Measuring the water content in petroleum products can be a messy business. Given that these samples tend to be difficult, direct analysis is oftentimes not an option.
With the Karl Fischer oven method, however, you can analyze the moisture and water content in these samples accurately, reliably, and efficiently.
Learn more about ASTM D6304!
The free white paper "Moisture in petroleum products according to ASTM D6304" explains how simple moisture determination in petroleum samples can be. Download this white paper to read in more detail about correct sampling for moisture analysis, the three procedures outlined in ASTM D6304 (i.e. direct injection, oven or water evaporator), and the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure.
How the Karl Fischer oven technique can help you
- Get accurate results for difficult samples
- Run up to 35 analyses fully automatically
- No cleaning of the measuring cell required between measurements
- No interferences, as only the water comes into contact with the KF reagent
- Clean solution, as single-use, disposable vials are used
- Specific water content determination with coulometric Karl Fischer titration
How does the Karl Fischer oven technique work?
The oven method is suitable for samples that release their water only at high temperatures, are difficult to dissolve or react with the KF reagent.
Sample preparation is very simple:
- The substance to be analyzed is weighed out into a sample vial, which is hermetically sealed with a septum and placed on the rack.
- The sample vial is heated in an oven to release the water from the sample.
- A double hollow needle pierces the septum and a stream of carrier gas transports the moisture to the titration cell for subsequent determination.
The advantage of the oven method is that the sample itself does not get in contact with the KF reagent. This prevents contamination of the oven and the titration cell, which means that there is no risk of carryover or memory effects. Possible contamination is confined to the sample container alone.