Described is a zone box for a differential scanning calorimeter. The zone box includes sheets of thermocouple alloy disposed between thermally conductive electrical insulator layers. A thermocouple alloy wire is electrically coupled to each one of the thermocouple alloy sheets. In addition, a pure metal wire is electrically coupled to each one of the thermocouple alloy sheets to enable remote measurement of voltage differences between the different thermocouple alloy sheets. The high thermal conductivity of the electrical insulator layers substantially reduces any thermal gradients across the sheets and maintains the connections of the thermocouple alloy wires and pure metal wires to the sheets to be at substantially the same temperature. The zone box reduces temperature difference measurement errors that result from inhomogeneity in the thermocouple alloy wires and variable temperature distributions along the length of the wires.

Fuel compositions that are low sulfur and have adequate combustion quality are disclosed. An example fuel composition that is low sulfur may have the following enumerated properties: a sulfur content of about 0.50% or less by weight of the fuel composition; a calculated carbon aromaticity index of about 870 or less; a density at 15° C. of about 900 kg/m.sup.3 to about 1,010 kg/m.sup.3; a kinematic viscosity at 50° C. of about 100 centistokes to about 700 centistokes; and an estimated cetane number of about 7 or greater.

Systems and methods are provided for using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to predict properties of fuel compositions, such as marine fuel oils. It has been discovered that various features of the data plots generated by DSC can be correlated with properties of interest for marine fuel oil compositions. The fuel composition properties that can be predicted based on DSC include, but are not limited to, density; micro carbon residue; pour point; and estimated cetane number (ECN). This can include prediction of ECN for resid-containing fuel compositions. Using DSC to predict ECN can reduce or minimize the number of resid-containing fuel oil samples that require testing using the limited availability equipment required for the IP 541 method.

Fuel compositions that are low sulfur and have adequate combustion quality are disclosed. An example fuel composition that is low sulfur may have the following enumerated properties: a sulfur content of about 0.50% or less by weight of the fuel composition; a calculated carbon aromaticity index of about 870 or less; a density at 15 C. of about 900 kg/m.sup.3 to about 1,010 kg/m.sup.3; a kinematic viscosity at 50 C. of about 100 centistokes to about 700 centistokes; and an estimated cetane number of about 7 or greater.

A microelectromechanical gas sensor including a fixed part, at least one suspended part in relation to fixed part, at least one sensitive zone carried on the suspended part, the sensitive zone being able to adsorb/absorb and desorb gaseous species or families of gaseous species, a heater for heating at least the sensitive zone, a detector for detecting the adsorption/absorption and desorption of gaseous species or families of gaseous species on the sensitive zone, a controller of controlling the heater so that the heating is applied to at least the sensitive zone with one or more temperature profiles ensuring the adsorption/absorption and desorption of the gaseous species in a controlled manner so as to obtain an individual desorption of each species or families of gaseous species.

A differential scanning calorimeter includes a temperature-controlled heat source and a sensor arrangement with sample- and reference-side pan support regions and measurement regions. Measurement region sensor(s) output a differential heat flow signal representative of a difference between heat flowing across the sample- and reference-side measurement regions and a sample- and reference-side local heater arrangement. A sample and reference pan are arranged on the sample and reference-side pan support region, respectively. A volume surrounding the pans is filled with a measuring gas. A steady state situation of a desired temperature is created, and once reached, heating power is applied to one of the pan support regions using the respective local heater arrangement. A second calibration factor is determined based on a ratio of a differential heat flow signal (U) and a differential heating power.

A system and a method are provided for calculating the cetane number, pour point, cloud point, aniline point, aromaticity, and/or octane number of a crude oil and its fractions from the density and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of a sample of the crude oil.

An automatic method for thermogravimetric analysis of multiple samples of coal or coke for volatile matter in a thermogravimetric analyzer of the type including an auto-loading delivery system, a furnace, a movable platform within said furnace, an external balance and an internal balance for measuring the weights of sample holders, lids and samples before and after treatment in the furnace. Coal or coke samples are placed in the sample holders and weighed in the external balance and are auto-loaded into the furnace at 950 C. All sample holders are weighed sequentially on the internal balance at exactly 7 minutes from introduction time with space time 14-20 seconds in between them and the weight of the sample holder prior to being placed in the furnace is compared with the weight of the sample holder after it has been treated in the furnace to determine the amount of volatile material.

An automatic method for thermogravimetric analysis of multiple samples of coal or coke for volatile matter in a thermogravimetric analyzer of the type including an auto-loading delivery system, a furnace, a movable platform within said furnace, an external balance and an internal balance for measuring the weights of sample holders, lids and samples before and after treatment in the furnace. Coal or coke samples are placed in the sample holders and weighed in the external balance and are auto-loaded into the furnace at 950 C. All sample holders are weighed sequentially on the internal balance at exactly 7 minutes from introduction time with space time 14-20 seconds in between them and the weight of the sample holder prior to being placed in the furnace is compared with the weight of the sample holder after it has been treated in the furnace to determine the amount of volatile material.

A device for thermal analysis including: a pair of sample container assembly sets, having a sample container and a heat sink connected using a predetermined thermal resistance; a heating unit for equally heating the pair of sample container assembly sets; a temperature control for the heating unit; a weight measurement unit measuring difference between a sample and a reference material; while the heating unit is changed.