Middle distillates hydrogen content via GC x GC-FID

Liquid transportation fuels in the middle distillate range contain thousands of hydrocarbons making the predictions and calculations of properties from composition a challenging process. We present a new approach of hydrogen content determination by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC x GC-FID) using a weighted average method. GC x GC-FID hydrogen determination precision was excellent (0.005 wt% repeatability). The method accuracy was evaluated by high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique, which is non-biased, measures the H signal directly and was independently validated by controls in the current study. The hydrogen content (in the range of 12.72-15.54 wt%) in 28 fuel samples were determined using GC x GC-FID. Results were within +/- 2% of those obtained via NMR. Owing to the fact that NMR is accepted as an accurate technique for hydrogen content determination, the GC x GC method proposed in this study can be considered precise and accurate.