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US5370790A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Determination of aromatics in hydrocarbons by near infrared spectroscopy

Assignee: Marathon Petroleum Co LP
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Filing: 1992-02-20
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Granted: 1994-12-06
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Expires: 2012-02-20
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Abstract

Abstract Mid-distillate hydrocarbon fuels, preferably having initial boiling points above 350° F., are separated e.g. by prep-HPLC into non-aromatic and aromatic fractions which are used to set 0% aromatics (the non-aromatics) and 100% aromatics (the aromatics) on an NIR spectrophotometer. From NIR aromatic band absorbances of unknown samples, their percent aromatics is determined using this two-point calibration and the Beer-Lambert equation. Preferred NIR bands of 1650-1700 and 2120-2256 exhibit excel lent correlation with aromatics content.

Inventors

  • 👤 Steven M. Maggard
  • 👤 William T. Welch

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 22:31
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/25; G01N21/31; G01N21/35; G01N21/359; G01N21/3577; G01N33/00; G01N33/26; G01N33/28; G01N33/2835; G01N33/287; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S208/00; Y10S208/01; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/10; Y10T436/11; Y10T436/117497; Y10T436/12; Y10T436/21; Y10T436/212

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 69 words
A process for hydrotreating of a hydrocarbon feed to reduce aromatics comprising admixing said feed with hydrogen while controlling at least one parameter of hydrotreating severity selected from the group consisting of temperature, throughput, pressure and hydrogen feed rate by control means in response to analytical means measuring near infrared (NIR) absorbance of aromatics to obtain the desired reduction of aromatics in the hydrotreated effluent from said hydrotreating process.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 69 words
A process for hydrotreating of a hydrocarbon feed to reduce aromatics comprising admixing said feed with hydrogen while controlling at least one parameter of hydrotreating severity selected from the group consisting of temperature, throughput, pressure and hydrogen feed rate by control means in response to analytical means measuring near infrared (NIR) absorbance of aromatics to obtain the desired reduction of aromatics in the hydrotreated effluent from said hydrotreating process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 13 words
A process of claim 1 wherein the analytical means comprises a flow-through cell.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process of claim 1 wherein the analytical means comprises a fiber optic probe.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 30 words
A process of claim 1 wherein the analytical means comprises a single fiber fiber optic probe and the near infrared (NIR) absorbance is measured in the range of 1650-1700 nm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
A process in which diesel fuel is hydrotreated according to claim 1 and the aromatic content is varied to control the cetane number of the hydrotreater effluent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
A process in which an aliphatic solvent is hydrotreated according to claim 1 and the aromatic content of said solvent is determined by near infrared measurements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said parameter of hydrotreating severity comprises temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said parameter of hydrotreating severity comprises throughput.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said parameter of hydrotreating severity comprises pressure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 16 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said parameter of hydrotreating severity comprises hydrogen feed rate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 13 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said feed comprises light cycle oil.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 13 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said feed comprises vacuum gas oil.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 13 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said feed comprises #2 fuel oil.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 30 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the analytical means comprise a single fiber optic probe and the near infrared (NIR) absorbance is measured in the range of 2120-2256 nm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 34 words
A process for hydrotreating or blending a hydrocarbon feed in which the aromatic content of the feed is controlled by feedback controls responsive to near infrared (NIR) measurements of aromatic content in the effluent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 34 words
A process for hydrotreating or blending a hydrocarbon feed in which the aromatic content of the feed is controlled by feedback controls responsive to near infrared (NIR) measurements of aromatic content in the effluent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 31 words
A process according to claim 1 in which hydrocarbon feeds are blended to produce a fuel having a desired aromatic content and said blending is controlled by near infrared (NIR) measurements.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5145783A Cited
US5171691A Cited
US5062976A Cited

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Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-12-05 1998-06-06 1998-12-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
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