Acropolis Institute of Technology & Research, Indore

BT101 Engg Chemistry

EXPERIMENT No. 3

TITLE:

FLASH POINT DETRMINATION

OBJECTIVES:

Determination of flash point of oils by Abel’s apparatus. This method applies to oil
having a flash point less than 490 C.

RELEVANT THEORY:

The flash point of oil may be defined as the minimum temperature to which it must
be heated to give off sufficient vapour to form an inflammable mixture with air.
This is detected by the appearance of momentary flash upon the application of
small flame over the surface of oil.
This test is of immense importance for illuminating and lubricating oils. This helps
in detecting the highly volatile constitutes of the oils. If they are highly volatile at
ordinary temperature, the issuing vapours may cause fire hazards so to insure
safety creating minimum temperature are laid down for fuels and lubricating oils
below which they should not give off adequate vapours to make them burn.

DEFINITIONS:

FLASH POINT: The flash point of oil is defined as the minimum temperature at
which the oil gives off sufficient vapour to ignite momentarily when a flame of
standard dimension is brought near the surface of the oil at a prescribed rate in an
apparatus of specified dimensions.

FIRE POINT: The fire point of oil is the lowest temperature at which the vapours
of the oil burn continuously for at least 5 seconds, when the standard flame is
brought near the surface of the oil which is heated in a specified apparatus at a
specified rate.

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 Acropolis Institute of Technology & Research, Indore
BT101 Engg Chemistry

DIAGRAM: Draw the diagram for the Abel’s apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE APPARATUS

The apparatus consists of a brass cup, with a mark showing the level up to which
the oil should be filled, surrounded by a double-jacketed copper water cup bath
which is enclosed in a copper casing. The space between the water bath and the oil
cup forms an air bath by means of which the can be heated uniformly. The oil cup
is provided with a brass cover having an arrangement for a small test flame, a
sliding shutter covering three small openings in the lid and openings for a paddle
stirrer and a standard thermometer, the bulb of which should be immersed in the
oil. When the shutter is opened, the test meets the ascending current of oil vapour
and air while at the same time atmospheric air passes into two smaller side
openings. The apparatus is provided with an electrical heating device to heat the
water bath.

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 Acropolis Institute of Technology & Research, Indore
BT101 Engg Chemistry

REQUIRMENTS:

S.No. NAME TYPE RANGE

1 Abel’s Closed cup apparatus Closed Cup Below 1200F
Water Bath 330C to 880C
2 Thermometer
Oil Cup 100C to 550C
Diesel or
3 Oils ----------------
Kerosene

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Clean the oil cup and fill it with the given oil up to the mark, replace the cover.

2. Fix the oil cup into the apparatus and fill the water bath with cold water. Close
the sliding shutter.

3. The apparatus is heated so that oil temperature increases by 10 to 20C per

minute. Stir the oil continuously by turning the stirrer.

4. At every degree rise in temperature, open the sliding central opening to see
whether the oil surface gives a flash through the central opening when a
standard test flame is brought near the surface of the oil. Stirring should be
discontinued only during the introduction of test flame over the oil surface.

5. Record the lowest temperature at which a distinct flash (a combination of a

weak sound and light) is observed on exposure to flame as the Flash point of
the oil.

6. Oil containing minute quantities of volatile organic substances are liable to

flash (freaky flash point) below the true flash point of the oil. Although a
small flash may be observed in such cases, it should not be confused with the
true flash point, since its intensity does not increase with increased
temperature, as occurs when the true flash point is reached.

7. The same procedure repeats in reverse condition starting from flash point and
ends the minimum temperature at which the flash point observed.

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 Acropolis Institute of Technology & Research, Indore
BT101 Engg Chemistry

OBSERVATION:

On Increasing Temperature (Heating)

S.NO. TEMPERATURE 0
C OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

On Decreasing Temperature (Cooling)

S.NO. TEMPERATURE 0
C OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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 Acropolis Institute of Technology & Research, Indore
BT101 Engg Chemistry

RESULT:

The Flash point of the given lubricating oil is observed as ………….0C.

The Fire point of the given lubricating oil is observed as ………..….0C.

PRECAUTIONS:

1. The flash-point test should be made in a laboratory which is free from air
drafts.

2. A bluish halo sometimes found around the test flame should not be confused
with the flash.

3. Breathing over the surface of the oil should be avoided.

Answer the following questions:

1. What are the factors affecting flash point?
2. What do you understand by freaky flash?
3. What is the limitation of Abel`s closed cup apparatus?
4. Abel’s apparatus is useful for which oils?
5. What is difference between Abel’s & Penskey Marten’s apparatus?

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 Acropolis Institute of Technology & Research, Indore
BT101 Engg Chemistry

(Signature of the Student) (Signature of the Faculty)