Flash point

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For other uses, see Flash point (disambiguation). The flash point of a volatile liquid is the lowest temperature at which it can vaporize to form an ignitable mixture in air. Measuring a liquid's flash point requires an ignition source. At the flash point, the vapor may cease to burn when the source of ignition is removed. The flash point is not to be confused with the autoignition temperature, which does not require an ignition source. The fire point, a higher temperature, is defined as the temperature at which the vapor continues to burn after being ignited. Neither the flash point nor the fire point is related to the temperature of the ignition source or of the burning liquid, which are much higher. The flash point is often used as a descriptive characteristic of liquid fuel, and it is also used to help characterize the fire hazards of liquids. Flash point refers to both flammable liquids and combustible liquids. There are various standards for defining each term. Liquids with a flash point less than 60.5C (141F) or 37.8C (100F) depending upon the standard being applied are considered flammable, while liquids with a flash point above those temperatures are considered combustible.[1]

Mechanism
Every liquid has a vapour pressure, which is a function of that liquid's temperature. As the temperature increases, the vapour pressure increases. As the vapour pressure increases, the concentration of vapor of the flammable liquid in the air increases. Hence, temperature determines the concentration of vapor of the flammable liquid in the air. A certain concentration of vapor in the air is necessary to sustain combustion, and that concentration is different for each flammable liquid. The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest temperature at which there will be enough flammable vapour to ignite when an ignition source is applied.

Examples
Fuel Flash point Autoignition temperature

Ethanol (70%)

16.6 C (61.88 F)

[3]

363 C (685.40 F)

[3]

Gasoline (petrol)

-43 C (-45 F)

246 C (495 F)

Diesel

>62 C (143 F)

210 C (410 F)

Jet fuel

>60 C (140 F)

210 C (410 F)

Kerosene (paraffin oil) >3872 C (100162 F) 220 C (428 F)

Vegetable oil (canola) 327 C (620 F)

Biodiesel

>130 C (266 F)

Gasoline (petrol) is designed for use in an engine which is driven by a spark. The fuel should be premixed with air within its flammable limits and heated above its flash point, then ignited by the spark plug. The fuel should not preignite in the hot engine. Therefore, gasoline is required to have a low flash point and a high autoignition temperature. Diesel fuel flash points vary between 52 C and 96 C (126 F to 204 F). Diesel is designed for use in a high-compression engine. Air is compressed until it has been heated above the autoignition temperature of diesel; then the fuel is injected as a high-pressure spray, keeping the fuel-air mix within the flammable limits of diesel. There is no ignition source. Therefore, diesel is required to have a high flash point and a low autoignition temperature. Jet fuel flash points also vary greatly. Both Jet A and Jet A-1 have flash points between 38 C and 66 C (100 F to 150 F), close to that of off-the-shelf kerosene. Yet both Jet B and JP-4 have flash points between -23 C and -1 C (-10 F to +30 F ).