• Nametre Company

Viscometer To Control Polymer Viscosity In Continuous Process

Nametre Company, a leading manufacturer of viscosity measurement and control systems, has announced availability of test results dealing with successful use of its Viscoliner Viscometer to improve polymer quality during continuous polymer process manufacturing applications. With viscosity measurement typically made between first and second reactor stages downstream prior to packaging, increased viscosity control improves product quality by allowing for better control of molecular weight, degree of branching, and polymer concentration. In one application, the customer produced 88% within control limits using a competitive viscometer and 97.7% within control limits using Viscoliner. Covering a range of melt flow index from 0. 1 to 200 MFI, the coefficient of determination, R2, for process Viscoliner measurement to MFI is 0.988 with standard error less than 1%. Sixteen Viscoliner viscometers in uninterrupted outdoor service over 4 years have saved the customer US$2.1 million per month. Revised control schemes have increased the customer"s "process capability index" by 400% and a more narrow control limit has further reduced variance in MFI. In another application, the customer reported materials savings of US $130,000 per Viscoliner per month due to increased yield. Similar use of Viscoliner for continuous process measurement during manufacture of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyisobutylene, polycarbonate, polyester, and polystyrene is also resulting in better quality product.