Stanhope Setaflash Series 3 Flash Point Tester - 30000-3

Precision Flash Point Testing Made Simple

The Setaflash Series 3 Flash Point Tester (30000-3) delivers quick and dependable flash point results with minimal user expertise required.

With the Series 3, you can complete a test in under 2 minutes using just a 2 or 4 ml sample. Its intuitive user interface, featuring a color digital display and touchscreen icons, simplifies the testing process. For efficient record keeping, the device can store up to 100,000 test results, which can be easily saved and transferred via a USB port.

Engineered for precision and accuracy, the Series 3 measures barometric pressure with an internal barometer, automatically adjusting the test result accordingly. Unknown samples can be evaluated using the ramp mode feature.

Methods of the Setaflash Series 3 Flash Point Tester (30000-3)

The Setaflash Series 3 Flash Point Tester (30000-3) is fulfilling various methods, which are listed below.

Spares and Accessories

All the available spares and accessories for the Setaflash Series 3 Flash Point Tester (30000-3) are listed below.

Why should you test for flash point?

Flash point testing has been a well-established practice for over a century, helping to evaluate and classify the safety hazards of materials for classification, storage, and transportation. This testing is utilized across various industries, including petrochemical, waste management, and cosmetics.

The primary purpose of measuring flash point is to ensure that appropriate and specific precautions are taken during the manufacturing, storage, transportation, or usage of liquids.

Flammability is categorized into three main classes:

• Extremely flammable: Flash point below 0°C
• Highly flammable: Flash point below 23°C
• Flammable: Flash point below 60°C

Changes in flash point can indicate the presence of hazardous volatile materials or the adulteration of a product. For instance, pure ethylene glycol has a flash point of 111°C, but with just 2% acetaldehyde, the flash point drops to 29°C. Similarly, adding petroleum spirit to engine oil will lower its flash point, indicating possible adulteration.

Accurate and reliable flash point measurements require standardized testing conditions, as over 20 factors can influence the result. These factors include the dimensions of the test cup and lid, the temperature and position of the ignitor, the dipping sequence and frequency, test duration, heating rate, atmospheric pressure, and more.

What is the methodology of the Tests?

Non-equilibrium

Abel, Pensky-Martens, Tag, Cleveland

The term non-equilibrium indicates that the vapor is not in equilibrium with the liquid. Non-equilibrium flash point tests involve heating the liquid at a steady rate while applying the ignition source at regular intervals.

Advantages:

• Well-suited to automation
• Universally available instrumentation
• Standardized for a wide range of products.

Disadvantages:

• Valuable components may escape each time the flame is dipped, leading to artificially high flash points or reduced precision
• Significant temperature variation between the liquid and vapor in the cup
• Requires a large sample size (50 to 80 ml per test).

Equilibrium

Setaflash

Traditional equilibrium flash point tests use any cup in a water bath to ensure that the liquid and vapor of the sample are in temperature equilibrium. This is achieved through a complex procedure and a very slow heating rate.

The Setaflash small-scale method simplifies the process by using a 2 ml or 4 ml sample, achieving rapid equilibrium between the vapor and liquid in a cup, and providing a reliable flash point result in just one or two minutes.

Advantages:

• Improved precision compared to non-equilibrium methods
• The Setaflash instrument offers low-cost, fast measurement for a flash/no flash result
• Widely used by many industries.

Disadvantages:

• Traditional testers can involve a laborious process, especially when larger sample sizes are needed
• This type of instrumentation is not universally available.

Why does Flash Point Autosamplers not Comply with Flash Point Test Methods?

Flash point autosamplers or carousels are not integrated into any flash point methods. Consequently, flash points obtained through an autosampler should not be relied upon for product classification concerning transportation, safety, health regulations, or specification purposes. Incorrect product classification can lead to serious repercussions.

Sample cups utilized in autosamplers fail to comply with flash point test method requisites due to the following reasons:

• Samples contained within a carousel cup with a lid do not satisfy the criteria for a sealed container or the minimum sample volume as prescribed by the test method.
• Test methods specify that sample volumes within containers that are less than 50% full can impact the accuracy of the test outcome.
• Test methods caution that the loss of volatile materials can lead to the acquisition of inaccurately high flash points.

Furthermore, precision and bias have not been established for Autosamplers. Autosamplers have not undergone any flash point Interlaboratory Study Program (ILS). An ILS study enables the generation of precision and repeatability statements for a test method. Thus, any precision mentioned in flash point test methods does not pertain to autosamplers.