Simulated Distillation

Simulated Distillation column

Agilent Simulated Distillation GC Columns

Agilent Simulated Distillation (SIMDIS) GC columns are engineered to deliver precise, repeatable boiling-point distribution data for petroleum fractions, fuels, lubricants, and refinery products. Designed for compliance with key ASTM methods—including D2887, D3710, D6352, and D7169—these columns provide the high thermal stability, inertness, and reproducibility required for accurate simulated distillation analysis from light hydrocarbons to heavy distillates and residual fractions.

Constructed using rugged metal or high-performance fused-silica tubing, Agilent SIMDIS columns offer exceptional resistance to thermal stress and maintain stable selectivity across extended temperature gradients. Their precise engineering ensures sharp peak shapes, minimal discrimination of high-boiling components, and reliable retention-time alignment—critical for generating accurate, reportable boiling-point curves in refining, petrochemical, and fuel-quality laboratories.

Agilent offers SIMDIS columns across a full range of selectivities tailored to specific ASTM methods, including phases optimized for heavy-end recovery, extended hydrocarbon range, and high-temperature operation. Whether used for diesel and kerosene characterization, crude-oil fraction mapping, or gasoline blend evaluation, these columns provide the stability and durability needed for continuous, high-throughput process monitoring and routine QA/QC workflows.

With industry-leading inertness, long column lifetime, and excellent batch-to-batch reproducibility, Agilent Simulated Distillation GC columns deliver the high-confidence performance required for refining process control, product certification, and compliant ASTM-aligned SIMDIS analysis.
Key Definitions â–¸
Simulated Distillation (SIMDIS)
A gas chromatography technique used to determine the boiling-point distribution of petroleum products. SIMDIS replaces traditional physical distillation with a GC-based method that is faster, more precise, and suitable for automated QA/QC workflows.
ASTM D2887
A widely used SIMDIS method for determining the boiling-point distribution of petroleum fractions up to approximately 650 Â°F (343 Â°C). It is commonly applied to gasoline, naphtha, diesel, and light distillates. Agilent SIMDIS columns are available in selectivities optimized specifically for D2887 compliance.
ASTM D7169
A high-temperature SIMDIS method used to characterize crude oils, heavy distillates, residual fuels, and vacuum gas oils up to 1,000 Â°F (538 Â°C). Requires columns with exceptional thermal stability and ruggedness, such as Agilent’s high-temperature SIMDIS phases.
Boiling-Point Distribution
A profile that shows the percentage of a petroleum product that evaporates at each temperature. SIMDIS GC columns generate this distribution by converting retention times into calculated boiling points using ASTM-defined reference standards.
High-Temperature Stability
The ability of a GC column to withstand extended exposure to elevated temperatures without phase degradation or retention-time drift. This is essential for high-boiling petroleum components and long SIMDIS oven programs, particularly under ASTM D7169 conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions â–¸
What is the purpose of using a SIMDIS GC column?
SIMDIS GC columns are used to determine the boiling-point distribution of petroleum products. They allow laboratories to replace traditional physical distillation with a faster, more repeatable GC-based method suitable for routine QA/QC and process control.
Which ASTM methods are supported by Agilent SIMDIS columns?
Agilent SIMDIS GC columns support ASTM D2887 for light and middle distillates, D3710 for gasoline, D6352 for extended hydrocarbon ranges, and D7169 for high-temperature SIMDIS of crude oils and heavy distillates.
What makes a SIMDIS column different from a standard GC column?
SIMDIS columns are manufactured with highly stable stationary phases and materials that maintain consistent retention at elevated temperatures, ensuring accurate boiling-point calculations across wide hydrocarbon ranges and long temperature programs.
Are metal SIMDIS columns interchangeable with fused-silica SIMDIS columns?
Yes. Agilent metal SIMDIS columns provide equivalent chromatographic selectivity and method compliance while offering superior mechanical durability, making them ideal for high-temperature and process-GC environments where fused-silica columns may degrade or break.