Patent ID: 7939335

Claim:
A method for the detection of heavy hydrocarbon components in at least one sample taken from a distillate stream or reformer feed comprising: a) measuring the fluorescence of the at least one sample, or of at least one heavy hydrocarbon component of the sample, using spectrofluorometry in at least one band of the electromagnetic spectrum for determining a concentration of heavy hydrocarbon component for the at least one heavy hydrocarbon component; b) transforming the fluorescence measured in step a) by mathematical transformation to obtain a mathematically transformed fluorescence value with a computer configured for determining the concentration of the analyzed hydrocarbon component using the spectrally determined concentration in an appropriate mathematical model; c) periodically or continuously outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of the intensity of the fluorescence in the band or at least one mathematical function or a combination of mathematical functions thereof with the computer wherein the computer is configured for determining the total heavy hydrocarbon concentration from the determined values for each sample; d) mathematically converting the signal to an output signal indicative of at least on of the presence and identification of heavy hydrocarbon components with the computer; and e) using the spectrofluorometry and the computer in such manner that the detection of any heavy hydrocarbon component is determined continuously and in real time.