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Designation: D2502 – 04

Standard Test Method for

Estimation of Mean Relative Molecular Mass of Petroleum
Oils from Viscosity Measurements1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D2502; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope Mean Relative Molecular Mass of Petroleum Oils from

1.1 This test method covers the estimation of the mean Viscosity Measurements (D2502)4
relative molecular mass of petroleum oils from kinematic 3. Summary of Test Method
viscosity measurements at 100 and 210°F (37.78 and
98.89°C).2 It is applicable to samples with mean relative 3.1 The kinematic viscosity of the oil is determined at 100
molecular masses in the range from 250 to 700 and is intended and 210°F (37.78 and 98.89°C). A function “H” of the 100°F
for use with average petroleum fractions. It should not be viscosity is established by reference to a tabulation of H
applied indiscriminately to oils that represent extremes of function versus 100°F viscosity. The H value and the 210°F
composition or possess an exceptionally narrow mean relative viscosity are then used to estimate the mean relative molecular
molecular mass range. mass from a correlation chart.
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded 4. Significance and Use
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only 4.1 This test method provides a means of calculating the
and are not considered standard. mean relative molecular mass of petroleum oils from another
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the physical measurement.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the 4.2 Mean relative molecular mass is a fundamental physical
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- constant that can be used in conjunction with other physical
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- properties to characterize hydrocarbon mixtures.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. 5. Procedure
2. Referenced Documents 5.1 Determine the kinematic viscosity of the oil at 100 and
2.1 ASTM Standards:3 210°F (37.78 and 98.89°C) as described in Test Method D445.
D445 Test Method for Kinematic Viscosity of Transparent 5.2 Look in Table 1 for 100°F (37.78°C) viscosity and read
and Opaque Liquids (and Calculation of Dynamic Viscos- the value of H that corresponds to the measured viscosity.
ity) Linear interpolation between adjacent columns may be re-
2.2 ASTM Adjuncts: quired.
5.3 Read the viscosity–mean relative molecular mass chart
for H and 210°F (98.89°C) viscosity. A simplified version of
this chart is shown in Fig. 1 for illustration purposes only (Note
1). Interpolate where necessary between adjacent lines of
210°F viscosity. After locating the point corresponding to the
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D02 on value of H (ordinate) and the 210°F viscosity (superimposed
Petroleum Products and Lubricants and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee lines), read the mean relative molecular mass along the
D02.04 on Hydrocarbon Analysis.
abscissa.
Current edition approved April 1, 2004. Published April 2004. Originally
approved in 1966. Last previous edition approved in 2002 as D2502–92(2002).
DOI: 10.1520/D2502-04.
2
Hirschler, A. E., Journal of the Institute of Petroleum, JIPEA, Vol 32, 1946, p.
133.
3
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
4
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from ASTM International Headquarters. Order Adjunct No.
the ASTM website. ADJD2502.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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D2502 – 04
TABLE 1 Tabulation of H Function

Kinematic
Viscosity,
H
cSt at 100°F
(37.78°C)
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
2 −178 −151 −126 −104 −85
3 −67 −52 −38 −25 −13
4 −1 9 19 28 36
5 44 52 59 66 73
6 79 85 90 96 101
7 106 111 116 120 124
8 128 132 136 140 144
9 147 151 154 157 160
10 163 166 169 172 175
11 178 180 183 185 188
12 190 192 195 197 199
13 201 203 206 208 210
14 211 213 215 217 219
15 221 222 224 226 227
16 229 231 232 234 235
17 237 238 240 241 243
18 244 245 247 248 249
19 251 252 253 255 256
20 257 258 259 261 262
21 263 264 265 266 267
22 269 270 271 272 273
23 274 275 276 277 278
24 279 280 281 281 282
25 283 284 285 286 287
26 288 289 289 290 291
27 292 293 294 294 295
28 296 297 298 298 299
29 300 301 301 302 303
30 304 304 305 306 306
31 307 308 308 309 310
32 310 311 312 312 313
33 314 314 315 316 316
34 317 317 318 319 319
35 320 320 321 322 322
36 323 323 324 325 325
37 326 326 327 327 328
38 328 329 329 330 331
39 331 332 332 333 333
H
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
40 334 336 339 341 343 345 347 349 352 354
50 355 357 359 361 363 364 366 368 369 371
60 372 374 375 377 378 380 381 382 384 385
70 386 387 388 390 391 392 393 394 395 397
80 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407
90 408 409 410 410 411 412 413 414 415 415
100 416 417 418 419 420 420 421 422 423 423
110 424 425 425 426 427 428 428 429 430 430
120 431 432 432 433 433 434 435 435 436 437
130 437 438 438 439 439 440 441 441 442 442
140 443 443 444 444 445 446 446 447 447 448
150 448 449 449 450 450 450 451 451 452 452
160 453 453 454 454 455 455 456 456 456 457
170 457 458 458 459 459 460 460 460 461 461
180 461 462 462 463 463 463 464 464 465 465
190 465 466 466 466 467 467 468 468 468 469
H
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
200 469 473 476 479 482 485 487 490 492 495
300 497 499 501 503 505 507 509 511 512 514
400 515 517 518 520 521 523 524 525 527 528
500 529 530 531 533 534 535 536 537 538 539
600 540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 547 548
700 549 550 551 551 552 553 554 554 555 556
800 557 557 558 559 559 560 561 562 562 563
900 563 564 565 565 566 566 567 567 568 569

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D2502 – 04

TABLE 1 Continued
Kinematic
Viscosity,
H
cSt at 100°F
(37.78°C)
H
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
1 000 569 574 578 583 587 591 594 597 600 603
2 000 605 608 610 612 614 616 618 620 621 623
3 000 625 626 628 629 631 632 633 634 636 637
4 000 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 647
5 000 648 649 650 651 652 652 653 654 655 656
6 000 656 657 658 658 659 660 660 661 662 662
7 000 663 664 664 665 665 666 666 667 667 668
8 000 668 669 670 670 671 671 671 672 672 673
9 000 673 674 674 675 675 676 676 677 677 677
H
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
10 000 678 681 684 688 691 694 696 699 701 703
20 000 705 707 709 711 712 714 715 717 718 719
30 000 720 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730
40 000 731 732 732 733 734 735 736 736 737 738
50 000 739 739 740 741 741 742 743 743 744 744
60 000 745 746 746 747 747 748 748 749 749 750
70 000 750 751 751 752 752 753 753 753 754 754
80 000 755 755 756 756 756 757 757 758 758 758
90 000 759 759 759 760 760 760 761 761 761 762
100 000 762 762 763 763 763 764 764 764 764 765

Using H = 461 and 210°F viscosity = 9.72 in conjunction

with chart gives mean relative molecular mass = 360 (see Fig.
1).
NOTE 1—A22 by 28-in. (559 by 711-mm) chart available as an adjunct
to this test method was used in cooperative testing of the method. If other
charts are used, the precision statements given in the Precision section will
not apply.

5.4 Report the mean relative molecular mass to the nearest

whole number.

6. Precision and Bias

6.1 The precision of this test method as obtained by statis-
tical examination of interlaboratory test results is as follows:
6.1.1 Repeatability—The difference between successive test
results obtained by the same operator with the same apparatus
under constant operating conditions on identical test material,
would in the long run, in the normal and correct operation of
the test method, exceed the value 3 only in one case in twenty.
6.1.2 Reproducibility—The difference between two single
and independent results, obtained by different operators, work-
ing in different laboratories on identical test material, would in
the long run, in the normal and correct operation of the test
FIG. 1 Viscosity-Mean Relative Molecular Mass Chart
method, exceed the value 25 only in one case in twenty.
6.2 Bias—Since there is no accepted reference material
Example:
suitable for determining bias for this test method, no statement
Measured viscosity, cSt: of bias can be made.
100°F (37.78°C) = 179 6.3 The precision for this test method was not obtained in
210°F (98.89°C) = 9.72 accordance with D02-1007, “Manual on Determining Preci-
Look in Table 1 for 179 and read the corresponding value H sion Data for ASTM Methods on Petroleum Products and
= 461. Lubricants.”

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D2502 – 04
7. Keywords
7.1 kinematic viscosity; mean relative molecular mass;
petroleum oils

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