Traditional Applications
FOSSIL FUELS
Producers and users of solid combustible fuels like COAL and OIL use the instrument for quality assurance and exploration. The unit has excellent repeatability and accuracy in accordance with ISO, DIN and ASTM.
SAFETY APPLICATIONS
These applications are mainly concerned with the energy of a substance when burned in a domestic or industrial fire. Seat material in cars, paint on furnishings, plastic used in airliners, floor covers, etc. Obviously the flashpoint and gas emissions are important, but the energy of the substance as well.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
These applications are endless. Most refer to methods related to combustible energy. However, the rising cost of traditional energy has resulted in more research. A shroud of mystery surrounds the unconventional energy research, but we have heard of measuring the energy absorption of leaves during sunshine, measuring the energy contained in production by-products, and measuring the energy in vegetable oils. The unit measures disposable waste in accordance with ASTM D5468-02.
PROPELLANTS
Here the instrument is used as a quality assurance tool. The vessel is not charged at all, or charged with an inert gas. A small sample is burned and the energy is displayed.
HEAT IGNITABLE EXPLOSIVES (ARMAMENTS)
The development and secrecy in the industry prevents us from publishing details. But if the substance can be ignited by heat, then the DDS range of bomb calorimeter can measure it. Typical applications are igniter caps and charges. The vessel is at present used for quality control. The speed of combustion is not measured.
VOLATILE FUEL & OILS
The cost of oil and fuels requires that the energy is measured. The calorific value of fuel determines the amount of energy contained in it - this means that a fuel of high calorific value will give more energy and thus more propulsion to the vehicle than the fuel of lower calorific value. All liquid fuels can be analyzed in a bomb calorimeter unit. The determination is performed in accordance with ASTM D240-02 and D4809-00 standards.
Non-Traditional Applications
ANIMAL FEED PRODUCTION
It is obvious that digestible energy is not equivalent to combustible energy. The main difference is the fibre content of a substance. Here, the bomb calorimeter can be used in a comparative fashion in quality control in animal feed production and optimization of feed consumption. The instrument is used in animal and dairy research. Departments of Agriculture, Universities and the private industry.
The aims are to improve the nutritional value of the feed, or optimize the nutritional absorption by animals. The unit has proved to be a fast and reliable tool.
FOOD CALORIES
The CAL3K Bomb Calorimeter range is used for quality monitoring of processed food. Most often it is used to make sure that the oil/fat content is not excessive because it is the most expensive component. It also has the highest calorific value. The main interfering factor is the fibre content, which gives off combustion energy but has not food calories.
PRODUCTION AND USE OF EDIBLE OILS
The digestive calories of vegetable oils are nearly the same as combustible energy. Therefore the instrument is ideally suited for incoming control of raw products during oil production.
Consequently, any food production, which uses oil in the process, can use the calorimeter to measure the oil content of the final product. Since we are all concerned with the daily intake of calories, the instrument is used to control the use of oil during production of potato chips, canned beef and fish.
Related Applications
Coal Analysis
The coal industry is the traditional application of calorimeters because coal has a variety of properties, apart from being black.
Read MoreExplosives Analysis
Only explosives which can be ignited by heat from the calorimeter's firing circuit can be tested in the oxygen calorimeter.
Read MoreFuel Analysis
As a general rule, volatile fuels are measured very seldom because they are very consistent.
Read More