Purpose of Compulsory Standard

The compulsory standard declared in paragraph 2 is intended primarily to– (a) protect the consumer or user against danger to health or safety; (b) ensure quality in goods produced for home use or for export; (c) prevent fraud or deception arising from misleading advertising or labelling; (d) require adequate information to be given to the consumer or user; and 456 (e) ensure quality in any case where there is restriction in choice of source of supply. 457 SCHEDULE (Paragraph 2) BELIZE STANDARD BZS21: 2012: SPECIFICATION FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES (LPG) 0 FOREWORD 0.1 Liquefied petroleum gas products are composed of those readily liquefied hydrocarbon compounds that are produced in the course of processing natural gas and also in the course of the conventional refining of crude oil. The composition of liquefied gases can vary widely depending upon the source and the nature of the treatment to which the products have been subjected. 0.2 There are many uses for liquefied petroleum gases as follows: (a) as domestic, commercial and industrial fuels; (b) as a carbon source material in metal treating operations; (c) as refinery raw materials for synthesis of gasoline components; and (d) as petrochemical raw materials. 0.3 The nature of the needs dictates the required composition characteristics in these various applications. Since the last three uses of those listed are in the category of specialty applications, which involves special requirements, they are excluded from consideration. 0.4 In substance this specification is designed to properly define acceptable products for domestic, commercial and industrial uses. 458 Standards 0.5 In the formulation of this standard considerable assistance was derived from the following standardsISO 9162: 1998 (E) - Petroleum Products- Fuels (Class F) Liquefied petroleum gases-Specifications- International Organization for Standardization; ASTM D 1835-05 - Standard Specification for Liquefied Petroleum (LP) Gases- American Standard Test Method; SLNS 76: 2011 - Specification for Liquefied Petroleum Gases- Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards; TTS 59: 1995 - Standard Specification for Liquefied Petroleum Gas- Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards; and JS 28 :1973 - Standards Specification for Commercial Butane and Commercial Propane- Butane Mixture- Bureau of Standards Jamaica. 1 SCOPE 1.1 This specification covers those products commonly referred to as liquefied petroleum gases consisting of propane, Standards 459 propene (propylene), butane and mixtures of those materials. Three basic types of liquefied petroleum gases are provided to cover the common use applications. 1.2 This specification is applicable to products intended for use as domestic, commercial and industrial heating and engine fuels. 1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The imperial values are given for information. 1.4 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 health and safety practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES 2.1 The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) appliesASTM D1267- 02 (2007) Standard Test Method for Gage Vapor Pressure of Liquefied Petroleum (LP) Gases (LP-Gas Method); ASTM D1837-02a (2007) Standard Test Method for Volatility of Liquefied Petroleum (LP) Gases; ASTM D 2163-07 Standard Test Method for Determination of Hydrocarbons in Liquefied Petroleum (LP) Gases and Propane/Propene Mixtures by Gas Chromatography; 460 Standards ASTM D2158-05 Standard Test Method for Residues in Liquefied Petroleum (LP) Gases; ASTM D1838-07 Standard Test Method for Copper Strip Corrosion by Liquefied Petroleum (LP) Gases; ASTM D6667-04 Standard Test Method for Determination of Total Volatile Sulfur in Gaseous Hydrocarbons and Liquefied Petroleum Gases by Ultraviolet Fluorescence; ASTM D2420-07 Standard Test Method for Hydrogen Sulfide in Liquefied Petroleum (LP) Gases (Lead Acetate Method); and ASTM D3700-07 Standard Practices for Obtaining LPG Samples Using a Floating Piston Cylinder; ISO 4257:2001 Liquefied petroleum gases- Method of sampling; ISO 4259:2006 Petroleum products- Determination and application of precision data in relation to methods of test; ISO 3993:1984 Liquefied petroleum gas and light hydrocarbons-Determination of density or relative density-Pressure hydrometer method; ISO 8973:1997 Liquefied petroleum gases- Calculation method for density and vapour pressure and; Standards 461 ISO 7941:1988 Commercial propane and butane - Analysis by gas chromatography. 3. DEFINITIONS For the purpose of this standard the following definitions apply3.1 Commercial butane means a hydrocarbon product composed predominantly of butane and/or butanes; the remaining part may consist mainly of propane/propene and pentane/pentane isomers. 3.2 Commercial PB mixtures means mixtures of propane and butane for use where intermediate volatility is required. 3.3 Commercial propane means a hydrocarbon product composed predominantly of propane and/or propene; the remaining part may consist mainly of ethane/ethane and butane/butane isomers. 3.4 Liquefied petroleum gas means a by-product from the processing of natural gas or petroleum gas or from petroleum refining, consisting of a mixture of low-boiling hydrocarbons that exists in a liquid state at ambient temperature and includes commercial butane, commercial propane, commercial butane- propane mixtures and special duty propane blends. 3.5 Special duty propane means a high quality product composed primarily of propane, which exhibits superior anti- knock characteristics when used in an internal combustion engine 462 Standards 4. REQUIREMENTS 4.1 General When determined in accordance with the methods in Table 1, the properties of liquefied petroleum gas shall be in accordance with the limiting requirements given in that table. NOTE: Individual contractual agreements, national standards, national safety codes and/or requirements of distribution systems may prescribe other limits TABLE 1 SPECIFICATIONS FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES Characteristics Method Commercial Commercial Commercial of Test(s) propane butane PB mixture Composition of LPG ASTM D 2597 More than 70% by liquid volume of commercial propane More than 70% by liquid volume of commercial butane Mixture of butane and/or propane containing not more than 70% commercial propane Gauge vapour pressure at 37.8°C kPa, max ASTM D 1267 1434 483 1434 1434 (psig) (max) 208 70 208 208 Volatile residue: Evaporated temperature, 95%, max °C ASTM D 1837 -38.3 2.2 2.2 -38.3 Standards 463 Characteristics Method Commercial Commercial Commercial Special of Test(s) propane butane PB mixture Duty Propane Butane and heavier, max, vol % ASTM D 2163 2.5 Not applicable Not applicable 2.5 Pentane and heavier, max, vol % ASTM D 2163 Not applicable 2.0 2.0 Not applicable Residue on evaporation ASTM D 2158 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 100ml, max ml Oil stain observation ASTM D 2158 Pass Pass Pass Pass Corrosion copper, strip ASTM D 1838 No. 1 No.1 No. 1 No. 1 Sulphur ASTM D 6667 185 140 140 185 Hydrogen sulphide ASTM D 2420 Pass Pass Pass Pass Free water content Not applicable None None Not applicable Visual inspection Moisture content ASTM Pass Not applicable Not applicable pass D 2713 Stenching Limit (mercapan sulphur concentration, ppm) ASTM D 5305 10 – 50 464 Standards 4.2 Composition of LPG 4.2.1 Commercial butane shall be more than 70% by liquid volume of commercial butane and/or butanes; the remaining part may consist mainly of propane/propene and pentane/pentane isomers. 4.2.2 Commercial propane/butane mixture shall be a hydrocarbon mixture consisting of not more than seventy percent (70%) by liquid volume of commercial propane or commercial butane as the other hydrocarbon. 4.2.3 Commercial propane shall be more than 70% by liquid volume of propane and/or propene; the remaining part may consist mainly of ethane/ ethane and butane/butane isomers. 4.2.4 Special duty propane shall be a product comprising propane of not less than ninety percent (90%) liquid volume. 4.2.5 The requirements for the commercial butane, commercial propane, commercial propane/butane mixtures and special duty propane shall meet the limits specified in Table 1 when tested in accordance with the relevant test methods in Table 1. 4.2.6 Commercial butane and commercial propane/butane shall have the compositions stated in Table 1 and shall not contain free or suspended water detectable by visual inspection. (See Table 1). 4.2.7 Commercial propane and special duty propane shall have moisture content as measured by ASTM D 2713 in Table 1 4.3 Stenching of LPG 4.3.1 All LPG gases shall be odorised by the addition of a stenching agent that is rendered distinctive and unpleasant, prior to the delivery to a distributing plant. Such a stenching agent shall be detectable, by a distinct odour, down to a concentration Standards 465 in air of not over 20% of the lower limit of flammability when tested in accordance with ASTM D 5305. 4.4 Precision and interpretation of test results Most of the methods of tests given in Table 1 contain a statement of the precision, i.e. the repeatability and reproducibility, to be expected from them but, in cases of dispute, the procedure described in ISO 4259, which uses precision data in the interpretation of test results shall be used. 4.5 Additional information to be supplied by the vendor to the purchaser (in writing). The vendor of the LPG shall supply the purchaser with the following additional information– (a) Density: The density, in kilograms per cubic meter at 27°C, determined by the method in ISO 3993/ISO 8973; (b) C2 hydrocarbon content: The molar percentage of C2 hydrocarbons and the method used to carry out the determination; (c) Unsaturated hydrocarbons: The molar percentage of unsaturated hydrocarbons, determined in accordance with ISO 7941; and (d) Residual matter: The residual matter, in milligrams per kilogram, and the method used to carry out the determination. NOTE: The attention of the user of this standard is directed to the introductory discussion and proposed test method given in Annex A. 466 Standards 5 DOCUMENTATION The documentation supplied to the purchaser by the vendor shall include at least the following– (a) A reference to this National Standard; (b) The type of Liquefied Petroleum Gas supplied, i.e. commercial propane, commercial butane or commercial PB mixture; or (c) Precautionary and safety advice. NOTE: If a transportable container is supplied with the liquefied petroleum gas, it shall also be clearly marked with this information. 6. SAMPLING Proper sampling of liquefied gases is extremely important if the test results are to be significant. Representative sample shall be taken in accordance with the procedure given in ISO 4257 or ASTM 3700. MADE by the Minister responsible for the Bureau of Standards this 30th day of October, 2012. HON. ERVIN CONTRERAS Minister responsible for the Bureau of Standards