Patent ID: 8849582

Claim:
An apparatus for off-line measurement of a property or a plurality of properties for a relatively high viscosity, inhomogeneous liquid hydrocarbon mixture including crude or heavy oils having asphaltenic or carbonaceous particulates therein, said apparatus comprising: a fluid flow path configured to convey a predetermined sample volume of the liquid hydrocarbon mixture continuously in a downstream direction therethrough; a sampling unit configured to receive the sample volume therein, and to continuously deliver the sample volume to the fluid flow path, the sampling unit including: a temperature control module configured to maintain at least a portion of the sample volume at a predetermined setpoint temperature; a homogenization module configured to distribute the particulates within the sample volume; and a flow control module configured to maintain a substantially constant flow rate of the sample volume as it flows through the fluid flow path; a sample cell disposed within the fluid flow path; a spectrometer communicably coupled to the sample cell, to transmit and receive radiation to and from the sample cell; the spectrometer configured to measure spectra for the sample volume in the sample cell, including the crude or heavy oils having asphaltenic or carbonaceous particulates; and a processor configured to capture the spectra.