Cloud Point Testing of Diesel Fuels

Cloud Point is the temperature at which wax crystals form in oil, causing the oil to become cloudy in appearance.

In the petroleum industry, cloud point refers to the temperature below which wax in diesel or biowax in biodiesels form a cloudy appearance. The presence of solidified waxes thickens the oil and clogs fuel filters and injectors in engines. The wax can also accumulate on cold surfaces (i.e. pipeline or heat exchanger fouling) and forms an emulsion with water.

If the temperature drops below the cloud point, wax crystals forming in the fuel may block filters and cause fuel delivery problems. The measurement of cloud point is particularly important in climates with low ambient temperatures.

Kittiwake Products for Cloud Point

Cloud Point Detectors - automatic devices used for detecting the temperature at which wax crystals form in a translucent oil sample.