Doc : AM220-001E Release: 1.5 updated : October 2014
Test sequences
After the test programming and pressing START button, the instrument will perform following steps in
automatic mode:
Initiation phase
The candle conveyor moves up and positions the candle at the test position
When the candle is positioned in the test position, the instrument automatically lit the flame
The flame is then detected and the glow plug is moved back to its rest position
The flame height is automatically adjusted at 10mm and the 5 minutes pre-heating timer is initiated
Flame observation phase
The candle is raised until the smoky tail flame appears
The candle is slowly lowered while the flame shape is continuously analyzed
When the flame corresponding to the flame B is observed, the flame height is recorded
The first flame height is displayed in the “Reading 1” window
This procedure is then repeated two times to record the height readings 2 and 3
Completion phase
The candle conveyor is lowered to its idle position and the candle is released
The mean value of the three readings is calculated and rounded to the nearest 0.1mm
The software verifies that the three readings are within the tolerance mentioned in the test method (1
mm). If it is the case, the test result is marked as “Valid”, if not the “Out of tolerance” message will be
mentioned
Correction factor selection
To report the smoke point value according to the test method, the non-corrected result must be
corrected with the lamp correction factor. This lamp factor is calculated with smoke point values
measured and memorized by the instrument with two standard reference fuels blends at similar
barometric pressure and bracketing the measured result. According to the test method, the barometric
pressure at calibration cannot differ from the pressure entered at the start of the test by more than 0.7
kPa. The SP 10 seeks in the instrument calibration database the reference fuel data corresponding to the
above mentioned conditions and calculates the correction factor automatically. If the instrument cannot
find reference data exactly matching the conditions, the SP 10 takes the closest available data for the
calculation and prompts the operator to perform calibration.
Reporting of the result
The mean value of the three readings rounded to the nearest 0.1 mm is then multiplied by lamp factor,
rounded to the nearest 0.1mm and the smoke point result is reported on the screen, saved in the
database, printed (if the optional printer is connected) and stored on external storage device or LAN (if
connected).
Post-test operations
Remove the candle from the apparatus. Unscrew the wick tube and pour out the rest of the test fuel.
Remove the used wick. Rinse the candle and wick tube with heptane. Dry it with air to make it ready for
the next test. The used wick needs to be extracted as described in the test method prior the next use.
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