September 2005Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
The exact determination of TAN (total acid number) or TBN (total base number) is an important analysis for the manufacturers and users of mineral oils and derived products.
Acidic, corrosive content can be detected in advance by the TAN determination and possible damage avoided by suitable action. The TAN is also called the neutralisation number. It indicates the quantity of KOH that is necessary to neutralise the acidic content of the oil. It is also used to assess the condition of gearing, hydraulic and rotary oils.
The TBN indicates the ability of oil components with alkaline properties (such as additives) to neutralise acid-forming impurities or combustion products. In motor oils, the TBN diminishes during operation, depending on the amount of burned sulphur absorbed from the fuel, the thermal load and the frequency of oil changes. Correspondingly, the TAN increases. Consequently, the oil-change frequency for motors, hydraulic equipment or gearbox units, can be determined accurately and reliably on the basis of TAN/TBN determinations.
The great importance of these titration techniques is evident in the multitude of national and international standards and regulations. The standards differ in the titrants used, the exact composition of the solvent mixtures and the evaluation procedures. If, for example, no equivalence point can be found by the titration, the content is calculated using the consumption between certain predefined buffer values or a back titration is employed. Automation of these titrations thus requires a system flexible enough to encompass all these possibilities.
Designed specifically for use in the petroleum industry, Mettler Toledo's range of DL5x titrators provide quick, economical and highly reproducible results. The flexible method concept also enables the instrument to be adapted to perform the analysis according to any of the desired standards. Easy operation through the large graphics display and PC connectivity are just a few examples of the versatility of these titration instruments.
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