ASTM D 86, Standard Test Method for Distillation of Petroleum Products at Atmospheric Pressure, is a critical test for petroleum products and lubricants. Developed in 2000, it provides volatility parameters for motor and other automotive spark-ignition fuels, aviation fuels, aviation turbine fuels, solvents, and other petroleum products.

The current relative bias of automatic vs. manual D 86 distillation data was obtained in 1962 for diesel and kerosene, and 1982 for gasoline. Improvements in automatic D 86 distillation technology require an updated accurate measure of relative bias between automatic and manual D 86 results. A task group of ASTM Committee D02 on Petroleum and Lubricants was formed to coordinate an interlab study to determine relative bias under strict compliance with D 86 distillation parameters.

Members of the petroleum, lubricants, and solvents industries who use D 86 will benefit from this activity. The study has drawn broad interest: 52 cooperatives in 13 European and North American countries. Among the group, 38 will use automatic instruments and 14 manual. Eight samples will be tested: summer and winter grades of diesel fuel, jet fuel, European unleaded gasoline, Canadian winter-grade gasoline, hexadecane; and toluene. Strict adherence to the D 86 parameters will be required to ensure that relative bias data is not influenced by deviations from the test method.

For technical details, contact task group chairman Didier Pigeon, ISL, Verson, France (phone: 332/312-6430). Committee D02 meets Dec. 2-7 in Miami Beach, Fla. For meeting or membership details, contact Dave Bradley, manager, ASTM Technical Committee Operations (phone: 610/832-9681). //

Copyright 2001, ASTM