Device for producing gas hydrate
The reactor design with nozzles and a hollow cylinder enhances gas hydrate formation efficiency, achieving high density and saturation for effective gas transport.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- RU · RU
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- FEDERALNOE GOSUDARSTVENNOE AVTONOMNOE OBRAZOVATELNOE UCHREZHDENIE VYSSHEGO OBRAZOVANIJA NATSIONALNYJ ISSLEDOVATELSKIJ TOMSKIJ POLITEKHNICHESKIJ UNIV
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing gas hydrate production devices are complicated by the presence of electric heating elements and limited liquid contact with the heat exchange surface, leading to inefficient gas hydrate formation.
A reactor design with nozzles for coolant inlet and outlet, a hollow cylinder, and a shaft with protrusions to enhance heat exchange, allowing for intensive gas hydrate formation on the reactor walls, resulting in increased density and gas saturation.
The device achieves gas hydrate with a density of 600-700 kg/m³ and gas saturation of 150-160 volumes per volume of hydrate, enabling efficient gas transport without enlarging transport containers.
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Abstract
Description
[0001] The invention relates to devices for carrying out physical processes, namely to devices for mixing gases with liquids, and can be used to obtain gas hydrate.
[0002] A methane hydrate production plant is known [RU 2643370 C1, IPC10L 3 / 10(2006.01), published 01.02.2018], comprising a reactor designed as a vertical column, divided from top to bottom into a mixing chamber, a pre-cooling chamber, and a methane hydrate and water condensate collection chamber. A separate low-temperature chamber is attached to the outside of the reactor. In the mixing chamber, injector-type gas and water sprayers are located, connected to high-pressure methane and water main pipelines containing a pump and a compressor. Below the mixing chamber, a pre-cooling chamber is located, separated by a fine-mesh horizontal partition, in which vertically arranged refrigeration system convectors are installed. A separator grid is located between this chamber and the methane hydrate collection chamber.In the glassy methane gas hydrate and water condensate collection chamber, a drain tray is installed with a gap between the column walls. The tray slopes toward a drain hole in the column wall, through which a connecting tube passes to the low-temperature chamber. A horizontal refrigeration convector is installed in the upper part of the low-temperature chamber. A hatch for unloading the finished product is located at the bottom. The water condensate collection chamber at the bottom is equipped with an electric heating element and is connected to the water supply system via a water line with a check valve. Methane and water pressure monitors are located before the mixing chamber, while pressure and temperature sensors are installed in the mixing chamber, pre-cooling chamber, and low-temperature chamber.
[0003] However, the design of the installation is complicated by the presence of an electric heating element in the bottom of the reactor.
[0004] A known apparatus for producing gas hydrate [Li G. et al. Study on effect factors for CO2hydrate rapid formation in a water-spraying apparatus / / Energy & fuels. - 2010. - Vol. 24. - No. 8. - Pp. 4590-4597], selected as a prototype, contains a vertical reactor in the form of a glass equipped with a lid and a cooling jacket, which is connected to a thermostat by two pipelines equipped with temperature sensors. The thermostat is connected to a heat exchanger by two pipelines, where one pipeline contains a circulation pump. A pressure sensor and a nozzle are mounted in the reactor lid, which is connected from the outside by a pipeline containing a pump and a valve through a heat exchanger to an opening in the bottom of the reactor. Two windows located opposite each other are mounted in the side walls of the reactor. The reactor cavity is connected to a gas cylinder through a pipeline containing a flow meter and a safety valve through the reactor cover.Temperature sensors are mounted in the upper and lower sections of the reactor's sidewall. All temperature sensors and the pressure sensor are connected to a computer.
[0005] In this installation, liquid is sprayed into the reactor cavity through one nozzle, which limits the amount of liquid reaching the heat exchange surface.
[0006] The technical result of the invention proposed by the authors is the creation of a device for producing gas hydrate.
[0007] A device for producing gas hydrate, similar to the prototype, comprises a reactor in the form of a glass with a cooling jacket, which is connected to a thermostat via two pipelines, a temperature sensor mounted in the side wall of the reactor, a gas cylinder connected to the reactor cavity via a pipeline containing a flow meter, a pressure sensor, a pump for supplying water, wherein the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor are connected to a personal computer. According to the invention, nozzles for the inlet and outlet of a coolant are mounted in the cooling jacket of the reactor, which are connected to the thermostat via pipelines. A hollow cylinder, the height of which is less than the height of the glass, is welded to the upper surface connecting the edges of the glass and the cooling jacket. The outer diameter of the hollow cylinder is less than the outer diameter of the glass. The inner diameter of the hollow cylinder is greater than the inner diameter of the glass. A thread is formed on the inner surface of the wall of the hollow cylinder.A shaft, a solid metal cylinder with a larger-diameter protrusion at one end, is inserted into the hollow cylinder from above. This protrusion is positioned on the surface connecting the edges of the sleeve and the cooling jacket. A rubber ring, a metal washer, and a bushing are sequentially placed onto the shaft with the larger-diameter protrusion until they stop. The upper part of the bushing is provided with an annular protrusion, under which a thread is made on its outer surface for connection with a thread on the inner surface of the hollow cylinder wall. A channel is made within the shaft, along its axis, through which a metal tube is inserted into the sleeve. One end of the tube, located in the sleeve, is plugged. Four holes are made in its lower part along the circumference at equal distances from each other, containing nozzles directed upward at an angle of 45° relative to the bottom of the sleeve. The end of the tube protruding from the shaft is equipped with the first valve and is connected via a pipeline to one end of a coil located in the thermostat bath.The other end of the coil is connected to a water-filled tank via a pipeline equipped with a first pump. A drain hole covered with a grate is located at the bottom of the glass. The drain hole is connected to the other end of the coil via a pipeline equipped with a second valve, a second pump, and a third valve. A pipeline containing a first pressure relief valve extends from the glass to the outside. The glass is connected to a gas cylinder via a pipeline containing a second valve and a flow meter. A pressure sensor is embedded in the wall of the glass. The flow meter is connected to a personal computer.
[0008] The gas cylinder is filled with either methane, ethane, propane or carbon dioxide.
[0009] The resulting gas hydrate can be used in the energy industry as a means of transporting natural gas. The proposed invention makes it possible to produce gas hydrate with increased density (600-700 kg / m3). 3) and gas saturation (150-160 volumes of gas per 1 volume of hydrate), which will allow transporting a larger volume of gas at one time without changing the size of the transport container.
[0010] Increasing the density and gas saturation of the gas hydrate in this device is ensured by the presence of nozzles that supply water to the walls of the reactor, on which gas hydrate is actively formed as a result of intensive heat exchange; the gradual adhesion of layers of gas hydrate leads to its compaction.
[0011] Fig. 1 shows a diagram of a device for producing gas hydrate.
[0012] Fig. 2 shows a sectional drawing of the reactor.
[0013] Fig. 3 shows the lower part of the pipe 12 with built-in nozzles 13.
[0014] Fig. 4 shows a drain hole at the bottom of glass 1, covered with a grate 18.
[0015] Fig. 5 shows the thermobaric curves of hydrate formation of methane, ethane, propane and carbon dioxide.
[0016] The device for producing gas hydrate comprises a reactor in the form of a glass 1 with a cooling jacket 2 and nozzles 3.1 and 3.2 for inlet and outlet of a coolant, for example, antifreeze (Fig. 1). The inlet nozzle 3.1 and the outlet nozzle 3.2 of the coolant are connected by pipelines to a thermostat 4. A hollow cylinder 5 (Fig. 2) is welded to the upper surface connecting the edges of the glass 1 and the cooling jacket 2, the height of which is less than the height of the glass 1. The outer diameter of the hollow cylinder 5 is less than the outer diameter of the glass 1. The inner diameter of the hollow cylinder 5 is greater than the inner diameter of the glass 1. A thread 6 is made on the inner surface of the hollow cylinder 5.
[0017] A shaft 7 in the form of a solid metal cylinder with a protrusion of a larger diameter, which rests on the surface connecting the edges of the cup 1 and the cooling jacket 2, is inserted from above into the hollow cylinder 5.
[0018] A rubber ring 8, a metal washer 9 and a sleeve 10, the upper part of which is made with an annular projection, under which a thread 11 is made on the outer surface of the sleeve 10, corresponding to the thread 6 on the inner surface of the hollow cylinder 5, are successively put on the shaft 7 until it stops with a projection of a larger diameter.
[0019] Inside the shaft 7, along its axis, a channel is made, through which a metal pipe 12 is inserted into the cup 1. The end of the pipe 12, placed in the cup 1, is sealed. In the lower part of the pipe 12, along the circumference at an equal distance from each other, four holes are made, into which nozzles 13 are mounted, directed upward at an angle of 45° relative to the bottom of the cup 1 (Fig. 3). The end of the pipe 12, protruding from the top of the shaft 7, is equipped with the first tap 14 and is connected by a pipeline to one end of the coil 15, placed in the bath of the thermostat 4 (Fig. 1). The other end of the coil 15 is connected by a pipeline equipped with the first pump 16, to a tank filled with water 17 (BV). At the bottom of the cup 1 there is a drain hole, covered with a grate 18 (Fig. 4). The drain hole is connected to the other end of the coil 15 by a pipeline equipped with a second tap 19, a second pump 20 and a third tap 21 (Fig. 1). A pipeline containing a first pressure relief valve 22 is led out from the cavity of the glass 1.The cavity of the cup 1 is connected to a gas cylinder 25 (GC) filled with, for example, methane, ethane, propane, or carbon dioxide via a pipeline containing a second valve 23 and a flow meter 24. A pressure sensor 26 and a temperature sensor 27 are mounted in the cup 1. The flow meter 24, the pressure sensor 26, and the temperature sensor 27 are connected to a personal computer 28 (PC).
[0020] The thermostat KRIO-VT-12-1 is used as thermostat 4, the universal measuring analog signal converter Oven ITP-100 is used as pressure sensor 26, and the thermocouple type J is used as temperature sensor 27 (temperature range -200...+1200°C, output analog signal 4...20 mA, polling frequency 0.1 s, error ±0.1°C).
[0021] A sealing shaft 7 is inserted into a hollow cylinder 5, on which a rubber ring 8, a metal washer 9, a sleeve 10 are placed, and fixed using a thread 11 on the outer surface of the sleeve 10 and a thread 6 on the inner surface of the wall of the hollow cylinder 5. Then, the glass 1 is cooled to temperatures in the range from 0 to -2°C using a coolant that circulates through the cooling jacket 2. The temperature in the glass 1 is measured by a temperature sensor 27 and the readings are transmitted to a personal computer 28 (PC). The coolant temperature is set in thermostat 4, from which the liquid enters cooling jacket 2 and then returns to thermostat 4. After cup 1 has cooled, second valve 23 is opened, and gas is supplied from gas cylinder 25 (GC) to cup 1. The gas pressure in cup 1 is set depending on the gas used and its hydrate formation curve (Fig. 5). The pressure is set above the hydrate formation curve to accelerate the hydrate formation process.When using methane at a temperature of 0…-2°C, the pressure in glass 1 is set at 80 bar; when using ethane, propane, or carbon dioxide, the pressure is set at 60 bar. The gas pressure and flow rate are measured by pressure sensor 26 and flow meter 24, respectively, and the readings are transmitted to personal computer 28 (PC). Second valve 23 is then closed, first pump 16 is started, and first tap 14 is opened. Water from tank 17 (BV) is passed through coil 15, located in a bath with a coolant, and the cooled water is sprayed inside glass 1 along its walls through nozzles 13. During the flight, water droplets become saturated with gas, and nucleation centers for hydrate crystals form on their surface. Hydrate formation releases heat, which is removed from glass 1 by a coolant circulating through cooling jacket 2. Water droplets settle on the walls of glass 1, which act as the heat exchange surface. Intense heat exchange accelerates the growth of hydrate crystals.Unreacted water is passed through a grid 18 at the bottom of the beaker, the second 19 and third 20 valves are opened, and the second pump 20 is turned on. Water again enters the coil 15, and the water circulation cycle is closed. The circulation of unreacted water allows for the complete conversion of water to hydrate. During hydrate formation, the pressure in beaker 1 decreases relative to the initial value. Hydrate formation is considered complete when the pressure in beaker 1 stops changing and reaches an equilibrium value; for methane, this pressure is ~25 bar, and for carbon dioxide, ~12 bar. After hydrate formation is complete, the first 16 and second 20 pumps are turned off, and the first 14, second 19, and 21 valves are closed. Then, the second valve 22 is opened, and the remaining pressure in beaker 1 is released to atmospheric pressure. After this, unscrew sleeve 10, remove shaft 7 and extract gas hydrate from glass 1.
[0022] Nozzles 13, located in the central part of cup 1, promote the formation of gas hydrate on the walls of cup 1, leaving the central region empty. As a result, the gas hydrate mass takes the shape of a hollow cylinder. The gradual layering of the gas hydrate leads to an increase in its density to 600-700 kg / m3. 3 and gas saturation up to 150-160 volumes of gas per 1 volume of hydrate.
Claims
1. A device for producing a gas hydrate, comprising a reactor in the form of a glass with a cooling jacket, which is connected by two pipelines to a thermostat, a temperature sensor mounted in the side wall of the reactor, a gas cylinder connected by a pipeline containing a flow meter, to the cavity of the reactor, a pressure sensor, a pump for supplying water, wherein the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor are connected to a personal computer, characterized in that nozzles for the input and output of a coolant are mounted in the cooling jacket of the reactor, which are connected by pipelines to the thermostat, while a hollow cylinder is welded to the upper surface connecting the edges of the glass and the cooling jacket, the height of which is less than the height of the glass, the outer diameter of the hollow cylinder is less than the outer diameter of the glass, the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder is greater than the inner diameter of the glass, and a thread is made on the inner surface of the wall of the hollow cylinder,a shaft in the form of a solid metal cylinder with a projection of a larger diameter at one end, which is located on the surface connecting the edges of the cup and the cooling jacket, is inserted into the hollow cylinder from above, a rubber ring, a metal washer and a sleeve are successively put on the shaft until it stops with a projection of a larger diameter, wherein the upper part of the sleeve is made with an annular projection, under which a thread is made on its outer surface for connection with a thread on the inner surface of the wall of the hollow cylinder, inside the shaft, along its axis, a channel is made through which a metal pipe is inserted into the cup, one end of which, placed in the cup, is plugged, and in its lower part along the circumference at an equal distance from each other, four holes are made in which nozzles are mounted, directed upward at an angle of 45° relative to the bottom of the cup, the end of the pipe protruding from the top of the shaft is equipped with the first tap and a pipeline is connected to one end of the coil placed in the bath of the thermostat,the other end of the coil is connected to a tank filled with water by a pipeline equipped with a first pump, a drain hole covered with a grate is made at the bottom of the glass, the drain hole is connected to the other end of the coil by a pipeline equipped with a second tap, a second pump and a third tap, a pipeline containing a first pressure relief valve is led out of the cavity of the glass, the cavity of the glass is connected to a gas cylinder by a pipeline containing a second valve and a flow meter, a pressure sensor is mounted in the wall of the glass, the flow meter is connected to a personal computer.
2. The device according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the gas cylinder is filled with methane, or ethane, or propane, or carbon dioxide.