用MR粘度计的规格。许多制造和加工技术依赖于流体、悬浮液、浆料或熔体的流动或流变性。例如，热聚合物的稳态剪切相关粘度通常指示诸如分子量和分子量分布等关键性质。粘度法测量分子量分布需要以每十年至少五个点的剪切速率测量二三十年的剪切粘度。目前的在线式和在线式粘度计不能足够快地进行所需的测量，从而无法进行实时过程控制。MR粘度计将在一分钟内以剪切速率测量20年内的剪切粘度(比当前技术状态快约30倍)。它将是非侵入性的，能够研究充满颗粒的系统(这可能会堵塞现有的粘度计)，并适用于大流量。MR粘度计还将能够同时测量其他重要性质，如扩散系数，这是目前的粘度计所不能做到的。一种低成本、在线测量几十年剪切速率粘度的系统将在加工熔体、浆料和乳液的工业中得到广泛应用。目标市场包括热塑性塑料、树脂、石油衍生品、不同种类的食品、煤炭、纸张和废物处理管理。***

*** 96-61122 Barrall This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will magnetic resonance (MR) viscometry and develop specifications for a commercial MR viscometer. Many manufacturing and processing technologies depend on the flow or rheological properties of fluids, suspensions, slurries, or melts. For example, the steady-state shear-dependent viscosity of thermopolymers is often indicative of key properties such as molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. Viscometric measurement of molecular weight distribution requires measuring shear viscosity over two or three decades in shear rate with at least five points per decade. Current in-line and on-line viscometers are not capable of making the required measurements quickly enough to allow real-time process control. The MR viscometer will measure shear viscosity over two decades in shear rate within one minute (about 30 times faster than the present state of the art). It will be noninvasive, capable of investigating particulate-filled systems (which can clog present viscometers), and amenable to large flow streams. The MR viscometer will further be capable of simultaneously measuring other important properties such as diffusion coefficients, of which present viscometers are incapable. A low-cost, in-line system to measure viscosity over several decades in shear rate will find wide application in industries that process melts, slurries, and emulsions. Target markets include thermoplastics, resins, petroleum derivatives, heterogeneous food products, coal, paper, and waste disposal management. ***