Aniline Point Apparatus

Objective:
To determine the aniline point of given sample (diesel).

Apparatus:
Tripod stand, beaker (100 ml), test tube fitted with cork and a thermometer (for putting the sample whose aniline point is to be determined), a tong,

Principle:
The aniline point of oil is defined as the temperature at which equal volumes of aniline and the desired oil are completely miscible. On heating the sample, it will get mixed with the aniline which is taken in equal volume of the sample. When the mixing completes, the temperature is noted and heating is stopped.

Hidden facts:
The value (aniline point temperature) gives an indication of the aromatic content of the oil, since aniline is an aromatic compound which is dissolved on heating by the aromatics in the oil. The greater the aniline point, the lower the aromatics in the oil. A higher aniline point also indicates a higher proportion of paraffin.

Some places where it is used:

It is an indication of the possible deterioration of the oil in contact with rubber seals since aromatic hydrocarbons present in oil have a tendency to dissolve natural rubber and some synthetic rubber

Aniline point is important primarily for oils that may be used as lubricants or that may come into contact with natural rubber. Oils with a high concentration of aromatics are less suitable for use in systems or machinery that have rubber parts because the aromatics gradually break down natural rubber, potentially causing failures in gaskets, seals, and other components. Oil with a very high aniline point will be very low in aromatics, making such oil more suitable for use with parts, systems, or machinery that are made from or use natural rubber or rubber products.
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Procedure:
Take a beaker filled with water about 100 ml and place it on a stand on which wire gauze is placed. Place a burner beneath the stand and start heating. Place the aniline test tube in the water to give water bath to the sample. Take equal volumes of sample and aniline in the test tube and fit a thermometer in it to note the temperature. Slowly agitate the tube which allows proper room for mixing for the two immiscible liquids. When the sample start mixing, continue to agitate and allow it to mix completely. Note the temperature when the liquids mix completely. The noted temperature is you aniline point for that petroleum sample.

Conclusion:
The aniline point for diesel was 760C Equal volumes of aniline and diesel oil are stirred continuously in a test tube and heated until the two merge into a homogeneous solution. Heating is stopped and the tube is allowed to cool. The temperature at which the two phases separate out is recorded as aniline point. The aniline point is a physical characteristic of hydrocarbon compounds, such as oils, and refers to the minimum temperature at which the hydrocarbon and the same amount of the compound aniline are perfectly miscible. At temperatures below this point, a mixture of the compound and an equal volume of aniline will not dissolve together. The result of a test, called the aniline test, gives chemists this information about a hydrocarbon, including certain details about its composition, such as the relative content of aromatic chemicals and various paraffins. The test for finding the aniline point of given oil or other hydrocarbon, such as a petroleum distillate, is relatively simple. A volume of the test liquid and an equal volume of aniline are placed together in a container, such as a test tube or other laboratory vessel, and slowly heated while being gently agitated. When two liquids completely dissolve into one another, the mixture turns from cloudy to clear. The sample is removed from the heat and stirred until it becomes cloudy again. The temperature at that point is the aniline point of that compound.

It also gives us some knowledge about the cetane number of the diesel. As we know that diesel with high cetane number ignites and burns at a good rate. Which shows greater number of straight chain hydrocarbons in it. Higher the aniline point, lower the number of aromatic compounds in it. And it results in high efficiency of fuel oil. So, greater aniline point compounds have high cetane number and vice versa. This is because aromatic compounds decrease the efficiency of the fuel oil and its burning rate is increased by the aromatic compounds and its aniline point is decreased. Hence a direct relation is established between aniline point and cetane number.