Launching new solutions to ultra-low sulfur detection without helium

What a helium shortage really means for the petrochemicals industry, and why the Epsilon 1 ULS is the ultimate solution

Did you know that without helium, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins might never have made it to the moon? In fact, helium is so important in spacecraft that without it, they would never even have made it off the ground. That’s because this gas is required, among other things, to act as a cooling agent, to purge gas from the fuel vessel, and – importantly – to create enough pressure to launch the rocket into space.

And helium is not only used for interstellar missions! It’s utilized in a range of other industries too. In the petrochemicals industry, for example, helium is widely used to reach lower levels of sulfur detection in fuels. Why? Because sulfur (a naturally occurring element in fuels that negatively impacts air quality) is subject to ever-more stringent regulation. This means that fuel refineries need to be able to detect sulfur at increasingly lower concentrations to deliver cleaner, greener fuels.

Confronting the helium dilemma

But there’s a big problem: helium is in increasingly short supply. Fueled by political instability in Russia, disruption at the US Federal Helium Reserve and planned maintenance in facilities in Qatar, many industries that rely on helium for their operations are struggling to secure the gas they need. For petrochemical suppliers, this means that it’s now more difficult than ever to test samples for sulfur content and meet strict industry regulations. And the issue is only set to get worse. This has led many in the oil industry to ponder the same question: what if ultra-low levels of sulfur could be detected in fuels without using helium?

Answering the calls for helium-free sulfur detection

Well, now it can! The Epsilon 1 ULS is a first-of-its-kind solution for the analysis of low sulfur content in automotive fuels. Launched in April 2021, this out-of-the-box, pre-calibrated tool enables fast and precise sulfur quantification without helium. What’s more, thanks to its newly designed detector and dedicated X-ray detection tube, this instrument enables more accurate results than traditional helium-purged detection instruments. So, it’s not just an alternative solution to testing with helium, it’s also a more accurate one!

But the Epsilon 1 ULS can do more than detect ultra-low levels of sulfur – it can detect other elements too. At the click of a button, this tool can deliver rapid and precise quantification for low levels of chlorine (which can cause serious corrosion issues for end-users), nickel, and vanadium. And all quicker than comparable XRF instruments currently available on the market. As a benchtop tool, it also packs a lot of power and sensitivity into a relatively small system, bringing its capabilities even closer to floor-standing instruments.

Delivering solutions today, for the industry of tomorrow

This state-of-the-art instrument is the answer to helium shortages in the petrochemicals industry. But that’s not all. With its increased sensitivity to both sulfur and other important elements, it also enables petrochemical producers to prepare for future regulatory changes.

As a former Chair and Executive Committee member at ASTM International, a member of several ASTM committees, such as D02 on Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels and Lubricants, and a member of several ISO committees (including ISO TC 19 on gaseous and liquid fuels and lubricants), I am involved in the continuous revision of test methods on many regulations, including sulfur levels in fuel. And lots of my other Malvern Panalytical colleagues are too! That’s how we know that ISO 13032, for example – an important standard in the petroleum industry – is currently being reviewed to include more stringent requirements (aligning with global regulations on this reactive element). And ASTM International is, of course, continuously performing similar updates.

With this in mind, we’re confident that Epsilon 1 ULS suits the needs of today, as well as tomorrow. And we know you’ll be over the moon with the results!

To find out more about the Epsilon 1 ULS, please click here or contact us.