Forming a Structure-H Hydrate Using Water and Methylcyclohexane jets Impinging on Each Other in a Methane Atmosphere

This paper reports the experimental examination of a novel device for the continuous, high-rate formation of a structure-H hydrate. The device is designed such that two precooled liquids, water and a hydrophobic large-molecule guest substance (LMGS), such as methylcyclohexane, are injected in the form of co-planar cylindrical jets into a hydrate-forming gas phase confined in a high-pressure chamber, where LMGS provides guest molecules to fit into the 5 12 6 8 cages of a structure-H hydrate. The liquid jets collide, thereby forming a radially expanding sheet, which, in turn, sprinkles from its rim tiny water/LMGS compound droplets into the gas phase. Using methane and methylcyclohexane as the hydrate-forming gas and the LMGS, respectively, we have performed a series of hydrate-forming experiments to examine the operational function of the twinjet device. The observed hydrate-formation behavior, including the rate of hydrate formation depending upon the degree of the LMGS cooling, is presented and discussed.