Abstract Title: | Sharper blending through faster response: great added value with advanced on-line elemental analysis |
Abstract Type: | Oral |
Session Choice: | Online & Process Monitoring |
Presenter Name: | Mr Taco van der Maten |
Co-authors: | Dr Michel Zoontjes |
Company/Organisation: | PANalytical |
Country: | Netherlands |
Abstract Information :
Worldwide environmental regulations drive a constant decrease of the sulphur levels in fuels as it relates
to acid rain and other detrimental environmental effects. The source for fuel, crude oil can contain high
sulphur concentrations up to several percents. However regulations, like the Euro VI, US Tier 3, China 5,
6 or other equivalent regulations, set the allowed limit for sulphur content of road fuel at 10 mg/kg. The
need to comply consistently with the global sulphur regulations leaves no room for process inefficiencies
to maximize the crack-spreads. If the sulphur content in fuels can be blended and produced closer and
more consistently to the regulated limits, car engines operate in a more environmental friendly way and
refining operations can achieve a higher return on their production process investments. Easily
thousands of Euro's per day can be saved by more accurate blending. To achieve these savings, it is
essential that the fuel composition can be monitored fast and accurately in real time.
Latest advances in energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technology offers the possibility to
apply XRF for on-line elemental analysis of sulfur and many other elements, simultaneously, repeatedly
and at the required low concentration levels. In this presentation we discuss an on-line EDXRF analyzer
for accurate blending control in refineries and fuel blending facilities. EDXRF has the advantage that
multiple elements can be measured simultaneously over a wide concentration range of wt% down to a
few mg/kg, for elements between sodium (Na) and americium (Am) in the periodic table. The obtained
precision and accuracy allows for much tighter process control in processes like blending and feed
control. Further, by employing this new on-line multi-element analyzer in other refinery processes
(desalination, hydro treatment), the simultaneously monitoring of other elements like Cl, Ca, Ni, V, Fe will
help to optimize process conditions and usage of catalyst and other resources. Examples will be
presented of great added value blending using simultaneous multi-element analysis at low mg/kg-levels
with highly repeatability.