Application Report ADU 5: ASTM Proficiency Testing Program for Distillation of Gasoline

This Application Report describes the distillation of gasoline performed with the automatic distillation unit ADU 5 for the ASTM Proficiency Testing Program. You will get information about all accessories you need and how you have to set up your ADU 5 to obtain excellent results.

Quality and reliability of test results are essential for laboratories. The ASTM Proficiency Testing Program (PTP) is a valuable tool for laboratories and instrument manufacturers worldwide to conduct equal tests on the same material in accordance with the same test method. ASTM will evaluate the performance of the laboratories by arranging a statistical analysis of the results.

Participating in interlaboratory studies (ILS) organized by the German standardization body DIN or the European Standardization Committee EN for more than 20 years, ILS have a long history with Anton Paar.

To verify the excellent precision of Anton Paar’s automatic distillation unit and to extend the geographical range of these interlaboratory tests to a worldwide level, we have now participated for the first time in the ASTM Proficiency Testing Program. In this PTP the gasoline sample MG 1704 was analyzed by all participating laboratories (approx. 130 laboratories).

The given standard was ASTM D86 covering the atmospheric distillation of petroleum products and liquid fuels. In general, ASTM D86 defines a method to determine quantitatively the boiling range characteristics of materials such as automotive spark ignition fuels, aviation gasolines, diesel fuels, light and middle distillates.

ASTM organizes the ILS and conducts the statistical analysis of the reported results. The performance of the ADU 5 was found to be exceptional since the deviation of the ADU 5 test results (evaporated temperature values) from the ILS average is remarkably low as shown in the comparison table.