Question 495Steam Plants - Assistant Engineer

The correct answer is D) calorimeter. The BTU (British Thermal Unit) value of a fuel, such as fuel oil, is determined by a calorimeter. A calorimeter is a device used to measure the amount of heat energy released during the combustion of a fuel sample. By precisely measuring the temperature increase in a known volume of water, the calorimeter can calculate the BTU or energy content of the fuel. The other answer choices are not used to determine the BTU value of fuel oil. An open cup test measures the flash point, a hydrometer measures the specific gravity, and a viscosimeter measures the viscosity, but none of these directly measure the energy or BTU content of the fuel.