Significance and Use
5.1 Elemental sulfur impacts the quality of pipeline natural gas and deposits on pipeline flanges, fittings and valves, thereby impacting their performance. Natural gas suppliers and distributers require a standardized test method for measuring elemental sulfur. Some government regulators are also interested in measuring elemental sulfur since it would provide a means for assessing the contribution of elemental sulfur in pipelines to the SOx emission inventory from burning of gaseous fuels. Use of this method in concert with sulfur gas laboratory test methods such as Test Methods D4084, D4468, D5504, and D6228 or on-line methods such as D7165 or D7166 can provide users with a comprehensive sulfur compound profile for natural gas or other gaseous fuels. Other applications may include elemental sulfur in particulate deposits such as diesel exhausts.
Scope
1.1 This test method is primarily for the determination of elemental sulfur in natural gas pipelines, but it may be applied to other gaseous fuel pipelines and applications provided the user has validated its suitability for use. The detection range for elemental sulfur, reported as sulfur, is 0.0018 to 30 mg/L. The results may also be reported in units of mg/kg or ppm.
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.
1.3 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.
