Supercritical fluid chromatography hyphenated to bidimensional gas chromatography in comprehensive and heart-cutting mode: design of the instrumentation.

A new multidimensional chromatographic instrument has been developed to perform both SFC-GC×GC and SFC×GC×GC, in response to the challenge of complex matrices characterization. The design of this online system is fully described and enriched by theoretical and practical discussions. A new interface has been investigated: this interface allows the temporary storage of SFC fractions inside sampling loops before their quantitative transfer toward the GC×GC. This innovative design allows flexible and automatic hyphenated approaches such as single, multiple, total heart-cutting and comprehensive modes. An overview of the interfacing experimental conditions is also presented. Thanks to all the hyphenation possibilities of the three dimensions, this instrument opens up new prospects for the quantitative analysis of very complex matrices.

Global approach for the selection of high temperature comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography experimental conditions and quantitative analysis in regards to sulfur-containing compounds in heavy petroleum cuts.

Extending the knowledge on sulfur-containing compounds is crucial for the petroleum industry because they contribute to atmospheric pollution by combustion. Most of them are concentrated in heavy petroleum cuts, such as vacuum gas oils (VGOs). However, the resolution of the existing analytical methods does not allow a quantitative speciation of S-compounds contained in VGOs. Therefore, a high temperature GC×GC chromatograph hyphenated to a SCD was implemented in this study to obtain a quantitative S-compounds speciation. Firstly, various thermally stable stationary phases, in particular the new ionic liquid IL59 and Mega Wax-HT, were investigated in 1D-GC as a way to reduce the number of columns sets to be used in GC×GC. Consequently, several normal and reversed configurations of these columns were selected and tested in GC×GC. Then, a decision method was applied to facilitate the choice of the best combination of columns. Finally, the most adapted methods led to an innovative group type quantification and to a quantitative distribution of heavy sulfur species contained in a VGO sample. These results represent a major step towards the study of S-compounds in heavy petroleum cuts.

Challenge in the speciation of nitrogen-containing compounds in heavy petroleum fractions by high temperature comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

Extending the knowledge related to nitrogen-containing compounds presents an important interest for the petroleum industry due to their implication in atmosphere pollution as well as their inhibitive or refractive behaviour towards hydroprocessing. Most of the nitrogenated species are concentrated in heavy petroleum cuts. As no analytical method is resolutive enough for these heavy cuts, particularly regarding nitrogen-containing compounds, a new approach is needed. For this reason, this study focuses on the development of a GC×GC technique, through the hyphenation of a specific NCD detector with a GC×GC system at high temperature. The performances of highly polar thermally stable stationary phases, in particular those composed of promising ionic liquids, were monitored in normal and reversed configurations. Subsequently, after the extraction of neutral or basic compounds by adsorption on an ion-exchange resin, a first quantitative determination was attempted for a straight-run and a direct coal liquefaction vacuum gas oils. This study led to a better understanding of the behaviour of highly aromatic N-compounds by 2D-GC including an ionic liquid phase as well as a deeper N-characterization of heavy petroleum fractions.

Extended characterization of a vacuum gas oil by offline LC-high-temperature comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

In a context of environmental preservation, purification and conversion of heavy petroleum cuts into high-quality fuel becomes essential. The interest for the characterization of those very complex matrices becomes a trendy analytical challenge, when it comes to get molecular information for the optimization of industrial processes. Among new analytical techniques, high-temperature 2-D GC has recently proved its applicability to heavy petroleum matrices, but lacks in selectivity to separate all chemical groups. To gain resolution, heart cutting is demonstrated for LC separation of saturated, aromatic and polar compounds prior to high-temperature 2-D GC. Therefore, an extended global resolution was obtained, especially by a better distinction of saturated compounds. This includes iso-paraffins and biomarker polynaphthenic structures, which are impossible to quantify with MS methods. This new way to analyze heavy petroleum fractions gives innovative opportunities for the construction of global weight distributions by carbon atoms number and by chemical families. This can right now be employed for quantitative analysis of heavy petroleum fractions and for studying conversion processes.

High-temperature two-dimensional gas chromatography of hydrocarbons up to nC60 for analysis of vacuum gas oils.

In a tense energetic context, the characterization of heavy petroleum fractions becomes essential. Conventional comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (2D-GC or GCxGC) is widely used for middle distillates analysis, but only a few applications are devoted to these heavier fractions. In this paper, it is shown how the optimization of GCxGC separation allowed the determination of suitable high-temperature (HT) conditions, adjusting column properties and operating conditions. 2D separations were evaluated using 2D separation criteria and a new concept of 2D asymmetry (As(2D)). New HT conditions allowed the extension of GCxGC range of applications to heavier hydrocarbons, up to nC(60). A first application of high-temperature two-dimensional gas chromatography (HT-2D-GC) to a full vacuum gas oil (VGO) feed stock is described. Comparisons with other standardized methods illustrate the high potential of HT-2D-GC for heavy fractions analysis.