What is the Difference Between Aniline Point and Steam Emulsion Number?

The Aniline Point and Steam Emulsion Number (SEN) are properties of lubricating oils that indicate their quality and behavior. The key differences between them are:

• Aniline Point: It is the minimum temperature at which equal volumes of aniline and lubricant oil are miscible (dissolved). The Aniline Point gives an idea about the quality of lubricating oil, with a lower Aniline Point indicating a higher percentage of aromatic hydrocarbons in the lubricating oil. The unit of Aniline Point is degrees Celsius (°C).
• Steam Emulsion Number (SEN): It is the number of seconds required for oil to separate when it is emulsified and separated under specified conditions. The SEN gives an idea of the stability of the emulsion, with a lower SEN indicating high stability and a higher SEN indicating low stability. The unit of SEN is time (sec).

In summary, the Aniline Point is a measurement of temperature that indicates the quality of lubricating oil and its content of aromatic compounds, while the Steam Emulsion Number is a measurement of time that indicates the stability of the emulsion formed when the oil is emulsified and separated under certain conditions.

Comparative Table: Aniline Point vs Steam Emulsion Number

The key difference between aniline point and steam emulsion number is that aniline point is a measure of the aromaticity of an oil, while steam emulsion number is a measure of the stability of an oil-water emulsion. Here is a comparison table highlighting the differences between the two:

In summary, aniline point is a temperature-based measurement that gives an approximation of the aromatic compound content in a lubricant oil, while steam emulsion number is a time-based measurement that indicates the stability of an oil-water emulsion. The lower the aniline point, the higher the aromatic content, and the lower the steam emulsion number, the better the lubricant quality.