Flow characteristics of hydrofluorocarbon gas hydrate slurries under various conditions in a loop tube

Gas hydrate slurries, which are prepared using solid hydrates and water, are effective secondary refrigerants with a high latent heat of fusion and could be used to reduce global warming. The effective application of these slurries requires knowledge of their flow characteristics in good and poor flow states. In the present work, the flow properties of R-134a and R-32 gas hydrate slurries circulating in a loop tube were investigated using the Rabinowitsch-Mooney equation to estimate the flow characteristics. When undergoing laminar flow, the slurries in a good flow state were pseudoplastic fluids. However, under conditions that induced poor flow, the slurries behaved as dilatant fluids. The relative viscosities of the slurries were estimated using Happel's equation according to the apparent particle hold-up. In turbulent flow, both slurries in good flow state acted as pseudoplastic fluids and maintained good flow characteristics. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Gas hydrate slurries prepared using solid hydrates and water are effective secondary refrigerants with high latent heat of fusion that can help reduce global warming. The flow properties of R-134a and R-32 gas hydrate slurries were investigated, showing that they behaved as pseudoplastic fluids in good flow states and dilatant fluids in poor flow states. The relative viscosities of the slurries were estimated using Happel's equation based on apparent particle hold-up, and in turbulent flow, both slurries acted as pseudoplastic fluids with good flow characteristics.