Programmable actuator based on RGB monitoring for detection and dissociation of gas hydrates

Interest in gas hydrates has increased in recent years, both due to the high availability of fuel gases under hydrate form and the problems related to the formation of deposits in offshore pipelines during crude oil production. This paper aims to describe a new application of a real-time RGB image-analysis system to evaluate hydrate crystallization and to control the formation of deposits through the automated injection of chemical additives. Induction time values obtained by RGB image analysis were similar to calorimetry results, and both were more assertive when compared to torque measurements. Using carbon dioxide or methane as guest gaseous molecule, RGB image analysis was used to detect an increase on induction time with temperature, and a decrease on this parameter with increasing pressure or vessel size. For CO2 at 40 bar, induction time increased from 12.8 to 118.5 min when temperature was increased from 3 to 5 degrees C, and decreased from 198.8 to 6.0 min and pressure was raised from 30 to 50 bar at 3 degrees C. For CH4 at 40 bar, induction time increased from 260.2 to 516.9 min when temperature was increased from 1 to 3 degrees C, and decreased from 516.9 to 0.5 min and pressure was raised from 40 to 60 bar at 3 degrees C. The programmable actuator was able to respond to hydrate formation and inject a thermodynamic inhibitor (ethanol or monoethylene glycol) for the dissolution of the deposits approximately 10 min after formation.