The patented SAR-ADTM technology can be licensed and installed on-site, or samples can be analyzed at WRI as a service. This advanced separation is built on an Agilent HPLC platform and WRI is an authorized reseller of Agilent HPLC equipment. The separation provides advanced characterization of petroleum, asphalt and other hydrocarbon mixtures with milligrams of sample in less than three hours. In its most basic form, hydrocarbons are separated into eight fractions: Saturates—saturated hydrocarbons with no aromatic rings (fraction includes naphthenic saturates), Aromatics 1—molecules with one aromatic ring, Aromatics 2—molecules with 2 to 4 connected aromatic rings, Aromatics 3—molecules with 4 or more connected aromatic rings, Resins—molecules with aromatic rings but also containing polar functional groups, Cyclohexane-soluble Asphaltenes—asphaltenes that are similar to resins but are more highly associated, Toluene-soluble Asphaltenes—asphaltenes that are more polar and/or aromatic with a high degree of asphaltene-asphaltene associations, and Dichloromethane-soluble Asphaltenes—these are the most polar asphaltenes with the highest amount of heteroatoms, polar functional groups and/or aromaticity. Dichloromethane-soluble Asphaltenes during pyrolysis (visbreaking, coking) or upgrading processes (hydroprocessing, FCC, etc.) are precursors to coke formation, in emulsions they are highly concentrated in oxygen functional groups that are surface active, or they are produced during sever laboratory or environmental oxidative aging of petroleum and other hydrocarbons.
More advanced options are available that can provide absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra, refractive index, and/or size exclusion chromatography of the fractions. These powerful options provide a deeper chemical understanding of the fractions and the interactions between fractions.
The SAR-AD separation has many uses for refinery operations, product development, quality control, research and development etc. Contact us to see how this unique tool can help you achieve your goals.