Diana 700: New Metal Sample Temperature Sensor

Introduction

Automatic distillation devices usually measure the sample temperature by using glass temperature probes.

These glass temperature probes are fragile, can break easily or may need a special (not standard-conform) protection. Handling these probes in the daily laboratory routines requires extremely careful treatment.

Having to replace a broken glass sensor causes annoying instrument down-time, costs money and invariably requires a validation procedure for the new sensor.

Even the cleaning procedure for the glass sensor after each measurement requires extreme care so as not to break the probe and may be complicated.

Therefore an unbreakable metal sensor is the perfect alternative - provided it is guaranteed that this sensor shows the same results as a glass sensor.

Such a comparison can be done by running the metal sample Pt100 with ILS samples.

The FAM ILS Testing Program is a valuable tool for laboratories and instrument manufacturers in Europe to conduct equal tests on the same material in accordance with the same test method. FAM evaluates the performance of the laboratories by arranging a statistical analysis of the results.

Participating in interlaboratory studies (ILS) organized by the German standardization body DIN, the European Standardization Committee EN for more than 20 years, or ASTM Proficiency testing program, ILS have a long history with Anton Paar.

To verify the precision of Anton Paar’s new metal sample temperature probe we have now compared the ILS average values for the samples gasoline FAM 852, diesel FAM 853 and jet FAM 856 with the results of the metal Pt100.

The given standard was ISO 3405 covering the atmospheric distillation of petroleum products and liquid fuels. In general, ISO 3405 defines a method to determine quantitatively the boiling range characteristics of materials such as automotive spark ignition fuels, aviation gasolines, diesel fuels, light and middle distillates.

FAM organizes the ILS and conducts the statistical analysis of the reported results. The results (barometric pressure corrected, recovered temperature values for diesel and jet fuel and evaporated values for gasoline) of the Diana 700 were found to be much better than the ISO 3405 required reproducibility defining the allowed temperature range as shown in the comparison table.

This Application Report describes the distillation of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel performed with the distillation analyzer Diana 700 using a metal sample temperature probe for the FAM ILS samples. You will find information about all accessories used for these distillations and how the Diana 700 was set up to compare the metal temperature probe test results with those of the interlaboratory study