ASTM D7872-13(2022)
(Test Method)Standard Test Method for Determining the Concentration of Pipeline Drag Reducer Additive in Aviation Turbine Fuels
Standard Test Method for Determining the Concentration of Pipeline Drag Reducer Additive in Aviation Turbine Fuels
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 DRA is frequently added into multiproduct pipelines to increase throughput or reduce energy requirements of fuel movement. Although these additives are not used in jet fuel, contamination can occur from other products if proper batching guidelines are not followed or by other cases of human error. CRC Report No. 642 reviewed the impact of DRA on jet fuel fit-for-purpose performance and concluded that the fuel spray angle and atomization capability of several engine-type fuel nozzles can be adversely affected impacting high altitude relight performance at elevated concentrations. A method that accurately quantifies the amount of DRA in jet fuel can be useful in confirming the absence of significant contamination to protect the safety of aviation operations. This test method is designed to measure down to sub-100 µg/L levels of DRA in aviation fuel.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the measurement of high molecular weight polymers, in particular pipeline drag reducer additive (DRA), in aviation turbine fuels with a 72 µg/L lower detection limit. The method cannot differentiate between different polymers types. Thus, any non-DRA high molecular weight polymer will cause a positive measurement bias. Further investigation is required to confirm the polymer detected is DRA.
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.3 Warning—Mercury has been designated by many regulatory agencies as a hazardous substance that can cause serious medical issues. Mercury, or its vapor, has been demonstrated to be hazardous to health and corrosive to materials. Use Caution when handling mercury and mercury-containing products. See the applicable product Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for additional information. The potential exists that selling mercury or mercury-containing products, or both, is prohibited by local or national law. Users must determine legality of sales in their location.
1.4 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: D7872 − 13 (Reapproved 2022)
Standard Test Method for
Determining the Concentration of Pipeline Drag Reducer
Additive in Aviation Turbine Fuels
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7872; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.1 This test method covers the measurement of high
D4057 Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and
molecular weight polymers, in particular pipeline drag reducer
Petroleum Products
additive (DRA), in aviation turbine fuels with a 72 µg⁄L lower
D4177 Practice for Automatic Sampling of Petroleum and
detection limit. The method cannot differentiate between dif-
Petroleum Products
ferent polymers types. Thus, any non-DRA high molecular
2.2 Other Reference:
weight polymer will cause a positive measurement bias.
CRC Report No. 642 Investigation of Pipeline Drag Reduc-
Further investigation is required to confirm the polymer
ers in Aviation Turbine Fuels
detected is DRA.
3. Terminology
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
3.1 Definitions:
standard.
3.1.1 bumping, v—violent boiling which displaces liquid
into the distillation flask.
1.3 Warning—Mercury has been designated by many regu-
3.1.2 drag reducing additive (DRA), n—a material com-
latory agencies as a hazardous substance that can cause serious
prised of very high molecular weight hydrocarbon polymers
medicalissues.Mercury,oritsvapor,hasbeendemonstratedto
that is soluble in petroleum products and used to reduce the
be hazardous to health and corrosive to materials. Use Caution
fluid friction during pipeline transportation.
when handling mercury and mercury-containing products. See
the applicable product Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for additional
3.1.3 rotary evaporation, n—a distillation process utilizing
information. The potential exists that selling mercury or
heat, reduced pressure and a rotating flask which evaporates
mercury-containing products, or both, is prohibited by local or fluid to reduce the volume of a sample of material.
national law. Users must determine legality of sales in their
3.1.3.1 Discussion—The apparatus, consisting of a round-
location. bottomed flask in a heated bath, is operated under vacuum
(reduced pressure) to lower the boiling point of the fluid, and
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
the rotational motion accelerates evaporation of the liquid by
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
creating additional surface area of the fluid being distilled off.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1.4 sheared DRA, n—the very long hydrocarbon polymers
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
of drag reducing agent that have been shortened by severe
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
physical processes such that the resulting material is no longer
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
effective at reducing fluid friction.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
3.1.4.1 Discussion—Severe physical and mechanical pro-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
cesses include large pressure changes which can occur at
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
control valves, pumps, meters, reductions in pipe diameter
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
which affect fluid velocity, and ultrasonication in a laboratory
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
process, resulting in shorter polymeric chains which are still
very large compared to the fuel molecules and are non-
distillable.
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D02 on
Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels, and Lubricants and is the direct responsibility of
Subcommittee D02.J0.01 on Jet Fuel Specifications. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2022. Published October 2022. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 2013. Last previous edition approved in 2018 as D7872 – 13 (2018). Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
DOI: 10.1520/D7872-13R22. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D7872 − 13 (2022)
3.1.5 total exclusion, n—polymers larger than the pore size However, detection sensitivity of the non-DRAhigh molecular
cannot enter the pores and elute together as the first peak in the weight polymers may not be the same because of polymer type
chromatogram. differences. Thus, non-DRA high molecular weight polymers
should not be quantified by this test method.
3.2 Abbreviations:
3.2.1 DRA—drag reducing additive
7. Apparatus
3.2.2 GPC—gel permeation chromatography
7.1 Vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump capable of
3.2.3 RI—refractive index
reducing the pressure in a rotary evaporator to 6.77 kPa (28 in.
3.2.4 THF—tetrahydrofuran of mercury below atmospheric pressure).
7.2 Rotary evaporator, equipped with a silicone oil heating
4. Summary of Test Method
bath that can accommodate flasks capable of holding 400 g of
4.1 The method employs a rotary evaporator (also called a
jet fuel. A bump trap may be connected to the evaporation
rotovap) to concentrate the DRAin a base sample followed by
flask. Any silicone oil bath capable of reaching 180 °C is
GPC to separate and quantify the DRA from the remaining jet
suitable. There are a variety of high temperature silicone bath
fuel. Rotovaping is a rapid vacuum distillation process used to
oils that may be used and are commercially available. Water
reduce the volume of jet fuel which effectively increases the
may be used to cool the rotovap condenser. Details of the
relative DRAconcentration. The GPC method uses heptane or
rotovap are described in Table 1.
THF as the mobile phase, a single separation column and
NOTE 1—Bumping can cause loss of polymer from the flask that would
refractive index detection. The separation column contains create a lower than actual detection value.
particles with pore sizes that totally exclude sheared and
7.3 Gel permeation chromatography system, described in
unsheared DRA polymers to give a sharp chromatographic
Table 2. The method includes flexibility in the selection of
DRA peak.
GPC hardware and conditions; however, a refractive index
detector is required.
4.2 An approximate 400 g sample of jet fuel is concentrated
through rotary evaporation and analyzed by GPC. The DRA
7.4 Any GPC apparatus may be used, provided the RI
concentration is quantified by integrating the area under the
detector response to the DRA peak has a signal to noise (S/N)
DRApeak. Comparing this area to a calibration curve allows a
≥ 10 for a 50 µg⁄L DRA in jet fuel sample after rotary
determination of the weight fraction of the DRAcomponent in
evaporation (this translates into 10 mg⁄L if rotary evaporation
theconcentratedjetfuel.Theoriginalconcentrationisobtained
provided a reduction of 400 g to 2 g for a jet fuel sample
by correcting for the concentrating in the rotary evaporation of
containing 50 µg⁄L DRA).
the jet fuel. The detector is calibrated using standards of
7.5 To achieve sub 100 µg/L DRA detection, a column that
sheared DRA in jet fuel in the low mg/L concentration range.
exhibits total exclusion of the sheared DRA is required. Total
exclusion leads to sharper elution peaks providing easier
5. Significance and Use
detection. In addition, polymers are susceptible to shearing
5.1 DRA is frequently added into multiproduct pipelines to
while passing through a GPC column. Columns packed with
increase throughput or reduce energy requirements of fuel
large particle size stationary phase avoid shearing, 5 µm or
movement. Although these additives are not used in jet fuel,
10 µm particle sizes are recommended.
contaminationcanoccurfromotherproductsifproperbatching
guidelines are not followed or by other cases of human error.
8. Reagents and Materials
CRC Report No. 642 reviewed the impact of DRA on jet fuel
8.1 All chemicals are American Chemical Society grade
fit-for-purpose performance and concluded that the fuel spray
chemicals or better unless specified otherwise.
angle and atomization capability of several engine-type fuel
nozzles can be adversely affected impacting high altitude 8.2 Drag reducing additive, available from appropriate ad-
ditive supplier in “sheared” form for use in preparing stan-
relight performance at elevated concentrations. A method that
accurately quantifies the amount of DRA in jet fuel can
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