Near infrared analysis of piano constituents and octane number of hydrocarbons

Claim 2

In a process for the control of octane number, or cetane number, of a complex mixture comprising hydrocarbons and/or substituted hydrocarbons, by near infrared spectroscopy, the improvement comprising predicting said octane number, or cetane number by: a. measuring the near infrared absorbance at at least one wavelength in one or more bands selected from the group consisting essentially of: 1672-1698, 1700-1726, 1622-1650, 1092-1156, 824-884, 1656-1692, 880-974, 1152-1230, 1320-1380, 1470-1578, 1614-1644, 1746-1810, 1940-2000, and/or 2058-2130 nanometers (nm); b. outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of a derivative of said absorbance in said wavelength, or wavelengths in said one or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions comprising a derivative thereof; c. mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of the octane number or cetane number of said mixture; and d. controlling a blending or other process which correlates with octane number or cetane number by apparatus responsive to said output signal.

Claim 3

In a process for the control of octane number, or cetane number of a complex mixture comprising hydrocarbons and/or substituted hydrocarbons by near infrared spectroscopy, the improvement comprising predicting said octane number or cetane number by: a. measuring the near infrared absorbance at at least one wavelength, in two or more bands selected from the group consisting essentially of: 1672-1698, 1700-1726, 1622-1650, 2064-2234, 1092-1156, 824-884, 1656-1692, 880-974, 1152-1230, 1320-1380, 1470-1578, 1614-1644, 1746-1813, 1940-2000, and/or 2058-2130 nanometers (nm). b. periodically or continuously outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of the intensity of said absorbance in said wavelength, or wavelengths in said two or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions thereof; and c. mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of the octane number or cetane number of said mixture; d. controlling a blending or other process which correlates with octane number or cetane number by apparatus responsive to said output signal; wherein said mathematically converting includes taking a first or higher derivative and wherein said output signal is used to control proportioning pumps, automatic control valves, or other flow control means to control the addition rate of each of a series of components fed from different sources to provide a target octane number or, cetane number in a finished blended mixture.

Claim 4

In a process for the control of octane number, or cetane number of a complex mixture comprising hydrocarbons and/or substituted hydrocarbons by near infrared spectroscopy, the improvement comprising predicting said octane number or cetane number by: a. measuring the near infrared absorbance at at least one wavelength, in two or more bands selected from the group consisting essentially of: 1672-1698, 1700-1726, 1622-1650, 2064-2234, 1092-1156, 824-884, 1656-1692, 880-974, 1152-1230, 1320-1380, 1470-1578, 1614-1644, 1746-1813, 1940-2000, and/or 2058-2130 nanometers (nm). b. periodically or continuously outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of the intensity of said absorbance in said wavelength, or wavelengths in said two or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions thereof; and c. mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of the octane number or cetane number of said mixture; d. controlling a blending or other process which correlates with octane number or cetane number by apparatus responsive to said output signal; wherein said mathematically converting includes taking a first or higher derivative and wherein said output signal is used to control proportioning pumps, automatic control valves, or other flow control means to control the addition rate of each of a series of components fed from different sources to provide a target octane number or, cetane number in a finished blended mixture.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1, or 2, wherein said absorbance is measured at wavelength within the 824-884 nm band.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 1, or 2, wherein said absorbance is measured in the 1152-1230 nm band.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 1, or 2, wherein said absorbance is measured in the 2064-2234 nm band.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1, or 2, wherein comprising measuring said absorbance in the 880-974 nm band.

Claim 9

In a process for the control of octane number, or cetane number of a complex mixture comprising hydrocarbons and/or substituted hydrocarbons by near infrared spectroscopy, the improvement comprising predicting said octane number, or cetane number by: a. measuring the near infrared absorbance at at least one wavelength, in one or more bands selected from the group consisting essentially of: 1672-1698, 1700-1726, 1622-1650, 1656-1692, 1320-1380, 1470-1578, 1614-1644, 1746-1810, 1940-2000, and/or 2058-2130 nanometers (nm). b. outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of the intensity of said absorbance in said wavelength, or wavelengths in said one or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions thereof; and c. mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of the octane number or cetane number of said mixture, d. controlling a blending or other process which correlates with octane number or cetane number by apparatus responsive to said output signal.

Claim 10

In a process for the control of octane number, or cetane number of a complex mixture comprising hydrocarbons and/or substituted hydrocarbons by near infrared spectroscopy, the improvement comprising predicting said octane number, or cetane number by: a. measuring the near infrared absorbance at at least one wavelength, in one or more bands selected from the group consisting essentially of: 1672-1698, 1700-1726, 1622-1650, 1656-1692, 1320-1380, 1470-1578, 1614-1644, 1746-1810, 1940-2000, and/or 2058-2130 nanometers (nm). b. outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of the intensity of said absorbance in said wavelength, or wavelengths in said one or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions thereof; and c. mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of the octane number or cetane number of said mixture, d. controlling a blending or other process which correlates with octane number or cetane number by apparatus responsive to said output signal.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 7, wherein said functions comprise a derivative of said absorbance.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 1, 7, or 2, wherein said functions are obtained by a process comprising a base line offset correction.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 1, 7, or 2 wherein the mixture is a stream and said output signal is indicative of pump octane.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 1, 7, or 2 wherein the mixture is a stream and said output signal is indicative of motor octane.

Claim 15

A process according to claim 1, 7, or 2 wherein said output signal is indicative of cetane number.

Claim 18

A system according to claim 13 wherein said computer means take a first or higher derivative of said signal.

Claim 19

A system according to claim 13 wherein said flow control means controls the flow of streams of two or more components of said mixture.

Claim 20

A process according to claim 13 wherein said composition comprises alpha olefins or mixtures thereof.

Claim 21

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said hydrocarbons comprise reformer feed, reformate (stabilized and/or unstabilized), fluid catalytic cracker product, alkylate gasoline, polymerization gasoline, isomerate gasoline, and raffinate, or other refinery blending streams or mixtures thereof.

Claim 22

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said mixture flows substantially intermittently or continuously past the point of measuring said absorbance.

Claim 23

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein the mixture is a stream and said output signal is indicative of research octane.

Claim 24

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said signal controls a fuel blending system feeding blending components having different octane or cetane into a common zone, whereby a product having a desired octane or cetane is produced.

Claim 25

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said complex mixture comprises gasoline.

Claim 26

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said complex mixture comprises diesel fuel.

Claim 27

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein the hydrocarbons and/or substituted hydrocarbons are involved in a chemical reaction.

Claim 28

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said mathematically converting step comprises multiple regression analysis.

Claim 29

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said mathematically converting step comprises partial least squares analysis.

Claim 30

A process according to claim 1, 2, or 13 wherein said absorbance is measured in the 1092-1156 nm band.

Claim 31

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said absorbance is measured in the 1320-1380 nm band.

Claim 32

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said absorbance is measured in the 1470-1578 nm band.

Claim 33

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said absorbance is measured in the 1614-1644 nm band.

Claim 34

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said absorbance is measured in the 1746-1810 nm band.

Claim 35

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said absorbance is measured in the 1940-2000 nm band.

Claim 36

A process according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said absorbance is measured in the 2058-2130 nm band.

Claim 37

A processing according to claim 1, 7, 2, or 13 wherein said mathematically converting step comprises principal component regression analysis.

Claim 38

In a process for the control of octane number, or cetane number, of a complex mixture comprising hydrocarbons and/or substituted hydrocarbons, by near infrared spectroscopy, the improvement comprising predicting said octane number, or cetane number by: a. measuring the near infrared absorbance at least one wavelength in one or more bands selected from the group consisting essentially of: 1672-1698, 1700-1726, 1622-1650, 1656-1692, 1320-1380, 1614-1644, 1746-1810, and/or 1940-2000 nanometers (nm); b. outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of a derivative of said absorbance in said wavelength, or wavelengths in said one or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions comprising a derivative thereof; c. mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of the octane number or cetane number of said mixture; and d. controlling a blending or other process which correlates with octane number or cetane number by apparatus responsive to said output signal.

Claim 39

In a process for the control of octane number, or cetane number, of a complex mixture comprising hydrocarbons and/or substituted hydrocarbons, by near infrared spectroscopy, the improvement comprising predicting said octane number, or cetane number by: a. measuring the near infrared absorbance at least one wavelength in one or more bands selected from the group consisting essentially of: 1672-1698, 1700-1726, 1622-1650, 1656-1692, 1320-1380, 1614-1644, 1746-1810, and/or 1940-2000 nanometers (nm); b. outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of a derivative of said absorbance in said wavelength, or wavelengths in said one or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions comprising a derivative thereof; c. mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of the octane number or cetane number of said mixture; and d. controlling a blending or other process which correlates with octane number or cetane number by apparatus responsive to said output signal.

Claim 40

In a process for the control of octane number, or cetane number of a complex mixture comprising hydrocarbons and/or substituted hydrocarbons by near infrared spectroscopy, the improvement comprising predicting said octane number or cetane number by: a. measuring the near infrared absorbance at at least one wavelength, in two or more bands selected from the group consisting essentially of: 1672-1698, 1700-1726, 1622-1650, 1656-1692, 1320-1380, 1470-1578, 1614-1644, 1746-1810, and/or 1940-2000 nanometers (nm). b. periodically or continuously outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of the intensity of said absorbance in said wavelength, or wavelengths in said two or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions thereof; and c. mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of the octane number or cetane number of said mixture; d. controlling a blending or other process which correlates with octane number or cetane number by apparatus responsive to said output signal; wherein said mathematically converting includes taking a first or higher derivative and wherein said output signal is used to control proportioning pumps, automatic control valves, or other flow control means to control the addition rate of each of a series of components fed from different sources to provide a target octane number or, cetane number in a finished blended mixture.

Claim 41

In a process for the control of octane number, or cetane number of a complex mixture comprising hydrocarbons and/or substituted hydrocarbons by near infrared spectroscopy, the improvement comprising predicting said octane number or cetane number by: a. measuring the near infrared absorbance at at least one wavelength, in two or more bands selected from the group consisting essentially of: 1672-1698, 1700-1726, 1622-1650, 1656-1692, 1320-1380, 1470-1578, 1614-1644, 1746-1810, and/or 1940-2000 nanometers (nm). b. periodically or continuously outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of the intensity of said absorbance in said wavelength, or wavelengths in said two or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions thereof; and c. mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of the octane number or cetane number of said mixture; d. controlling a blending or other process which correlates with octane number or cetane number by apparatus responsive to said output signal; wherein said mathematically converting includes taking a first or higher derivative and wherein said output signal is used to control proportioning pumps, automatic control valves, or other flow control means to control the addition rate of each of a series of components fed from different sources to provide a target octane number or, cetane number in a finished blended mixture.