Controlling clay slips with a process vibrational viscometer

Ansón-Casaos, Alejandro ; Berges, José-María ; Ciria, José Carlos (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Maser, Wolfgang K. ; Benito, Ana M. ; Duboys, Jean-Marie

Resumen: The apparent viscosity of concentrated clay dispersions is a key control parameter in the ceramic industry, particularly in the manufacture of sanitaryware. Slips, the final industrial dispersions, are complex in their rheological behavior, featuring non-Newtonian flow and thixotropy. In this work, a resonance vibrating-rod viscometer (VRV) was utilized to evaluate the viscosity evolution over time, showing advantages over a classical rotational viscometer. Notably, while both viscometers were sensitive to small quantities of a deflocculant, the VRV effectively described the typical increase in the viscosity of clay dispersions at rest (thixotropy), the experimental data being properly fitted by a phenomenological model. As a relevant technical aspect, the superior suitability of the VRV for in-line process control was highlighted in the continuous monitoring of stirred clay dispersions and slip casting in plaster moulds. Additionally, a fitting model was developed to elucidate viscosity evolution during the casting process. In summary, this study underscores the versatility of the VRV as a control instrument in the sanitaryware industry.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1016/j.clay.2024.107447

Año: 2024

Publicado en: Applied Clay Science 257 (2024), 107447
ISSN: 0169-1317

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Ciencia Comput.Intelig.Ar (Dpto. Informát.Ingenie.Sistms.)