Accuracy study of a gasoil simulated distillation analyzer by gas chromatography (GC-FID)

Identifier:  TFG:1353

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFG1353

Authors:  Higuero Guerra, Miriam

Abstract:
Repsol is one of the most important energetic companies in Europe. It owns and manages five industrial complexes in Spain, located in Coruña, Cartagena, Bilbao, Puertollano and Tarragona. The distillation process is the most employed separation process in the petroleum refining industry. It starts with the crude fractionation within the distillation columns, obtaining different groups of hydrocarbons which are separated according to their boiling point. The obtained petroleum products undergo different chemical transformations in order to be commercialized. Once the products have been acquired, they are brought to the quality laboratory in order to be analysed. One of the analyses that are performed is the atmospheric distillation for achieving the boiling range of the final products. This is essential for the certification of quality, environmental compliance, control of different refinery process and to predict certain physical properties, as well as the composition and behaviour of the fuel during its storage and use. The aim of this project has been the study of the accuracy of a new analyser for simulated distillation in oil samples, using a gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector. The accuracy of this method has been determined by studying the repeatability and reproducibility of the chromatograph, by analysing inspection oil samples. The obtained values were compared with the ones established by the ASTM D86 and UNE-EN ISO 3924 standards. The performed study of the simulated distillations has been compared with the nowadays most used method, atmospheric distillation, in order to know if it could be replaced by the simulated distillation. Moreover, there has been an adjustment factor calculation, which allows the obtainment of comparable results between the two methods mentioned above. This project was carried out in the laboratory of Repsol S.A., under the supervision of Guillermo Encinas, Repsol Petroleum laboratory’s head, and Enric Ruiz, chemist.