Why is the flash point of fuels lower than Initial Boiling points?
Answers
|
25/04/2020
|
A:
|
Eric Vetters, ProCorr Consulting Services, ewvetters@yahoo.com
Building on the previous answer, there is a partial pressure of the hydrocarbon, which represents the fraction of hydrocarbon vapor. As the temperature increases the fraction of hydrocarbon in the vapor space increases. At some point that concentration will reach the lower explosive limit, at which point it will ignite in the presence of an ignition source, which is what the flash point test is.
|
|
31/03/2020
|
A:
|
Jake Gotham, InSite Technical Services, jake.gotham@insitetechnical.com
The initial boiling point is the temperature at which the hydrocarbon vapour pressure is equal to atmospheric pressure, i.e. the vapour above the oil is 100% hydrocarbon.
The flash point is the temperature at which the hydrocarbon vapour pressure is equal to atmospheric pressure multiplied by the lower flammable limit, i.e. the vapour above the oil is still >95% air.
|