ASTM D6560-00

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An American National Standard
Designation:D6560–00
Designation: IP143/01
Standard Test Method for
Determination of Asphaltenes (Heptane Insolubles) in Crude
,
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Petroleum and Petroleum Products
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6560; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
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1. Scope Petroleum Products
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2.2 IP Standard:
1.1 This test method covers a procedure for the determina-
Specifications for IP Standard Thermometers
tion of the heptane insoluble asphaltene content of gas oil,
diesel fuel, residual fuel oils, lubricating oil, bitumen, and
3. Terminology
crude petroleum that has been topped to an oil temperature of
3.1 Definitions:
260°C (see A1.2.1.1).
3.1.1 asphaltenes, n—wax-free organic material insoluble
1.2 The precision is applicable to values between 0.50 and
in heptane, but soluble in hot toluene (benzene).
30.0% m/m. Values outside this range may still be valid but
may not give the same precision values.
NOTE 1—Benzeneisincludedinthisdefinitionsolelyonthebasisofits
1.3 Oils containing additives may give erroneous results. classical references in the definition of asphaltenes. The precision of this
test method when using toluene has been found to be the same as when
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
using benzene.
standard.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
4. Summary of Test Method
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
4.1 A test portion of the sample is mixed with heptane and
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
the mixture heated under reflux, and the precipitated asphalt-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
enes, waxy substances, and inorganic material are collected on
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
a filter paper. The waxy substances are removed by washing
with hot heptane in an extractor.
2. Referenced Documents
4.2 After removal of the waxy substances, the asphaltenes
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3 are separated from the inorganic material by dissolution in hot
D86 Test Method for Distillation of Petroleum Products
toluene, the extraction solvent is evaporated, and the asphalt-
D1298 TestMethodforDensity,RelativeDensity(Specific
enes weighed.
Gravity), or API Gravity of Crude Petroleum and Liquid
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Petroleum Products by Hydrometer Method
5. Significance and Use
D4052 Test Method for Density and Relative Density of
5.1 Asphaltenes are the organic molecules of highest mo-
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Liquids by Digital Density Meter
lecular mass and carbon-hydrogen ratio normally occurring in
D4057 Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and
crude petroleum and petroleum products containing residual
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Petroleum Products
material.Theymaygiveproblemsduringstorageandhandling
D4177 Practice for Automatic Sampling of Petroleum and
if the suspension of asphaltene molecules is disturbed through
excess stress or incompatibility. They are also the last mol-
1 ecules in a product to combust completely, and thus may be
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D02 on
Petroleum Products and Lubricants and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee one indicator of black smoke propensity. Their composition
D02.14 on Stability and Cleanliness of Liquid Fuels.
normally includes a disproportionately high quantity of the
Current edition approved June 10, 2000. Published July 2000.
sulfur, nitrogen, and metals present in the crude petroleum or
2
This standard is based on material published in the IP Standard methods for
petroleum product.
Analysis and Testing of Petroleum and Related Products and British Standard 2000
Parts, copyright The Institute of Petroleum, 61 New Cavendish Street, London,
W1M 8AR. Adapted with permission of The Institute of Petroleum.
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Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 05.01. Available from Institute of Petroleum, 61 New Cavendish St., London, WIM
4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 05.02. 8AR, UK.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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D6560–00
TABLE 1 Test Portion Size, Flask, and Heptane Volumes
6. Apparatus
Estimated Asphaltene Test Portion Heptane Volume
6.1 General—Ground-glass joints from different sources
Content Size Flask Volume
may have one of two diameter to length ratios. For the
%m/m g mL mL
purposes of this test method, either is suitable, and for some
Less than 0.5 10 6 2 1000 300 6 60
applications, the diameter itself can be one of two . However,
0.5to2.0 8 6 2 500 240 6 60
Ov
...