METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHARACTERIZING CLATHRATE HYDRATE FORMATION CONDITIONS EMPLOYING A MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE

• Main Authors: MOSTOWFI, Farshid, NG, Heng-joo, MOLLA, Shahnawaz Hossain
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.09.2021
• Subjects: ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE ORUNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE; CHEMISTRY; FIRELIGHTERS; FUELS; FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; LUBRICANTS; MEASURING; METALLURGY; MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICALDEVICES; MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY; NATURAL GAS; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TESTING; TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES ORSTRUCTURES; TESTING STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TRANSPORTING

A test method and test apparatus is provided that employs a microfluidic device to characterize properties of a fluid. The microfluidic device has a first inlet port, an outlet port, and a microchannel as part of a fluid path between the first inlet port and the outlet port. While generating a flow of the fluid through the microchannel of the microfluidic device, fluid pressure at the first inlet port of the microfluidic device is measured and recorded in conjunction with varying the controlled temperature of the microchannel of the microfluidic device to characterize the properties of the fluid that flows through the microchannel of the microfluidic device. The properties of the fluid can relate to the clathrate hydrate formation condition of the fluid at the pressure of the flow through the microchannel of the microfluidic device.