ASTM D5950 Test Method for Pour Point of Petroleum Products (Automatic Tilt Method)
6. Apparatus
6.1 Optical Automatic Pour Point Apparatus - The automatic pour point apparatus described in this test method consists of a microprocessor controller that is capable of controlling one or more independent test cells. The apparatus shall include provisions for independently controlling the temperature of each cell according to the specified cooling profile, monitoring continuously the specimen temperature, and detecting any movement of the specimen during tilting (see Fig. 1). The instrument shall be operated according to the manufacturer's instructions.
6.2 Temperature Probe, IEC 751 Class A: ΔT = 6 (0.15 + 0.002 |T|), capable of measurement from +70 down to -80°C. The temperature probe shall be in the center of the test jar and the top of the platinum tip immersed 3 mm below the surface of the oil.
6.3 Test Jar, clear cylindrical glass, flat bottom, 34 +/- 0.1-mm outside diameter, 31 +/- 0.3-mm inside diameter, 120 +/- 0.5-mm height, thickness of the bottom 2.4-mm maximum. It shall be marked with a line to indicate the sample height 54 +/- 0.5-mm above the inside bottom.
6.4 Jacket, brass, cylindrical, flat bottom, 113 +/- 0.2-mm in depth, 45 +0, -0.1-mm inside diameter. It shall be cooled according to the cooling profile specified.
6.5 Cooling Circulating Bath, equipped with a circulating pump and capable of maintaining a temperature at least 10°C below the last required jacket temperature level (see Table 1 and Fig. 2).
6.6 Cork Disk, 6 +/- 0.2 mm thick to fit loosely inside the jacket. Felt may be used but special attention must be paid to avoid moisture in the felt disk. The felt disk must be dried before each test.
6.7 Cork Ring, to fit snugly around the outside ofthe test jar and loosely inside the test cell. Its purpose is to prevent the test jar from touching the cooling jacket.
7. Reagents and Materials
7.1 Methyl Alcohol, anhydrous, for use as cooling medium in circulating bath.
7.2 Cleaning Solvents, suitable for cleaning and drying the test jar and test head, such as petroleum naphtha and hexane. (Warning: Flammable. Liquid causes eye burns. Vapor harmful. May be fatal or cause blindness if swallowed or inhaled.)
