Method and apparatus for analyzing hydrocarbon streams

1. A method for identifying components of a sample mixture in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR MS) having a FT-ICR MS chamber, the components having respective ionization potentials defining a range of ionization potentials, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a first ionic partner having an ionization potential within the range of ionization potentials;

introducing the first ionic partner into the FT-ICR MS chamber;

introducing the sample mixture into the FT-ICR MS chamber, whereby a charge exchange reaction takes place in the chamber between the first ionic partner and those components of the sample mixture having ionization potentials below the ionization potential of the first ionic partner, forming a first ionized mixture; and

detecting the ionized components of the first ionized mixture in the FT-ICR MS chamber.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ionization potential of the first ionic partner is about 9.3 electron volts.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first ionic partner is an ionized gas selected from the group consisting of pyridine, nitrogen oxide and 1,2 difluorobenzene.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing a first ionic partner comprises producing the first ionic partner by bombarding a neutral reagent gas with electrons within the chamber.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample mixture is introduced into the FT-ICR MS chamber and the charge exchange reaction takes place at a pressure of less than 10 −6 torr.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detection step takes place in the FT-ICR MS chamber at a pressure less than 10 −9 torr.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

selecting a second ionic partner having an ionization potential greater than that of the first ionic partner;

introducing the second ionic partner into the FT-ICR MS chamber;

introducing the sample mixture into the FT-ICR MS chamber, whereby a charge exchange reaction takes place in the chamber between the second ionic partner and those components of the sample mixture having ionization potentials below the ionization potential of the second ionic partner, forming a second ionized mixture;

detecting the ionized components of the second ionized mixture in the FT-ICR MS chamber; and

comparing results obtained in the detection of the ionized components of the first and second ionized mixtures.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the ionization potential of the second ionic partner is greater than about 14 electron volts.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second ionic partner is selected from the group consisting of CO, N 2 and SiF 4 .

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second ionic partner has an ionization potential greater than that of each of the components of the sample mixture.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of comparing results obtained in the detection of the ionized components of the first and second ionized mixtures includes using results obtained in the detection of the ionized components of the first ionized mixture, to identify components appearing in the results obtained in the detection of the ionized components of the second ionized mixture.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of comparing results includes identifying a component of the mixture based on information from the results from the detection steps and using an ionization potential of the component.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein all steps in the process are completed in less than two seconds.