The Rheology Group has at its disposal an excellent infrastructure to support its activities. In addition to the various laboratories of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of PUC-Rio(DEM) to which GReo has access, four laboratories are more specifically directed to its goals. In what follows, a brief description of these labs is provided.
ADVANCED COMPUTATION LABORATORY
It is composed of a network of modern microcomputers, clusters and printers. This network is linked to the Computation University Center (RDC) and can be accessed remotely by the GReo members.
NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID MECHANICS LABORATORY
It is suitably equipped with modern equipment to conduct non-Newtonian fluid mechanics and porous media experiments.
RHEOMETRY LABORATORY
Rotational rheometry: the laboratory is equipped to perform all the known rheological tests (flow curve, G’-G”, normal stresses, yield stress, creep, stress relaxation, etc.) in all types of non-Newtonian liquids, in the range -50°C-600°C. In addition to the various geometries, there are available accessories such as microscopy, light scattering, pressure cells, interfacial rheology geometries, and many other.
FLUIDS CHARACTERIZATION LABORATORY
The Fluids Characterization Laboratory (LCF) is equipped to measure different properties of liquids., and to perform volume, viscosimeter, and densimeter calibrations. Some of these properties are: density, Newtonian viscosity, surface tension, contact angle, etc. LCF has last-generation equipment and highly qualified personnel. It is regularly inspected by INMETRO (the Brazilian Bureau of Standards) in the quantities Density, Viscosity, and Volume, being one of the official laboratories of the Brazilian Calibration Network (RBC).