Thermodynamic promotion of carbon dioxide–clathrate hydrate formation by tetrahydrofuran, cyclopentane and their mixtures

Abstract

Gas clathrate hydrate dissociation pressures are reported for mixtures of carbon dioxide, water and thermodynamic promoters forming structure II hydrates. Hydrate (H)-aqueous liquid (Lw)-vapour (V) equilibrium pressures for the ternary system composed of water, tetrahydrofuran (THF), and carbon dioxide (CO2), with 5.0 mole percent THF in the initial aqueous phase, are presented in the temperature range from 283.3 K to 285.2 K. At 283.3 K, the three-phase equilibrium pressure is determined to be 0.61 MPa (absolute pressure). Four-phase hydrate (H)-aqueous liquid (Lw)-organic liquid (La)-vapour (V) equilibrium data are presented for the ternary system of water-cyclopentane-carbon dioxide at temperatures ranging from 285.2 K down to 275.5 K. New four-phase H-Lw-La-V equilibrium data for the quaternary system water-THF-cyclopentane-carbon dioxide are presented in the temperature range from 275.1 K to 286.6 K. It is shown that upon adding THF to the pure aqueous phase to form a 4 mass percent solution, the equilibrium pressure of the formed hydrates may be lowered compared to the ternary system of water, cyclopentane and carbon dioxide.