OLR Series 1000
THE NEW ONLINE RHEOMETER (OLR) MEASURES THE FLOW PROPERTIES OF DOMESTIC CHEMICAL PRODUCTS IN THE PROCESS PIPE SO PRODUCTS REMAIN IN SPECIFICATION
The OnLine Rheometer Group of Rheology Solutions Pty Ltd, Australia has brought to the world market the first OnLine Rheometer (OLR) to continuously measure, plot and report the flow properties of process liquids in the pipe. The OLR is for process monitoring, process control and quality control of liquids in the process and manufacturing of chemical products.
Pourability, viscosity , spreadability, tack, elasticity and other textural or flow properties are important for a range of diverse products in the production and manufacture of domestic chemicals like detergent gels, crèmes, soaps and fabric conditioners. Product effectiveness and end-user experience is often driven by these variables which are in turn derived from the flow properties of the product during the production process. The ability to produce a material efficiently and effectively (processability) can also have a large impact on the viability of the end product. The OnLine Rheometer (OLR) is able to measure flow properties directly related to these variables in the pipe during the production process and feed data directly to the operator in real time. In this way the operator can make informed process decisions about the quality of the material in the pipe and make changes as appropriate to streamline the process.
Inside the OLR with the oscillatory squeeze-flow plates closed
Inside the OLR with the oscillatory squeeze-flow plates open
The OLR can reduce or remove costly waiting times associated with laboratory testing, removing production bottlenecks and increasing effective production capacity. In addition consumer-critical parameters can now be monitored on-line so that customer satisfaction with the final product can be better assured.
Commercial process viscometers that are typically used in the industry exert high deformation rates that are not suitable for characterising the micro-structural features in complex chemical formulations like gels, crèmes and fabric conditioners. Therefore micro-structure-dependent product- attributes like spreadability, tack, elasticity etc cannot usually be characterised by the real-time measurements made using available process viscometers and QC protocols that are based on these measurements are seldom effective. The OLR, however, is set-up such that the engineer/operator can better correlate the measurements to the critical attributes of the product like the ones mentioned above. Moreover, the OLR offers measurements over a range of frequencies (deformation-rates) and allows the engineer/operator to choose the measurements most relevant to the product. It also offers a more thorough insight into the rheology of the product being processed including the shear-thinning nature of the product.
The OLR Advantages:
• Fast and reliable real time results
• Low maintenance
• Out-of-specification diagnosis
• Plug-and-play installation
• Precise and robust sensor system
• Process control
• Process monitoring
• Quality control
• State of the art technology
• Time and cost savings
The OLR provides a greater quantity and quality of information compared with most current technologies. The data from the OLR is instantaneous, removing the need for time-consuming laboratory analysis, thereby reducing production costs incurred from waiting for QC results. The OLR provides an agile response to out-of-specification product and increases the effective production capacity of plant. The OLR is made in Australia and units are available now for purchase.
The OLR measures the viscoelastic properties of a process fluid in real time and will improve product quality and reduce wastage and saves time and therefore reduces processing costs. The OLR is made in Australia and units are available now for purchase.
Contact Rheology Solutions Pty Ltd to discuss the OLR and your production processes or visit www.onlinerheometer.com for full product specifications and an application enquiry form.