Objective Natural gas odorization is an important means to ensure the rapid identification of natural gas leaks and its safe use. In order to comply with standard specifications and to prevent over-odorization, an accurate and efficient analytical method for the detection of odorants in natural gas has been established.

Method Based on the gas chromatography with photoionization detection (GC-PID) method, operational procedures were set up, analytical parameters were optimized, analytical processes were developed, and both laboratory evaluations and field applications were carried out. The effectiveness, immunity, detection limit, repeatability, accuracy and field applicability of the method were systematically evaluated, confirming the ability to detect tetrahydrothiophene and sulphur-free odorants.

Result The method was determined to be highly selective for odorants, with high accuracy. In the range of 2.00~150.00 mg/m³, the method had good repeatability, with a relative standard deviation of less than 1.5%, and the detection limit was 0.40 mg/m³. The GC-PID method had good field applicability, good data accuracy and stability.

Conclusion The method for the detection of tetrahydrothiophene and sulfur-free odorants in natural gas was developed based on the GC-PID method, which provides a new way for the online monitoring and portable detection of the mass concentration of odorants, and has practical application value and promotion prospects.