Kinetic analysis of dual impellers on methane hydrate formation

This study investigates the effects of types of impellers and baffles onmethane hydrate formation. Induction time, water conversion to hydrates (hydrate yield), hydrate formation rate and hydrate productivity are components that were estimated. The initial hydrate formation rate is generally higher with the use of Ruston turbine (RT) with higher values 28.93x10(-8)mol/s inRT/RT with full baffle (FB) experiment, but the decline rate of hydrate formation was also high compared to up-pumping pitched blade turbine (PBTU). Power consumption is higher also in RT/RT and PBT/RT with higher value 392,000 W in PBT/RT with no baffle (NB) experiment compared to PBT/PBT and RT/PBT experiments respectively. Induction time values are higher in RT/RT experiments compared to PBT/PBT ones. Hydrate yield is always smaller when there is no baffle in all four groups of experiments while the higher values exist in experiments with full baffle. It should be noticed that PBT is the same with PBTU, since all experiments with mixed flow have upward trending.

Automated summary

This study examines the effects of different impellers and baffles on methane hydrate formation. The use of Ruston turbine was found to increase the initial formation rate of hydrates, but also led to higher power consumption. The presence of baffles in the experiments resulted in better hydrate productivity and longer induction times.