Ring analysis: unravelling the structure of petroleum
Themes: Chemistry, bio- & process technology
Why?
Petroleum is a mixture of a large number of different hydrocarbons. Investigating its applications requires characterisation of this mixture. Waterman played a pioneering role in this and developed the ring analysis.
How?
His ring analysis uses the density and specific refraction of a petroleum sample to determine its hydrogen content. Comparing this content before and after hydrogenation, the proportions of paraffinic, naphthenic and aromatic carbon, and the number of aromatic and naphthenic rings can be determined.
When?
Waterman was professor at the TU Delft faculty of chemical engineering from 1919 to 1959. The ring analysis was first published in 1932 in a publication together with Vlugter and Van Westen.
Prof. dr. ir. Hein Israel Waterman †