Process for making gas hydrates

• Main Authors: HEINEMANN, ROBERT FREDERICK, HUANG, DAVID DA-TEH, SAEGER, ROLAND BERNARD, LONG, JINPING
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 07.06.2001
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE ORUNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; BLASTING; CHEMISTRY; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED,LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIRELIGHTERS; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FUELS; FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HEATING; LIGHTING; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; LUBRICANTS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METALLURGY; NATURAL GAS; PEAT; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; STORING OF DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED ORSOLIDIFIED GASES; WEAPONS

The present disclosure provides a process for continuously producing clathrate hydrate. This process includes the steps of: (a) pressurizing a hydrate-forming gas to an elevated pressure and cooling the hydrate-forming gas below the gas-water-hydrate equilibrium point at the elevated pressure; (b) cooling liquid water below the gas-water-hydrate equilibrium temperature for the elevated pressure; (c) charging hydrate-forming gas at the elevated pressure into a reaction zone which contains a movable surface; (d) atomizing water in the reaction zone in contact with the hydrate-forming gas to form gas hydrates in the reaction; (e) depositing the gas hydrates on the movable surface; and (f) collecting the gas hydrates from the movable surface.