Flash And Fire Points Of Liquid Fuels

Flash and Fire Points of Liquid Fuels

objective • To determine the flash point of an oil/fuel product using open cup method (cleveland open cup apparatus)

• Flash point- flash point of an fuel is the lowest temperature at which the fuel gives sufficient amount vapour and gives a momentary flash when a test flame brought near it. • Fire point- fire point is the lowest temperature at which the oil gives sufficient amount of vapour and burns continously when a test flame brought near it.

• Cleveland Flash and Fire Point Testing • The test method describes the determination of the flash point and fire point of petroleum products by a manual Cleveland open cup apparatus or an automated apparatus to assess the potential hazards of liquid spillage. It is applicable to all petroleum products with flash points above 79°C and below 400°C except fuel oils. • Typical products still tested by Cleveland open cup flash point methods include Asphalts, bitumens and some lubricants. The Cleveland Open Cup test method is still widely used due to a continuing requirement for the fire point by many regulatory organizations and for historical reasons.

Example of Cleveland open cup tester

How the apparatus work • Procedure • -thermometer should be pendent or held in vertical position by any suitable device. The buttom of bulb should be ¼ in from the bottom of the cup. The cup should be filled with the material to be tested in such a manner that the top of miniscus is exactly at the filling line at room temperature. The should be no oil above the filling lineor outside the apparatus.

• The test flames should be approximately 5/32 in diameter. the flame should pass through the center of cup and time passing should be 1 sec. . When oil reaches a temperature 50f probable flash point in heating should be decreased. The flash point should be taken as the temperature read on the thermometer when flash occur at any point on the surface

• Of the oil. After determining the flash point the heating should be continued at low rates. The application of test flames should beat specified intervals . Until the oil burn and continue up to 5 secs. .

Calculations or result of the expirements at room Temp. 29 degree celcius Test sample

Flash point, Celsius

Fire point , Celsius

Kerosene

62

64

Diesel

66

68

Conclusion