Shear Stress Sensors / Inline Viscometers
RealShear™ F-Series Shear Stress Sensors / Inline Viscometers
Lenterra’s RealShear™ F-Series Shear Stress Sensors / Inline Viscometers enable direct measurement of wall shear stress induced by fluids in mixers and pipes. The sensor is mounted flush with a pipe or vessel wall, or rotor-stator workhead, to provide in-line measurement with no disruption of process flow. When paired with a LOC-F Optical Controller, the RealShear™ sensor provides fast and continuous measurements for a wide range of applications.
Applications
- Scale up of mixing processes from the laboratory to the factory floor
- Continuous monitoring of mixing operations to prevent under/overprocessing
- Viscosity monitoring of flowing or mixing fluids
- Characterization of multiphase flows
Features
- Direct measurement of wall shear stress
- Viscosity measurement (in combination with known system parameters, see Application Note [PDF])
- In-line, continuous measurement with no disruption of process flow
- Bidirectional sensitivity
- Chemically resistant construction
- Miniature size: 1/4″-80 threaded housing for precise alignment when mounting on pipe, vessel, or mixer
- Fiber optic connection for interface with compatible controller (LOC-F series)
- Operation over wide range of temperatures (-20 °F to 400 °F / -30 to 200 °C)
- High measurement rate (up to 10 kHz with LOC-F series controllers)1
Ordering Information
Order with F-X where X = shear stress range in Pa. (ex. 400 for ± 400 Pa, 5K for ± 5000 Pa)
Standard models are rated for up to 100°C operation. Append -HT to model number for high temperature operation (up to 200°C).
Models
| Model Number | Meas. Range2 | Resolution3 | Nominal Resonance Freq. |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-1004 | ±100 Pa | 0.1 Pa | 90 Hz |
| F-400 | ±400 Pa | 0.4 Pa | 160 Hz |
| F-1K | ±1000 Pa | 1 Pa | 240 Hz |
| F-5K | ±5 kPa | 5 Pa | 450 Hz |
| F-25K | ±25 kPa | 25 Pa | 790 Hz |
| F-100K | ±100 kPa | 100 Pa | 1200 Hz |
1 10 kHz represents the maximum data acquisition rate for tracking the displacement of the floating element of the sensor. The mechanical frequency response of the sensor (which varies by model) should be taken into account when interpreting acquired data.
2 Sensors can also be manufactured with custom sensitivity for your particular application.
3 When used with a LOC-F controller under stable measurement conditions.
4 Sensors below ±400 Pa measurement range are particularly sensitive to vibration and sensor orientation effects.
Download Specification Sheet (PDF)
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Resources
Principle Behind Lenterra’s Micro-Optical Shear Stress Sensors.
RealShear™ Sensor Testing Data
Whitepaper on Shear Stress Measurement in High-Shear Mixing Applications (PDF)
Application Note on Viscosity Measurement with RealShear™ Sensors (PDF)
LOC-F Sensor Controller