How Does Mercury Porosimetry Testing Differ from Water Intrusion Porosimeter?

Mercury Permeability Porosimeter and Water Intrusion Porosimeter are phenomenonal devices. Besides offering accurate measurements and speedy results, these apparatuses are used to examine the total pore volumes, connected porosity, pore size distribution, and surface area.

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Testing Methods

During Mercury Porosimetry testing, pressure is applied to force mercury into smaller and smaller pores. Thus, the pore size distribution can be estimated by measuring the applied pressure and the intrusion volume in the test using Mercury Porosimeter.

Basically, it is an accurate and versatile engineering instrument used to regulate various properties. It also allows mercury porosimetry testing under higher or ambient temperatures to simulate concrete operational conditions.

On the contrary,

The Water Intrusion Porosimeter is a unique kind of liquid porometer that’s used for administering hydrophobic pores. The best part about it is that water does not wet aquaphobic pores. So, mainly the intrusion of water into pores befalls on the application of pressure.

Simply put, measured intrusion volume of water produces pore volume, and measured intrusion pressure yields pore diameter.

What Differentiates Mercury Porosimetry from Water Intrusion Porosimeter?

Mercury Porosimetry testing is generally used in the petrochemical and catalyst industries for regulating the pore volume and pore size of compound substrates, for example, alumina zeolites and silica.

This porometer is used to determine the particle size & distribution, pore numeral fraction, volume, & dimensions, pore throat ratio. It also measures material compressibility, permeability, surface area, and total densities of solid and powder samples.

Whereas the water intrusion porometer uses non-toxic fluids like mercury, it is fully automated and measures all the equivalent volumes. Nevertheless, there’s one feature that separates this device from the previous one. It’s the price.

Besides, the water intrusion porosimeter is a less costly version of any liquid porosimeter available.

Moving Forward, it’s time to witness the best features and specifications of these porometer devices.

Features of Mercury Porosimetry Testing

• Completely automatic
• operator- friendly
• Windows-based software handles all control, data collection, measurement, and report generation
• manual control
• Software upgrades for more than 3 years
• Limitless user-defined data points based on volume, pressure, or a combination
• Comes with a real-time graphical test display with up-to-date configuration
• Computer equipped program depicts a testing status and results during operation
• Demonstrates both intrusion and extrusion curve
• A broad range of adequate sample sizes and types
• Require minimal maintenance
• Low level of mercury exposure
• Sample transfers from low pressure to high-pressure stations not required
• Non-destructive testing

Specifications of Mercury Porosimetry Testing

Pore Diameter Range	0.003 – 350 µm
Pressure Range vacuum	up to 60,000 psi
Pressure Transducers	low, medium, and high ranges
Sample Size	25mm diameter and 25mm long
Examination Ports	2 low- and high-pressure ports
Sample Volume	up to 10 cc or more
Pressurizing Fluid	mercury
Vacuum Pump	two-stage, direct-drive rotary oil pump
Permeability Range	1×10-4 – 5 Darcy
Pressurizing Gas	clean, dry, or compressed air any other nonflammable and noncorrosive gas
Weight	150 kg
Resolution	1 in 60,000
Accuracy	0.15% of reading
Power Requirements	230 VAC, 50Hz
Pressure Range	0 -200 psi

Features Water Intrusion Porosimeter

• Uses non-hazardous substances such as mercury
• Windows-based simple operation, totally automated
• Magnitude lower intrusion pressure compared with minimal distortion of pore structure & mercury intrusion
• Much less pricey instrument compared with mercury intrusion porosimeter pore diameter ranges from 20 to 0.002 microns

Specifications of Water Intrusion Porosimeter

Sample Volume	Total pore volume, size distribution, and hysteresis ranging from 20 to 0.005 microns.
Function	Windows controlled, fully automated test unit
Maximum pressure range	30,000 psi –capable of 60,000 psi
Pressure control	The pure liquid used with precise pressure control and pressurization – No mercury required!

To Conclude,

Engineering instruments like PMI’s Permeability Porosimeter & Water Intrusion Porosimeter are the wonders that have made complex and inefficient industrial-grade procedures straightforward and simple. It is only some features and some functions that make these testing devices different from each other.

Both of these machinery types are precise, consistent, and safe with user-defined data-points, automated data collection, and reduction, non-destructive testing, and the latest technology.

The majority of these devices have already reformed how we did quality assurance and research in various industries worldwide.