New, automatic cold properties testing instrument with superior precision

Pour point and cloud point are important physical property parameters for fuels and lubricants as they give an indication how these oils perform in extreme low temperature environments. Although the manual test methods are still the referee in many product specifications, the manual test is labour intensive and requires operator subjectivity to define the end point leading to reduced precision and accuracy.

Tanaka Scientific’s new Model mpc-6 pour/cloud point tester fully automates the test, significantly reduces sample consumption and testing time, and offers superior precision and accuracy over D97/ISO3016 and D2500/ISO3015.

Pour point is measured according to ASTM D6749 which has a reproducibility (R) of 2.2°C when tested at 1°C intervals, and 3.1°C when tested at 3°C intervals. R of manual test (D97) is 9°C. Cloud point according to ASTM D7683 achieves R of 2.45°C whereas the manual test (D2500) is 4°C. Both pour and cloud point results can be obtained in one run on the aliquot of sample which normally takes about 45 minutes in total for CP/PP around -30°C.

The mpc-6 is equipped with a powerful self-contained cooling mechanism so that the sample temperature can reach -80°C without use of a conventional external chiller or any circulating liquid. It is also notable that this model has a width of only 16cm (6.3 in.) so it requires only a very small bench space.

The integrated colour LCD touch panel with graphical user interface has significantly enhanced the ease of use compared to the previous model. The mpc-6 also has a ‘search mode’ for unknown samples so that the optimal parameters to match the manual result can easily be found.