6 ANALYTICAL AND LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
Te energy sector demands state- of-the-art detection performance, reliability, and ease-of-use from its materials analysis tools, and SINDIE analysers help XOS’s customers monitor sulphur content in such diverse fuels as crude, biofuels, gasoline, and ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) with what the company describes as unrivalled accuracy.
SINDIE offers many advantages with a measurement technique based on monochromatic wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (MWDXRF). Te practical application of this technology in the SINDIE product line enables energy and transportation companies to meet clean-air mandates enforced by global regulators.
In turn, this reduces sulphur- oxide exhaust emissions that are responsible for producing acid rain and causing adverse health and environmental conditions.
Sinopec received recognition of this milestone at its refinery in Yanshan, China.
According to a Sinopec executive, “Te analyser has demonstrated significant performance advantages over other commonly used methods, such as coulometry, UV fluorescence, and conventional X-ray fluorescence. Tese advantages include high detection precision, high analysis speed, ease-of-use, high stability, and low maintenance. Te analyser has received wide acclaim from operators and technical staff
during the course of operation. In particular, the refinery division of the Sinopec Yanhua Company recently received high-octane fuel components, which required high- analysis precision and speed.”
Te SINDIE product line serves diverse market segments such as petroleum production, refining, and distribution; petrochemicals; biofuels; enforcement; independent testing; and power generation.
End-users include refinery labs, pipeline and marine terminal operators, enforcement authorities, and third-party test labs.
XOS spearheaded the ASTM D-7039 standard development covering the SINDIE measurement method, and the company maintains the task group chair for measuring sulphur in fuels.
Regulators worldwide recognised D-7039 for the purpose of certifying sulphur in fuels.
A portable version of the SINDIE benchtop analyser –SINDIE On-the-Go (OTG) – received Instrument Business Outlook’s 2009 Industrial Design Award for portable instruments.
Microprocessor-driven Meanwhile, with over 25 years of experience in developing and manufacturing sulphur analysers and associated parts and supplies, Analytical Systems International (ASI) has met these requirements
PAC rises to new sulphur standard S
ulphur Express from PAC provides quick, accurate detection of sulphur to the ASTM D7620 standard test method.
Daniel Benitez, PAC vice president of product
management & marketing, says: “D7620 is a win-win for fuel blenders and processors, putting faster, more accurate, more efficient sulphur detection in a portable analyser in the hands of those who need it most, and for whom fuel quality is critical.” ASTM D7620 is different from previously-used D5453
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because it does not require the use of compressed gasses for oxidation, enhancing the portability of the analyser. Both the process and the analyser are ideal for portable applications such as mobile labs and useful for screening applications when user does not want to send a sample to a lab for analysis. This means greater flexibility and efficiency. This test method covers the determination of total sulphur in liquid hydrocarbon based fuel with a final boiling point of up to 450°C. It is applicable to analysis of natural, processed and final product materials containing
sulphur in the range of 4.0-830 mg/kg. Some process catalysts used in refining can be poisoned when trace amounts of sulphur bearing materials are contained in the feedstocks. There are also government regulations as to how much sulphur is permitted to be present in commercial transportation fuels. This test method can be used to determine sulphur in process and downstream distribution streams. It can also be used for purposes of screening and quality control of finished hydrocarbon fuel products.
with its proven microprocessor-based analyser.
Te Model 1700 system measures total sulphur by hydrogenation similar to that as described in ASTM method D3031, D4084- 82, D4468-85 and 4045-81. Te sulphur sample is precisely metered into a continuous flowing stream of hydrogen gas. Te sample and hydrogen are heated in the furnace up to 1315°C resulting in thermal cracking of the sulphur and the formation of H2S.
After complete humidification of the sample, the H2S comes in direct contact with the lead acetate tape and produces a darkening of lead sulphide that is immediately measured by the photodiode/ LED optics and rate-of-reaction digital electronics to provide an accurate and reproducible total sulphur analysis with ppb or ppm sensitivity up to 100 per cent. Te LCD display provides the current reading, any alarm condition, procedure prompts (such as calibration procedure), and failure indicators (local and remote capability). Quality materials are selected for their compatibility and utilised through fabrication. Special attention is given to wetted parts that come in contact with the process stream and are selected to be non- reactive with H2S.
Te company cites four important applications:
● Alkylation. Te alkylation
processes used in production of high octane, low leaded gasolines can result in the formation of acid soluble oils due to excess sulphur content in the feed stock. Tis results in decreased profits. Utilising a continuous on-line sulphur analyser can help avoid these losses.
● Sulphur in ammonia. Sulphur compounds such as hydrogen sulphide, mercaptans, and carbonyl sulphide can react with catalytic metals and form useless oxides. A two-year catalyst bed could well be destroyed in a few hours resulting in losses of over a million dollars. Te continuous on-line total sulphur analyser can prevent this disaster.
● Reformers. Reformate catalysts are especially susceptible to sulphur poisoning. Te newer transition metal catalysts are even more susceptible to sulphur poisoning. Grab samples sent to the lab for analysis cannot be analysed often enough to provide adequate protection. Te continuous on-line total sulphur analyser provides fast, accurate information to protect the catalyst.
● Sulphur in synthesis gas. Many synthetic gas feed stocks contain excessive sulphur levels. Tese are normally hydrodesulphurised down to 100 ppb or less. Teoretically, if 100 per cent conversion is achieved, the remaining sulphur
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