PANalytical Epsilon 3XLE X-ray fluorescence spectrometer

PANalytical has announced a dedicated solution for the analysis of very low chlorine concentrations in crude oils. Epsilon 3XLE, an XRF benchtop system, has been equipped to meet the analytical challenges of the petrochemical industry.

Chlorine and sulfur are unwanted elements in crude oil and other petrochemical products. They can cause corrosion in the oil processing and refinement installations and are harmful for the environment. XRF is widely used for the analysis of sulfur in oil; however, the simultaneous determination of very low chlorine concentrations poses an analytical challenge due to the proximity of both elements in the periodic table of elements. PANalytical’s Epsilon 3XLE energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer is able to meet this challenge.

The combination of a chromium-anode tube, good resolution and sensitivity of the silicon drift detector and the powerful software enables the system to process high sulfur count rates and at the same time resolve possible line overlaps between chlorine and sulfur. Crude oil samples are simply poured into disposable cups for liquid samples before being measured by the compact benchtop spectrometer.

The system caters for variable characteristics of crude oil composition, thereby enabling the robust determination of chlorine. It can also analyse all other relevant elements with similar repeatability, making it a valuable asset for a wide range of petrochemical applications.