System speeds up analysis of ethanol and water
PAC
PetroSpec QuickSpec is PAC’s latest portable analyser for rapid analysis of ethanol and water in gasoline blends.
The QuickSpec analyser expands its analysis range of ethanol, 0.1 vol% to 100.0 vol%, which is crucial for ethanol blending in gasoline and for measuring purity of fuel-grade ethanol.
Water can still be measured from 0.01 vol% to 5.00 vol%.
The QuickSpec performs analysis using near-infrared spectroscopy and provides accurate results down to tenths of volume percent.
It is also fully automated which makes it easy to use by non-technical personnel.
Compared to the current standard ASTM method, D5501, which uses gas chromatography to analyse the ethanol content, the QuickSpec claims to have has several advantages:
The gas chromatography method can only be performed in the lab and rarely in the field. Due to the QuickSpec’s portable design, operators are able to determine the purity of the denatured ethanol being delivered to the terminal, in the refinery, or to the blending tank, as well as the ethanol and water levels in finished gasoline blends.
The total analysis time is significantly reduced from around 45 minutes to under 30 seconds.
QuickSpec combines two tests in one, ethanol and water, which would normally require two separate analytical instruments: gas chromatography and Karl-Fischer water analysis.
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