UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT

EXPERIMENT NO. 5

Submitted by: Lorraine Joyce A. Balitian Student No. 20190113178

Submitted to: Engr. Edwin S. Bautista Date: April 27, 2022
OBJECTIVES
To be able to determine the
flashpoint and fire point of a
lubricating oil.
To study the effects of flash point
and fire point.
To distinguish the difference
between them.
To understand the significance of
measuring the flashpoint and fire
point.

THEORY
The flashpoint of oil is the temperature at which it gives off sufficient
vapor to form a flammable mixture with air. This temperature is relative
to the existing pressure where it gives off sufficient vapor continuously
once it has been ignited.

This is the lowest temperature at which vapor of a volatile combustible

substance can ignite in air in the presence of an ignitable source. At flash
point, more vapor may not be produced rapidly enough to sustain
combustion. Hence, the fire is mostly not sustained.
Flash point is used to measure how volatile a liquid is and the level of risk
it could pose.
Flash points are measured by heating a liquid to specific temperatures
under controlled conditions and then applying a flame.
This test is done using an:
Open cup test apparatus,
A close cup test apparatus or
Both

 APPARATUS
Cleveland open
cup
testerRefrigeration
unit
electric heater
acetylene torch
high range
thermometer
thermometer
stand
Lubricating oil SAE
30 and SAE 40

PROCEDURE
Clean the oil cup thoroughly and fill the cup with sample oil to be
tested up to a definite mark indicated inside the cup. Dip the
thermometer midway between the center and the rim of the cup
with bulb not to touch the bottom of the cup. When the
temperature of the oil is about 30ºF below the expected flash
point, light the nozzle of the gas tube to a red flame (very small
only) and pass it over the surface of the oil until a distinct flash in
the interior of the cup is noticed. Take note of the thermometer
reading and record it as the flashpoint of the oil sample. From the
flash point, continue heating the oil filter by passing the test
flame above the surface of the oil until the oil burns
spontaneously for about 5 seconds. Take the thermometer
reading and record it as the fire point of the oil. Repeat the same
procedure for the other oil sample.
DATA

REPORT
1. Why it is a must that the size of the test flame be kept very small?

The flash point test is a technique in which a test specimen is placed in a

temperature-controlled test cup and vapors created by the test specimen are
ignited using an ignition source. The purpose of the test is to evaluate whether or
not the vapor/air mixture is flammable, as well as at what temperature it is
flammable.
Moreover, the purpose of flash point measurements is to assess the safety hazard
of a liquid or semi-solid in terms of flammability and then classify the liquid into
one of several groups. The lower the flash point temperature, the greater the risk.
This classification is then used to warn of a risk and to enable the correct
precautions to be taken when using, storing or transporting the liquid.
Specifications quote flash point values for quality control purposes as well as for
controlling the flammability risk. A change in flash point can indicate the presence
of potentially dangerous volatile contaminants or the adulteration of one product
by another. The size and shape of the testing container can also influence
flammability in tests.
REPORT

2. Distinguish between the flashpoint and fire point of a lubricating oil.

The flash point is a defining property used to distinguish between flammable and
combustible liquids, such as gasoline and diesel. It is also used to describe and
characterize fire hazards of liquids. When vapors of a volatile material are given an
ignition source, the flash point is the lowest temperature at which they will ignite. On
the other hand, the fire point is the lowest temperature at which vapor will continue to
burn after the ignition source has been removed. Neither the flash point nor the fire
point is directly related to the ignition source temperature, however it's safe to assume
that the ignition source temperature will be much greater than the flash or fire point.
The surfaces of moving, sliding, or rolling elements rub against each other in all sorts of
machines. A resistance known as friction is supplied to their movement due to the
mutual rubbing of one part against another. Friction is a type of resistance that
generates a lot of wear and tear on moving parts' surfaces. To solve this problem, a
process called lubrication is used. Lubrication is the technique of lowering friction
between moving/sliding surfaces by introducing lubricants between them. Moreover,
flash point and fire points are effective tools in determining the lubricant’s volatility and
fire resistance. A lubricant such as a lubricating oil displaying a flash point that is
significantly lower than normal will be suspected of contamination with a volatile
product. A flash point that is less than 38 C or 100 F usually require special precautions
for safety. The fire point for a lubricant is usually 8 to 10 percent above the flash point.
However, it should be noted that the flash and fire point is not the same with the
ignition temperature of a lubricant.
 REPORT

2. Discuss the significance of knowing the flashpoint and the fire point of a
lubricating oil.

Prior to understanding the significance of knowing or measuring the flash point

and fire point of a lubricant such as an oil, let’s review how they differ. For a
liquid, flash point denotes the lowest temperature at which, if a distinct source
of ignition (say spark/fire) were brought in contact with the vapor-air mixture,
the vapor (and the liquid surface in contact with it) catches fire. Fire point, on
the other hand, is the lowest temperature at which, even in the absence of an
ignition source, the mixture (air-vapor and liquid surface) catches fire.
The following should be noted;
1. Below the flash point for a liquid, no burning occurs - this is because the
liquid is unable to give off enough vapor to form a burnable mixture with air,
at temperatures below the flash point. Hence, flash point is the minimum
temperature at which the liquid gives off enough vapor to form a
combustible mixture with air.
2. Since fire point is the temperature at which the vapor above the liquid
catches fire even without ignition, it automatically follows that fire point >
flash point.

Now, why is this significant?

The flash point is an important concept in fire investigation and fire protection
because it is the lowest temperature at which a risk of fire exists with a given
liquid. Same idea goes with the measurement of fire point, it is to access the
safety hazard of the oil with respect to flammability. It is also used to enable the
right precautions to be taken when using such flammable materials.
 REPORT

2. A steam generator burns fuel oil with 20% excess air. The fuel oil may be
represented by C14 H30. Calculate the actual air fuel ratio in kg air/ kg fuel.
Ans. 18
DISCUSSION

The experiment focuses on testing and measuring the flash point and fire point
of a certain lubricant, in this case, a sample oil was used. When the oil
temperature is roughly 30 degrees below the projected flash point, fire the gas
tube's nozzle to a little red flame and pass it over the oil surface until a distinct
flash in the interior of the cup is seen.

Then to understand the context better, we answered report questions such as

the significance of knowing the flashpoint and the fire point of a lubricating oil
and
CONCLUSION
As a result of this experiment, I've discovered that at a specific temperature or point, the oil
will be ignited. This area is known as the flash point. In addition, there is a temperature
range in which the flame will burn continuously. This area is known as the fire point. This
knowledge will help us in our work because we can now avoid or reduce workplace flame
threats by storing the oil in a container that considers its flash point and fire point. This
reduced the likelihood of a workplace fire. Knowing this is essential for us because it will
help us ensure the safety of the environment.

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