Dissipative Heating Effects and End Corrections for Viscous Newtonian Flow in High Shear Capillary Tube Viscometry

Abstract

The effect of dissipation heating on the apparent viscosity measured in capillary tube viscometry is described in this paper. Conditions of low Reynolds number and high shear are assumed. End corrections to the tube flow, found to be 3π/16 times the diameter of the tube, are incorporated. The flow curves show decreasing apparent viscosity when the shear stress increases. The configuration of the flow curves plotted in logarithmic presentation are found to be identical for fluids with Newtonian behavior. Convection is the predominant mechanism in removal of the heat in short capillary tube. The estimated upper bound for the shear stress obtainable in short length capillary tubes appears to be of the order of magnitude of 10 MPa limited primarily by the pressure drop associated with the constant end correction from the flat ended inlet and exit of the tube.