Water Analysis in the Petroleum Industry - A Useful Instrument

The Discrete Analyzer

Discrete analyzers are well known in clinical testing laboratories. Recently these little work horses have found their way into environmental laboratories, but their full potential in the analysis of water samples has yet to be realized. Environmental labs have found use for them in analyzing nutrients in wastewater and in relieving sample loads or reagent cost.

The Petroleum Industry

Production water needs to be monitored for major cations and anions that are used as indicators of corrosion or scaling tendency. Normally these water samples are collected and sent off to chemical supply company laboratories that use a variety of instruments and then calculate scaling or corrosion tendency indexes. A discrete analyzer makes it possible to analyze all important ions used in the scaling and corrosion index.

It is also useful to monitor production water for existing scale and corrosion inhibitors. These colorimetric tests are easily adapted to discrete analyzers making it possible to analyze these parameters at the same time and on the same instrument used for scale and corrosion index testing.

Discrete analyzers can also check for trace metals. Iron, manganese, chromium, nickel, etc. can all be determined, again in the same sample, on the same instrument, and essentially at the same time.

How the Discrete Analyzer Works

Discrete analyzers are essentially automated manual spectrophotometers. The instrument pipets sample into reaction segments, adds reagent, and then measures concentration versus pre-stored calibration curves. A huge advantage to discrete analyzers is they use very little reagent and/or sample and almost the entire process is computer controlled.

William Lipps

http://www.oico.com

(979) 690-1375 ext. 230

wlipps@oico.com

One Extraction, One Dilution, One Injection, Automation solutions.
Segmented Flow, Flow Injection, Discrete Analyzers, TOC Analyzers, Sample Introduction, Gas Chromatography, Gel Permeation, Purge & Trap

Expert Methods Consulting

http://www.williamlipps.com

Classical Wet Chemistry, HPLC, IC, GC, GC/MS, SFA, FIA, Discrete, TOC, TOX, UV-VIS, IR, Osmometry, Petroleum, Proximate Analysis, Extractions, Digestions

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