Normalab 23963 Muffle Furnace for Ash in Petroleum Products

A 1100 °C muffle furnace for ash determination in petroleum products

The Normalab 23963 muffle furnace is the ashing furnace in Normalab’s ash test package for petroleum products. A weighed sample is burned off in a crucible or dish, the carbonaceous residue is ignited in the muffle, and the remaining ash is weighed after cooling. Ash content tells a refinery or fuel buyer about inorganic contaminants such as catalyst fines, salts and metals that cause deposits and wear.

Normalab lists ASTM D482, ASTM D874 and IP 4 and related methods, and the web page also names ASTM D189. D482 covers ash in the range 0.001 to 0.180 % by mass in distillate and residual fuels, gas turbine fuels, crude oils, lubricating oils, waxes and other petroleum products, while D874 deals with sulphated ash from lubricating oils and additives.

Technical specifications

Delivery, accessories and reagents

The furnace is delivered with one set of heating elements (P/N 23964) and one type K thermocouple of 160 mm (P/N 23965). Everything else is an accessory chosen by method. The leaflet says that isopropanol (propanol-2), toluene and sulphuric acid are necessary and are supplied locally.

For ASTM D482 the necessary accessories are a pack of six 100 ml flat-bottom porcelain dishes (ref. 10532), a 6 mm glass rod (ref. 10728), ashless filter papers (ref. 15657), an analytical balance EAB 224e of 220 g capacity and 0.1 mg (ref. 24221), a curved stainless crucible tong (ref. 10687), 2 mm glass balls (ref. 10702), a Meker burner (ref. 27083), a 10 m propane tube (ref. 14110) and a glass desiccator (ref. 27203); a porcelain plate for the desiccator (ref. 10770) is optional.

For ASTM D874 the necessary accessories are the balance, filter papers, tong and desiccator, with crucibles at choice: porcelain crucibles of 40, 80 and 120 ml (refs. 10508, 10509, 10510, 10515), a porcelain dish (ref. 10532) or silica crucibles of 50, 75 and 130 ml (refs. 15377, 15386, 15387).

Selecting the furnace

The 3 litre chamber, 9 programs and self-optimizing PID controller suit a laboratory that runs ash and sulphated ash routinely and wants repeatable ramps. Because the furnace has natural air circulation with a chimney and an exhaust outlet, install it where fumes from burning samples can be vented.

Before ordering, confirm the standard, the crucible type, the balance, burner and desiccator, local supply of reagents, ventilation and the 230 V, 6 A supply. Related equipment is grouped under liquid analytical systems.

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Documents and quotation

The Normalab leaflet for the 23963 muffle furnace is attached. Send the standards and accessories you need for a quotation; availability and lead time are confirmed before ordering.