Patent ID: 7972863

Claim:
An apparatus for on-line concentration determination of components in a liquid hydrocarbon mixture flowing through an alkylation process, which liquid hydrocarbon mixture includes an unknown concentration of components including hydrocarbons and water, said apparatus comprising: a fluid flow path configured to convey the liquid mixture continuously in a downstream direction from the alkylation process; a first instrument disposed along the fluid flow path, and configured for measuring a property of the liquid mixture, the first instrument configured to have responsivities to concentrations of one of the components, substantially independent of the concentrations of the water; a temperature detector configured to generate temperature data for the liquid mixture; a second instrument disposed along the fluid flow path, and configured for measuring another property of the liquid mixture; the first and second instruments configured to have mutually distinct responsivities to concentrations of the components; a model of responsivities to various concentrations of the components at various temperatures; a processor configured to capture data generated by the temperature detector and the first and second instruments, and to use the data in combination with said model to determine a temperature compensated concentration of said components in said liquid mixture while the liquid mixture flows continuously through the fluid flow path; and a filter module communicably coupled to said processor, said filter configured to mathematically filter said temperature compensated concentration.