Pleasanton, CA--Aspectrics, Inc., the innovator of patented encoded-photometric near-infrared (EP-NIR) spectroscopy technology, has announced the unveiling of the novel EP-NIR 2750 and EP-NIR 2750i biofuels analyzers. The analyzers extend the range of EP-NIR analyzers for process, biofuels, ambient air monitoring, stack gas analysis, and specialty gases industries. The EP-NIR biofuel analyzers feature an ultra-fast scanning rate of 100 scans/second while achieving an impressive spectral range of 128 photometric channels and enable users to monitor their processes in real time. The new range of biofuels analyzers will be unveiled at booth #84 at Biodiesel Expo 2007, Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire, England, October 17th and 18th, 2007.
Aspectrics also has announced the availability of a new application note demonstrating the ability of its MultiComponent 2750 EP-NIR analyzer to provide accurate measurements of biodiesel in B0 to B100 diesel blends. Derived from biological sources, biodiesel is gaining momentum as the energy source of the future because it is biodegradable, non-toxic, and produces around 60% less net carbon-dioxide emissions than petroleum-based diesel. The "B" factor is an international system used to state the amount of biodiesel in any fuel mix. Determining this amount is especially important to specify the purity level of a diesel blend.
The Aspectrics MultiComponent 2750 EP-NIR analyzer used in this application was recently given an "honorable mention" at the Editor Awards during PITTCON 2007. This application demonstrated that when coupled to an external halogen NIR source and an extended range, 2-mm path-length process transmission probe, the EP-NIR analyzer is capable of determining the precise percentage volume of biodiesel in various diesel blends in the B0-B100 range.
In the application note, samples of B0, B10, B20, B90, B95, and B100 were gathered and analyzed in several replicates. Focus was on the most common blending ranges, B0-B20 and B90-B100. The resulting spectra were randomly split into two groups, one used to develop a calibration model and the other one to validate the equations created for accuracy. Both Principal Components Regression (PCR) and Partial Least Squares (PLS) chemometrics methods were used to develop calibration equations.
During the analysis, the PLS model performed marginally better than the PCR model, resulting in a 99.9% confidence level of the finished blended product with an accuracy of ± 0.27% volume. The experiment also demonstrated that the biodiesel percentage volume in the final blend can be easily measured using chemical information characteristic of and specific to the biodiesel product only. The application note, entitled, "MC2750 EP-NIR: Accurately Measuring Biodiesel % vol. in B0–B100 Blends," is available to download free of charge at www.aspectrics.com.