FTIR Fuel Analysis

In FTIR fuel analysis a spectrum of the analyzed fuel is recorded in the mid-infrared region using an Fourier transform spectrometer. Depending on the chosen method a single measurement is able to detect over 40 parameters within a few seconds. For gasoline measurements e.g. RON, MON, AKI, distillation properties, esters and aromatics concentrations are determined. When analyzing diesel aromatics, cetane improvers, biodiesel and many more can be quantified. Analyzing biodiesel ERASPEC distinguishes between FAME / FAEE and vegetable oil. It measures FAME in full compliance with ASTM D7806 and EN 14078. Typical parameters for jet fuel include FAME, aromatics, freezing and flash point, smoke point and distillation parameter, as well as viscosity.

Integrated ASTM D4052 Density Measurement

ERASPEC is again expanding the horizon of portable fuel testing with eralytics’ integrated state-of the-art temperature-controlled U-tube density meter modules DENS7777 and DENS4052. In combination with the ultra-light density meter module DENS4052 (patent pending), offering density measurements in full compliance with ASTM D4052 & ISO 12185 (r = 0.0001 g/cm³), ERASPEC can measure density, benzene and FAME in full compliance with international fuel specifications, like ASTM D4814, EN228 and EN590. In its standard version ERASPEC is now equipped with eralytics new DENS7777 U-tube density module that is also temperature-controlled and measures in full compliance with ASTM D7777 & ISO 15212 (r = 0.0005 g/cm³).

Concentrations vs. Parameters

ERASPEC can directly derive fuel component concentrations from the measured IR spectrum. That includes aromatics such as benzene (ASTM D6277), oxygenates such as MTBE or ethanol (ASTM D5845) and octane boosters such as MMT for the measurements of gasoline. Knowing the exact fuel composition, however, also allows to calculate more complex fuel parameters. ERASPEC uses chemometrical models, based on fuel libraries, to calculate parameters such as RON, MON or distillation and evaporation fractions from the spectrum for gasoline. It covers cetane number and index and many more for diesel fuel.

Expandable Database

Based on several thousand ERASPEC installations around the world eralytics can rely on a huge experience offering tailor-made databases of international fuel calibration samples with known parameters. Adding customer samples to the databases is as easy as running a measurement and entering the corresponding reference values afterwards. The added data is immediately available for the next measurement as the chemometrical models are calculated on the fly. Next to the expandable database ERASPECs’ intuitive software allows for the easy creation of various library sets and a convenient switch between them. Additionally the exchange of libraries between several ERASPEC instruments is very easy and can be done directly without the need of a PC.

Unknown or Contaminated Samples

The “Automatic Fuel Recognition” (AFR) Module allows an easy measurement of unknown samples with the ERASPEC fuel analyzer. It recognizes if gasoline, diesel or jet fuel is measured and automatically starts the correct analysis according to the registered fuel type. Most common contaminations of gasoline can be measured with the “Gasoline Contamination Module”. Typical substances that can be quantified are DMM, N-Methyl-Aniline, Diolefines, Aniline, DMC, various Butyl-Acetates and more.

This makes the ERASPEC fuel analyzer a reliable tool to fight fuel adulteration fraud directly at the gas stations.

Patented Design

The heart of the ERASPEC fuel analyzer is a patented corner-cube retro-reflector FTIR spectrometer. For highest precision it is laser and temperature controlled and its spectral resolution is tailored to the task of fuel analysis. This reduces any noise to an absolute minimum, increasing the repeatability and lowering the possible limits of detection. ERASPECS’ unique triple cell design is now the standard for all analyzers making future instrument upgrades extremely easy. ERASPEC automatically selects between a 20 µm and a 100 µm path length measurement cell depending on the fuel analyzed. This allows ERASPEC to always deliver the best measurement result. A third cell is used to run background measurements if needed. For special applications (e.g. advanced cetane improver determination) a unique fourfold-cell design with wider path-length is available.

Measurement Procedure

To perform spectral analysis with the ERASPEC fuel analyzer can be done in 4 simple steps:

1. Enter sample ID and operator name
2. Select the measurement standard and the library to be used for calculating properties
3. Put your sample next to the fuel analyzer and insert the inlet tube
4. Press the RUN button

The measurement steps are visualized on the display, showing the deflection of the moving mirror of the interferometer. When the measurement is completed the results are displayed and can be printed or added to a library with a single click. When adding the results of the fuel analyzer to a library an editor for entering known properties will appear. This will improve the quality of future measurements using the ERASPEC fuel analyzer, as the library can be tailored to a specific application.