Development of a dual-sinker densimeter for high-accuracy fluid P-V-T measurements

A dual-sinker densimeter to very accurately measure the pressure-volume-temperature (P-V-T) properties of fluids over a temperature range of 80 K to 520 K and at pressures up to 35 MPa is in the final stages of development at NIST. The density of a fluid is determined by measuring the difference in the buoyancy forces experienced by two sinkers of identical mass, surface area, and surface material, but very different volumes. The buoyancy forces on the sinkers are transmitted to a semi-microbalance by means of a magnetic suspension coupling. This paper reviews the principle of the measurement and describes the overall design of the system