Experiment No.

6 Flash Point and Fire Point of Oil

I. OBJECTIVES:

1. To be able to determine the flashpoint and fire point of lubricating oil and

2. To study their effects

3. To be able to understand the different betweent the flash point and fire point

I. 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. The material is
deemed to have flashed when a large flame appears and instantaneously propagates itself
over the surface of the specimen.

Fire point It is the lowest temperature at which a specimen will sustain burning for 5
seconds. A flammable material is the one, which form flames, but does not sustain fire
while a combustible material is the one, which sustains fire/burning.

III. APPARATUS:

Cleveland open cup tester, electric heater, high range thermometer and
thermometer stand.
Other pictures during experiment :
IV. MATERIALS:

Lubricating oil SAE 30 and SAE 40

V. PROCEDURE:

Clean the oil cup thoroughly and fill the cup with sample to be tested up to a
definite mark indicated inside the cup at the rate of 10F per minute. 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 30F below the expected
flash point, light nozzle of the gas tube and red the flame to about 1/8 and pass it over
the surface for every 2F rise in temperature reading 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. Continue heating the oil filter after 20F to 30F increase in
temperature from the flash point, pass 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.

VI. REPORT:

1. Why must the size of the test flame be kept very small?

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

3. Discuss the significance of knowing the flashpoint and the fire point of

a lubricating oil.
ANSWER TO REPORT:

1. the size of the test flame be kept very small because to can easily observe and
also because it can be have a fire if the size of the test flame is became a larger.
2. Flash point is the lowest temperature, to which a lubricating must be heated
before its vapor, when mixed with air, and will ignite but not continue as also it is
just spark and the fire point it is the temperature at which lubricant volatility and
fire resistance also it is already fire.
3. flash point and fire point are useful in determining lubricants volatility and fire
resistance, flash point can be used also to determine the transportation and
storage temperature requirements for lubricants.
VII DISCUSSION:
In experiment no. 6 we tackle about flash point and fire point where in our main
purpose is to studied about lubricating oil and machines where it is compatible but
before that we need first to know the temperature when it goes flash point and fire
point so the experiment is all about there. But before proceeding in the experiment our
instructor first discuss the different materiasl and tools needed in the said experiment,
so our instructor first discuss the two lubricating oil these are the SAE 30 and SAE 40,
where SAE means society automotive engineer, and the cup where in the oil is need to
put and also he discuss the tools needed in the experiment and its uses these are the
thermometer, electric heater, propaid tank with valve . In electric heater it produce heat
and also is where the cups need to put, in propaid tank it is the tank of gas which where
the gas go to the valve and produce fire and also he discuss some safety procedures to
prevent some injuries or accident occur during the experiment. So after that we
proceed in the experiment first thing we do is we put the two oil in two different cups and
put them in the electric heater and we create fire using the propaid tank but the fire is
just small and we put the fire inside the cup which the oil doesnt touch until it produce
flash point and fire point, we start in SAE 30 where we got 485.6 F for the flash point
and 532.4F for the fire point after that we go to SAE 40 and the value we got is
478.4F for the flash point and 518F for the fire point were I observed that the value we
get in flash point and fire point for the SAE 30 is higher than the SAE 40

VIII CONCLUSION:
Here in experiment no. 6 I have learned a lot like I understand what is flash point and
fire point means and there different to each other. Flash point is the lowest temperature
, to which a lubricating must be heated before its vapor, when mixed with air, and will
ignite but not continue and the fire point it is the temperature at which lubricant volatility
and fire resistance. So therefore I conclude that in experiment no. 6 is very important to
everyone especially to those people who are using machines and engine like those
drivers who travels everyday, they must know this concept for them to know the things
that must observed when they are going to change their lubricant oil for to prevent any
accidents or any damage in their vehicles engine or machines because sometimes the
oil that they use is not compatible to the engine of their vehicles so sometimes it may
result that some parts of their engine must be damage, so it is very important to them to
know how to test a lubricant oil to make sure it is compatible to their engine. Also I
conclude that flash point and fire point are useful in determining lubricants volatility and
fire resistance, flash point can be used also to determine the transportation and storage
temperature requirements for lubricants.

REFERENCES:

Thermodynamics by Engr. F.G. Tadique (4th edition)

PHYSICS BOOK

https://www.slideshare.net/areesalah/flash-point-31798587
DATA

FLASH POINT FIRE POINT

OIL SAMPLE
0C 0F 0C 0F

SAE 30

SAE 40
Name:

Date: