Reactor Configuration Research Articles

Influence of varying aluminum-based combustion compartment sizes on groundnut shell biochar properties

The process variables during biochar production play a crucial role in determining its properties. Factors like temperature, heating rate, reactor configuration, and residence time can significantly impact biochar quality. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of reactor configuration on the yield and properties of groundnut shell biochar. For this investigation, the volumes of aluminum-based combustion compartments in a biomass-fueled TLUD biomass gasifier were varied, and the resulting biochar was analyzed using SEM, EDX, and FTIR. It was observed that the increase in the combustion chamber of the gasifier led to an increase in the amount of biomass fuel utilized in the system, which led to an increased reactor’s temperature and varied carbonization duration and yield. Elemental composition showed that an increase in reactor volume led to an increase in biochar carbon content and reduced silica content. The SEM analysis confirmed that decreasing the combustion compartment sizes increased porosity and roughness, as well as visible fissures and crevices on the biochar surface. FTIR analysis revealed similarities in functional groups, with many peaks appearing at higher wavenumbers as the combustion compartment sizes decreased. This study innovatively examines how varying aluminum-based combustion compartment sizes and biofuel mass affect groundnut shell biochar properties using a TLUD gasifier, emphasizing its significance for optimizing biochar production and advancing sustainable practices.

Conversion augmentation of an industrial NH3 oxidation reactor by geometry modification to improve the flow and temperature pattern uniformity using CFD modeling

BackgroundThe optimization of flow and temperature patterns in industrial reactors is crucial for achieving efficient and uniform chemical reactions. This study's major goals are to pinpoint possible areas for improvement in the NH3 oxidation reactor's performance and to deal with the problem of uneven flow distribution inside the reactor. MethodsIn this study, the reactor building design has been changed by extending the feed pipeline vertically and increasing the number of incoming feed streams in order to achieve uniformity in the property distribution on the catalyst surface of an industrial NH3 Oxidation reactor. Thus, using the CFD approach and the finite volume method, a three-dimensional model has been suggested. The results are contrasted with the actual geometrical configuration. The property alteration along the catalyst surface and the reactor length have been assessed. Significant findingsBy expanding the feed pipeline, the flow pattern at the reactor entry is fully developed and becomes uniform. As a result, NO2 production could go up by as much as 11 %. The rates of NH3 conversion, NO yield, and HNO3 generation consequently increased by 12.5 %, 3.1 %, and 8.0 %, respectively. Additionally, this alteration results in a uniform distribution of temperature and pressure across the catalytic surface, prolonging the lifetime of the catalyst. The pressure and temperature difference over the surface of the catalyst with the original reactor configuration was also found to be approximately 250 Pa and 423.15 K, according to the data. Pressure and temperature difference were reduced to 15 Pa and 273.15 K, respectively, as the feed line's length was increased at the same time.

A Review of Thermochemical Energy Storage Systems for District Heating in the UK

Thermochemical energy storage (TCES) presents a promising method for energy storage due to its high storage density and capacity for long-term storage. A combination of TCES and district heating networks exhibits an appealing alternative to natural gas boilers, particularly through the utilisation of industrial waste heat to achieve the UK government’s target of Net Zero by 2050. The most pivotal aspects of TCES design are the selected materials, reactor configuration, and heat transfer efficiency. Among the array of potential reactors, the fluidised bed emerges as a novel solution due to its ability to bypass traditional design limitations; the fluidised nature of these reactors provides high heat transfer coefficients, improved mixing and uniformity, and greater fluid-particle contact. This research endeavours to assess the enhancement of thermochemical fluidised bed systems through material characterisation and development techniques, alongside the optimisation of heat transfer. The analysis underscores the appeal of calcium and magnesium hydroxides for TCES, particularly when providing a buffer between medium-grade waste heat supply and district heat demand. Enhancement techniques such as doping and nanomaterial/composite coating are also explored, which are found to improve agglomeration, flowability, and operating conditions of the hydroxide systems. Furthermore, the optimisation of heat transfer prompted an evaluation of heat exchanger configurations and heat transfer fluids. Helical coil heat exchangers are predominantly favoured over alternative configurations, while various heat transfer fluids are considered advantageous depending on TCES material selection. In particular, water and synthetic liquids are compared according to their thermal efficiencies and performances at elevated operating temperatures.

Development of an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) reactor treating landfill leachate for the biological nitrogen removal through nitritation-denitritation

The current work investigated the performance of an Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge Sequencing Batch Reactor (IFAS-SBR) for Biological Nitrogen Removal (BNR) from mature landfill leachate through the nitritation-denitritation process. During the experimental period two IFAS-SBR configurations were examined using two different biocarrier types with the same filling ratio (50%). The dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration ranged between 2 and 3 mg/L and 4–6 mg/L in the first (baseline-IFAS) and the second (S8-IFAS) setup, respectively. Baseline-IFAS operated for 542 days and demonstrated a high and stable BNR performance maintaining a removal efficiency above 90% under a Nitrogen Loading Rate (NLR) up to 0.45 kg N/m3-d, while S8-IFAS, which operated for 230 days, was characterized by a limited and unstable BNR performance being unable to operate sufficiently under an NLR higher than 0.20 kg N/m3-d. It also experienced a severe inhibition period, when the BNR process was fully deteriorated. Moreover, S8-IFAS suffered from extensive biocarrier stagnant zones and a particularly poor sludge settleability. The attached biomass cultivated in both IFAS configurations had a negligible content of nitrifying bacteria, probably attributed to the insufficient DO diffusion through the biofilm, caused by the low DO concentration in the liquid in the baseline case and the extensive stagnant zones in the S8-IFAS case. As a result of the high biocarrier filling ratio, the S8-IFAS was unstable and low. This was probably attributed to the mass transfer limitations caused by the biocarrier stagnant zones, which hinder substrate and oxygen diffusion, thus reducing the biomass activity and increasing its vulnerability to inhibitory and toxic factors. Hence, the biocarrier filling fraction is a crucial parameter for the efficient operation of the IFAS-SBR and should be carefully selected taking into consideration both the media type and the overall reactor configuration.

Decarbonizing hydrogen supply chain via electrifying endothermic processes

Chemical/manufacturing industries are significant source of CO2 emissions. Despite the ongoing development of renewable pathways, there remains a substantial gap in enabling these resources for industrial applications while enhancing the thermal efficiency. Hydrogen has been proposed as a useful energy vector, however, its large-scale storage/transportation is still a challenge. Alternatively, ammonia has been proposed as a hydrogen carrier, since it is more readily transported and stored. But the hydrogen recovery from ammonia requires a high endothermic heat and may cause significant emissions when the traditionally fossil-fuel-based heating is used. In this work, we describe the electrified reactor configurations that can enable the integration of renewable powers with the manufacturing processes to provide the endothermic heat. In particular, we demonstrate the technical feasibility of the proposed reactor configurations for ammonia decomposition, enabling the storage and transportation of hydrogen while decarbonizing its production and retaining the mechanical/process integrity through a programmed heating.

Characterization of groundnut shell biochar produced with different stainless steel combustion compartment volumes

AbstractBiochar, a solid material derived from a thermochemical process, has received significant attention due to its usefulness in various sectors. Previous studies have been conducted to improve the properties and quality of this material by altering the thermochemical processes, treating the feedstock, hybridizing the feedstock, and so forth, but little has been done on the effect of varying the reactor's configuration. This research aims to study the effect of varying the stainless‐steel‐based combustion compartment volume of a biomass‐fueled top‐lit updraft gasifier on the groundnut shell biochar. The biochar yields for reactors ranged from 34.9% to 51.2%. The sample produced in the smallest combustion compartment volume showed the highest carbon content, according to energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. Potassium, another major element, decreased as the combustion compartment was reduced. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that the biochar samples produced had an irregular shape and rough surfaces, and reducing the combustion compartment volume resulted in larger particles on the surface. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis showed similarities and differences in peaks observed for all the samples. The biochar samples produced can find applications in wastewater treatment, energy conversion and storage, and soil amendment, and the findings contribute to the design and optimization of biomass‐based gasifiers.

Pre-pilot scale study of hydrogen production from biomass syngas via water-gas shift in Pd–Ag catalytic membrane reactor and dedicated hydrogen permeation unit

The water-gas shift reaction (WGS) was evaluated in two Pd–Ag membrane reactors operating in parallel and capable of processing 0.25 Nm3·h−1 of syngas. Various configurations, syngas compositions, and steam flow rates were explored within the temperature range of 300–350 °C and pressure range of 4–8bar. The performances were evaluated in a coupled configuration, consisting of a permeator and a membrane reactor operating in series, and single configuration of membrane reactor. Two syngas mixtures were fed and treated under different combinations of temperature, pressure, and steam/CO ratio. The syngas composition used was, in one case that typically produced by updraft gasifiers operated with air and having a content of H2 19.1 vol% and, in the second case, having content of 36.8 vol%, typically achievable by oxy-steam gasification. Carbon monoxide conversion, hydrogen permeation, and hydrogen permeability of membranes were determined. The use of these membranes effectively enhances the WGS reaction, overcoming the performances of a Gibbs reactor, and produces streams of ultrapure hydrogen. Competitive strong adsorption of CO was suggested from the permeability analysis and comparison with existing literature.

Integrated CO2 capture and conversion into methanol units: Assessing techno-economic and environmental aspects compared to CO2 into SNG alternative

Using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a raw-material to produce value-added chemicals has a strategic role to play in the decarbonization of energy resources and the transition to a climate-neutral economy. E-methanol, Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) and e-kerosene are one of the most promising pathways to convert CO2. In this context, the aim of this work is to propose an optimized and integrated CO2 to methanol process and then to compare it to the CO2 to SNG process from economic and environmental points of views. An optimized reactor configuration in the CO2 to methanol conversion unit has been successfully implemented in Aspen Plus® and leads to a thermal energy self-sufficiency of this unit. A heat integration with an advanced capture unit has been performed where 5 % of the heat requirement could be provided from the conversion unit while 95 % come from external steam source. Techno-economic assessment of the optimized process showed that methanol is more profitable when it is used as a raw material to synthetize other chemicals. As an energy carrier, SNG is more interesting. Compared to the reference scenario, a net CO2 emission reduction of 70 % in the CO2 to SNG route and of 60 % in the CO2 to methanol route were obtained. Concerning the fossil depletion impact, in both cases, a reduction of more than 60 % was noticed (ca. 75 % in CO2 to SNG route and 61 % in CO2 to methanol case).

Impact of Reactor Configuration on Autotrophic Denitrification Performance in a Microbial Fuel Cell

Impact of Reactor Configuration on Autotrophic Denitrification Performance in a Microbial Fuel Cell

Efficient carbamazepine removal from wastewater using a continuous three-dimensional electro-Fenton system at natural pH

This research presents an innovative approach for removing carbamazepine (CBZ), a persistent pharmaceutical contaminant, using a three-dimensional electro-Fenton (TDEF) system. The preliminary phase involved validating the configuration of the TDEF reactor. First, commercial electrodes, metal-mixed oxide as the anode, and stainless steel as the cathode were selected. After that, a third particulate electrode was introduced, working with two options: vineyard biochar and a lab-made conglomerate of perovskite and carbon black. Additionally, two collector systems were evaluated for easy recovery and reuse of this three-dimensional particulate electrode: a thermoplastic tube and a silicone bag. Among the tested configurations, the perovskite conglomerate retained within a silicone bag proved the most effective, achieving a 91 % CBZ removal efficiency at a natural pH (6.5) during a 5-hour batch operation. Considering excellent results, the system's efficacy was confirmed working on fortified tertiary wastewater (FTW) in continuous mode, emphasizing the adaptability to real-world conditions. Moreover, the reusability of microparticles was confirmed for three consecutive cycles, as well as through the characterization study using FTIR, without important modifications in the material after use. Results confirmed the technology's potential for removing CBZ operating with real conditions. Thus, the proposed process represents an alternative treatment to remove CBZ efficiently in a wide range of concentrations from real wastewater in a continuous treatment with a reasonable energy cost (ca. 27 kW/h·gCZP). This novel system represents a cost-effective, straightforward experimental setup suitable for future scaling and industrial applications.

Enhanced Disinfection Efficiency Using Cu Vortex Diode for Providing Safe Drinking Water: Devising Newer Methodologies

ABSTRACTThe present research aims to refine the hydrodynamic cavitation technique with traditional knowledgebase of Ayurveda for more efficient water disinfection and that has huge potential for implementation in real life, especially for substituting the existing chlorination method for drinking water treatment. The study incorporates use of newer copper reactor configuration, employing vortex flow for generating cavitation for the disinfection of water. Elimination of model contaminant, Escherichia coli, with initial concentration of ∼105 CFU/mL of bacteria was used for the disinfection study. Copper vortex diode with a capacity of 1 m3/h was employed as a cavitating device. The cavitation using copper vortex diode gave significantly higher disinfection, over 30%, compared that with conventional vortex diode, with aluminum as material of construction, under similar conditions. Remarkably, the addition of 0.1% betel leaf oil led to an extraordinary 260‐fold increase in the rate of disinfection, requiring only a single pass to achieve complete bacteria elimination. Furthermore, a notably high synergistic index of 246.96 was achieved for the process intensification approach using the Cu vortex diode. The cost was substantially reduced by approximately three times to 0.011 $/m3 using the Cu vortex diode compared to the conventional vortex diode. The developed strategy offers significantly enhanced performance, as well as a techno‐economical and sustainable solution for drinking water treatment to ensure the provision of safe drinking water. Moreover, the newer methodology can have the advantage of producing no harmful carcinogenic disinfection by‐products compared to chemical disinfection processes apart from sustainable alternative to chlorination.

A single-stage MABR reactor in the post-treatment of poultry slaughterhouse wastewater: nitrogen removal and microbial community

ABSTRACT The deammonification process is an efficient alternative to remove nitrogen from wastewater with a low carbon/nitrogen ratio. However, the reactor configuration and operational factors pose challenges for applications in treatment systems to remove nitrogen from municipal and industrial wastewater on a large scale. To address this gap, this study evaluated a new deammonification strategy using a single-stage membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR), operated with continuous flow, under different hydraulic retention times (HRT) in the post-treatment of poultry slaughterhouse wastewater with a low nitrogen load, similar to domestic wastewater. The performance of the MABR reactor and the microbial community was evaluated over a long period at HRTs of 12, 24, and 36 hours, corresponding to nitrogen volumetric loads of 181.0 g N.m−3.d−1, 87.4 g N.m−3.d−1 and 67.8 g N.m−3.d−1. The results show that total nitrogen (TN) removal and the microbial community in the MABR reactor were influenced by changes in HRT. The highest efficiency in TN removal was obtained with an HRT of 24 hours, in which the maximum TN removal efficiency was 77.04%. Candidatus Brocadia and Candidatus Jettenia were the two genera of bacteria with Anammox activity present in the reactor, with relative abundances of 7.27% and 0.74%, respectively. This study helps to deepen the understanding of the application of the single-stage MABR reactor in real wastewater treatment with a low nitrogen load.

Developing a Three-Dimensional Bubble Dynamics Model for Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) is a highly efficient type of propulsion system that could yield a specific impulse up to 800 s. High-performance NTP allows for possibilities of various mission types from flyby to interplanetary flight, manned or unmanned. Centrifugal nuclear thermal propulsion (CNTP) is a type of NTP that uses liquid fissile material instead of a solid core in a standard reactor configuration. CNTP requires an interaction between liquid fissile fuel and gaseous propellant to perform heat transfer and generate thrust in a spinning enclosure. Because of the liquid state of the fissile fuel, it is essential to monitor bubble behavior and trajectory. For example, the bubble dwell time within the liquid and hydrogen flow rates can influence the liquid volume fraction and volume, which in turn can affect reactivity. A model is developed and presented that, as it matures, will predict the bubbles’ behavior based on the various types of liquid and gas and their corresponding properties as well as assist in cross-validation with the concurring experiment. The model primarily utilizes the smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) approach to simulate the liquid and gas interaction within the design space. The physics include buoyancy and drag on the bubbles. The pressure field within the liquid is modeled using hydrostatics, in which centrifugal motion introduces a radial gradient. Boundary conditions are devised to confine the liquid and gas within the enclosure. In this paper, we present the progress to date in two centrifugal fuel element–relevant subscale devices, the so-called “Antfarm” and “Blender II.” Antfarm is a static stage in a rectangular enclosure where buoyancy is purely gravity driven. Blender II refers to a rectangular enclosure that spins at up to 7000 rpm. Both Antfarm and Blender II are experiments that provide important data for validation against our SPH model. Two liquid and gas combinations are modeled in the present study using the Antfarm setup: water-air, and Galinstan-Nitrogen. The bubbles’ behavior was comparable to the experiment, and the velocity was at the same order of magnitude. The liquid simulation performed for the Blender II model shows that the pressure gradient within the liquid in the radial direction matches that predicted analytically from the centrifugal acceleration. The Blender II liquid model awaits experimental data for validation and verification.

Development of a diffusive simplified double P[formula omitted] approximation to the neutron transport equation

The neutron transport equation models the distribution of the neutron power inside a reactor core. The complexity of integrating this equation implies the use of some angular approximations. Discrete ordinates and spherical harmonics equations (PN equations) are commonly used to this purpose, but even when these approaches are used, the resulting set of equations requires high computational demands. An alternative is to develop simplified formulations of them, such as the simplified spherical harmonics equations (SPN equations), which provide accurate results. The spherical harmonic equations are based on the regularity of solution in terms of the angular dependence. However, in some reactor configurations, the angular fluxes can be discontinuous. For that, the double spherical harmonics equations, where angular fluxes are expanded in terms of two sets of Legendre polynomials, were studied. In this work, a simplified treatment of them is developed that leads to a diffusive set of equations, the simplified double spherical harmonics equation (SDPN equations). Numerical results show that the SDPN approximation provides faster and more accurate results than the SPN equations for some problems with strong variations of the angular neutron flux.

Role of electrochemical cell configuration on the selectivity of CuZnAl-oxide-based electrodes for the continuous CO2 conversion: aqueous electrolyte vs. catholyte-less configuration

This research is a significant step forward in understanding how the electrochemical cell setup influences CO2 conversion. The performance of Cu–Zn–Al metal oxide-based catalysts was compared in two reactor configurations: a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) cell with an aqueous electrolyte and a Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) cell operating in the gas phase without catholyte. The different operations induced significant morphological and crystalline structural changes, profoundly impacting the catalytic behaviour. The MEA configuration, for instance, led to the formation of a higher Cu0/Cu1+ ratio in the catalysts, promoting C–C coupling for C2H4 production. Conversely, the GDE operation favoured alcohol (ethanol and methanol) production by balancing copper oxidation states formed in situ in the presence of the aqueous catholyte. Zn and Al oxides also played a role in stabilising the resulting Cu species, some of which remained oxidised on the electrode surface. These findings underscore the crucial influence of varying cell operation conditions on catalyst reconstruction, shaping the quantity of Cu0 + Cu1+ species formed in situ to tailor catalyst selectivity.

Regulation Mechanism and Optimization Strategy of Microbial Metabolism in Bioreactor

In this study, the metabolic regulation mechanism of microorganisms in bioreactor was discussed, and a series of optimization strategies were proposed based on this. The key effects of metabolic regulation on the performance of bioreactors were revealed through the overview of microbial metabolic pathways and the analysis of regulatory mechanisms. In view of this, the optimization strategy based on metabolic regulation was proposed from the aspects of metabolic engineering transformation, genetic engineering technology application, metabolic pathway reconstruction and optimization. At the same time, the operating conditions of the reactor, such as temperature, pH value, dissolved oxygen, substrate concentration and mixing effect were optimized in detail. In terms of reactor design and scale-up strategy, the scale effect, reactor configuration and flow field optimization, and heat and mass transfer enhancement technology were mainly considered. This study provides important theoretical and practical guidance for the improvement of bioreactor performance and the progress of biotechnology industry.

Enhancing CO2 capture efficiency: Computational fluid dynamics investigation of gas-liquid vortex reactor configurations for process intensification

This study employs non-thermal Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to explore the efficacy of a gas–liquid vortex reactor (GLVR) for intensifying CO2 capture. The investigation concentrates on the multiphase flow and mass transfer behavior in diverse GLVR experimental units. Employing a multiphase Euler-Euler CFD model integrated with a Population Balance Model (CFD-PBM), a mass transfer model, and reaction kinetics, allows us to accurately simulate the reactive absorption of CO2 into aqueous Monoethanolamine (MEA). Experiments are conducted using a 30 wt% MEA solution for CO2 absorption, serving the purpose of model validation. This comprehensive approach enables a simulation of complex dynamics within the GLVR, emphasizing bubble breakage, coalescence, and reactive mass transfer processes. Examining bubble size distribution, pressure drop, CO2 absorption efficiency, and energy input systematically across various reactor geometries and operational conditions, our findings demonstrate that an optimized GLVR configuration significantly enhances CO2 absorption compared to the original design. Furthermore, the optimized GLVR outperforms state-of-the-art process intensification equipment in terms of CO2 absorption rate per unit reactor volume and energy efficiency.

Sorting Out the Latest Advances in Separators and Pilot-Scale Microbial Electrochemical Systems for Wastewater Treatment: Concomitant Development, Practical Application, and Future Perspective.

To date, dozens of pilot-scale microbial fuel cell (MFC) devices have been successfully developed worldwide for treating various types of wastewater. The availability and configurations of separators are determining factors for the economic feasibility, efficiency, sustainability, and operability of these devices. Thus, the concomitant advances between the separators and pilot-scale MFC configurations deserve further clarification. The analysis of separator configurations has shown that their evolution proceeds as follows: from ion-selective to ion-non-selective, from nonpermeable to permeable, and from abiotic to biotic. Meanwhile, their cost is decreasing and their availability is increasing. Notably, the novel MFCs configured with biotic separators are superior to those configured with abiotic separators in terms of wastewater treatment efficiency and capital cost. Herein, a highly comprehensive review of pilot-scale MFCs (>100 L) has been conducted, and we conclude that the intensive stack of the liquid cathode configuration is more advantageous when wastewater treatment is the highest priority. The use of permeable biotic separators ensures hydrodynamic continuity within the MFCs and simplifies reactor configuration and operation. In addition, a systemic comparison is conducted between pilot-scale MFC devices and conventional decentralized wastewater treatment processes. MFCs showed comparable cost, higher efficiency, long-term stability, and significant superiority in carbon emission reduction. The development of separators has greatly contributed to the availability and usability of MFCs, which will play an important role in various wastewater treatment scenarios in the future.

Three-stage pyrolysis-catalytic dry reforming of waste polyolefins over MFI and Ni-MFI catalysts for BTEX and syngas production

This work presents an experimental proof-of-concept study for a three-stage pyrolysis-catalytic dry reforming process for recovering valuable chemicals from waste plastics. It is demonstrated that depending upon the catalysts, process parameters and reactor configuration, plastic waste and carbon dioxide can be converted into a diverse array of valuable chemicals which can be used as secondary feedstocks in the chemical or petrochemical industry, thus decreasing dependency on fossil resources and contributing to waste reduction. For this work, waste polypropylene was thermally pyrolyzed and the emerging vapors were passed over HZSM-5 catalyst to obtain BTEX-rich pyrolysis oil and pyrolysis gases containing mainly C1 to C4 hydrocarbons. The gaseous products were separated, mixed with CO2 and passed over Ni-silicalite-1 catalyst to obtain syngas, thus upgrading the pyrolysis gases and contributing to CO2 reduction. This study may provide new insights towards the development of processes for the chemical recycling of waste plastics and CO2.

Can Aluminum Cations Promote Nucleation for THF Hydrate Growth?

Rapid nucleation of tetrahydrofuran (THF) hydrate is essential for developing a THF hydrate-based cold storage technology. Earlier works have hypothesized the role of aluminum complexes in initiating the nucleation of clathrate hydrates using aluminum metal electrodes and substrates. This study investigates if the nucleation promotional effect of hydrate can be achieved using the aluminum salt, AlCl3, due to the formation of aluminum aqua complexes in water. Metal chlorides NaCl and MgCl2 are also utilized to evaluate the effect of cation type in initiating nucleation, i.e., the effect of charge/radius ratio. The induction time is measured in a stirred reactor at various subcoolings and concentrations of 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 wt %. The nucleation time is studied in two reactor configurations based on the nature of salt introduction in the THF solution, i.e., salt premixed in solution and salt injected inside the solution. The sudden rise in the reactor temperature due to hydrate formation is used as an indicator of hydrate formation. Results indicate that AlCl3 promotes hydrate nucleation as AlCl3 reduces induction time by 92.2% at 0.05 wt % concentration compared with water. Nearly instantaneous nucleation is also achieved by directly injecting AlCl3. MgCl2 and NaCl do not show a similar effect on induction time as AlCl3. The pH and Raman spectra measurements with and without salts are carried out to explain the effect of cations on the THF-water solution.