What is a Flash point of a petroleum product?
The Flash point of a petroleum product is the temperature at which enough vapour is produced so that air-vapour mixture will flash in the presence of a small flame. From the view point of safety, flash points are of most significance at or slightly above the maximum temperature that may be encountered in storage, transportation, and use of liquid petroleum products, either enclosed or open containers. In this temperature range, the relative fire and explosion hazard can be estimated from the flash point. For products with flashpoints below 100oF, special precautions are necessary for safe handling. Flash point is also used by manufacturers and marketers of petroleum products to detect contamination. A substantially lower flash point than expected for the product is a reliable indicator that a product has become contaminated with a more volatile product such as gasoline. The flash point is also an aid in establishing the identity of a particular petroleum product.
