EN ISO 16960:2014

Natural gas - Determination of sulfur compounds - Determination of total sulfur by oxidative microcoulometry method (ISO 16960:2014)

ISO 16960:2014 specifies a method for the determination of total sulfur in the range from 1 mg/m3 to 200 mg/m3 in pipeline natural gas by oxidative microcoulometry. Natural gas with sulfur contents above 200 mg/m3 can be analysed after dilution with a suitable sulfur-free solvent.

Erdgas - Bestimmung von Schwefelverbindungen - Bestimmung des Schwefelgehalts mittels oxidativem mikrocoulometrischen Verfahren (ISO 16960:2014)

Diese Internationale Norm legt ein Verfahren fest, um mit Hilfe der oxidativen Mikrocoulometrie den Schwefelgehalt im Bereich von 1 mg/m3 bis 200 mg/m3 in Erdgas aus Pipelines zu bestimmen. Erdgas mit Schwefelgehalten über 200 mg/m3 kann nach Verdünnen mit einem geeigneten schwefelfreien Lösemittel ebenfalls untersucht werden.

Gaz naturel - Détermination des composés soufrés - Détermination de la teneur totale en soufre par microcoulométrie oxydante (ISO 16960:2014)

L'ISO 16960:2014 spécifie une méthode de détermination de la teneur totale en soufre dans la plage de 1 mg/m3 à 200 mg/m3 dans les canalisations de gaz naturel par microcoulométrie oxydante. Le gaz naturel avec des teneurs en soufre supérieures à 200 mg/m3 peut être analysé après dilution appropriée avec un solvant exempt de soufre.

Zemeljski plin - Določevanje žveplovih spojin - Določevanje celotnega žvepla z oksidativno mikrokulometrično metodo (ISO 16960:2014)

Ta mednarodni standard določa metodo za določevanje celotnega žvepla v razponu od
1 mg/m3 do 200 mg/m3 v cevovodu zemeljskega plina z oksidativno mikrokulometrijo. Zemeljski plin z vsebnostjo
žvepla nad 200 mg/m3 je mogoče analizirati po redčenju z primernim topilom brez žvepla.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 14-Oct-2014
• ICS: 75.060 - Natural gas
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 238 - Test gases, test pressures and categories of appliances
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 238 - Test gases, test pressures and categories of appliances
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 15-Oct-2014
• Completion Date: 15-Oct-2014
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO 16960:2014 - Natural gas - Determination of sulfur compounds - Determination of total sulfur by oxidative microcoulometry method (ISO 16960:2014)

Overview

EN ISO 16960:2014 - Natural gas - Determination of sulfur compounds - Determination of total sulfur by oxidative microcoulometry - is a CEN-endorsed ISO method for measuring total sulfur in pipeline natural gas. The method covers measurement of total sulfur in the range 1 mg/m³ to 200 mg/m³ by oxidative microcoulometry; samples above 200 mg/m³ can be analysed after dilution with a suitable sulfur‑free solvent. The standard specifies principle, reagents, apparatus, test preparation, procedure, calculation and precision requirements.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Test principle: oxidative pyrolysis converts sulfur compounds to SO2, which is titrated in a microcoulometric titration cell. Iodine consumed by SO2 is regenerated by electrolysis; the electrical charge consumed (Faraday’s law) is used to calculate sulfur mass concentration.
• Scope: pipeline natural gas; total sulfur determination (1–200 mg/m³); dilution allowed for higher concentrations.
• Reagents and gases:
  • Test water to ISO 3696 Grade 3.
  • Glacial acetic acid and potassium iodide (analytical purity).
  • Oxygen ≥ 99.99 % (max 0.01 % sulfur-containing gases).
  • Carrier gas (argon/helium/nitrogen) ≥ 99.99 % (max 0.01 % sulfur-containing gases).
• Apparatus:
  • Converter with three heating zones: preheat ~800 °C, combustion ~900 °C, exit ~800 °C (±20 °C).
  • Titration cell with electrolysis and indicator/reference electrodes.
  • Microcoulometer that records current/time and displays sulfur content.
  • Flow controller, electromagnetic agitator, calibrated air‑tight syringes (0.25–5 ml) and 25 ml volumetric flask.
• Preparation details: electrolyte recipe (0.5 g KI in 100 ml water + 5 ml acetic acid, diluted to 1 L; store in brown bottle; shelf life ~3 months).
• Quality and calibration: use calibration gas mixtures per ISO 6142/6144/6146; recommended calibration gas sulfur spec (e.g., H2S) close to sample concentration. Sampling guidance per ISO 10715.
• Precision: the standard includes repeatability and general precision provisions for method performance.

Applications and users

• Who uses it: gas analysis laboratories, transmission and distribution operators, pipeline quality control teams, custody transfer labs, regulatory and environmental monitoring bodies.
• Practical uses:
  • Routine quality control of pipeline natural gas.
  • Compliance testing for contractual sulfur limits and environmental regulations.
  • Method for labs needing trace-to-low-level total sulfur quantification with rapid, direct measurement.

Related standards

• ISO 6326‑3 (potentiometry for H2S/mercaptans/COS)
• ISO 6326‑5 (combustion methods)
• ISO 19739 (GC-based sulfur compound analysis)
• ISO 10715 (sampling of natural gas)
• ISO 6142 / 6144 / 6146 (preparation of calibration gas mixtures)

Keywords: EN ISO 16960:2014, natural gas, total sulfur, oxidative microcoulometry, sulfur determination, pipeline natural gas, microcoulometer, gas analysis.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2014
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RNVLGDWLYQRPLNURNXORPHWULþQRPHWRGR,62
Natural gas - Determination of sulfur compounds - Determination of total sulfur by
oxidative microcoulometry method (ISO 16960:2014)
Erdgas - Bestimmung von Schwefelverbindungen - Bestimmung des Schwefelgehalts
mittels oxidativem mikrocoulometrischen Verfahren (ISO 16960:2014)
Gaz naturel - Détermination des composés soufrés - Détermination de la teneur totale en
soufre par microcoulométrie oxydante (ISO 16960:2014)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 16960:2014
ICS:
75.060 Zemeljski plin Natural gas
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN ISO 16960
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
October 2014
ICS 75.060
English Version
Natural gas - Determination of sulfur compounds - Determination
of total sulfur by oxidative microcoulometry method (ISO
16960:2014)
Gaz naturel - Détermination des composés soufrés - Erdgas - Bestimmung von Schwefelverbindungen -
Détermination de la teneur totale en soufre par Bestimmung des Schwefelgehalts mittels oxidativem
microcoulométrie oxydante (ISO 16960:2014) mikrocoulometrischen Verfahren (ISO 16960:2014)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 24 August 2014.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same
status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United
Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2014 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 16960:2014 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
Foreword .3

Foreword
This document (EN ISO 16960:2014) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 193 "Natural gas".
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical
text or by endorsement, at the latest by April 2015, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the
latest by April 2015.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 16960:2014 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 16960:2014 without any modification.
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 16960
First edition
2014-10-01
Natural gas — Determination of sulfur
compounds — Determination of total
sulfur by oxidative microcoulometry
method
Gaz naturel — Détermination des composés soufrés — Détermination
de la teneur totale en soufre par microcoulométrie oxydante
Reference number
ISO 16960:2014(E)
©
ISO 2014
ISO 16960:2014(E)
© ISO 2014
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
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Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

ISO 16960:2014(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Test principle . 1
4 Reagents . 1
5 Apparatus . 2
5.1 Converter . 2
5.2 Titration cell . 2
5.3 Microcoulometer . 2
5.4 Flow controller. 2
5.5 Electromagnetic agitator . 2
5.6 Medical syringe . 2
5.7 Volumetric flask . 2
6 Test preparation . 2
6.1 Preparation of electrolyte . 2
6.2 Reference sample . 2
6.3 Apparatus installation . 3
6.4 Preparation of instrument . 3
6.5 Check and adjustment of the instrument . 3
6.6 Determination of recovery factor of sulfur . 3
7 Test procedure . 4
7.1 Sampling . 4
7.2 Sample injection and measurement . 4
8 Calculation . 4
8.1 Volume conversion . 4
8.2 Calculation of total sulfur mass concentration in the gas sample . 5
9 Precision . 6
9.1 General . 6
9.2 Repeatability . 6
Bibliography . 7
ISO 16960:2014(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
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ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document a
...