Simple & Useful Conversions
Viscosity is commonly understood to be a fluids thickness or resistance to flow. There are many units of measurement when referring to viscosity, below are some simple and useful conversions to understand the thickness of various fluids:
cSt (Centistokes) or mm²/s x 4.62 = SSU (Seybolt Seconds Universal)
cPs (Centipoise) or mPa = cSt / S.G (Density)
º Engler / 0.132 = cSt
Below is a table of common fluid densities and viscosities across different temperature ranges based on reliable and trusted information collated from numerous sources within the industry and our own internal knowledge and experience. If you have a fluid which isn’t contained within this list please send us your Material Safety Data Sheet or Chemical Safety Data Sheets with your enquiry so we can be sure to offer you a suitable pump for your requirements. If there are no accessible MSDS or COSHH Sheets available then you can also find in our Tech Zone some videos of various fluids at different viscosities to provide a rough comparison.
Furthermore, we also have the ability to calculate operating viscosities based on actual operational temperatures. If you can provide viscosity information on your fluid at 2 set points (40 & 100ºC for example) and your operating temperature then we can extrapolate the operating viscosity from this information.
| Fluid | Temp ºC | Viscosity cSt | Density kg / Litre | Fluid | Temp ºC | Viscosity cSt | Density kg / Litre |
| Acetaldehyde | 20 | 0.295 | 0.788 | Machine Oil – Light | 20 | 47 | 0.9 |
| Acetic Acid | 20 | 1.232 | 1.048 | Machine Oil – Medium | 20 | 850 | 0.94 |
| Acetic Acid Anhydride | 20 | 0.88 | 1.084 | Mayonnaise | 20 | 2 | N/A |
| Acetone | 20 | 0.41 | 0.79 | Mercury | 20 | 0.119 | 13.57 |
| Allyl Alcohol | 20 | 1.603 | 0.852 | Methyl Acetate | 20 | 0.44 | 0.959 |
| Allyl Alcohol | 30 | 1.36 | 0.848 | Methyl Acetate | 40 | 0.35 | 0.916 |
| Allyl Chloride | 20 | 0.354 | 0.94 | Methyl Alcohol | 0 | 1.04 | 0.81 |
| Aluminium Chloride (5% Sol) | 20 | 3.54 | 1.03 | Methyl Alcohol | 10 | 0.855 | 0.801 |
| Aluminium Nitrate (10% Sol) | 20 | 4.54 | 1.051 | Methyl Alcohol | 20 | 0.745 | 0.792 |
| Aluminium Sulphate (10% Sol) | 20 | 1.34 | 1.115 | Methyl Glycol | 20 | 1.6 | 0.975 |
| Amyl Acetate | 20 | 4.34 | 0.885 | Methylene Chloride | 20 | 0.9 | 1.326 |
| Aniline | 10 | 6.4 | 1.03 | Milk | 20 | 1.13 | 1.035 |
| Aniline | 20 | 4.37 | 1.021 | Molasses 80 Bx | 20 | 10 | N/A |
| Beer | 20 | 1.8 | 0.996 | Molasses 83 Bx | 20 | 50 | N/A |
| Benzene | 20 | 0.744 | 0.879 | Molasses 85 Bx | 20 | 100 | N/A |
| Benzene | 30 | 0.65 | 0.868 | Nitro Benzene | 20 | 1.67 | 1.203 |
| Benzene | 40 | 0.58 | 0.858 | Nonane | 0 | 1.35 | 0.733 |
| Benzene | 50 | 0.54 | 0.847 | Nonane | 10 | 1.15 | 0.725 |
| Benzyl Alcohol | 20 | 5.52 | 1.045 | Nonane | 20 | 1 | 0.717 |
| Bromine | 20 | 0.34 | 3.12 | Octane | 0 | 1.05 | 0.719 |
| Butyl Acetate | 20 | 0.832 | 0.885 | Octane | 10 | 0.935 | 0.711 |
| Butyl Alcohol | 20 | 3.64 | 0.81 | Octane | 20 | 0.805 | 0.702 |
| Butyl Alcohol | 30 | 2.85 | 0.803 | Octane | 40 | 0.64 | 0.685 |
| Butyric Acid n | 0 | 2.35 | 0.977 | Oil, SAE 10W-30 | 20 | 130 | 0.875 |
| Butyric Acid n | 20 | 1.61 | 0.957 | Oil, SAE 10W | 20 | 115 | 0.87 |
| Calcium Chloride (25% Sol) | 20 | 3.9 | 1.227 | Oil, SAE 20W-20 | 20 | 200 | 0.885 |
| Calcium Chloride (5% Sol) | 20 | 1.161 | 1.037 | Oil, SAE 30 | 20 | 350 | 0.89 |
| Carbolic Acid | 20 | 11.3 | 1.078 | Oil, SAE 40 | 20 | 900 | 0.9 |
| Carbolic Acid | 30 | 9.7 | 1.069 | Oil, SAE 50 | 20 | 950 | 0.902 |
| Carbolic Acid | 40 | 7.95 | 1.059 | Olive Oil | 20 | 91.5 | 0.91 |
| Carbon Disulphate | 0 | 0.33 | 1.292 | Palm Oil | 20 | 130 | N/A |
| Carbon Disulphate | 10 | 0.316 | 1.277 | Paraffin Oil | 20 | 2.4 | 0.804 |
| Carbon Disulphate | 20 | 0.298 | 1.262 | Paraffin Oil | 30 | 1.85 | 0.78 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 20 | 0.612 | 1.595 | Pentane | 0 | 0.44 | 0.646 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 30 | 0.525 | 1.525 | Pentane | 10 | 0.39 | 0.636 |
| Castor Oil | 20 | 1017 | 0.96 | Pentane | 20 | 0.36 | 0.626 |
| Castor Oil | 40 | 315 | 0.95 | Phenol | 20 | 11.3 | 1.078 |
| Castor Oil | 60 | 115 | 0.94 | Phenol | 40 | 7.95 | 1.059 |
| Caustic Soda, 50% | 20 | 45 | N/A | Polyester Resin | 20 | 3 | N/A |
| China Wood Oil | 20 | 308 | 0.933 | Polymer Solution | 20 | 20 | N/A |
| Chloroform | 20 | 0.38 | 1.489 | Potassium Hydroxide | 20 | 67 | N/A |
| Chloroform | 40 | 0.37 | 1.452 | Printing Ink & Colours | 20 | 550-2200 | N/A |
| Chloroform | 60 | 0.35 | 1.415 | Propanol | 20 | 2.8 | 0.804 |
| Cod Liver Oil | 40 | 35 | N/A | Propanol | 40 | 1.7 | 0.786 |
| Cotton Seed Oil | 20 | 76 | 0.926 | Propanol | 50 | 1.4 | 0.777 |
| Cream, 30-50% Fat | 20 | 11-115 | N/A | Propionic Acid | 20 | 1.13 | 0.99 |
| Cyclohexanol | 20 | 71 | 0.952 | Propylene Glycol | 20 | 54 | 1.038 |
| Cyclohexanone | 20 | 4.9 | 0.952 | Rapeseed Oil | 20 | 178 | 0.92 |
| Cylinder Oil | 20 | 50000 | 0.94 | Sea Water | 0 | 1.774 | 1.028 |
| Dioxan | 20 | 2 | 1.03 | Sea Water | 10 | 1.346 | 1.028 |
| Ethyl Acetate | 20 | 0.51 | 0.905 | Sea Water | 20 | 1.044 | 1.025 |
| Ethyl Alcohol | 20 | 1.51 | 0.772 | Sea Water | 40 | 0.659 | 1.019 |
| Ethyl Alcohol | 40 | 1.16 | 0.737 | Sea Water | 60 | 0.442 | 1.01 |
| Ethyl Glycol | 20 | 2.3 | 0.93 | Sea Water | 80 | 0.311 | 0.998 |
| Ethylene Glycol | 20 | 18 | 1.112 | Shampoo | 20 | 3 | N/A |
| Ethylene Glycol | 30 | 16.5 | 1.104 | Sodium Chloride (25% Sol) | 20 | 2.4 | 1.19 |
| Formic Acid | 20 | 1.5 | 1.22 | Sodium Hydroxide (20% Sol) | 20 | 4 | 1.226 |
| Formic Acid | 30 | 1.38 | 1.208 | Sodium Hydroxide (30% Sol) | 20 | 10 | 1.33 |
| Fuel Oil, Extra Light | 20 | 6 | 0.85 | Soya Bean Oil | 20 | 75 | 0.926 |
| Fuel Oil, Light | 20 | 16.5 | 0.91 | Styrene | 20 | 0.9 | 0.926 |
| Fuel Oil, Medium | 20 | 520 | 0.99 | Sulphuric Acid | 20 | 14.6 | 1.839 |
| Fuel Oil, Heavy | 20 | 8000 | 0.99 | Tetrachloroethane | 20 | 1.1 | 1.593 |
| Furfural | 20 | 1.45 | 1.16 | Tetrachloroethane | 20 | 0.95 | 1.621 |
| Gear Oil | 20 | 3000 | 0.905 | Toluene | 20 | 0.68 | 0.867 |
| Gelatine | 45 | 1.2 | N/A | Toluene | 40 | 0.55 | 0.849 |
| Glycerine | 20 | 1183 | 1.261 | Toluene | 60 | 0.46 | 0.831 |
| Glycol | 20 | 20 | N/A | Tomato Ketchup | 30 | 1 | N/A |
| Heptane | 0 | 0.74 | 0.702 | Transformer Oil | 20 | 30 | 0.95 |
| Heptane | 10 | 0.66 | 0.692 | Trichloroethylene | 20 | 0.95 | 1.463 |
| Heptane | 20 | 0.6 | 0.682 | Water | 0 | 1.788 | 1 |
| Heptane | 40 | 0.51 | 0.661 | Water | 10 | 1.307 | 1 |
| Hexane | 0 | 0.62 | 0.678 | Water | 20 | 1.002 | 0.998 |
| Hexane | 10 | 0.57 | 0.668 | Water | 40 | 0.662 | 0.992 |
| Hexane | 20 | 0.51 | 0.658 | Water | 60 | 0.475 | 0.983 |
| Hexane | 40 | 0.4 | 0.639 | Water | 80 | 0.365 | 0.972 |
| Honey | 40 | 2 | N/A | Water | 100 | 0.295 | 0.958 |
| Kerosene | 20 | 2.4 | 0.804 | Xylene-O | 20 | 0.93 | 0.864 |
| Kerosene | 30 | 1.85 | 0.78 | Xylene-O | 40 | 0.74 | 0.847 |
| Linseed Oil | 20 | 47 | 0.92 | Yoghurt | 40 | 150 | N/A |