Translated Standard: Russian
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Significance and Use

Ethers, alcohols, and other oxygenates can be added to gasoline to increase octane number and to reduce emissions. Type and concentration of various oxygenates are specified and regulated to ensure acceptable commercial gasoline quality. Drivability, vapor pressure, phase separation, exhaust, and evaporative emissions are some of the concerns associated with oxygenated fuels.

This test method is applicable to both quality control in the production of gasoline and for the determination of deliberate or extraneous oxygenate additions or contamination.

1. Scope

1.1 This test method covers the determination of ethers and alcohols in gasolines by gas chromatography. Specific compounds determined are methyl tert -butylether (MTBE), ethyl tert -butylether (ETBE), tert -amylmethylether (TAME), diisopropylether (DIPE), methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n -propanol, isobutanol, tert -butanol, sec -butanol, n -butanol, and tert -pentanol ( tert -amylalcohol).

1.2 Individual ethers are determined from 0.20 to 20.0 mass %. Individual alcohols are determined from 0.20 to 12.0 mass %. Equations used to convert to mass % oxygen and to volume % of individual compounds are provided. At concentrations < 0.20 mass %, it is possible that hydrocarbons may interfere with several ethers and alcohols. The reporting limit of 0.20 mass % was tested for gasolines containing a maximum of 10 volume % olefins. It may be possible that for gasolines containing >10 volume % olefins, the interference may be >0.20 mass %. Annex A1 gives a chromatogram showing the interference observed with a gasoline containing 10 volume % olefins.

1.3 Alcohol-based fuels, such as M-85 and E-85, MTBE product, ethanol product, and denatured alcohol, are specifically excluded from this test method. The methanol content of M-85 fuel is considered beyond the operating range of the system.

1.4 Benzene, while detected, cannot be quantified using this test method and must be analyzed by alternate methodology (see Test Method D3606 ).

1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. Alternate units, in common usage, are also provided to increase clarity and aid the users of this test method.

1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

D1298 Test Method for Density, Relative Density (Specific Gravity), or API Gravity of Crude Petroleum and Liquid Petroleum Products by Hydrometer Method

D1744 Test Method for Water in Liquid Petroleum Products by Karl Fischer Reagent3

D3606 Test Method for Determination of Benzene and Toluene in Finished Motor and Aviation Gasoline by Gas Chromatography

D4052 Test Method for Density, Relative Density, and API Gravity of Liquids by Digital Density Meter

D4057 Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and Petroleum Products

D4307 Practice for Preparation of Liquid Blends for Use as Analytical Standards

D4420 Test Method for Determination of Aromatics in Finished Gasoline by Gas Chromatography

Keywords

alcohols; DIPE (disopropylether) ; ETBE (ethyl tert-butylether); ethers; gas chromatography; gasoline; MTBE (methyl tert-butylether); oxygenates; TAME (tert-amylmethylether); Alcohol; Amyl alcohol; Butanol ( sec/tert/n ); DIPE (diisopropylether); ETBE (ethyl tert -butyl ether); Ethanol; Ether; TCEP micro-packed column; Gas chromatography (GC)--petroleum products; Gasoline; Isobutanol; Isopropanol; Knock characteristics; Mass percent oxygen; Methanol (methyl alcohol); MTBE (methyl tert -butylether); Oxygenated aromatics; n -Propanol; TAME ( tert -amyl methylether);

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 75.160.20 (Liquid fuels)

DOI: 10.1520/D4815-09

ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.

ASTM D4815