Analyzer Solutions Guide for the Energy and Chemical Industry

Importance of the Topic

Energy and chemical industries depend on accurate and reliable analytical data to ensure product quality, process safety, and regulatory compliance. Gas chromatography (GC) remains the cornerstone for characterizing gaseous and liquid streams—from refinery off-gases and natural gas to fuels, process gases, transformer oils, and greenhouse emissions. Ready-to-use GC analyzer solutions reduce method development time and support consistent, high-throughput analysis in production, quality control, and research laboratories.

Objectives and Study Overview

This guide presents Agilent’s portfolio of factory-configured GC analyzer solutions tailored for energy and chemical applications. It highlights models designed to meet industry standards (ASTM, UOP, EN, GPA) and details their target analyses, performance claims, and compliance methods. The purpose is to help analysts select the right analyzer for specific gas or liquid matrices quickly and confidently.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Agilent analyzers leverage modular GC hardware and chemistry-tested configurations to streamline validation. Key features include

• Multi-port valve manifolds (3- to 6-valve configurations) and large-valve ovens for independent gas paths
• Capillary, micropacked, and packed columns (PLOT, specialty, inert materials) for optimized separating power
• Detector suites: thermal conductivity (TCD), flame ionization (FID), sulfur chemiluminescence (SCD), micro-ECD, and optional methanizer for CO/CO₂ conversion
• Capillary flow technology for fluidic switching, backflush, and reduced carryover
• Sampling modules: heated headspace, liquid sampling valve, and online sampling interfaces

Main Results and Discussion

The portfolio is organized into six solution areas:

• Refinery Gas: Options #600–605 deliver fast RGA, high-capacity separations, extended hydrocarbon range, and sulfur/oxygen analysis in under 12 minutes.
• Natural Gas: Options #610–615 support extended C1–C14 hydrocarbon analysis, single or dual-channel detection, and sour gas measurements per GPA and ASTM methods.
• Fuel: Options #620–632 cover oxygenates (ASTM D4815/EN 13132), aromatics (ASTM D5580), low-level oxygenates (ASTM D7423), biodiesel (ASTM D6584/EN 14110), sulfur in gas and liquids by SCD (ASTM D5504/D5623), and LPG composition analysis.
• Process Gas: Options #640–641 target trace CO and CO₂ in high-methane streams, employing vent valves or direct methanizer-FID detection for sub-ppm sensitivity.
• Transformer Oil Gas: Option #650 applies headspace sampling, TCD/FID with methanizer, and PLOT columns per ASTM D3612-C to profile dissolved gases for transformer diagnostics.
• Greenhouse Gas: Options #660–661 combine micro-ECD, FID, and TCD detectors to quantify N₂O at ppb levels and CH₄/CO₂ over wide concentration ranges for emissions monitoring.

Benefits and Practical Applications

These turn-key solutions enable laboratories to:

• Eliminate extensive method development and validation efforts
• Achieve fast cycle times and unattended operation
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and industry standards
• Obtain reproducible, trace-level quantification of target analytes
• Support QA/QC, process control, environmental monitoring, and research applications

Instrumentation

Core components across the portfolio include:

• Agilent 8890 GC platform with precise pneumatic control modules
• Multi-detector configurations (TCD, FID, SCD, micro-ECD)
• Valving solutions: Deans Switch, large valve ovens, pneumatic fluidic switches
• Column technologies: PLOT Alumina, specialty inert capillaries, micropacked columns
• Auxiliary modules: 7697A headspace sampler, liquid sampling valves, online interfaces

Future Trends and Opportunities

Emerging developments will focus on automation, remote sampling, AI-driven data analysis, and enhanced detector technologies. Integration of GC with mass spectrometry, real-time process control, and miniaturized or portable GC systems will further accelerate decision-making in energy and chemical operations.

Conclusion

Agilent’s preconfigured GC analyzer solutions offer standardized, chemically tested workflows that address the diverse analytical requirements of the energy and chemical industries. By combining modular hardware, validated methods, and broad compliance, these systems help organizations generate accurate data with minimal setup time and maximal uptime.