25 Focus on Lubricant & Condition Monitoring - Analytical Instrumentation


higher elastic recovery correlates to reduced fragility and cracking [10]. Koehler’s Semi-Automatic Standard Ductility Testing Machine features a maximum travel length of 150 cm, a preprogrammed ductility and recovery test method, a 6” LCD touch screen, and three sample testing stations.


The fi nal tests are various methods of testing the aging of bituminous materials. These tests strive to simulate how the bitumen will react under common environmental stressors over some time. The Rolling Thin Film Oven (RSTO) and the Thin Film Oven Test (TFOT) test the aging of bitumen short-term during the production and paving period. The RSTO places vials of bitumen in a rotating oven at 325 °C to quantify the loss of volatiles and viscosity increase that can occur during the manufacturing process [11]. The bitumen can then be put through the property tests listed previously to note any changes in its performance. TFOT uses a similar mechanism to achieve the same result, it simply emits the rotating aspect of the RSTO and heats the bitumen directly. These devices comply with ASTM D2872 and ASTM D6 standards, respectively. Another aging device, the pressure aging vessel (PAV), uses pressurized air and elevated temperatures to simulate the accelerated aging of asphalt binders after several years. This device is useful to estimate how bitumen will fare after years of actual use and takes out the hassle associated with traditional aging tests.


Waxes are petroleum products that consist of long hydrocarbon chains that can be grouped into three general categories: paraffi n, microcrystalline, and petrolatum. Waxes can have negative or positive impacts when found in bitumen, as they tend to decrease the strength of the asphalt binder, increase cracking at low temperatures, and reduce the viscosity at high temperatures. The properties of wax make it ideal for anti-corrosion additives for lubricants and anti-settling agents for fuel oils and paints [15, 16]. For this reason, it is important to test waxes in various ways.


The melting point of petroleum wax can be determined by cooling its molten wax in an air bath and waiting for it to solidify. As per ASTM D87, the wax is put into the melting point apparatus and cooled in an air bath surrounded by a water bath with periodic readings of its temperature being taken. This forms the cooling curve of the wax, which eventually plateaus when the phase changes from liquid to solid. The determination of the melting point of wax is necessary to determine its ability to hold shape and withstand heat so its proper usage can be determined. It is also important in the case of contamination, as the lower melting point of waxes in bitumen can negatively impact the quality of the bitumen. Koehler’s Wax melting point apparatus, shown in Figure 3, has a nickel-plated air and water bath assembly and supports three test tubes vertically for multiple independent trials.


Figure 3 K17500 Wax Melting Point Apparatus


Finally, the Wax Appearance Point apparatus is used to determine the presence of wax in fuel at low temperatures. The apparatus cools the fuel in a water bath until a wax layer is formed and reported to the nearest 0.2 °C [18]. This device is another important component in determining unwanted waste in fuels, as wax crystals can hinder the performance of the fuel in machinery [18].


In summary, the quality and suitability of bitumen, a versatile crude oil by-product used in diverse applications like asphalt roads and roofi ng, are ensured through a comprehensive array of ASTM testing methods. Distillation tests, exemplifi ed by the Dean and


Stark apparatus, ascertain water content within acceptable limits, which is vital to prevent foaming and cracking during heating. Softening point evaluations through ring and ball tests guide climate-specifi c usage, while ductility and elastic recovery analyses gauge adhesive properties and stretch capabilities to avert cracking. Aging assessments like RSTO, TFOT, and PAV simulate real-world stresses over time, enabling performance prediction. Waxes, which negatively impact bitumen, undergo scrutiny via melting point determination and Wax Appearance Point apparatus to prevent detrimental infl uences on bitumen quality and fuel performance. Collectively, these tests safeguard bitumen’s effectiveness, longevity, and applicability across construction and infrastructure domains.


Vessel (PAV).” Available: https://www.astm.org. Accessed: August 1, 2023.


15. IRM WAX. “Classifi cation of Petroleum Waxes.” Available: https://www.irmwax.com/FAQ/Classifi cation%20of%20 petroleum%20waxes.aspx. Accessed: August 7, 2023.


16. K. Honor. “Bitumen Wax.” Available: https://www.khonorwax. com/bitumen-wax.html. Accessed: August 7, 2023.


17. ASTM International. “ASTM D87 Standard Test Method for Melting Point of Petroleum Wax (Cooling Curve).” Available: https://www.astm.org. Accessed: August 7, 2023.


18. ASTM International. “ASTM D3117 Standard Test Method for Wax Appearance Point of Distillate Fuels.” Available: https:// www.astm.org. Accessed: August 7, 2023.


References 1. Infi nity Galaxy. “Bitumen Tests.” Available: [https:// infi nitygalaxy.org/bitumen-tests/](https://infi nitygalaxy.org/ bitumen-tests/). Accessed: July 31, 2023.


2. AboutCivil. “Bitumen Properties.” Available: https://www. aboutcivil.org/bitumen-properties. Accessed: July 31, 2023.


3. Civiconcepts. “Water Content Test of Bitumen.” Available: https://civiconcepts.com/blog/water-content-test-of-bitumen. Accessed: July 31, 2023.


4. ASTM International. “ASTM D95 Standard Test Method for Water in Petroleum Products and Bituminous Materials by Distillation.” Available: [ttps://www.astm.org. Accessed: July 31, 2023.


5. ASTM International. “ASTM D244 Standard Test Methods and Practices for Emulsifi ed Asphalts.”


Available: https://www.astm.org. Accessed: July 31, 2023.


6. Al-Mansob, Ramez A., et al. “Effects of wax on the properties of bitumen.” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 186, 2018, pp. 1057-1066. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.08.021.


7. Civiconcepts. “Softening Point Test of Bitumen (Ring and Ball Test).” Available: https://civiconcepts.com/blog/softening- point-test-of-bitumen-ring-ball-test. Accessed: July 31, 2023.


8. ASTM International. “ASTM D36 Standard Test Method for Softening Point of Bitumen (Ring-and-Ball Apparatus).” Available: https://www.astm.org. Accessed: July 31, 2023.


9. ASTM International. “ASTM D113 Standard Test Method for Ductility of Bituminous Materials.” Available: https://www.astm. org. Accessed: August 1, 2023.


10. Civiconcepts. “Ductility Test of Bitumen.” Available: https:// civiconcepts.com/blog/ductility-test-of-bitumen. Accessed: August 1, 2023.


11. ASTM International. “ASTM D2872 Standard Test Method for Effect of Heat and Air on a Moving Film of Asphalt (Rolling Thin-Film Oven Test).” Available: https://www.astm.org. Accessed: August 1, 2023.


12. Pavement Interactive. “Rolling Thin-Film Oven.” Available: https://pavementinteractive.org/reference-desk/testing/binder- tests/rolling-thin-fi lm-oven/. Accessed: August 1, 2023.


13. ASTM International. “ASTM D6 Standard Test Method for Loss on Heating of Oil and Asphaltic Compounds.” Available: https:// www.astm.org. Accessed: August 1, 2023.


14. ASTM International. “ASTM D6521 Standard Practice for Accelerated Aging of Asphalt Binder Using a Pressurized Aging


Author Contact Details Dr. Raj Shah, Koehler Instrument Company • Holtsvile, NY11742 USA • Email: rshah@koehlerinstrument.com • Web: www.koehlerinstrument.com


Authors


Dr. Raj Shah is a Director at Koehler Instrument Company in New York, where he has worked for the last 28 years. He is an elected Fellow by his peers at IChemE, CMI, STLE, AIC, NLGI, INSTMC, Institute of Physics, The Energy Institute and The Royal Society of Chemistry. An ASTM Eagle award recipient, Dr. Shah recently coedited the bestseller, “Fuels and Lubricants handbook”, details of which are available at ASTM’s Long-Awaited Fuels and Lubricants Handbook 2nd Edition Now Available (https://bit.ly/3u2e6GY). He earned his doctorate in Chemical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and is a Fellow from The Chartered Management Institute, London. Dr. Shah is also a Chartered Scientist with the Science Council, a Chartered Petroleum Engineer with the Energy Institute and a Chartered Engineer with the Engineering council, UK. Dr. Shah was recently granted the honourifi c of “Eminent engineer” with Tau beta Pi, the largest engineering society in the USA. He is on the Advisory board of directors at Farmingdale university (Mechanical Technology) , Auburn Univ ( Tribology ), SUNY, Farmingdale, (Engineering Management) and State university of NY, Stony Brook ( Chemical engineering/ Material Science and engineering). An Adjunct Professor at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, in the Department of Material Science and Chemical engineering, Raj also has over 575 publications and has been active in the energy industry for over 3 decades. More information on Raj can be found at https://bit.ly/3QvfaLX


Contact: rshah@koehlerinstrument.com


Mr. William Streiber and Ms. Gabriele Gentile are part of a thriving internship program at Koehler Instrument company in Holtsville, and are


Gabriele Gentile William Streiber


students of Chemical Engineering at Stony Brook university, Long Island, NY where Dr. Shah is the current chair of the external advisory board of directors.


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