COLOUR MEASUREMENT LOVIBOND® - FUELS AND WAXES

Fuels and waxes

Ever since it was discovered that distilled fuels can degrade over time, there had been the need of repeatable and accurate analyses to check their quality. Fuels and waxes do not have a stable colour, and one of the first degradation indicators in fuel or wax performance is colour change. Lovibond® instruments are widely used in industry to assure that these colour changes can be monitored in an easy and reliable way, and that industry can assure that products comply with international specifications. Modern distilled fuels can deteriorate during storage more rapidly than traditional ones and all distilled fuels are vulnerable to high temperature effects. A regular analysis is then necessary to evaluate trends and assure that fuel maintains its performance at required efficiency levels. Oils regeneration, as used in transformers, for example, is another industrial application and the colour again is a key feature of the regeneration process quality. Colour is added to some fuels to assure their correct identification, and to differentiate them for fiscal purposes.

Production control too requires an accurate colour analysis, so reliable and repeatable analysis results are obtained using Lovibond® instruments during refining processes and also to evaluate possible contamination. Since last years of 1800, Lovibond® instruments have played a key role in accurate assessment of these essential industrial products quality. Reliable and suitable for demanding requirements of petrochemical facilities, every instrument is designed to keep the analysis easy, accurate and repeatable, allowing the user to save time and increase efficiency. Many thousands of Lovibond® instruments today are installed in refineries and service providers all over the world. They help assuring that this fundamental industry go on keeping its high quality standards. Lovibond® instruments are used for the following analyses according to local and international standards: ASTM D1500, ASTM D156 and ASTM D6045 (Saybolt), Pt/Co/APHA Hazen, IP196, Aviation coloured gasoline, Marked oils, Lovibond® RYBN, Gardner Colour, etc.

Colour analysis made simple

The four Lovibond® colorimeters described below are automatic and easy to use instruments. No need to build calibration curves, since they are already available in the instruments. The large clear LCD screen allows to view graphs and data in a large language variety and the easy to use menu system drives operators through the operating parameters choice. Measurements start by simply pressing one button. Accuracy, repeatability and reproducibility of data provided by instruments allow for narrower colour specifications and greater colour constancy, giving companies the needed confidence to take important decisions about high value stocks and refining operations. In the Saybolt or Pt-Co colour measurement of transparent or white aqueous samples, the long sample path assures a precise colour measurement without multiplying mistakes.

Fuels and waxes do not have a stable color and one of the first indicators of degradation in the performance of a fuel or wax is color change. Lovibond tools are widely used in the industry to ensure that these color variations can be monitored easily and reliably and that the industry can ensure that products meet international specifications.

- pfxi-995/P: full colour data;

- pfxi-880/P: Saybolt colour and automatic ASTM colour;

- pfxi-950/P: Basic colorimetric scales for mineral oils and petrochemical products;

- pfxi-880/IP17: Lovibond color ³ and automatic IP units.