Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

The liquid fuel temperatures of the flash and fire points were discussed for their accurate measurement according to their definitions from the view point of spilled fuel fire hazard prevention. The flash and fire points for some hydrocarbon and alcohol fuels were measured at the open cup system with an electric spark ignition source, avoiding the external air blow. Measured results were compared with those by the usual methods of Tag Closed Cup and Pensky-Martens, and some influencing factors in the measurement were discussed. In the present study, pre-flash phenomenon, namely "Pre-flash point", was found at a little lower liquid temperature than the flash point. It suggests that the specification of the scale of flame appearance at flash phenomenon above the fuel pool surface should be introduced in the usual methods of flash point measurement. Presented consideration on flash point covers the theoretical prediction of flash point of the binary hydrocarbon fuel mixture.