ASTM D1500-07

Standard Test Method for ASTM Color of Petroleum Products (ASTM Color Scale)

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Determination of the color of petroleum products is used mainly for manufacturing control purposes and is an important quality characteristic, since color is readily observed by the user of the product. In some cases, the color may serve as an indication of the degree of refinement of the material. When the color range of a particular product is known, a variation outside the established range may indicate possible contamination with another product. However, color is not always a reliable guide to product quality and should not be used indiscriminately in product specifications.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the visual determination of the color of a wide variety of petroleum products, such as lubricating oils, heating oils, diesel fuel oils, and petroleum waxes.
Note 1—Test Method D 156 is applicable to refined products that have an ASTM color lighter than 0.5. IP Method 17 includes a procedure for measuring the color of undyed, refined products such as gasoline, white spirit, and kerosine by comparison with a series of IP Standard glasses. It also includes a procedure by which petroleum products, except black oils and bitumens, may be measured for tint and depth of color in terms of Lovibond units by a series of red, yellow, and blue glasses.  
1.2 This test method reports results specific to the test method and recorded as “ASTM Color.”
1.3 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.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Nov-2007
• ICS: 17.180.20 - Colours and measurement of light
• ICS: 75.080 - Petroleum products in general
• Technical Committee: D02 - Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels, and Lubricants
• Drafting Committee: D02.05 - Properties of Fuels, Petroleum Coke and Carbon Material

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D1500-04a - Standard Test Method for ASTM Color of Petroleum Products (ASTM Color Scale)
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Replaced By: ASTM D1500-12 - Standard Test Method for ASTM Color of Petroleum Products (ASTM Color Scale)
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2012
• Referred By: ASTM D2129-17 - Standard Test Method for Color of Clear Electrical <brk/>Insulating Liquids (Platinum-Cobalt Scale)
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D1218-21 - Standard Test Method for Refractive Index and Refractive Dispersion of Hydrocarbon Liquids
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D4176-22 - Standard Test Method for Free Water and Particulate Contamination in Distillate Fuels (Visual Inspection Procedures)
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D4731-13(2020) - Standard Specification for Hot-Application Filling Compounds for Telecommunications Wire and Cable
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D1747-09(2019) - Standard Test Method for Refractive Index of Viscous Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D3394-16(2022) - Standard Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Electrical Insulating Board
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D611-23 - Standard Test Methods for Aniline Point and Mixed Aniline Point of Petroleum Products and Hydrocarbon Solvents
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D4418-22 - Standard Practice for Receipt, Storage, and Handling of Fuels for Gas Turbines
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D6871-17 - Standard Specification for Natural (Vegetable Oil) Ester Fluids Used in Electrical Apparatus
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D1524-15(2022) - Standard Test Method for Visual Examination of Used Electrical Insulating Liquids in the Field
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D8128-22 - Standard Guide for Monitoring Failure Mode Progression in Industrial Applications with Rolling Element Ball Type Bearings
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D7155-20 - Standard Practice for Evaluating Compatibility of Mixtures of Turbine Lubricating Oils
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D4378-22 - Standard Practice for In-Service Monitoring of Mineral Turbine Oils for Steam, Gas, and Combined Cycle Turbines
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2007

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D1500 − 07
Designation:196/97
Standard Test Method for
1
ASTM Color of Petroleum Products (ASTM Color Scale)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D1500; 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.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
3
1. Scope* 2.2 Energy Institute Standard:
IP 17 Color by the Lovibond Tintometer
1.1 This test method covers the visual determination of the
color of a wide variety of petroleum products, such as
3. Summary of Test Method
lubricating oils, heating oils, diesel fuel oils, and petroleum
3.1 Using a standard light source, a liquid sample is placed
waxes.
in the test container and compared with colored glass disks
NOTE 1—Test Method D156 is applicable to refined products that have
ranging in value from 0.5 to 8.0. When an exact match is not
an ASTM color lighter than 0.5. IP Method 17 includes a procedure for
found and the sample color falls between two standard colors,
measuring the color of undyed, refined products such as gasoline, white
the higher of the two colors is reported.
spirit, and kerosine by comparison with a series of IP Standard glasses. It
also includes a procedure by which petroleum products, except black oils
and bitumens, may be measured for tint and depth of color in terms of 4. Significance and Use
Lovibond units by a series of red, yellow, and blue glasses.
4.1 Determinationofthecolorofpetroleumproductsisused
1.2 This test method reports results specific to the test
mainly for manufacturing control purposes and is an important
method and recorded as “ASTM Color.”
quality characteristic, since color is readily observed by the
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the user of the product. In some cases, the color may serve as an
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the indicationofthedegreeofrefinementofthematerial.Whenthe
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- colorrangeofaparticularproductisknown,avariationoutside
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- theestablishedrangemayindicatepossiblecontaminationwith
another product. However, color is not always a reliable guide
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
to product quality and should not be used indiscriminately in
2. Referenced Documents
product specifications.
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
5. Apparatus
D156 Test Method for Saybolt Color of Petroleum Products
(Saybolt Chromometer Method) 5.1 Colorimeter, consisting of light source, glass color
D938 Test Method for Congealing Point of Petroleum
standards, sample container housing with cover, and viewing
Waxes, Including Petrolatum piece as listed in Annex A1.
D2500 Test Method for Cloud Point of Petroleum Products
5.2 Sample Container—For referee work, use the glass
D4057 Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and
samplejarasshowninFig.1.Forroutinetests,itispermissible
Petroleum Products
to use a cylindrical, clear glass jar with a flat bottom of 30 to
32.4 mm internal diameter, 115 to 125 mm in external height,
1
andawallthicknessnogreaterthan1.6mmasspecifiedinTest
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D02 on
Petroleum Products and Lubricants and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
Method D2500, or an ordinary 125-mL oil sample bottle if it
D02.05 on Properties of Fuels, Petroleum Coke and Carbon Material.
meets these requirements.
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2007. Published January 2008. Originally
approved in 1957. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as D1500–04a.
6. Sampling
This is also a standard of Energy Institute issued under the fixed designation IP
196. The final number indicates the year of last revision. This test method was
6.1 Samples shall be taken in accordance with the instruc-
adopted as a jointASTM-IPstandard in 1966. In the IP, this test method is under the
tions in Practice D4057.
jurisdiction of the Standardization Committee. DOI: 10.1520/D1500-07.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
3
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on “Methods for Analysis and Testing,” available from Energy Institute, 61 New
the ASTM website. Cavendish St., London, WIG 7AR, U.K.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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...

This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
An American National Standard
Designation:D1500–04a Designation:D1500–07
Designation: 196/97
Standard Test Method for
1
ASTM Color of Petroleum Products (ASTM Color Scale)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 1500; 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.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope*
1.1 This test method covers the visual determination of the color of a wide variety of petroleum products, such as lubricating
oils, heating oils, diesel fuel oils, and petroleum waxes.
NOTE 1—Test Method D 156 is applicable to refined products that have an ASTM color lighter than 0.5. IP Method 17 includes a procedure for
measuring the color of undyed, refined products such as gasoline, white spirit, and kerosine by comparison with a series of IP Standard glasses. It also
includes a procedure by which petroleum products, except black oils and bitumens, may be measured for tint and depth of color in terms of Lovibond
units by a series of red, yellow, and blue glasses.
1.2 This test method reports results specific to the test method and recorded as “ASTM Color.”
1.3 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
2.1 ASTM Standards:
2
D155Method of Test for Color of Lubricating Oil and Petrolatum by Means of ASTM Union Colorimeter ASTM Standards:
D 156 Test Method for Saybolt Color of Petroleum Products (Saybolt Chromometer Method)
D 938 Test Method for Congealing Point of Petroleum Waxes, Including Petrolatum
D 2500 Test Method for Cloud Point of Petroleum Products
D 4057 Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and Petroleum Products
3
2.2 Energy Institute Standard:
IP 17 Color by the Lovibond Tintometer
3. Summary of Test Method
3.1 Using a standard light source, a liquid sample is placed in the test container and compared with colored glass disks ranging
in value from 0.5 to 8.0. When an exact match is not found and the sample color falls between two standard colors, the higher of
the two colors is reported.
4. Significance and Use
4.1 Determination of the color of petroleum products is used mainly for manufacturing control purposes and is an important
qualitycharacteristic,sincecolorisreadilyobservedbytheuseroftheproduct.Insomecases,thecolormayserveasanindication
of the degree of refinement of the material. When the color range of a particular product is known, a variation outside the
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D02 on Petroleum Products and Lubricants and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D02.05 on
Properties of Fuels, Petroleum Coke and Carbon Material.
Current edition approved Nov.Dec. 1, 2004.2007. Published November 2004.January 2008. Originally approved in 1957. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as
D 1500–04a.
This is also a standard of Energy Institute issued under the fixed designation IP 196. The final number indicates the year of last revision. This test method was adopted
as a joint ASTM-IP standard in 1966. In the IP, this test method is under the jurisdiction of the Standardization Committee.
2
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
3
Withdrawn.
3
“Methods for Analysis and Testing,” available from Energy Institute, 61 New Cavendish St., London, WIG 7AR, U.K.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1

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D1500–07
established range may indicate possible contamination with another product. However, color is not always a reliable guide to
product quality and should not be used indiscriminately in product specifications.
5. Apparatus
5.1 Colorimeter, consisting of light source, glass color standards, sample container housing with cover, and viewing piece as
list
...