BS EN 116 Diesel and domestic heating fuels - Determination of cold filter plugging point - Stepwise cooling bath method
1 Scope
This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of the cold filter plugging point (CFPP) of diesel and domestic heating fuels (see 3.1) using automated test equipment. Manual test equipment may be used, but for referee purposes only automated test equipment is allowed.
This European Standard is applicable to fatty-acid methyl esters (FAME) and to distillate fuels as well as paraffinic diesel fuels, including those containing FAME, flow-improvers or other additives, intended for use in diesel engines and domestic heating installations.
The results obtained from the method specified in this European Standard are suitable for estimating the lowest temperature at which a fuel will give trouble-free flow in the fuel system.
NOTE In the case of diesel fuels the results are usually close to the temperature of failure in service except when the fuel system contains, for example, a paper filter installed in a location exposed to the weather or if the filter plugging temperature is more than 12 °C below the cloud point of the fuel. Domestic heating installations are usually less critical and often operate satisfactorily at temperatures somewhat lower than those indicated by the test results.
The difference in results obtained from the sample "as received" and after heat treatment at 45°C for 30 min before the filtration may be used to investigate complaints of unsatisfactory performance under low temperature conditions.
WARNING - The use of this Standard can involve hazardous materials, operations and equipment. This Standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems associated with its use. It is the responsibility of users of this standard to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety and health of personnel prior to application of the standard, and fulfil statutory and regulatory requirements for this purpose.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN ISO 3170, Petroleum liquids - Manual sampling (ISO 3170)
EN ISO 3171, Petroleum liquids - Automatic pipeline sampling (ISO 3171)
ISO 261, ISO general purpose metric screw threads - General plan
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1 cold filter plugging point (CFPP)
highest temperature at which a given volume of fuel fails to pass through a standardized filtration device in a specified time, when cooled under standardized conditions.
4 Principle
A test portion of the fuel is cooled under the specified conditions and is drawn at intervals of 1 °C into a pipette under a controlled vacuum of 2 kPa through a standardized wire mesh filter. The procedure is repeated, as the fuel continues to cool, for each 1 °C below the first test temperature. Testing is continued until the amount of wax crystals which have separated out of solution is sufficient to stop or slow down the flow so that the time taken to fill the pipette exceeds 60 s or the fuel fails to return completely to the test jar before the fuel has cooled by a further 1 °C.
The indicated temperature at which the last filtration was commenced is recorded as the cold filter plugging point (CFPP).
