Apparatus and method for determining the vaporization characteristic of fluif fuels

The heating element is immersed, to conduct heat into the liquid fuel. The element is heated until fuel vapor bubbles are formed upon it. Temperature is measured at or in the immediate vicinity of the element during heating. The bubbles are detected to determine the boiling point, the initial boiling temperature or the boiling curve of the fluid. To detect vapor bubbles, the influence on the time-temperature profile of vapor bubble-induced convective thermal transfer between heating element and fluid, is evaluated. In addition or alternatively, the bubbles are detected by a capacitative sensor component, which measures dielectric properties of the fuel heated by the element. An independent claim is included for corresponding apparatus.