A widely used distillation method in HPI laboratories is physical distillation, according to the methods:
ASTM D86: “Standard Test Method for Distillation of Petroleum Products and Liquid Fuels at Atmospheric Pressure”
ISO 3405: “Petroleum and Related Products from Natural or Synthetic Sources – Determination of Distillation Characteristics at Atmospheric Pressure”.
Historically, these applications resulted in two separate analytical systems.
For over 20 years, AC has offered two ASTM D86 / ISO 3405 alternatives, recently combined into a single system, called the Productivity Center. This analyzer reports D86 data according to two different principles, depending on the type of product group, as defined in the D86 method:
Group 1 and 2: This application is called AC8612.
Calculates the boiling distribution of a product based on a DHA analysis and a Fugacity Film model. This model uses the sample composition, individual component characteristics to describe the evaporation and condensation processes that occur in traditional physical distillation, as described in ASTM D86.
Group 3 and 4: This application is called AC8634.
Relates the Simdis middle distillate results (percent mass reject) to the D86 boiling point distribution (percent volume reject), based on mathematical equations. The correlation is described in both ASTM D2887 and ISO 3924 and is now also valid for B7 samples.
Taking advantage of the innovative performance of the Agilent 8890 GC, AC has combined both applications into a single dual-channel system: the AC Productivity Center analyze.
Thanks to the new design that integrates both applications in one analyzer, a lab has the possibility to run both methods (in random order) in one sequence. This results in an increase in the lab capacity for distillation analyses by a factor of two to three.
With the Productivity Center, at least 4-5 samples per hour can be analyzed, whereas a classic D86 analysis takes about half an hour.
Another huge advantage is that the system runs the sample sequence without user intervention (it is not possible to run both applications at the same time, as the oven temperature program used is optimized for the applications and therefore different).
The AC8634 is configured with AC's Temperature Programmable Injector (TPI), an injector specifically designed by AC Analytical Controls for Simdis analysis. The analyzer has demonstrated industry-leading performance, confirmed by AC’s performance monitoring program, where repeatability and reproducibility results at all levels exceed method accuracy. This translates into more rigorous control options.
With the Productivity Center configured for dual-channel applications (AC8612 and AC8634 in one system), the AC8634 scope is limited to ASTM D86 Group 3 and 4 products (not D2887 scope). Heavier samples (FBP >C36) cannot be analyzed due to restrictions in the oven temperature program not to exceed the MAOT (Maximum Allowable Oven Temperature) of the AC8612 column.
Key Features:
- Unique AC8612 model enables highly accurate analysis for gasoline and naphtha AC8634 listed as an alternative method in various jet and diesel fuel specifications
- Dual channel configuration for low cost D86 throughput of groups 1, 2, 3, 4 As-is sample injections, no preparation
- High throughput and very short analysis times: 4-5 samples per hour
- Unattended use, high level of automation and low cost per analysis.