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Advanced Distillation Curve Measurements for Corrosive Fluids: Application to Two Crude Oils

Published

Author(s)

Lisa S. Ott, Beverly L. Smith, Thomas J. Bruno

Abstract

We have recently introduced several important improvements in the measurement of distillation curves for complex fluids. The modifications provide for (1) temperature and volume measurements of low uncertainty, (2) temperature control based upon fluid behavior, and most important, (3) a composition-explicit data channel in addition to the usual temperature-volume relationship. This latter modification is achieved with a new sampling approach that allows precise qualitative as well as quantitative analyses of each fraction, on the fly. We have applied the new method to the measurement of simple n-alkanes, rocket propellant, gasoline, jet fuels, and a hydrocarbon fluid made corrosive with dissolved H2S. In the current contribution, we present the application of the advanced distillation curve method to two samples of crude oil. A primary motivation behind the work is to precisely measure the distillation curve of these oils using our advanced distillation apparatus. Then, the information content of each distillation can be extended much further using the composition-explicit data channel: gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), infrared spectrophotometry (IR), gas chromatography with sulfur chemiluminescence detection (GC-SCD), and the copper strip corrosion test (CSCT) were used for each distillate volume fraction sampled. Consequently, for each volume fraction of crude oil distillate sampled, we can address the composition, quantitate the total sulfur content, and measure the corrosivity.
Citation
Fuel
Volume
87

Keywords

copper strip corrosion test, crude oil, distillate composition, distillation curve

Citation

Ott, L. , Smith, B. and Bruno, T. (2008), Advanced Distillation Curve Measurements for Corrosive Fluids: Application to Two Crude Oils, Fuel (Accessed March 29, 2024)
Created June 1, 2008, Updated October 12, 2021