Hydrate phase equilibrium determination and thermodynamic modeling of CO2 + epoxy heterocycle + water systems

Abstract

Ethylene oxide (EO), 1,3-propylene oxide (PO), tetrahydrofuran (THF), 1,3-dioxolane (1.3-DX), 1,4-dioxane (1,4-DX) and 1,3,5-trioxane (s-TO) were selected to investigate their thermodynamic promotion effects on CO2 hydrate formation. New hydrate phase equilibrium data of carbon dioxide + epoxy heterocycles + water systems were determined employing an isochoric temperature-search method in the temperature range of (273.15 to 295.35) K and the pressure range of (0.4 to 4.5) MPa. Results showed that the presence of epoxy heterocycles significantly increased the hydrate formation temperature substantially compared with that of pure CO2 hydrate. Under the same conditions, the phase equilibrium temperature of CO2 hydrate under the action of the additive was from low to high: PO < 1,4-DX < 1,3-DX < s-TO < EO < THF. CO2 hydrate dissociation enthalpies with different epoxy heterocycles were also calculated from Clausius–Clapeyron equation to infer their stabilities and the structures formed. It was found that the estimated enthalpy of dissociation was consistent with the superiority sequence obtained from the phase equilibrium data, illustrating that the water-soluble sII clathrate former of THF had the highest hydrate promoting effect. Moreover, Chen-Guo model, associated with a modified Joshi empirical activity model and PR equation of state was proposed further to predict hydrate phase equilibrium. Satisfactory agreement was observed between predictions and experimental data. Analysis of the results confirmed that the proposed thermodynamic model worked well in describing phase behavior of complex hydrates and the maximum relative error of the pressure was less than 8.5%.