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Gas reference materials

Liquid hydrocarbon standards

Traceable standards to support transfer of LPG and LNG  

The quantity of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) being imported into Europe is increasing as natural gas resources decline. Traceable standards for the measurement of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures such as LPG and LNG are required in order to support this important industrial sector. These standards are used to calibrate the instruments measuring the composition of LPG and LNG, which allows the physical properties of the mixtures to be calculated.

NPL's liquid hydrocarbon standards are typically provided in one litre constant pressure (piston) cylinders. These cylinders employ a piston as a physical barrier maintained by an over-pressure of an inert gas, which ensures that the mixture remains in the liquid phase. An integral cylinder mixer enables that the mixtures are homogenous.

Examples of some typical components in NPL's liquid hydrocarbon standards are listed below. Other components may be included on request.

Ethane n-butane cis-2-butene
Propane 1-butene 1,3-butadiene
Propene i-butene n-pentane
i-butane trans-2-butene n-hexane

Download our Guide to handling liquid hydrocarbons in constant pressure cylinders

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