Pinpoint hydrocarbon types

This paper discusses a fundamentally new method that identifies components of hydrocarbon streams heavier than gasoline. It pinpoints structure and concentration. It's quick and cheap. The data now available will aid refinery and olefin plant operations, promote better fuels and save money. The nitric oxide ionization spectrometry evaluation has been called the first fundamentally new analysis method in 25 years which identifies hydrocarbons by quantity, and by carbon number (n) and hydrogen deficiency (Z). This information can be crucial in making clean fuels and in optimizing hydrotreater and refinery operation. It is now being used to direct feedstocks to the most profitable process stream, set unit operating parameters and check results. Exact composition of intermediate streams has never before been available without very rigorous and expensive analysis. No conventional method provides this knowledge. So processors have a new tool for optimizing.