A Comparative Study of Fuel Density Precision Data Using Digital Densimeter Meters at Two Different Temperatures

Abstract

The widespread use of liquid fuels can be monitored by their density and light fractions, which affect storage, combustion, handling, and contractual issues. The quantitative measurement of fuel density is carried out using an analytical procedure whose test method presents precision data (repeatability and reproducibility) at 15 °C, whereas Brazilian commercial legislation uses a base temperature of 20 °C. Therefore, the scope of this study was to evaluate whether there are statistically significant differences between these two temperatures. An interlaboratory study, considering homogeneity and stability checks, was carried out, and the data were treated using a one-way analysis of variance in a single-stage nested design for calculating the density precision data (under repeatability and reproducibility conditions). After using an F test to compare the variances at 15 °C and 20 °C, one concluded that these precision data are not always metrologically comparable.