ASTM_D_4539_-_10.pdf

Designation:D453910Standard Test Method forFilterability of Diesel Fuels by Low-Temperature Flow Test(LTFT)1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D4539;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope*1.1 This test method covers estimating the filterability ofdiesel fuels in some automotive equipment at low tempera-tures.1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.3 WarningMercury has been designated by EPA andmany state agencies as a hazardous material that can causecentral nervous system,kidney,and liver damage.Mercury,orits vapor,may be hazardous to health and corrosive tomaterials.Caution should be taken when handling mercury andmercury-containing products.See the applicable product Ma-terial Safety Data Sheet(MSDS)for details and EPAs website(http:/www.epa.gov/mercury/faq.htm)for additional informa-tion.Users should be aware that selling mercury or mercury-containing products,or both,in your state may be prohibited bystate law.1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.For specificwarning statements,see 1.3,8.1,8.2.1,8.3,8.5,and AnnexA1.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D97 Test Method for Pour Point of Petroleum ProductsD975 Specification for Diesel Fuel OilsD1655 Specification for Aviation Turbine FuelsD2500 Test Method for Cloud Point of Petroleum ProductsD3117 Test Method for Wax Appearance Point of DistillateFuels(Withdrawn 2010)3D3699 Specification for KerosineD4057 Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum andPetroleum ProductsD4177 Practice for Automatic Sampling of Petroleum andPetroleum ProductsE1 Specification for ASTM Liquid-in-Glass Thermometers2.2 Coordinating Research Council,Inc.CRC Report No.528 Diesel Fuel Low-Temperature Oper-ability Field Test42.3 Canadian General Standards Board:CAN/CGSB-3.0,No.14.01-M86,Low Temperature FlowTest(LTFT)for Diesel Fuels5NOTE1CAN/CGSB-3.0,No.140.1-M86 is essentially equivalent toTest Method D4539,but the differences in apparatus and procedures mayor may not yield different results.3.Summary of Test Method3.1 The temperature of a series of test specimens of fuel islowered at a prescribed cooling rate.Commencing at a desiredtest temperature and at each 1C interval thereafter,a separatespecimen from the series is filtered through a 17-m screenuntil a minimum LTFT pass temperature is obtained.Theminimum LTFT pass temperature is the lowest temperature,expressed as a multiple of 1C,at which a test specimen can befiltered in 60 s or less.3.2 Alternatively,a single specimen may be cooled asdescribed under 3.1 and tested at a specified temperature todetermine whether it passes or fails at that temperature.4.Significance and Use4.1 The Low Temperature Flow Test results are indicative ofthe low temperature flow performance of the test fuel in somediesel vehicles(according to CRC Report No.528).The testmethod is especially useful for the evaluation of fuels contain-ing flow improver additives.1This test method is under the jurisdiction of Committee D02 on PetroleumProducts,Liquid Fuels,and Lubricants and is the direct responsibility of Subcom-mittee D02.07 on Flow Properties.Current edition approved Oct.1,2010.Published November 2010.Originallyapproved in 1985.Last previous edition approved in 2009 as D453909.DOI:10.1520/D4539-10.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced onwww.astm.org.4Available from Coordinating Research Council,Inc.,219 Perimeter CenterParkway,Atlanta,GA 30346.5Available from CGSB Sales Centre,Ottawa,Canada K1A 1G6.*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standardCopyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 4.2 The test method can be used to supplement othermeasurements of diesel fuel low temperature behavior(inaccordance with Test Methods D97,D2500,and D3117).5.Apparatus5.1 Glass Specimen Vessels,(Borosilicate heat-resistantglass or equivalent)several 300-mL,clear,heat resistant,wide-mouthed glass bottles having markings indicating 200 610 mL and 5060 mm ID or clear,heat resistant,tall formbeakers with no pour spouts and equivalent dimensions.5.2 Glass Receiver Vessels,clear,heat resistant,glass con-tainers graduated through