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Chemical Engineering vocabulary · Process Safety and Hazards

Flash point

Meaning in chemical engineering, with examples

/ˈflæʃ ˌpɔɪnt/nounCore term

In chemical engineering, flash point means: The lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapor to catch fire briefly when a flame or spark is brought near it.

In Turkish: parlama noktası

How it is used

Used to classify flammable liquids, design storage and choose electrical equipment for hazardous areas. A liquid handled above its flash point is a serious fire risk. Values are found in section 9 of the safety data sheet.

Example sentences

  1. Acetone has a flash point well below room temperature, so treat every spill as a fire risk.

  2. The tank is heated to 70 °C, which is above the flash point of the solvent.

Common collocations

  • low flash point
  • above the flash point
  • closed-cup flash point
  • flash point test
  • lower explosive limitThe lowest concentration of a flammable gas or vapor in air that can burn or explode if ignited. Below it, the mixture is too lean to burn.
  • safety data sheetA standard document from the supplier that describes a chemical's hazards, safe handling, storage, first aid, firefighting and disposal, in 16 numbered sections.
  • vapor pressureThe pressure of the vapor above a liquid when the two are in balance at a given temperature. It rises with temperature, and the liquid boils when it equals the surrounding pressure.
  • hazardAnything that could cause harm to people, the plant or the environment, such as a flammable gas, a toxic liquid, high pressure or a hot surface.

More terms: Process Safety and Hazards

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