Patent ID: 7871826
Filing Date: 2011-01-18
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for determining a carbon content value of a hydrocarbon-containing mixture comprising: measuring a first composition-dependent bulk property of the hydrocarbon-containing mixture using a first sensor to determine a first composition-dependent bulk property value, the first composition-dependent bulk property selected from the group consisting of lower heating value, higher heating value, thermal conductivity, viscosity, molar heat capacity, specific heat capacity, and sonic velocity; measuring a concentration of at least one non-hydrocarbon component in the hydrocarbon-containing mixture using a second sensor to determine a non-hydrocarbon component concentration value and/or measuring a second composition-dependent bulk property of the hydrocarbon-containing mixture using a third sensor to determine a second composition-dependent bulk property value, the at least one non-hydrocarbon component selected from the croup consisting of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide; and calculating the carbon content value using the first composition-dependent bulk property value and using the non-hydrocarbon component concentration value and/or the second composition-dependent bulk property value in a carbon content correlation.