Rigaku’s NEX XT is the next generation process gauge for high-level total sulfur measurement (0.02% to 6% S) of crude, bunker fuel, fuel oils, and other highly viscous hydrocarbons, including residuums.

On-Line total sulfur gauge
This versatile, compact and robust X-ray Transmission / Absorption (XRT / XRA) process gauge is specifically optimized for the total sulfur analysis needs of refineries, pipelines, blending operations, bunkering terminals and other storage facilities. Applications for the NEX XT include bunker fuel blending to meet MARPOL Annex VI sulfur restrictions, interface detection of different grade fuels delivered via pipelines, refinery feedstock blending and monitoring, and the quality monitoring of crude at remote collection and storage facilities.

X-ray Transmission / Absorption (XRT / XRA) Method
X-ray Transmission (XRT) gauging has long been an accepted technique for the measurement of total sulfur (S) in heavy hydrocarbon process streams. Whether used for pipeline switching, crude oil blending or to assay or blend marine and bunker fuels, the Rigaku NEX XT XRT process analyzer is well suited to rigorous process environments, with pressures up to 1480 psig and temperature up to 200°C. X-ray transmission gauging involves measuring the attenuation of a monochromatic X-ray beam at a specific energy (21 keV) that is specific to sulfur (S). In practice, a process stream passes through a flowcell where sulfur (S), in the hydrocarbon matrix, absorbs X-rays transmitted between an X-ray source and detector. The recorded X-ray intensity is inversely proportional to the sulfur concentration, thus the highest sulfur levels transmit the least X-rays.