Industrial Refractometers Used in Process Control

Refractometer for pharmaceutical use (K-Patents).

Part physics, part material science and part chemistry, refractometry is the process which measures the composition of known substances by means of calculating their respective refractive indexes (RI). RIs are evaluated via a refractometer, a device which measures the curve, or refraction, resulting when the wavelength of light moves from the air into and through a tested substance. The unitless number given by the refractometer, usually between 1.3000 and 1.7000, is the RI. The composition of substances is then determined when the RI is compared to a standard curve specific to the material of the substance.

Process refractometers provide the analysis to quickly, reliably, and very accurately identify a sample and determine it's concentration and purity levels. They measure the refractive index and temperature of flowing liquids, and apply mathematical functions to determine the concentration of dissolved solids.

Common industrial refractometer applications are:

• Calculating beverages’ amount of sugar dissolved is water.
• In commercial food applications such as juice production or tomato processing, refractometers are used to measure degrees Brix (Tthe Brix scale relates refractive index to sugar concentration, and is a key way to maintain consistency).
• In the pharmaceutical industry, process refractometers are used to monitor and control concentration levels during supersaturation, a critical process in crystallization.
• In pulp and paper production, process refractometers for measuring dissolved solids in black and green liquor during the chemical recovery process.

Equipment manufacturers have developed numerous refractometer configurations tailored to specific each use and application. Each has a set of features making it the advantageous choice for its intended application. Product specialists can be invaluable sources of information and assistance to potential refractometer users seeking to match the best equipment to their application or process.

For more information on industrial refractometers, contact Miller Energy by visiting https://millerenergy.com or by calling 908-755-6700 in New Jersey or 610-363-6200 in Pennsylvania.