OCR Text |
Show A TEST FOR KEROSENE. The Scientific American gives the following directions, which cannot be placed before the public too often, for detecting the presence of explosive elements ele-ments in kerosene: The taking of the specific is worthless, worth-less, because the adulteration by the lighter naptha can be disguished by the addition of a heavy oil. The color and odor are also not to be relied upon. The only reliable test is the temperature tempera-ture of the flashing point; that is. the temperature at which the petroleum takes fire when a burning match is applied ap-plied to its surface. The test can easily eas-ily - annliArl nn o fl.,f llj U - ...uv.. .uvu u not, UI saucer pour the oil to be tried, until it is at least half an inch deep; then hold a burning match or taper near the sur-face. sur-face. At the point of contact the combustion com-bustion is often very lively, as the taper draws up some of the liquid, but if the petroleum be safe and free from naptha, the flame does not spread over the suiface. Jf the petroleum has been adulterated, as soon as the match touches the surface a blue lambent flame flashes across it, and in a few minutes the body of the oil will be on fire. Such an oil is dangerous liable to explode in lamps and to give off inflammable in-flammable vapors at all times. Any oil which takes fire when a match is held near its surface and continues to burn ought to be condemned at once and thrown .into the street.' Ve lay some stress upon this experiment, because be-cause we have actually seeu a country merchant pour petoleum into a saucer and ignite it in this way as a proof it was not dangerous. |