Significance and Use
The hydrogen content represents a fundamental quality of a petroleum product that has been correlated with many of the performance characteristics of that product.
This test method provides a simple and more precise alternative to existing test methods, specifically combustion techniques (Test Methods D5291) for determining the hydrogen content on a range of petroleum products.
1. Scope
1.1 These test methods cover the determination of the hydrogen content of petroleum products ranging from atmospheric distillates to vacuum residua using a continuous wave, low-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. (Test Method D3701 is the preferred method for determining the hydrogen content of aviation turbine fuels using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.)
1.2 Three test methods are included here that account for the special characteristics of different petroleum products and apply to the following distillation ranges:
| Test Method | Petroleum Products | Boiling Range, °C (°F)
(approximate) |
| A | Light Distillates | 15–260 (60–500) |
| B | Middle Distillates | 200–370 (400–700) |
| Gas Oils | 370–510 (700–950) |
| C | Residua | 510+ (950+ ) |
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard. The preferred units are mass %.
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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific warning statements, see Sections 6.2 and 6.4.
2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) 
The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.
ASTM Standards
D3701 Test Method for Hydrogen Content of Aviation Turbine Fuels by Low Resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometry
D4057 Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and Petroleum Products
D5291 Test Methods for Instrumental Determination of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen in Petroleum Products and Lubricants
Keywords
distillate; gas oil; hydrogen content; light distillate; middle distillate; nuclear magnetic; petroleum products; residua; resonance spectroscopy ; Light distillates; Middle distillate fuels; Nessler tubes; Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry; Petroleum products; Residue--petroleum products; Vacuum testing--petroleum products; Atmospheric distillates; Gas oils; Hydrogen content--petroleum products; Weight
ICS Code
ICS Number Code 75.160.20 (Liquid fuels)
DOI: 10.1520/D4808-01R12
ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.
Citing ASTM Standards
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