Critical appraisal of the flame photometric detector in petroleum analysis

Summary This paper summarises experience gained at the British Petroleum Limited Research Centre, Sunbury-on-Thames, with sulphur selective gas chromatography (GC) detectors. A single flame photometric detector (SFPD) has been in use for three years for research and routine applications. Three areas of interest are described demonstrating in turn different characteristics of the detector. Firstly, a determination of trace levels of individual organo-sulphur compounds in the 15–65°C cut of crude oils illustrates the complexity of using an SFPD in a rigorously quantitative manner. Secondly, the use of an SFPD as a qualitative tool for the comparison of the sulphur distribution of crude oils up to the temperature limit of GC is cited. Finally, a third section describes the properties of a dual flame photometric detector (DFPD) which are compared and contrasted with those of the SFPD.