Calculation of aromatics content of light catalytic gasoil

One of the methods used in refinery laboratories to characterize the aromatics content of products is the determination of the total content of hydrocarbons reacting with sulfuric acid (GOST 6994-74). However, the field of application of this method is limited; it can be used only in the analysis of straight-run or hydrotreated stocks that contain little or no unsaturated hydrocarbons. Moreover, the procedure is tedious and hazardous. It has become necessary in refinery practice to evaluate the aromaticity of products of secondary origin, such as light catalytic gasoil. As no other methods suitable for this purpose are available, the determination of the content of hydrocarbons reacting with sulfuric acid has been used at the Industrial Association "Angarsknefteorgsintez" for the analysis of these products as well, but with preliminary dilution of the sample with n-octane or n-heptane. The authors presenting results from an evaluation of the aromatics content of light catalytic gasoil by calculation.