ASTM D86 for distillation of petroleum products
ASTM D86 for distillation of petroleum products at atmospheric pressure
4. Summary of Test Method
4.1 Based on its composition, vapor pressure, expected IBP or expected EP, or combination thereof, the sample is placed in one of four groups. Apparatus arrangement, condenser temperature, and other operational variables are defined by the group in which the sample falls.
4.2 A 100-mL specimen of the sample is distilled under prescribed conditions for the group in which the sample falls. The distillation is performed in a laboratory batch distillation unit at ambient pressure under conditions that are designed to provide approximately one theoretical plate fractionation. Systematic observations of temperature readings and volumes of condensate are made, depending on the needs of the user of the data. The volume of the residue and the losses are also recorded.
4.3 At the conclusion of the distillation, the observed vapor temperatures can be corrected for barometric pressure and the data are examined for conformance to procedural requirements, such as distillation rates. The test is repeated if any specified condition has not been met.
4.4 Test results are commonly expressed as percent evaporated or percent recovered versus corresponding temperature, either in a table or graphically, as a plot of the distillation curve.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 The basic test method of determining the boiling range of a petroleum product by performing a simple batch distillation has been in use as long as the petroleum industry has existed. It is one of the oldest test methods under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D02, dating from the time when it was still referred to as the Engler distillation. Since the test method has been in use for such an extended period, a tremendous number of historical data bases exist for estimating end-use sensitivity on products and processes.
5.2 The distillation (volatility) characteristics of hydrocarbons have an important effect on their safety and performance, especially in the case of fuels and solvents. The boiling range gives information on the composition, the properties, and the behavior of the fuel during storage and use. Volatility is the major determinant of the tendency of a hydrocarbon mixture to produce potentially explosive vapors.
5.3 The distillation characteristics are critically important for both automotive and aviation gasolines, affecting starting, warm-up, and tendency to vapor lock at high operating temperature or at high altitude, or both. The presence of high boiling point components in these and other fuels can significantly affect the degree of formation of solid combustion deposits.
5.4 Volatility, as it affects rate of evaporation, is an important factor in the application of many solvents, particularly those used in paints.
5.5 Distillation limits are often included in petroleum product specifications, in commercial contract agreements, process refinery/control applications, and for compliance to regulatory rules.
