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Boiling Point Profiles in Minutes – Meet AC SIMDIS

August 20, 2025

Boiling point distribution tells the real story of a petroleum product. It determines how fuel behaves in an engine, how crude oil will fractionate in a refinery, and whether a shipment meets strict trade and regulatory specifications. For decades, laboratories relied on physical distillation to generate these curves. But when precision, speed, and reproducibility are critical, simulated distillation using gas chromatography has become the method of choice.

Imagine running a full boiling point analysis of a crude oil sample – not over hours, but in a fraction of the time, with sharper resolution and greater reproducibility than a traditional distillation tower could ever deliver.

AC SIMDIS, developed by PAC, is a turnkey GC platform purpose-built for this task. It covers the full boiling range – from light naphtha to heavy C120 fractions – in strict compliance with ASTM, IP, ISO, DIN, and CEN standards. Whether you need ASTM D2887 for middle distillates, D6352 for heavy ends, or D7169 for extended ranges, AC SIMDIS delivers results that are both traceable and globally accepted.

Behind the performance is a combination of robust hardware and intelligent software. The Temperature Programmable Inlet ensures clean, stable, and repeatable sample introduction, while the Automated Liquid Sampler delivers precise, reproducible injections with minimal carryover. Together, they form a stable platform capable of handling complex petroleum streams with ease.

The heart of the system, SIMDIS XLNC™ software, turns chromatograms into actionable data. Analysts can visualize results, overlay curves for comparison, calculate ASTM-specific parameters, and generate customized reports. Built-in quality control, audit trails, and seamless LIMS integration keep operations efficient and compliant with ISO 17025 and other quality frameworks.

AC SIMDIS is also more than just a boiling point analyzer. With additional configurations, it can estimate flash points, calculate Volume Average Boiling Point (VABP) and Bureau of Mines Correlation Index (BMCI), determine molar mass, and even simultaneous determination sulfur- or nitrogen. This makes it an invaluable tool for crude oil assay, refinery optimization, and product certification.

Beyond the Lab: The Operational Advantage

In the demanding world of petroleum and chemical analysis, a fast and accurate result isn't just a technical achievement; it's an operational necessity. The speed of the AC SIMDIS system allows labs to provide data to plant operators in a matter of minutes, enabling timely adjustments to the refining process. This reduces the time a product spends in a holding tank and helps maximize throughput.

Equally important is the system's precision and reproducibility. By minimizing variability in your boiling point data, you reduce the risk of product giveaway – selling a higher-value product at a lower-value price – and ensure every batch confidently meets its regulatory and trade specifications. Ultimately, this leads to more efficient operations and better profitability.

From refinery labs monitoring daily production, to independent testing facilities certifying fuels for trade, AC SIMDIS offers a powerful combination of speed, precision, and regulatory confidence. It can also be a vital tool for beyond the traditional scope of fuels and crude testing. Understanding your hydrocarbons is paramount and the AC SIMDIS can provide critical data for research and development, renewable fuel initiatives, and a wide range of other petrochemical or petroleum adjacent applications.

Download the SIMDIS Brochure here

Next-Generation Accuracy in Distillation Testing: Introducing OptiDist® 2

August 13, 2025

Atmospheric distillation remains a critical tool for characterizing petroleum products, from gasoline and diesel to lubricants and alternative fuels. With increasingly complex samples and tightening industry standards, conventional methods can fall short in consistency, speed, and safety.

In this realm the OptiDist® 2 from PAC stands out as a next-generation analyzer designed to streamline distillation testing.

Designed for Today’s Labs

The OptiDist® 2 combines advanced automation with built-in safety features to deliver unmatched reliability. Its unique thermosyphon cooling system (sealed and maintenance-free) ensures stable condensate control, while a dual-optimizer heating system tracks both sample and vapor temperatures in real time. This allows for precise, repeatable results – even with unknown or difficult samples.

Starting a test is remarkably simple. Operators can initiate a run with just three steps: enter the sample info, select the method, and press start. The system automatically configures heating parameters for optimal results, and QR-coded flasks eliminate glassware setup errors. It’s ideal for both high-throughput quality control and complex R&D environments.

In addition, it integrates easily with PAC's PACe software ecosystem, enabling real-time monitoring, full traceability, and compatibility with LIMS platforms – ensuring your lab always stays connected and compliant.

Safe, Smart, and Compliant

OptiDist® 2 is built with user safety in mind. Integrated VOC extraction, fire detection, and automatic suppression systems protect both operators and instruments. The instrument is fully compliant with ASTM D86, ASTM D86, D1078, D850, IP195, IP123, DIN51751, EN ISO3405, JIS K2254, ISO918, D524, D4350 standards.

Why Sulfur in Marine Fuel Demands Accurate Analysis

August 6, 2025

Sulfur in marine fuels contributes to acid rain and particulate emissions, posing serious environmental and human health risks. To combat this, MARPOL Annex VI strictly regulates sulfur content in marine fuels such as bunker oil, pushing shipping operators and regulatory bodies toward precise sulfur quantification.

Enter Horiba’s SLFA Series

Horiba’s SLFA analyzers leverage Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) to detect sulfur in petroleum-based samples with high speed and low detection limits. With a dedicated X-ray tube optimized for sulfur excitation and a fully enclosed, safe design, these analyzers eliminate the need for gas utilities or radiation certification.

How It Works

Pour 4-10 mL of marine oil into a sample cup, seal it with Mylar film and locking ring.
The instrument launches with pre-calibrated curves – just press Start.
Within seconds, live data appears. The software then automatically selects optimal calibration (low or high sulfur), computes the final sulfur concentration, and outputs statistical indicators. Results and data can be exported via USB.

Horiba’s default calibration uses certified reference materials spanning 0‑4% sulfur, minimizing matrix effects automatically and ensuring accuracy across fuel compositions.

Why Choose SLFA for Marine Fuel QC?

Speed and simplicity: Onboard or lab analysis in just minutes.
Regulatory compliance: ASTM D4294 / ISO 8754 / JIS‑equivalent methods supported.
Portable option: SLFA‑60’s small footprint and no gas requirement make it ideal for on‑ship testing.
High throughput: SLFA‑6800 supports autosampling for QC laboratories.
Minimal operator training: Ready-to-run software, curve auto‑selection, USB export.

Key models:

SLFA‑60: Compact and portable – Ideal for onboard testing (vessels, tankers).
SLFA‑6800: Laboratory-grade unit featuring an 8-position autosampler for enhanced throughput and productivity in QC labs.

Performance Metrics

Model	Range	Repeatability	Detection Limit
SLFA‑60	0–10% S	≤ 15 ppm	~20 ppm
SLFA‑6800	0–10% S	≤ 5 ppm	~5 ppm

These analyzers deliver consistent, high-precision results across various marine fuels – even with differing elemental matrices (Ca, Zn, V, Ni) – thanks to sophisticated internal filtering and calibration correction algorithms.

Real-World Comparison with Contract Labs

Testing with real ferry and bunker fuel samples showed close alignment between SLFA readings and contract lab results. For example, samples with ~0.7% sulfur showed agreement within ±0.02–0.03%, demonstrating robustness across sulfur levels ranging from 0.02% up to >3%.

Read the full application note here

Maintaining Quality Across the Battery Lifecycle

July 30, 2025

Modern society relies heavily on portable electrical power – supplied primarily by batteries. From smartphones and laptops to tablets and electric vehicles, none would function without a reliable power source. Since Alessandro Volta developed the first battery in the 18th century, countless battery types have emerged, varying in chemical composition and size, and serving applications ranging from flashlights to large-scale energy storage for power grids.

Regardless of a battery’s size, purpose, or whether it’s a primary (non-rechargeable) or secondary (rechargeable) system, elemental analysis of individual components (particularly for carbon, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen) is often essential. Instruments like the ELEMENTRAC CS-i and ONH-p2 analyzers enable accurate and reliable measurement of C/S and O/N across a broad concentration range.

ELEMENTRAC analyzers assess the entire sample using combustion or inert gas fusion, ensuring comprehensive, consistent results from trace ppm levels to high percentages.

Why the Full Element Picture Matters

Battery materials are chemically complex – and impurities like sulfur or nitrogen can degrade performance, stability, and cycle life. Even small oxygen residues can catalyze unwanted reactions in electrodes.

In battery production labs, Eltra’s CS‑i is frequently used to quantify sulfur in lead paste – delivering precise values within minutes. Despite sample heterogeneity, repeatability often lands around 0.5% RSD, highlighting its robustness even under challenging conditions.

With ONH‑p, labs can characterize nitrogen and oxygen levels in ceramic separators, silicon-based anodes, and solid electrolytes, empowering designers with critical insights into impurity-driven behavior

Interested in implementing C/S or O/N/H analysis in your lab?

ATS Scientific and ELTRA can help you configure the right solution based on your workflow, sample type, and throughput needs.

The ELEMENTRAC ONH-p2 analyzer

Uses fusion furnace (>3000 °C) for deep gas extraction
Detects O, N, H from the ppm range to high concentration levels
Sample prep: typically 50-1000 mg in nickel capsule or special basket depending on sample nature
Fast measurement: 2-4 minutes per run

The ELEMENTRAC CS-i Analyzer

Measures carbon and sulfur from 0.6 ppm to 64 % in one gram of sample
Ideal for powders or solids (e.g. lead paste, cathode materials)
Analysis takes just 40–60 seconds per sample
Typical sample weights: 250–500 mg, with accelerator agents to prevent swirling and incomplete combustion

Click here to read the full application report with real life samples.

What's in in your batteries?

July 22, 2025

Microwave-assisted sample preparation of α-spodumene: A simple procedure for analysis of a complex sample.

Raw materials in the Li-ion industry are often complex matrices, which requires aggressive sample preparation conditions. The following study is focused on the development of a reliable protocol for the chemical analysis of a raw material, the α-spodumene, using microwave sample preparation. The aluminosilicate structure of α-spodumene has to be destroyed through the sample preparation in order to bring all the target elements in solutions and perform their analysis.
Taking into account the technological relevance of Li-ion batteries for electric vehicles, the authors describe how a simple and practical procedure without using concentrated HF was developed for chemical analysis of α-spodumene.

To read the paper click here