Brookfield Engineering

  1. Viscosity
  2. Rheology
  3. Companies based in Massachusetts
  4. Plymouth County, Massachusetts


Brookfield Engineering is an engineering and manufacturing company with headquarters in Middleboro, Massachusetts. Its product line includes laboratory viscometers, rheometers, texture analyzers, and powder flow testers as well as in-line process instrumentation. These instruments are used by research, design, and process control departments. It was suspected of causing one of Massachusetts' most unusual and serious residential toxic-waste contamination problems, and settled the claim by paying relocation and cleanup costs without admitting responsibility.

Company History

The company was established in 1934 by Don Brookfield Sr., who graduated from MIT with a degree in electro-chemical engineering. Brookfield Engineering was a family run business until 1986 when it became an ESOP company. It has been ISO certified since the 1990s.

Brookfield Engineering has dealers in 60 countries and regional offices in the US, UK, Germany, India and China. All manufacturing is located in the US at company headquarters.[1]

Principle of Operation

Brookfield viscometers employ the principle of rotational viscometry - the torque required to turn an object, such as a spindle, in a fluid indicates the viscosity of the fluid.[2] Most Brookfield viscometers move a disk or bob spindle immersed in test fluid through a calibrated spring and the spring deflection measures the viscous drag of the fluid against the spindle.[3] The amount of viscous drag is proportional to the amount of torque required to rotate the spindle, and thus to the viscosity of the fluid.[1]

The rheological properties of a test fluid are measured using the same spindle at different speeds. Proper SOPs note the model, spindle, speed, temperature, time of test, container, and any other sample preparation procedures that may affect the behavior of the fluid.[4] When developing a new test method, trial and error is often necessary in order to determine the proper spindle and speeds. Successful test methods will deliver a % torque reading between 10 and 100.[5]

Pollution Settlement

In 1998 the Department of Environmental Protection evacuated residents after finding a spike in airborne solvent levels in Stoughton.[6][7] Brookfield Engineering was suspected of causing the pollution that led to the evacuation and agreed to pay the relocation and cleanup costs without admitting responsibility.[8][9][10] It was called, "one of the state's most unusual and serious problems of residential toxic-waste contamination" by the Boston Globe.[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Brookfield Engineering - Company History
  2. ↑ ChemEurope.com
  3. ↑ Experiences in slag viscosity measurement by rotation cylinder method
  4. ↑ The Rheology School - Brookfield Viscosity Explained
  5. ↑ Brookfield Engineering - More Solutions to Sticky Problems
  6. ↑ "Industry toxins force out Stoughton families", Boston Globe, November 18, 1998.
  7. ↑ "Suburban toxic wasteland Flooding brings contamination to Stoughton neighborhood", Boston Globe, December 22, 1998.
  8. ↑ "Firm suspected in pollution to help pay Stoughton costs", Boston Globe, November 25, 1998
  9. ↑ "Something stinks in Stoughton", Boston Globe, February 14, 1999.
  10. ↑ "Family suffers in limbo as toxins ravage home", Dallas Morning News, January 3, 1999.
  11. ↑ "Families relocate over polluted water Stoughton homes may have carcinogens", Boston Globe, November 18, 1998.


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