Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928

PART II

Manner of Testing Petroleum

1 For the purposes of this Act petroleum shall be tested either by means of apparatus constructed in accordance with the specification contained in Part I of this Schedule, or by means of apparatus constructed in accordance with the specification contained in the First Schedule to the Petroleum Act, 1879, and verified and stamped by the Board of Trade.

2 The test apparatus shall be placed for use in a position where it is not exposed to currents of air or draughts.

3 The heating vessel or water-bath shall be filled by pouring water into the funnel until it begins to flow out at the spout of the vessel. The temperature of the water at the beginning of the test shall be 130 degrees Fahrenheit and no heat shall be applied to the water-bath during the test. When a test has been completed and it is desired to make another test the water-bath shall be again raised to 130 degrees Fahrenheit which may conveniently be done while the petroleum cup is being emptied, cooled and refilled with a fresh sample to be tested. The next test is then proceeded with.

4 If an oil test-lamp is being used it shall be prepared by fitting it with a piece of flat plaited candle-wick, and filling it with colza or rape-oil up to the lower edge of the opening of the spout or wick tube. The lamp shall be trimmed so that when lighted it gives a flame of about 0-15 of an inch diameter, and this size of flame, which is represented by the projecting white bead on the cover of the oil-cup, is readily maintained by simple manipulation from time to time with a small wire trimmer. A gas test-lamp may be employed, and if so, the size of the jet of flame shall be adjusted to the size laid down above.

5 The bath having been raised to the proper temperature, the cup shall be placed on a level surface in a good light and the oil to be tested shall be poured into it until the level of the liquid just reaches the point of the gauge which is fixed in the cup. Before a, test is begun the temperature of the oil shall be determined and shall be brought to approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cover, with the slide closed, shall then be put on to the cup and pressed down so that its edge rests on the rim of the cup, and the cup shall -be placed into the bath or heating vessel, every care being taken to avoid wetting the sides of the cup with the oil. The thermometer in the fid of the cup has been adjusted so as to have the correct immersion when the brass collar of the thermometer is properly seated, and its position shall not in any circumstances be altered. When the cup has been placed in the proper position, the scale of the thermometer faces the operator.

6 The test-lamp shall then be placed in position upon the lid of the cup. When the temperature has reached 66 degrees Fahrenheit the operation of testing shall be begun, the test flame being applied once for every rise of one degree, in the following manner :—

The slide shall be slowly drawn open while a metronome, set so as to beat at the rate of 75 to 80 beats in the minute, beats three times and shall be closed during the fourth beat. A pendulum of 24 inches effective length may be used in place of the metronome, counting one beat from one extremity of the swing to the other.