APPLICATION OF SPECTROSCOPY, ESPECIALLY NEAR-INFRARED, FOR PROCESS AND PILOT MONITORING

Spectroscopic analysers, e.g. near infrared (NIR), play an increasing role in on-line analysis of a wide variety of processes. NIR has been used for many years to analyse e.g. protein, fat, and moisture content of food products, octane numbers along with some other properties of gasolines and other petroleum products. Equipped with fiber optics, NIR analysers circumvent many sample handling problems and are thus ideal for many on-line applications provided process environment requirements are fulfilled. Examples of some in-house application developments for the process and pilot plants starting from the first on-line octane measurement analyser connected to a process computer system in 1988 will be given.