The initial stage of hydrate formation in liquid volume on impurity particles upon contact of gas and water

Abstract

A concept and appropriate theoretical construction have been proposed to describe initial stage of hydrate layer formation at the interface between water and hydrate-forming gas. The model presented indicates that this stage (or induction period) is accompanied by the dissolution of gas in water, as well as the formation and growth of hydrate in the bulk zone on impurity particles near the contact boundary. An analytical solution was obtained for the characteristic time during which the volume content of the hydrate phase at the contact boundary reaches one and, thus, nuclei form as a film prior to a hydrate layer at the gas–water boundary. This characteristic time is accepted as the induction time. According to the obtained formula, the induction period depends inversely on static pressure and in inverse two-thirds proportion on the number of impurity particles per unit volume of water. The problem of the formation and growth of hydrate at the interface between the hydrate layer and aqueous gas solution has been considered and solved. The temperature fields caused by heat generated during hydrate formation on the contact surface of hydrate massif and gas solution are analyzed.