Application of Pressure-Controlled Advanced Distillation Curve Analysis: Virgin and Waste Oils

Abstract

One of the most important properties measured for liquid fuels is the volatility, usually expressed by the distillation curve. In previous work, we introduced the composition-explicit or advanced distillation curve (ADC) metrology, which we have applied to a wide variety of liquid fuels including biodiesel fuels. Application of this method to high-boiling-point fluids such as oils has required the addition of an inert-gas purge in the apparatus. Despite this precaution, there is clear evidence of thermal decomposition or polymerization at high distillation temperatures. To address this complication, a low-pressure version of the ADC was introduced. In this work, we have applied the low-pressure ADC method to the study of virgin and waste engine (motor) oils (5W-30, 10W-30, 20W-50), reclaimed comingled oil, reclaimed cutting oil, and used transformer oil. The results parallel similar measurements performed at atmospheric pressure, but with little evidence of chemical decomposition.

Novel reduced pressure-balance syringe for chromatographic analysis

“…After the first drop, the evolution of the biodiesel fuel composition is not as striking as the validation mixture, due to the very similar boiling temperatures of the FAME's that are present. This is also indicated by the distillation curve, which spans only a change in temperature from beginning to end of ∼6 • C [8]. This modest change in temperature mirrors the result of our atmospheric pressure distillation measurement [10,29,32].…”

“…The detailed operation of the ADC at reduced pressure is addressed elsewhere; only a brief description will be provided here [8]. This paper is concerned only with the low pressure sampling aspects; the reader is referred to our prior work for details about the ADC [4][5][6][7]21,22,[25][26][27][28].…”

“…The temperatures were recorded at selected volume fractions to construct the distillation curve (that is, the temperature data grid). Sample withdrawal (for chromatographic analyses) was done in the sampling adapter (following the condenser, but before the fluid dropped into the receiver) [8,25]. As seen in Fig.…”

“…A withdrawn plunger will not provide a large enough pressure differential to pull fluid from a low pressure environment into the barrel of the syringe. As part of a larger effort to modify the advanced distillation curve (ADC) method [4][5][6][7] to provide for reduced pressure volatility measurements [8], a device was developed to withdraw small amounts of fluid from a chamber operating at reduced pressures. Details of the ADC method have been described elsewhere, therefore only a brief description of it will be presented here.…”

Measuring Sulfur Content and Corrosivity of North American Petroleum with the Advanced Distillation Curve Method

“…The reduced pressure ADC apparatus and sampling method have been described in greater detail in earlier works, with applications reported for biodiesel fuels, , crude oils, and waste oils . Unlike the open apparatus specified in the ASTM D-86 atmospheric distillation method and the atmospheric pressure ADC method, the reduced pressure ADC apparatus (Figure ) constitutes a closed system for mass transfer.…”