PRE-LAB 17

1. Briefly discuss the important of viscosity in chemical process.

- Viscosity can be defines as the resistance of fluid toward a motion or under an

applied force[1]. This term is very important especially in a chemical process
because by knowing the viscosity of the certain material it will help the
manufacturer to have a prediction on how the material will act in the real world.
Furthermore, when we know the viscosity of a material it will affect the
production and also the transportation process that are being designed[1]. For a
simple example, if we do not know the actual viscosity of the toothpaste, the
toothpaste might be hard to be pump out or it will pump out to much. So, if we
relate this situation to the chemical process industry, it will cause a lot of trouble
and also will make the production line become low. Next, the important of the
viscosity in the chemical process is in choosing the right equipment for pumping
the fluid[2]. It is very important to have good understanding especially on the
properties of the fluid that passing through it. The viscosity of the fluid play a
major role to determine the perfect equipment needed whether it is the pipe to
transfer fluid, pump to mix and move them or different type of filters[2]. So, by
having the good understanding on the viscosity of the fluid, it will help us in order
to select the right type and the size of the equipment that will give the best
performance.

Reference

1. Viscosity Testing the Flowability of Liquid Products[online] Available at:

http://www.cscscientific.com/viscosity

2. The Importance Of Fluid Viscosity In Choosing Equipment(2015). [online] Available

at:
http://www.process-controls.com/Vissers_Sales/Blog/importance-of-fluid-viscosity.html