ASTM D5291-96

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: D 5291 – 96 An American National Standard
Standard Test Methods for
Instrumental Determination of Carbon, Hydrogen, and
1
Nitrogen in Petroleum Products and Lubricants
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 5291; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope With some systems, the procedure consists of simply weighing
a portion of the sample, placing the portion in the instrument,
1.1 These test methods cover the instrumental determination
and initiating the (subsequently automatic) analytical process.
of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen in laboratory samples of
In other systems, the analytical process, to some degree, is
petroleum products and lubricants. Values obtained represent
manually controlled.
the total carbon, the total hydrogen, and the total nitrogen.
3.2 The actual process can vary substantially from instru-
1.2 These test methods are applicable to samples such as
ment to instrument, since a variety of means can be utilized to
crude oils, fuel oils, additives, and residues for carbon and
effect the primary requirements of the test methods. All
hydrogen and nitrogen analysis. These test methods were
satisfactory processes provide for the following:
tested in the concentration range of at least 75 to 87 mass % for
3.2.1 The conversion of the subject materials (in their
carbon, at least 9 to 16 mass % for hydrogen, and < 0.1 to 2
entirety) to carbon dioxide, water vapor, and elemental nitro-
mass % for nitrogen.
gen, respectively, and
1.3 The nitrogen test method is not applicable to light
3.2.2 The subsequent, quantitative determination of these
materials or those containing < 0.75 mass % nitrogen, or both,
gases in an appropriate gas stream.
such as gasoline, jet fuel, naphtha, diesel fuel, or chemical
3.3 The conversion of the subject materials to their corre-
solvents.
sponding gases takes place largely during combustion of the
1.4 These test methods are not recommended for the analy-
sample at an elevated temperature in an atmosphere of purified
sis of volatile materials such as gasoline, gasoline-oxygenate
oxygen. Here, a variety of gaseous materials are produced,
blends, or gasoline type aviation turbine fuels.
including the following:
1.5 The results of these tests can be expressed as mass %
3.3.1 Carbon dioxide from the oxidation of organic and
carbon, hydrogen or nitrogen.
elemental carbon,
1.6 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
3.3.2 Hydrogen halides from organic halides (and organic
standard.
hydrogen, as required),
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.3.3 Water vapor from the oxidation of (the remaining)
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
organic hydrogen and the liberation of moisture,
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.3.4 Nitrogen and nitrogen oxides from the oxidation of
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
organic nitrogen, and
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
3.3.5 Sulfur oxides from the oxidation of organic sulfur. In
2. Referenced Documents some systems, sulfurous and sulfuric acids can also be obtained
from a combination of the sulfur oxides and the water vapor.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.4 There are several accepted ways of isolating the desired
D 4057 Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and
2
gaseous products and quantitatively determining them. These
Petroleum Products
are as follows:
D 4177 Practice for Automatic Sampling of Petroleum and
3
2
3.4.1 Test Method A —From the combustion product gas
Petroleum Products
stream, oxides of sulfur are removed with calcium oxide in the
3. Summary of Test Methods
secondary combustion zone. A portion of the remaining mixed
gases is carried by helium gas over a hot copper train to remove
3.1 In these test methods, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen
oxygen, and reduce NO to N , over NaOH to remove CO ,
are determined concurrently in a single instrumental procedure. x 2 2
and over magnesium perchlorate to remove H O. The remain-
2
ing elemental nitrogen is measured by the thermal conductivity
1
These test methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-2 on
Petroleum Products and Lubricants and are the direct responsibility of Subcommit-
tee D02.03.0B on Spectrometric Methods.
3
Current edition approved April 10, 1996. Published June 1996. Originally Leco CHN-600 instrument has been found satisfactory for the analyses in Test
published as D 5291 – 92. Last previous edition D 5291 – 92. Method A, and is available from Leco Corporation, 3000 Lakeview A
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