Bomb Calorimetry:
A procedure which determines the heat of combustion or calorific value of materials which are burned as fuels – is a fundamental test of great significance to anyone concerned with:
- Production and/or utilization of solid and liquid fuels.
- Disposal of combustible wastes.
- Study of foods and feeds.
Parr offers a complete line of bomb calorimeters and accessories for these measurements; calorimeters which carry a proven reputation for reliability and good service as earned by the Parr Instrument Company over more than one-hundred years of continuous manufacturing experience in this specialized field. These calorimeters provide a wide selection of equipment for all types of calorimetric service, whether for routine fuel tests, for precise research measurements, for occasional calorific tests, or for student instruction.
Uses for Parr calorimeters extend into any chemical, physical or physiological process in which heat generation or burning is an important factor. Principal applications include calorific measurements for:
- Coal and coke, all varieties and types
- Fuel oil, both heavy and light varieties
- Gasoline, all motor fuel and aviation types jet fuels, all varieties
- Combustible wastes and refuse disposal
- Foodstuffs and supplements for human nutrition
- Forage crops and supplements for animal nutrition
- Building materials
- Explosives and heat powders
- Rocket fuels and related propellants
- Thermodynamic studies of combustible materials
- Energy balance studies in ecology
- Instruction in basic thermodynamic methods
Heats of combustion, as determined in an oxygen bomb calorimeter, are measured by a substitution procedure in which the heat obtained from the sample is compared with the heat obtained from a standardizing material. In this test, a representative sample is burned in a high-pressure oxygen atmosphere within a metal pressure vessel or “bomb”. The energy released by the combustion is absorbed within the calorimeter and the resulting temperature change is recorded.
In addition to the above general uses, Parr Calorimeters can be used for a variety of the standard ASTM and International test methods, producing results which meet or exceed the precision specified in each method.