Exploration of two types of maximum–minimum flash point behavior of ternary mixtures

Abstract

Information on extreme flash point behavior is crucial for assessing and reducing fire and explosion (F&E) hazards of liquid mixtures. However, explorations of such behaviors have mainly focused on binary mixtures. This paper describes two types of maximum–minimum flash point behavior (MaxMinFPB) exhibited by ternary mixtures whose flash points within two specific composition regions are higher and lower than those of their components, respectively. The qualitative conditions under which a binary mixture is likely to exhibit maximum flash point behavior (MaxFPB) or minimum flash point behavior (MinFPB) were determined. These conditions were used with a flash point forecasting model to identify mixtures that might exhibit MaxMinFPB and to analyze their flash point behaviors. The flash point behaviors of the phenol + acetophenone + 1-octanol and phenol + cyclohexanol + isoamyl butyrate mixtures, which contain one binary constituent exhibiting MinFPB and one or two binary constituents exhibiting MaxFPB, were explored. The two types of MaxMinFPB exhibited by these ternary mixtures were analyzed. The results of this study indicate that the F&E hazards of binary mixtures exhibiting MinFPB can be reduced by elevating their flash points and eliminating their MinFPB by adding a third component to them.