Refractometers
What is a refractometer?
Refractometers measure refractive index, which is often converted into a concentration measurement; typically of sugar (°Brix) for food applications or other easily useable concentration scales relative to the products being measured. Every single one of our refractometers is supplied with a Certificate of Calibration ensuring that every one of our instruments are traceable to NIST and ICUMSA standards.
Eclipse Optical Refractometers
The Eclipse pro-range of handheld refractometers feature high quality optics for a clear field of view and are manufactured using a robust ‘all-metal’ design with rubber handgrip and replaceable polyurethane illuminator flap. Each refractometer is supplied with a soft carry case and a Certificate of Verification.
For more information on the Eclipse range by Bellingham + Stanley, click here.
OPTi Digital Handheld Refractometers
The OPTi® Digital Handheld Refractometer is a simple-to-use, accurate, pocket sized refractometer with 50 different scales to choose from within a generous onboard library. With its striking blue colour, easy clean prism dish and easy-to-read LCD display the OPTi refractometer is like having a miniature laboratory instrument in your pocket.
What Can I Measure With A Refractometer?
A refractometer can be used in a large variety of applications including fruit ripeness, fruit juices and concentrates, carbonated beverages, alcohol content and grape must, confectionery and jams, sugar and many other food applications. Industrial applications include the measurement of soluble oils, quenchants, glycols, antifreeze, air-conditioning and heat transfer fluids, aviation fuel inhibitors, aeroplane wing de-icing surfactants, starch, textile surfactants etc. Instruments can be standard (zero offset type) or ATC (automatic temperature compensation) types depending on the application and scale range.
Typical Scales
Industrial: Refractive Index (RI), Starch, Antifreeze, Frost Protection (°F/°C), % Ethylene Glycol, % Propylene Glycol, Battery Acid, DiEGME, Seawater, Starch.
Food: °Brix, % Mas Sucrose, Sugar, Saline, Water in Honey.
Wine: Probable Alcohol, Babo (KMW), Oechsle-D (German data), Oechsle-CH (Swiss Data), Baume, Zeiss (ABV – %Alcohol Content), % Mas Sucrose, °Brix.
Refractometer Calibration
AG Fluids are ideal for calibrating digital refractometers that incorporate temperature control. They are especially suited to customers that wish to calibrate instruments at the low end of the Brix range, such as in the soft drinks and fruit juice industries. They have a long shelf life compared to conventional sugar solutions so can be purchased as a multi-pack, reducing the ‘per bottle shipping cost.’
Calibration Oils (Code 90-525 and Code 90-531) are ideally suited for calibrating refractometers that measure in the upper range of the RI scale or where instruments are used at high temperatures such as edible and mineral oil applications. For more information on calibration fluids click here.