ASTM_D_1837_-_11.pdf

Designation:D183711Standard Test Method forVolatility of Liquefied Petroleum(LP)Gases1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D1837;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 is a measure of the relative purity ofthe various types of liquefied petroleum(LP)gases and helpsto ensure suitable volatility performance.The test results,whenproperly related to vapor pressure and density of the product,can be used to indicate the presence of butane and heaviercomponents in propane type LP-gas,and pentane and heaviercomponents in propane-butane and butane type fuels.Thepresence of hydrocarbon compounds less volatile than those ofwhich the LP-gas is primarily composed is indicated by anincrease in the 95%evaporated temperature.1.2 When the type and concentration of higher boilingcomponents is required,chromatographic analysis should beused.1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as thestandard.The values given in parentheses are for informationonly.1.4 WARNINGMercury has been designated by manyregulatory 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 EPAswebsitehttp:/www.epa.gov/mercury/faq.htmfor addi-tional information.Users should be aware that selling mercuryand/or mercury containing products into your state or countrymay be prohibited by law.1.5 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.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D96 Test Method for Water and Sediment in Crude Oil byCentrifuge Method(Field Procedure)(Withdrawn 2000)3D1796 Test Method for Water and Sediment in Fuel Oils bythe Centrifuge Method(Laboratory Procedure)E1 Specification for ASTM Liquid-in-Glass Thermometers3.Summary of Test Method3.1 Refrigerate the sample by means of a cooling coil andcollect 100 mL of liquid in a weathering tube.Allow toevaporate(“weather”)at ambient pressure under specifiedconditions that approximate a single plate distillation.Correctthe observed temperature,when 5 mL of liquid test portionremains,for barometric pressure and thermometer ice pointerror,and report as the 95%evaporation temperature.4.Significance and Use4.1 Volatility,expressed in terms of the 95%evaporatedtemperature of the product,is a measure of the amount of leastvolatile components present in the product.Coupled with avapor pressure limit,it serves to ensure essentially single-component products in the cases of commercial grades ofpropane and butane.When volatility is coupled with a vaporpressure limit which has been related to density,as in the caseof the commercial PB-mixture,the combination serves toassure essentially two component mixtures for such fuels.When coupled with a proper vapor pressure limit,this mea-surement serves to assure that special-duty propane productswill be composed chiefly of propane and propylene and thatpropane will be the major constituent.5.Apparatus5.1 Weathering TubeA centrifuge tube,cone-shaped,con-forming to the dimensions given in Fig.1 and made ofthoroughly annealed heat-resistant glass.4The shape of the1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D02 onPetroleum Products and Lubricants and is the direct responsibility of SubcommitteeD02.H0 on Liquefied Petroleum Gas.Current edition approved Oct.1,2011.Published November 2011.Originallyapproved in 1961.Last previous edition approved in 2007 as D183702a(2007).DOI:10.1520/D1837-11.2For 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.4Borosilicate glass has been found satisfactory for this purpose.*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 lower tip of the tube is especially important.The taper shall beuniform and the bottom shall be rounded as shown in Fig.1.The tubes shall comply in wall thickness to ASTM centrifugetube requirements(Note 1).The graduation tolerances aregiven in Table 1.NOTE1Requirements for centrifuge tubes appear in Test MethodsD96 and D1796.5.2