Determination of Column Efficiency of True Boiling Point Distillation Apparatus by Gas Chromatography

The good separation performance of the true boiling point (TBP)distilation apparatus is the key to ensuring the accuracy and reliability of crude oil evaluation data. However, the current refractive index (RI) method for measurement of the column efficiency faces problems such as complicated process and vulnerability to aromatic interference.To improve the measurement efficiencyand accuracy, this paper studies the feasibility of gas chromatography (GC) method to evaluate the column efficiency of TBP distilation apparatus.Comparative analysis shows that the theoretical plate number measured by GC is lowered by 1 as compared with that measured by RI. The relative deviation of n-heptane mole fraction measured by GC and RI method is within ±3%. GC can effectively eliminate the impact of aromatic hydrocarbons on the system, and meets the need for long-term stable monitoring of column efficiency. © 2024 Editorial Office of Acta Petrolei Sinica. All rights reserved.