Limits for safe viscosity measurement of non-colloidal suspensions in rotational rheometry—a numerical simulation-based approach

Abstract

This work investigates transient non-colloidal suspension flows in cone-and-plate, plate-plate, and cylindrical geometries to assess particle motion’s impact on viscosity measurement. Mass and momentum conservation equations model the two-phase liquid–solid flow, with both phases treated as continuous in an Euler-Euler approach. Findings demonstrate rheometric flow induces particle motion, affecting suspension homogeneity and viscosity measurement over time. Both buoyancy and inertia effects drive particle motion, with buoyancy dominating at low shear rates and inertia at high shear rates. Particle volume fractions, shear rates, and liquid viscosity notably influence viscosity measurements. Measurements with concentric cylinders are the least affected by particle motion. Additionally, we propose a time limit and a critical Reynolds number in which particle motion does not affect the measurement of the suspension viscosity.