The Tapered Bearing Simulator-Now an Automated Viscometer

The Tapered Bearing Simulator (TBS) has been routinely employed to measure the high temperature high shear-rate viscosity of non-Newtonian oils. User demands for an increased number of analyses per day and unattended operation has encouraged the manufacturer to automate the basic viscometer.

This paper addresses the technical development of the automated TBS and includes a thorough discussion of continuous operation, automatic sample injection, and data analysis.