Advanced Oil Viscosity Measurement Technique

A micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) based sensor is proposed for measuring the viscosity and density of oil. Sensor attributes, which include small sample size (<1ul), fast readout (seconds), and low power consumption (<1 Watt), make it attractive for portable applications, online deployment, and applications that are sensitive to particle generation. Preliminary lab data taken with a prototype sensor over temperature using COTS motor oil indicates that the sensor's dynamic range and sensitivity meet the requirements of this application. During Phase I, sensor performance will be assessed with clean and contaminated commercially available samples that simulate field conditions of the sponsor's application. The goals of the program are to achieve 1% accuracy over a dynamic range of at least 90-308 cSt within a measurement time of less than 1 minute.