| Abstract Title: | Using Thermal Gravimetric Analyzer as Alternative Approach to Conventional Techniques in Measuring Boiling Point Distribution for Crude Oil Sample |
| Abstract Type: | Oral |
| Session Choice: | Alternative approaches to conventional techniques |
| Presenter Name: | Ms Chang Hong Voon |
| Co-authors: | Ms Alia Khalid Mr Ahmad Safwan Razali |
| Company/Organisation: | Petronas Research |
| Country: | Malaysia |
Abstract Information :
In the crude refinery industry, boiling point distribution profile is the most important property of a whole crude oil which provide vital information related to the yield of distillation cuts. Common distillation techniques used in lab to determine the boiling profile are using small scale distillation towers namely atmospheric distillation by ASTM D86 and vacuum distillation by ASTM D1160, or simulated distillation SIMDIST by Gas Chromatography ASTM D2887/D7900/D7169 where peak retention time scale is calibrated with the boiling points of n-paraffin and with assumption weight fraction is equal to area peak fractions. In research and development work that requires boiling point measurement for oil sample, SIMDIST become an essential technique due to the advantage of small sample volume required compare to ASTM D86 and ASTM D1160. But the disadvantage of SIMDIST has raised some concern on its result reliability especially for research and development work involving non routine sample. Firstly, the method is calibrated for n-paraffin alone. The SIMDIST result is not technically reliable and accurate when the oil sample contains significant amount of other non-paraffin compounds. Secondly, % recovery calculated from SIMDIST software is varied when selecting different profile setting in the SIMDIST software. In order to validate the % recovery calculated by SIMDIST software for residue sample, laboratory may perform atmospheric distillation ASTM D86 or vacuum distillation ASTM D1160 but it is impossible when sample volume is insufficient. As alternative approach to address those disadvantages of conventional techniques for boiling point measurement, correlation study was carried out using Thermal Gravimetric Analyzer (TGA) as an alternative technique to measure boiling distribution instead of SIMDIST technique. TGA instrument had been adapted for rapid measurement of boiling point in the past, it measured weight loss of sample during the temperature increment. The advantages of TGA are lesser sample volume required and the boiling point measurement is direct temperature measurement. This paper describes the correlation study between TGA and SIMDIST techniques for boiling distribution measurement, and feasibility of using TGA as alternative approach to address the disadvantages of conventional techniques for measuring boiling distribution of oil sample.
