Arduino based Automated Viscometer for Oil Health Monitoring

Engine oil is a vital factor in the efficient functioning of any automobile. It acts as a lubricant to reduce friction between the mechanical parts and also keeps the engine cool by dissipating the heat. During this process, parameters such as viscosity of oil changes. Engine oil is changed at regular intervals of time without checking its quality. This can lead to wastage as the real health of engine oil during an oil change is unknown. This paper discusses an efficient way to monitor the health of the engine to minimize the wastage. By adapting the traditional falling ball method of measuring the viscosity of a liquid, an in situ miniaturized prototype is fabricated. The prototype consists of a narrow and hollow cylindrical tube with slits to allow the movement of oil through it. At the floor of the tube, two sensory electrodes are placed and at the top, an electromagnet attached. A steel ball is placed inside the tube and is made to move freely. The whole setup is attached to a servo motor and is controlled by an Arduino Nano. With this prototype, the average fall time of the ball through the oil is calculated and viscosity is found using the Stokes Law.