The Combined Effect of Thermodynamic Promoters Tetrahydrofuran and Cyclopentane on the Kinetics of Flue Gas Hydrate Formation

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture through hydrate crystallization is a promising method among the new approaches for mitigating carbon emissions into the atmosphere. In this work, we investigate a combination of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and cyclopentane (CP) on the kinetics of flue gas (CO2:20 mol %/N2) hydrate formation using a rocking cell apparatus. Hydrate formation and decomposition kinetics were investigated by constant cooling (hydrate nucleation temperature) and isothermal (hydrate nucleation time) methods. Improved (synergistic) hydrate formation kinetics (hydrate nucleation and growth) were observed when THF and CP were present together compared to the individual THF and CP systems. Moreover, the complete hydrate decomposition temperature of CO2/N2/CP/THF hydrate was found to be slightly higher compared to the individual promoter (CO2/N2/CP and CO2/N2/THF) systems. The combined use of these two promoters is favorable both thermodynamically and kinetically for hydrate formation from flue gas.