Fast Refinery Gas Analyzer Nexis GC-2030FRGA2 GC-2014FRGA2

Importance of the Topic

Compositional analysis of natural and refinery gases is essential for accurate determination of heating value, density, process monitoring, and safety compliance.

Objectives and Study Overview

This method aims to quantify the concentrations of permanent gases (O2, N2, CO, CO2, H2S), light hydrocarbons (C1–C5), and C6+ components in gaseous mixtures within refinery specification ranges. It targets rapid analysis and integration of physical property calculations.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Three switching valves with six capillary and packed columns
• Four sample loops with pre-column backflush for C6+ grouping
• Alumina capillary column separation of C3–C5 hydrocarbons detected by flame ionization detector (FID)
• MS-5A and Rtx-Q plot columns for separation of permanent gases and light gases detected by thermal conductivity detector (TCD)
• Helium carrier gas; total cycle time approximately 10 minutes

Instrumentation

• Shimadzu Nexis GC-2030FRGA2 or GC-2014FRGA2 gas chromatograph
• Flame ionization detector (FID) and thermal conductivity detector (TCD)
• LabSolutions GC workstation software
• BTU and specific gravity calculation modules

Main Results and Discussion

• Quantification limits: 50 ppm for permanent gases and 10 ppm for hydrocarbons
• Concentration ranges cover O2 (0.01–20%), N2 (0.01–50%), CH4 (0.01–80%), CO (0.01–5%), CO2 (0.01–20%), C2H4/C2H6/C2H2 (0.01–10%), H2S (0.05–30%), C3–C5 (0.001–5%), C6+ (0.001–1%)
• Chromatograms demonstrate clear peak separation and reproducible retention times for up to 16 analytes within 10 minutes
• Simultaneous FID/TCD channels enable efficient analysis of hydrocarbons and permanent gases in a single run

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Fast turnaround time for refinery gas monitoring
• Comprehensive compositional profiling supports process control and product quality assurance
• Automated BTU and density calculations reduce manual data handling
• Suitable for QA/QC laboratories, environmental monitoring, and industrial gas management

Future Trends and Opportunities

Advances in column materials, detector technologies, and software automation are expected to further reduce analysis time and improve sensitivity. Integration with online process analytical technology (PAT) and cloud-based data analytics will enable real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Conclusion

The described GC method provides a rapid, accurate, and robust solution for refinery gas analysis, delivering comprehensive data for physical property calculation and quality control within a single 10-minute run.

Reference

• ASTM-D1945
• ASTM-D1946
• ASTM-D3588
• GPA-2261