Using Process Analyzers in Refineries to Transform Crude Oil into Valuable Petrochemical Products
Refineries transform crude oil into usable petroleum-based chemicals that power our daily lives. To maximize efficiency and profitability, real-time monitoring is essential. That’s where GUIDED WAVE™ process analyzers come in. Our NIR spectrometers, UV-VIS wavelength spectrometers, and photometers with in-situ sample interfaces are trusted solutions for modern petrochemical environments.
Why Use NIR Spectroscopy in Refineries?
Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy plays a vital role in monitoring the hydrocarbon composition of streams across the refining and petrochemical industry. By installing sample interfaces at each stage of the refining process, operators gain real-time data and actionable insights to improve process control and product quality.
With NIR spectroscopy, you can monitor:
- Research Octane Number (RON)
- Benzene content
- Butane content
- Distillation curves and fuel properties
Key Applications of GUIDED WAVE Analyzers
Our GUIDED WAVE™ NIR-UV-VIS portfolio supports critical refinery operations with reliable, continuous measurements. These analyzers are designed to ensure compliance with ASTM methods while boosting efficiency.
Real-Time Monitoring for:
- Naphtha conversion
- Catalytic cracking and upgrading units
- Alkylation processes
- Gasoline and diesel blending
Measurement Capabilities:
- PIONA content of Reformate
- Octane numbers and volatility (RVP, vapor-to-liquid ratio)
- Aromatics and olefins content
- Oxygen and benzene levels
- Distillation parameters
- Fuel identification (ID)
- Color and turbidity
See the Big Picture
The infographic below illustrates where analyzers can be installed in a refinery and the ASTM methods they satisfy, providing a complete view of how GUIDED WAVE analyzers optimize petrochemical operations.
Analyzer Options
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GUIDED WAVE ClearView db® – A Dual Beam Photometer for continuous PAT monitoring, available with enclosure options.
GUIDED WAVE Lab NIR-O™ Benchtop NIR Spectrometer – Ideal for quality control labs and pilot plant operations
Fuel blending optimization
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- Inline analyzers help ensure the right mix of kerosene, gasoline, and naphtha.
- Maximize margins while meeting customer grade requirements.
Isomerization process
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- Convert light naphtha into higher-octane isoparaffins.
- Transform linear molecules (e.g., pentane) into branched, higher-value molecules.
- Convert n-butane into iso-butane for alkylation units.
- NIR ensures optimal catalyst conditions for peak performance.
Crude-to-chemicals conversion
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- Monitor naphtha and petroleum compounds during steam or catalytic cracking.
- Track PIONA composition and distillation curves in real time.
- Adjust reformate or platformate blends to achieve target cetane and octane values.
Refineries interested in maximizing profits commonly want to determine the Fuel Octane Numbers (i.e. RON, MON) with online near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic analyzers such as our GUIDED WAVE NIR-O.
Spectroscopy is a tool compliant with ASTM D6122 which enables refineries to blend expensive high-octane feedstocks with less expensive low octane naphtha while maintaining required octane levels and minimizing costs.
Unit operations producing or processing high viscosity streams (visbreaking), bottoms of atmospheric distillation, and vacuum distillation residues can be monitored by MIVI sensors or Thermoset analyzers for improved process control.
After the different grades of fuel have been appropriately blended, they can be sent by a pipeline to the terminal for shipment all around the world. At the downstream terminal, Fuel Identification by NIR spectroscopy ensures that the correct and in-specification petroleum products are loaded for shipment to the customer.
Further to the atmospheric and vacuum distillations, the heavier hydrocarbon chains present in the crude oil must undergo additional cracking and distillation and then be broken up into shorter chains through various cracking and breaking processes. During these processes, analyzers can provide real-time data for plant technicians to make informed decisions on how to achieve the best yield from these residue products. Benzene can be produced during the catalysis of the heavy fuels. NIR Spectroscopy can be used to monitor Benzene levels in fuel and other petroleum products.
Our comprehensive GUIDED WAVE NIR UV-VIS process and lab analyzer spectrometers offer optically matched components and a meticulously planned calibration approach, ensuring long-term efficiency and cost savings. Our advanced systems are engineered for continuous online operation, delivering real-time data of laboratory-grade quality, even in the harshest processing plant conditions.
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