ASTM_E_1232_-_07_2013.pdf

Designation:E123207(Reapproved 2013)Standard Test Method forTemperature Limit of Flammability of Chemicals1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1232;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.INTRODUCTIONThe temperature limit of flammability test measures the minimum temperature at which liquid(orsolid)chemicals evolve sufficient vapors to form a flammable mixture with air under equilibriumconditions.This temperature is applicable for assessing flammability in large process vessels andsimilar equipment(Appendix X1 and Appendix X2).1.Scope1.1 This test method covers the determination of the mini-mum temperature at which vapors in equilibrium with a liquid(or solid)chemical will be sufficiently concentrated to formflammable mixtures in air at atmospheric pressure.This testmethod is written specifically for determination of the tempera-ture limit of flammability of systems using air as the source ofoxidant and diluent.It may also be used for other oxidant/diluent combinations,including air plus diluent mixtures;however,no oxidant/diluent combination stronger than airshould be used.Also,no unstable chemical capable of explo-sive decomposition reactions should be tested(see 8.3).1.2 This test method is designed and written to be run atlocal ambient pressure and is limited to a maximum initialpressure of 1 atm abs.It may also be used for reduced pressureswith the practical lower pressure limit being approximately13.3 kPa(100 mm Hg).The maximum practical operatingtemperature of this equipment is approximately 150C(302F)(Note A1.2).1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.The values given in parentheses are mathematicalconversions to inch-pound units are provided for informationonly and are not considered standard.1.4 This standard should be used to measure and describethe properties of materials,products,or assemblies in responseto heat and flame under controlled laboratory conditions,andshould not be used to describe or appraise the fire hazard or firerisk of materials,products,or assemblies under actual fireconditions.However,results of this test may be used aselements of a fire risk assessment which takes into account allof the factors which are pertinent to an assessment of the firehazard of a particular end use.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.Specific safetyprecautions are given in Section 8.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D3278 Test Methods for Flash Point of Liquids by SmallScale Closed-Cup ApparatusD3828 Test Methods for Flash Point by Small Scale ClosedCup TesterD3941 Test Method for Flash Point by the EquilibriumMethod With a Closed-Cup ApparatusE220 Test Method for Calibration of Thermocouples ByComparison TechniquesE230 Specification and Temperature-Electromotive Force(EMF)Tables for Standardized ThermocouplesE502 Test Method for Selection and Use of ASTM Stan-dards for the Determination of Flash Point of Chemicalsby Closed Cup MethodsE537 Test Method for The Thermal Stability of Chemicalsby Differential Scanning CalorimetryE681 Test Method for Concentration Limits of Flammabilityof Chemicals(Vapors and Gases)E698 Test Method for Arrhenius Kinetic Constants forThermally Unstable Materials Using Differential Scan-ning Calorimetry and the Flynn/Wall/Ozawa Method1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E27 on HazardPotential of Chemicals and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E27.04 onFlammability and Ignitability of Chemicals.Current edition approved Oct.1,2013.Published November 2013.Originallyapproved in 1991.Last previous edition approved in 2007 as E1232 07.DOI:10.1520/E1232-07R13.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 2.2 ANSI Standard:3ANSI-MC96.1 Temperature Measurement Thermocouples2.3NFPA Standard:4NFPA 325 Fire Hazardous Properties Liquids3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 flash pointthe lowest temperature,corrected to apressure of 101.3 kPa(760 mm Hg,1013 mbar),at whichapplication of an ignition source causes the vapors of thespecimen to ignite under specified conditions of test.3.1.2 lower limit of flammability or lower flammable limit,(LFL)the minimum concentration of a combustible sub-stance that is capable of propagating