Contribution of external parameter orthogonalisation for calibration transfer in short waves--near infrared spectroscopy application to gasoline quality.

The octane number rating of a gasoline gives an indication of the gasoline performances, under various engine conditions. Two different ratings are included: Research Octane Number (RON) and Motor Octane Number (MON). The standard laboratory method for octane number determination is the knock engine method in which a gasoline is burned and its combustion characteristics compared to known standards. This method is time consuming and labor intensive, and provides no ability for real time control of production. NIR can be applied in real time directly in process monitoring or as a laboratory procedure. Near infrared spectra of gasoline samples were collected thanks to four different short wavelengths near infrared analysers, built with strictly the same technology. The aim of this study was to transfer the calibration built on one spectrometer to the other ones. We applied the external parameter orthogonalisation (EPO) correction to get rid of the apparatus influence on information contained in spectra. By this method, we managed to improve prediction values of two major gasolines' properties, i.e. Research and Motor Octane Number.