Acid Value Number or Neutralization Number of Oil

Acid Value Number or Neutralization Number of Oil

Acid number or neutralization number: The acid or neutralization number is a measure of the amount of potassium hydroxide required to neutralize the acid contained in a lubricant. Acids are formed as oils oxidize with age and service. The acid number for an oil sample is indicative of the age of the oil and can be used to determine when the oil must be changed.

The industry standard methods for determining the acid number, such as ASTM D 974 and DIN 51558 (for mineral oils, biodiesel), or specifically for Biodiesel using the European Standard EN 14104 and ASTM D664 are both widely utilised worldwide. Acid number (mg KOH /g oil) for biodiesel should to be lower than 0.50 mg KOH/g in both EN 14214 and ASTM D6751 standard fuels. This is since the FFA produced may corrode automotive parts and these limits protect vehicle engines and fuel tanks.

As oil-fats rancidify , triglycerides are converted into fatty acids and glycerol , causing an increase in acid number. A similar observation is observed with biodiesel aging through analogous oxidation processes and when subjected to prolonged high temperatures (ester thermolysis) or through exposure to acids or bases (acid/base ester hydrolysis ).