On-Line Process Chromatographs Optimize Fine Chemicals Production

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Siemens AG

A recent automation project on the naphtha cracker added three new on-line GCs upstream of the instrument already used to measure hydrogen in the C₁ stream:

• the first GC continuously checks the composition of the feedstock;

• the second GC analyses the fuel gas, and the resulting calculation of the oxygen required serves as a backup to the direct measurement of oxygen levels in the flue gas;

• the third GC checks the composition of the raw cracked gas immediately after it has been scrubbed with water.

Together, the new units provide closer control of the cracker operation, including rapid response to changes in fuel gas quality and the C₂ split required to match production requirements.

Choosing the new GCs

To reduce costs, the company decided to use a new type of micro GC (Siemens MicroSAM) alongside two conventional process GCs (Siemens Maxum). The three new instruments were installed in a dedicated analyzer house and connected to the plant’s control system. There is plenty of room for future expansion, thanks in part to the compact size of the MicroSAM.

The Siemens PGC Maxum II represents the state of the art in process GCs. This versatile instrument combines high-quality analysis with economical operation:

• modular design allows a single Maxum to replace two or three conventional GCs;

• “parallel chromatography” provides faster analysis and higher reliability;

• the airless oven reduces the consumption of instrument air and energy;

• the ability to choose from many types of detector (TCD, FID, FPD, HID, ECD, PID) provides flexibility, with a single Maxum able to accommodate three types of detector at once;

• valveless column switching, with no moving parts in the sample path, reduces maintenance requirements.

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