⛽ Volatile matter content of solid recovered fuel (SRF) — loss in mass of the general analysis sample heated without access of air at (900 ± 10) °C for 7 min in a crucible with lid, less the loss due to moisture determined according to ISO 21660-3; electric furnace regaining temperature within 4 min after insertion of a cold stand, quartz or porcelain crucible 10–14 g, gravimetric method, PN-EN ISO 22167

Petrochemistry PN-EN ISO 22167

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Scope from the PKN catalogue card of PN-EN ISO 22167:2021-08, in full (our translation of the Polish card text): “This document specifies the requirements and a method for determining the volatile matter content of solid recovered fuels”. We read the text of the standard in the preview of ISO 22167:2021 in the French version (the English preview could not be downloaded) from the cover to clause 5.3 (crucible — up to the requirement for the mass of the crucible with lid, page 4); we do not have the rest of clause 5.3, clauses 5.4–5.5 (stand, balance), Clauses 6–10 (sampling and sample preparation, procedure, calculation — case A and case B, precision, test report) or Annexes A and B.

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF ISO 22167:2021 (foreword, introduction, Clauses 1–5.3; read in French). The standard was developed by ISO/TC 300 (solid recovered fuels) in collaboration with CEN/TC 343 under the Vienna Agreement. Introduction: volatile matter is the loss in mass of the analysis sample, after deduction of moisture, when heated at a specified temperature, for a specified time and in a reduced atmosphere (anoxic conditions); the test is empirical — for reproducible results the heating rate, final temperature and total duration must be strictly controlled; during heating air must be excluded from the fuel to prevent oxidation; moisture is determined at the same time so that a correction can be applied; the mineral matter of the sample may also lose mass, depending on the type and amount of minerals; the method is based on EN 15402 and ISO 562; the standard is intended for laboratories, producers, suppliers and purchasers of recovered fuels, and is also useful for control bodies. Scope (Clause 1): requirements and a method for determining volatile matter in solid recovered fuels. Normative references: ISO 21637 (vocabulary), ISO 21645 (sampling), ISO 21646 (sample preparation; at the time of publication draft ISO/DIS 21646:2021), ISO 21660-3 (moisture in the general analysis sample, oven method). Definitions (Clause 3): ash A — mass of inorganic residue after combustion under specified conditions, usually as a percentage of dry matter; removed ash contributors (rac) — coarse inert materials (metals, glass, stones, tiles) removed from the pre-dried sample before preparation so as not to damage equipment, included in ash calculations; total organic matter — the combustible part of the fuel, the sum of volatile matter and fixed carbon, calculated as 100 − moisture − ash (so-called loss on ignition, LOI); volatile matter — the relative part of the analysis sample, after deduction of moisture, lost on heating under specified conditions in an anoxic atmosphere; fixed carbon — calculated as 100 − moisture − volatile matter − ash; pre-drying — drying that limits moisture losses in the subsequent stages of sample division and biological activity. Principle (Clause 4): a test portion of the general analysis sample is heated without contact with air at (900 ± 10) °C for 7 min; the percentage of volatile matter is calculated from the loss in mass after deducting the loss due to moisture; automatic equipment (e.g. thermogravimetric analysers) is permitted if validated by parallel measurements with the reference method and meeting all requirements for sample size, heating procedure, temperature, atmosphere and weighing accuracy; deviations must be recorded and justified. Furnace (5.1): electrically heated, maintaining (900 ± 10) °C; with automatic shut-off at the end of the cycle or with a flue at the rear (diameter about 25 mm, length 150 mm) — then the doors must be tight and the flue fitted with a butterfly valve limiting air flow; heat capacity such that after insertion of a cold stand with crucibles the temperature of (900 ± 10) °C is regained within 4 min; zone of uniform temperature at least 160 mm × 100 mm (many crucibles in a stand) or 40 mm in diameter (one crucible); one fixed position of the stand in this zone for all determinations; Figure 1 — example of a furnace. Thermocouple (5.2): unsheathed, reaching the centre of the interior of each crucible in the zone of uniform temperature, junction midway between the bottom of the crucible in the stand and the furnace floor; with several crucibles the temperature of each is checked in the same way; a sheathed thermocouple may be permanently installed, but its readings must be compared regularly with the unsheathed one; note: the characteristic of a thermocouple kept at high temperature changes gradually. Crucible (5.3): cylindrical, with a close-fitting lid, both of quartz, porcelain or another suitable material; crucible with lid of mass from 10 g to 14 g and dimensions as in Figure 2 — this is where the part we read ends.

STATUS (cards as of 02.10.2026). The card of PN-EN ISO 22167:2021-08 in the English version (published 25-08-2021, 28 pages, price group N) does not carry the heading “Wycofana” (withdrawn): Mining Sector, KT 144 Coke and Processed Solid Fuels, ICS 75.160.10, “Introduces: EN ISO 22167:2021 [IDT], ISO 22167:2021 [IDT]”, “Replaces: PN-EN 15402:2011 – English version”. PN-EN 15402:2011 (English version, published 28-06-2011, introduced EN 15402:2011) — withdrawn 25-08-2021, “Replaced by: PN-EN ISO 22167:2021-08”.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, load up to 17.09.2026, read on 02.10.2026). The number 22167 appears in 9 records at 9 laboratories: AB 005, AB 054, AB 081, AB 213, AB 300, AB 313, AB 550, AB 687, AB 1913. In the current scopes on the PCA website (read on 02.10.2026, issues from 02.09.2025 to 22.09.2026) eight laboratories cite “PN-EN ISO 22167:2021-08”, and AB 550 — “PN-EN ISO 22167” without a year, alongside the withdrawn PN-EN 15402:2011. No row is set in bold italics (at AB 054 the suspension concerns another part of the scope).The “Laboratories” tab searches for entries STARTING WITH “PN-EN ISO 22167” and shows all 9 laboratories and 9 items — checked with the tab query on the labcoda.pl production server on 02.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (items in the PCA scopes). Solid fuels — solid recovered fuels (SRF), alternative fuels, wastes with codes including 19 12 10 and from groups 02, 03 and 20 — “volatile matter content, gravimetric method”, with ranges: (2,0–90,0) % (AB 213), (4,0–90,0) % (AB 054), (10,0–80,0) % (AB 687), (12,0–90,0) % (AB 313), (50,00–90,00) % (AB 081), (50,0–70,0) % (AB 300, AB 1913), (55,35–65,40) % (AB 005); AB 550 without a range. Alongside ash (PN-EN ISO 21656), moisture, sulphur and total carbon, calorific value (PN-EN ISO 21654) and biomass content (PN-EN ISO 21644).

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. Furnace: the test is empirical — a furnace that does not return to (900 ± 10) °C within 4 min after insertion of a cold stand, or a stand outside the zone of uniform temperature, gives a different loss. Air: leaky doors, an open flue without a valve or a poorly fitting crucible lid allow oxidation — part of the fixed carbon burns and increases the result. Temperature: a sheathed thermocouple not compared with an unsheathed one, and an ageing junction, shift the temperature. Moisture: without a parallel moisture determination (ISO 21660-3) the loss in mass is not the volatile matter content. Sample: removed coarse ash contributors (metals, glass, stones) must be taken into account in the calculations — the standard has two calculation cases, A and B (Clause 8, formulae NOT GIVEN). Automatic analysers (TGA): permitted only after validation by parallel measurements; deviations are recorded and justified. Reference: AB 550 cites the withdrawn PN-EN 15402:2011 and PN-EN ISO 22167 side by side.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We do not have the rest of clause 5.3 or clauses 5.4–5.5, Clause 6 (sampling and preparation, test portion size), Clause 7 (procedure, number of determinations, checking the furnace temperature), Clause 8 (calculations — cases A and B), Clause 9 (repeatability and reproducibility limits), Clause 10 (test report) or Annexes A (results of interlaboratory tests) and B (environmental aspects) — so we do not give formulae, the test portion or precision data.

Method principle

A test portion of the general analysis sample of solid recovered fuel in a crucible with a close-fitting lid is heated without contact with air at (900 ± 10) °C for 7 min; the volatile matter content is the percentage loss in mass less the loss due to moisture, determined in parallel according to ISO 21660-3.

Applications

• Solid recovered fuels (SRF) and alternative fuels from waste — fuel characterization, 9 laboratories
• Calculation of fixed carbon (100 − moisture − volatile matter − ash) and total organic matter
• Quality control at producers, suppliers and users of recovered fuels (e.g. cement plants, heating plants)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-EN ISO 22167:2021-08 (wersja angielska; EN ISO 22167:2021 IDT, ISO 22167:2021 IDT)

Title (PL)

Stałe paliwa wtórne — Oznaczanie zawartości części lotnych

Title (EN)

Solid recovered fuels — Determination of the content of volatile matter

Step-by-step procedure

1. Analysis sample

   Sampling according to ISO 21645, preparation according to ISO 21646; removed coarse ash contributors are recorded for the calculations. PN-EN ISO 22167:2021-08 current (cards as of 02.10.2026).

2. Preparing the furnace

   Furnace at (900 ± 10) °C, temperature checked with an unsheathed thermocouple in the uniform zone; fixed stand position.

3. Heating

   Test portion in a weighed crucible with lid, inserted into the furnace without access of air for 7 min; the temperature must return to (900 ± 10) °C within 4 min (details of the procedure — Clause 7, NOT GIVEN).

4. Weighing

   Cooling and weighing of the crucible; loss in mass of the test portion.

5. Calculation

   Volatile matter = loss in mass minus loss due to moisture (ISO 21660-3), in percent; cases A and B (with and without removed ash contributors) — Clause 8, formulae NOT GIVEN.

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• Furnace at 900 °C — gloves and tongs for hot crucibles, face shield when opening the door; pyrolysis gases to be extracted; the part of the standard we read contains no safety warnings
• SUBSTANTIVE NOTE: empirical test — any deviation in heating rate, temperature, time or crucible tightness changes the result; a result without moisture correction is not the volatile matter content

Frequently asked questions