Micro-Z ULS WDXRF Analyser from Rigaku Facilitates Compliance with New EPA Tier 3 Standards for Sulfur in Fuels

In 2017, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 3 standards for gasoline sulfur content for light-duty and medium-duty passenger vehicles took effect. Tier 3 sets new vehicle emissions standards and lowers the sulfur content of gasoline, addressing the vehicle and its fuel as an integrated system. This action was requested in a May 2010 Presidential memorandum. The proposed Tier 3 gasoline sulfur standards are similar to levels previously in place in California, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and several other countries.

The Tier 3 program’s gasoline sulfur reductions are critical to enabling manufacturers to comply across the fleet with the stringent vehicle standards. The gasoline sulfur standards are designed to achieve significant and immediate benefits by reducing emissions from existing vehicles. Under the final Tier 3 program, the EPA requires refiners to reduce the annual average amount of sulfur in gasoline to 10 parts per million, down from the current standard of 30 ppm, as of January 1, 2017.

To facilitate compliance with new and changing regulations, Rigaku Corporation has introduced the Rigaku Micro-Z ULS sulfur analyser. Designed for ultra-low level sulfur analysis of diesel and gasoline (petrol) fuels, this benchtop wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) instrument features a novel design that measures both the sulfur peak and the background intensity.

The Rigaku Micro-Z ULS is the ideal solution for sulfur analysis of petroleum-based fuels, with a lower limit of detection (LLD) of 0.3 parts per million (ppm) S. Employing robust fixed optics, featuring a specially designed doubly curved RX-9 analysing crystal, the analyser can be powered by any standard wall AC outlet.

The unit is specifically designed for non-technical users. All operations – from calibration through routine analysis – can be performed via the easy-to-use interface.

The Rigaku Micro-Z ULS meets ASTM 2622-10, ISO 20884 and JIS K2541-7 specifications.

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