The roles TBAF and SDS on the kinetics of methane hydrate formation as a cold storage material

Abstract

Semiclathrate hydrate formation from low mass fractions of TBAF and methane is introduced as a potential for storing the cold energy, in this research. The influence of SDS on methane + TBAF semiclathrate hydrate is studied. Amount of gas encaged in hydrate cavities, storage capacity and initial apparent rate constant (kapp) of TBAF-methane semiclathrate hydrate formation is evaluated in presence of TBAF with mass fractions of 2 and 4 wt%, SDS with a concentration of 400 ppm at feed pressures of 4 and 8 MPa. The experiments were carried out in isothermal condition of 278.15 K in a 169 cm3 stirred batch reactor. Results showed, compared with pure water, the addition of low weight fractions of TBAF enhances the amount of gas encaged in hydrate cavities and storage capacity and reduces the kapp of gas hydrate formation. Simultaneous utilization of SDS and TBAF presented a negative effect on the kinetics of hydrate formation, compared with TBAF solution and SDS solution. The influence of feed pressure of the reactor on the kinetics of methane + TBAF semiclathrate hydrate with and without SDS is studied. Increasing the feed pressure of the reactor from 6 to 8 MPa, noticeably, promoted the kinetics of hydrate formation.