UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

FLASH POINT AND FIRE POINT OF OIL

Experiment No. 5

Submitted by:
Sagum, Janrelle C.
20171127643
04/27/2023

Submitted to:
Engr. Edwin S. Bautista
Faculty-In-Charge
 Experiment No. 5

TITLE: Flash Point and Fire Point of Oil

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.

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.

When a sizable flame suddenly bursts and spreads across the surface of the
sample, the material appears to have flashed. The temperature below which a
specimen will burn for five seconds is known as the "fire point." A combustible
substance is one that burns or sustains fire whereas a flammable substance just
produces flames temporarily.

Flash pointcan therefore only be defined in terms of a standard test method, and
no general valid correlation can be guaranteed between results obtained by different
test methods or with test apparatus different from that specified. Fire point may be
considered as the lowest temperature of the liquid at which vapor combustion and
burning commences. A fire point happens when an ignition source is applied and the
heat produced is self-sustaining, as it supplies enough vapors to combine with air and
burn even after the removal of the ignition source.

The flash point test is a process that involves placing a specimen to be tested
into a temperature-controlled test cup and using an ignition source to ignite the vapors
the test specimen produces. The test's objective is to determine the vapor/air mixture's
flammability, including its flammability limit.
APPARATUS:

Cleveland open cup tester, electric heater, acetylene torch, high range
thermometer and thermometer stand

MATERIALS:

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.

REPORT and ANSWERS to the REPORT:

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

PLACE YOUR ANSWER HERE

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

PLACE YOUR ANSWER HERE

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

PLACE YOUR ANSWER HERE

4. 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

PLACE YOUR ANSWER HERE

DATA: (For Experiment No. 5)

Flash Point Fire Point

Oil Sample ⁰C ⁰F ⁰C ⁰F
SAE 30
SAE 40
2T Motor Oil

Name:

Student No.:

Date:
DISCUSSION:

In experiment number 6, we examine flash point and fire point. Our main goal is
to learn more about lubricating oil and the machines that it is compatible with, but in
order to do that, we must first determine the temperature at which flash point and fire
point occur. But before starting the experiment, the professor first studied the various
materials and equipment that would be required. He examined the three lubricating oils,
SAE 30, SAE 40 and 2T Motorcycle Oil, as well as the cup in which the oil would be
placed. He additionally discussed the tools that would be used in the experiment,
including a thermometer, an electric heater, and a pressured tank with a valve. In the
electric heater, it produces heat and is also where the cups must be placed; in the gas
tank, it is the tank of gas from which the gas flows to the valve and produces fire; and
he also discusses some safety practices to avoid injuries or accidents during the
experiment.

So, after that, we proceed with the experiment. First, we put the three oils in
separate cups and place them in the electric heater. Then, we make a small fire with the
gas tank and place it inside the cup that the oil does not touch until it produces a flash
point and a fire point. We started in SAE 30 and got 453.2 °F for the flash point and
482 °F for the fire point. Then we went to SAE 40 and got 428°F for the flash point and
474.8°F for the fire point. Lastly, in 2T Motor oil and got 476.6°F for the flash point and
521.6°F for the fire point.

CONCLUSION:

In experiment no. 6, I learnt a lot, such as what flash point and fire point signify and how
they differ from one another. The flash point is the lowest temperature at which a
lubricant must be heated before its vapor, when combined with air, ignites but does not
burn, while the fire point is the temperature at which lubricant volatility and fire
resistance are at their highest.

As a result, I conclude that experiment no. 6 is very important to everyone, especially

those who use machines and engines on a daily basis, such as drivers, who must be
aware of the things that must be observed when changing their lubricant oil in order to
avoid accidents or damage to their vehicles' engines or machines, because the oil that
they use is not always compatible with the engine of their vehicles. Knowing how to test
lubricating oil to ensure compatibility with their engine is critical. Furthermore, I find that
flash point and fire point are important in assessing lubricant volatility and fire resistance.
Flash point may also be utilized to estimate lubricant transportation and storage
temperature requirements.
REFERENCES:

‫ قعميل مايعج فنال مسدنه اسق ماعال ايميكال ربتخم‬experiment (6) flash ... (n.d.). Retrieved April 25,
2023, from https://almaaqal.edu.iq/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/6-flash-point-and-fire-
point-1.pdf

Flash and fire point test - aissms poly. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2023, from
https://aissmspoly.org.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/4.-FLASH-AND-FIRE-POINT-
TEST.pdf