Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for determining the thermal stability of fluids

US5337599A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
3References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 6, 1992
Grant dateAug 16, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 6, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N33/2805
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining the thermal stability of fluids, particularly for testing the deposition characteristics of fuels, comprising a conduit system which connects in series; a test fluid reservoir having a movable piston capable of discharging the fluid, a heater section in which is mounted a heated tubular member, a time reactor of a sufficient volume to increase the residence time of the fluid therein, and a water displacement reservoir. The system also incorporates a filter located at an outlet of the heater section designed to trap deposits which may form due to the heating, and a similar filter located at an outlet of the time reactor designed to trap further deposits that may form with additional time. A differential pressure measuring device is connected across each of these filters to measure the pressure drop therethrough. The apparatus also contains a water balanced reservoir and pressure regulator whereby the entire system may be maintained at a constant pressure and prevent the discharge of volatile fluids to the atmosphere.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.