Experiment No.

TITLE: Carbon Residue Tests

OBJECTIVES:

1. To be able to predict and study the carbon corpus deposits in lubricating oils.

2.

3.

THEORY:

Carbon residue is what is left when lubricating oils are heated to high
temperature in the absence of a sufficient air. Most engines use lubricating oil in
operation and the type of carbon formed has an important effect on engine
performance. Although there is no common given residue specifications for lubricating
oil, oil of relatively smaller amount of residue should be favourable. The Conradson
Carbon Residue Tester is used to determine the carbon residue of oil. It consists of
porcelain crucible with a skidmore iron crucible testing of a layer of sand. In the second
larger iron crucible, all of which are supported by a wire triangle and a tripod, is
surrounded by a sheet iron hood and chimney.

APPARATUS:

Conradson Carbon Residue Tester, balance with a set of weights, Bunsen burner

Provide pictures of the above apparatus.

MATERIALS:

Lubricating oils, SAE 30 and SAE 40, Sand

PROCEDURE:

Clean the porcelain crucible and weight to the nearest 5mg. Fill it with 10 grams
of oil sample and re-weigh to the same accuracy then place it to the skidmore crucible.
Cover both crucible on the center of the wire triangle with the asbestos insulation on the
tripod. Cover the assembly with the sheet iron and apply heat with a strong flame by the
Bunsen burner so that the fire or the ore-ignition will be from 8.5 to 11.5 min. When
smoke appears in the chimney, move or tilt the burners so that the flame plays on the
sides of the crucible and ignites the oil vapour. Remove the burner momentarily and
adjust the flame above the chimney. Burning period is from 12 to 14 mins. When the
burning and smoking ceases, the burner is adjusted so that the bottom of the iron
crucible is heated to a cherry red for exactly 7 mins. Remove the burner and allow the
apparatus to cool for about 15 mins. Weigh the porcelain crucible and content. Repeat
the same procedure for the other oil sample.

REPORT:

1. Calculate the percentage of carbon residue on the basis of the original sample
weight.
2. Why the residue in this experiment incorrectly termed carbon residue?
3. Why is the rate of heating important in the test?
4. Draw using free- hand the assembly drawing of Conradson carbon residue tester
with the burner flame.
 DATA:

OIL SAMPLES

SAE 30 SAE 40

WEIGHT OF CRUCIBLE 20.05 GRAMS

WEIGHT OF OIL AND 30.05 GRAMS

CRUCIBLE

WEIGHT OF CRUCIBLE 20.28 GRAMS

AND RESIDUE

WEIGHT OF RESIDUE 0.23 GRAMS

PERCENTAGE OF 2.3 %
RESIDUE

% = %

: =

NAME:

DATE: