Physical and chemical properties of gas hydrates: Theoretical aspects of energy storage application

A model has been developed permitting to accurately predict on molecular level phase diagram of the clathrate hydrates. This model allows to take into account the influence of guest molecules on the host lattice and to extend the interval of temperatures and pressures of computed thermodynamic potentials and significantly improves known van der Waals and Platteeu theory. The theoretical study of phase equilibrium in gas-gas hydrate-ice Ih system for methane and xenon hydrates has been performed. The obtained results are in a good agreement with experimental data. A new interpretation of so-called self-preservation effect has been proposed. The self-preservation of gas hydrates can be connected with differences in thermal expansions of ice Ih and gas hydrates. This is confirmed by calculations performed for methane and mixed methane-ethane hydrates.