DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL PROCESS FT-IR SPECTROMETER INTO A UNIVERSAL CONCENTRATION METER FOR THE BULK AND PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRIES

摘要

This paper delivers a brief overview of the development of a FT-IR process spectrometer -Keifs IRmadillo — and its application as a universal concentration meter in the bulk and petrochemical industries. This paper discusses several technical hurdles faced when commercialising and demonstrating capability of any process analytical technology. It provides context with a brief evaluation of the three most established spectroscopic techniques in industrial process analysis — Near infrared (NIR), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and Raman — followed by an explanation of the novel spectrometer's principle of operations and its resulting process monitoring capabilities. Finally, the paper explores the unique challenges encountered when analysing four different bulk and petrochemical industry-specific applications to assess the instrument's performance. These four applications are 1) Total Acid Number (TAN), 2) Alcohols in Gasoline, 3) BTEX, 4) Water in anhydrous solvents.