- Flash Point of Kerosene at high altitude places in India

- January 13, 2017

- Flash Point of Kerosene at high altitude places in India

(Revised on March 3, 2017)

Effect of reduced pressure at higher altitude on flash point of petroleum products was one of my fascinating interests for years, a series of data collected, analysed, theorised, and verified over more then 14 years concluded into certain findings.

As is known qualitatively, as the location gains height the air pressure reduces and it has effect on physical properties of all liquids. Boiling point, flash point, evaporation temperature etc reduce.

Quantitatively reduction of flash point of petroleum product study at higher altitude posed limitation 15 years back due to Fortin's Barometer design specifications not suitable as written in my last post.

Even today, practically no data for flash point reduction available in internet area. Author believe the reason is flash point test was invented at sea level location, all petroleum testing labs are/were situated at sea level. Today the equipment you use for Able Flash point test is the same as the first flash point testing equipment designed by Sir Frederick Abel, as seen by author at London Science Museum in 1998.

Abel Flash point testing for Kerosene sample at 12 higher altitude locations in India, selected having increasing altitude, were carried out besides at Mumbai representing Sea level. This Kerosene sample was part of a bigger round robin programme spanning 15 nos ISO 17025 accredited petroleum laboratories and robust mean result of Flash point 38 deg C. All testing done during period of 2 years and preserving kerosene samples for maintaining physical properties. Some of the locations like Leh, Srinagar, Kullu, testing was carried out by author on 3 different dates in 2 years and mean is taken for record.

Table : Kerosene Flash Point absolute (Without Air Pressure Correction), at high Altitude places

Sr. No	Place	Altitude		Atmospheric Pressure absolute		Water Boiling point	Kerosene Flash Point	Difference in Flash Point From Sea Level
Sr. No		meter	Feet	kPa	mmHg	C	C	C
1	Mumbai (sea Level)	3	10	101.1	755	99.9	38	0
2	Delhi	227	744	98.6	745	99	37.5	0.5
3	Ambala	264	866	98.2	740	99	37	1
4	Hyderabad	545	1780	95.0	712	98	36.5	1.5
5	Bangalore	920	3000	90.7	679	97	35.5	2.5
6	Kullu, HP	1,279	4,200	86.2	651	96	34.5	3.5
7	Srinagar, J&K	1,585	5200	83.6	627	95	33.5	4.5
8	Manali, HP	2,050	6726	79.0	592	93	32.5	5.5
9	Shimla, HP	2,206	7238	77.4	580	93	32	6
10	Kargil, J&K	2,676	8780	73.0	547	91	31	7
11	Leh, J&K	3,256	10682	67.8	508	89	29.5	8.5
12	Pangong, J&K	4,350	14,270	58.8	441	86	27.5	10.5
13	Khardung LA	5,360	17,580	51.5	386	83	25.5	12.5

(Most of above testing is carried out by author himself on different dates, other by colleagues)

Water boiling temperature at higher altitude locations carried out as academic activity.

Like any material testing,standard test methods are suppose to produce precision results at different places when performed on identical equipment, following slandered procedure steps, conditions and applying corrections due to changed conditions at different place, time, etc.

Able Flash point test method and other Flash point methods require change in air pressure correction and prescribe in the method itself to arrive at precision results.

The above study questions the air-pressure range given in correction formula of standard test method P:20, IP-34, IP-170 etc, the detail for it follows in next post. (- Myth of restriction of Barometer Pressure Correction formula in Flash Point test methods)

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Comments

Anonymous said…

Thank you very much for this post, I was looking for data at higher altitude. But how you can apply air pressure correction factor when the standard test method restricts the use of correction formula to barometer pressure between 98 to 104 hPa.

14/01/2017, 05:13