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ASTM D6304 - Water in Petroleum Products, Lubricating Oils, and Additives by Coulometric Karl Fischer Titration

Significance and Use  

5.1 A knowledge of the water content is important in the manufacturing, purchase, sale, or transfer of petroleum products to help in predicting their quality and performance characteristics.

5.2 The presence of moisture could lead to premature corrosion and wear, an increase in the debris load resulting in diminished lubrication and premature plugging of filters, an impedance in the effect of additives, and undesirable support of deleterious bacterial growth.

1. Scope

1.1 This test method covers the direct determination of entrained water in petroleum products and hydrocarbons using automated instrumentation. This test method also covers the indirect analysis of water thermally removed from samples and swept with dry inert gas into the Karl Fischer titration cell. Mercaptan, sulfide (S– or H2S), sulfur, and other compounds are known to interfere with this test method (see Section 6). The precision statement of this method covers the nominal range of 20 mg/kg to 25 000 mg/kg for Procedure A, 30 mg/kg to 2100 mg/kg for Procedure B, and 20 mg/kg to 360 mg/kg for Procedure C.

1.2 This test method is intended for use with commercially available coulometric Karl Fischer reagents and for the determination of water in additives, lube oils, base oils, automatic transmission fluids, hydrocarbon solvents, and other petroleum products. By proper choice of the sample size, this test method may be used for the determination of water from mg/kg to percent level concentrations.

1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

Extracted, with permission, from ASTM D6304-20 - Water in Petroleum Products, Lubricating Oils, and Additives by Coulometric Karl Fischer Titration, copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428. A copy of the complete standard may be purchased from ASTM International, astm.org