Vapor Pressure in Crude Oil

According to ASTM D6377 (Expansion Method), the Crude Oil Package from Grabner Instruments provides a complete solution for the transport and measurement of the vapor pressure of crude oil. The Floating Piston Cylinder is unique and enables safe transfer of “live crude oils” sample as per ASTM D3700, and it also removes the risk of evaporation of light hydrocarbon ends during transport. Moreover, the crude oil package from Grabner Instruments strictly conforms to the Russian standard GOST 52340.

Floating Piston Cylinder (FPC250)

In association with Norwegian offshore personnel, the exceptional Floating Piston Cylinder (FPC250) was particularly developed for ASTM D6377. A mechanical stirrer is incorporated to guarantee uniform samples. Hazards can be reduced as there is no protrusion of handles or valve stems from the cylinder. The FPC250 fully conforms to ASTM D3700, D6377, and GOST R52340 methods.

Easy to Use

The FPC should be attached to the sample source and flushed either manually or purged with a continuous bypass stream of the sample. After that, a representative sample is collected and sealed inside the cylinder.

Manual Filling for ASTM D3700

The mechanical stirrer’s handle extends from the air-inlet area and includes a compact pressure gauge for monitoring the crude oil pressure within the cylinder. Furthermore, the mechanical stirrer allows manual positioning, which eliminates the need for a back-pressure source in the field. When the piston remains in the forward position, the filling of the FPC 250 automatically generates a back pressure of around 150 psi of air, which is sufficient and appropriate for various sampling conditions.

Safety First

Two valves with spring-loaded packing are incorporated on the inlet side, along with an integrated rupture disc, for safety. One more valve with a Swagelok^® Quick-Connector is fixed to the nitrogen or air inlet of the cylinder. At the time of storage or transport, each every valve can easily be locked from automatic opening.

Available Packages

Crude Oil Package

For MINIVAP VP Vision (up to 2000 kPa inlet pressure)

Floating piston cylinder (FPC250)

Stainless steel filling tube

Fast connector nut

For MINIVAP VPXpert

Floating piston cylinder (FPC250)

Exceptional coupling for crude oil filling tubes

Tubes: Calibration tube, PTFE filling tube, and stainless steel filling tube

Pressure regulator

Additional filters for FPC

Pipeline Package for High Pressures (2000 to 7000 kPa) for MINIVAP VP Vision

Floating piston cylinder (FPC250)

Quick connector nut

Stainless steel filling tube

Pressure regulator

Fast Equilibrium

The MINIVAP VPXpert as well as the VP Vision employs a built-in shaker for shaking the sample inside the measuring cell, which considerably reduces the equilibrium time.

MINIVAP

The MINIVAP testers are portable, compact, fully automatic, and highly multipurpose instruments. These testers automatically determine the vapor pressure behavior of dead and live crude oil, solvents, gasoline and gasoline-oxygenated blends, and other chemical compounds. The MINIVAP analyzers are individual units that do not need any accessories. The piston-based design meant for automatic introduction of samples and volume expansion of the measuring cell eliminates the need for a valuable and huge vacuum pump.

The Grabner measuring principle along with the modern standards ASTM D6378 (for Gasoline) and ASTM D6377 (for Crude Oil) eliminates tiresome air saturation and sample chilling. This new technology considerably increases refinery profits by eliminating operator bias and reducing valuable labor time, and it has also significantly enhanced test precision that provides the benefit to blend closer to the limits and avoid product give-away.

MINIVAP is the universal standard instrument that is used by all leading oil and pipeline companies, refineries, car manufacturers, and autonomous laboratories. The MINIVAP has been declared as the official reference instrument for the USA by the US-EPA.

Vapor Pressure in Crude Oil

Crude Oil Package for MINIVAP VP Vision (up to 2000 kPa inlet pressure)Crude Oil Package for MINIVAP VPXpertPipeline Package for High Pressures (2000 to 7000 kPa) for MINIVAP VP Vision