First density comparison on viscoelastic samples by oscillation-type densimetry

To provide a deeper insight about the damping effects produced by the viscoelasticity of non- Newtonian fluids during density measurements with oscillation-type density meters, and about how reference laboratories overcome these effects, an international comparison was performed, within the scope of the EMPIR Project 17RPT02 rhoLiq. The results of the comparison evidenced the possibility to measure density of viscoelastic samples by means of oscillation-type density meters with an uncertainty between 0.10 kg·m^-3 and 0.25 kg·m^-3. However, these instruments may be able to reach lower uncertainties if compared with higher precision density measurement methods such as hydrostatic weighing.

Robustness studies of oscillation-type density meters with viscoelastic fluids

The oscillation frequencies produced by oscillation-type density meters during the density measurements suffer damping due to the viscosity of Newtonian liquids. The effect of viscoelastic behaviour of non-Newtonian liquids in the damping of these oscillations is still not known. So, 7 viscoelastic liquids were rheologically characterized, resorting to a rheometer, and their density measured in order to provide a deeper insight into the damping effects produced by these types of fluids. To do so, oscillatory data was related with the obtained density deviations. The results of this study will give further insights for the knowledge of the measuring behaviour of these density meters when measuring viscoelastic fluids, one of the scopes of the EMPIR Project 17RPT02-rhoLiq.