Experiment 6:

Objective: To Determine Aniline point of the given hydrocarbon sample (diesel)

by U-tube method
Apparatus and Material:
1. Aniline point measuring apparatus
2. Pipette
3. Aniline solution

Aniline apparatus assembly:

1. First fix up lighting system in vertical rod

2. Fix up clamp for holding U tube
3. Then fix up electrical FHP motor stirrer on Rod.
4. Set up Heater unit and glass water bath in its position
5. Fix up U tube properly in clamp

Theory:
Aniline point is the minimum temperature at which hydrocarbon is miscible with
equal amount of aniline.
Since the aromatics dissolve aniline which itself is aromatic compound more
readily than paraffin or iso-paraffin therefore aniline point is the measure of
aromatic content in oil and hence the characteristic of diesel.
Higher the aniline point - lower the aromatics
Low Aniline Point - high aromatic content
Aniline point of oil also gives an indication of the possible deterioration of rubber
sealing since aromatics have tendency to dissolve natural and some types of
synthetic rubber. Therefore lubricants should have high aniline point.

Procedure:
1. Put on electric stirrer, light connection on back side of control box.
2. Clean and dry the “U” tube
 3. The FHP motor stirrer is lowered in bath and so adjusted that stirrer is
within the glass test tube, by adjusting position of “U” tube
4. Now add 5 ml of dried sample and 5 ml of aniline solution
5. Place thermometer in the other end of tube
6. Stir the aniline sample mixture and heat the bath so that temperature of
the mixture rises slowly
7. When the mixture becomes clear enough for the wire or thermometer bulb
to be visible through the cell
8. Close the heating source and allow mixture to cool at the rate of 1 ºC /min
and stirring it rapidly
9. Record the temperature at which the wire or thermometer bulb just
becomes obscured by the turbidity of the mixture as the aniline point of oil

Observation:

Sr. Temperature (⁰C) Observation

No.
1. 93 No haziness
2. 92 No haziness
3. 91 No haziness
4. 90 No haziness
5. 89 No haziness
6. 88 No haziness
7. 87 No haziness
8. 86 No haziness
9. 85 No haziness
10. 84 No haziness
11. 83 No haziness
12. 82 No haziness
13. 81 No haziness
14. 80 Haziness appears

Results:
Aniline point of the given sample = 80⁰C.
Conclusion:

The value gives an approximation for the content of aromatic compounds

in the oil, since the miscibility of aniline, which is also an aromatic
compound, suggests the presence of similar (i.e. aromatic) compounds in
the oil. The lower the aniline point, the greater is the content of aromatic
compounds in the oil.

Additional Questions:
1. How is aniline point related ignition quality?
Aniline being an aromatic compound freely mixes with aromatic so a
low aniline point indicates low diesel index (because of high
percentage of aromatics). High aniline point indicates that the fuel is
highly paraffinic and hence has a high Diesel index and very good
ignition quality.

2. How can properties of aniline affect the experiment accuracy?

Aniline is colourless oily liquid which darkens on exposure to air and
light. Aniline degrades in the atmosphere primarily by reaction with
photo chemically produced hydroxyl radicals. The estimated half-life
for aniline is 2 hours. The half-life will be shorter during daylight
hours, because of higher hydroxyl radical concentrations. The
reaction products include nitrosamines, nitrobenzene, formic acid,
nitro phenols, phenol, nitrosobenzene, and benzidine. Due to
formation of these compounds the experiment values can change.
Hence due to this property of aniline, the experiment accuracy is
affected.
3. Compare diesel, petrol and kerosene with the aniline point and their
ignition quality.

Fuel Aniline point ⁰C

Diesel 71
Petrol 65
Kerosene 74
We know that higher the aniline point, good is the ignition quality.
Hence from the above data we can conclude that the ignition quality
is as follows

Kerosene > Diesel > Petrol

The data in the table is according to

International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science
ISSN (Online) 2319-183X, (Print) 2319-1821
Volume 6, Issue 3(March 2017), PP.18-21

4. What will happen if there is a mixture of diesel and toluene, how it

will affect aniline point.
In this case the aniline point will decrease by significant degrees,
because toluene and aniline both are hydrocarbon and will dissolve
easily. Hence the aniline remained after the saturation point (no
more aniline can dissolve in toluene) will dissolve in diesel after
providing comparable less amount of heat.
Therefore, the mixture of diesel and toluene has a very low aniline
point.