Gas Hydrate Pellet Compression Speed Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gas hydrate pellets produced in existing methods have low shearing strength, leading to breakage under slight axial load stress, which hinders efficient handling during transportation and storage.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a compression plunger with reduced advancing speed and increased retreating speed in a cylindrical compression chamber to mold gas hydrate pellets, ensuring tight binding between particles and enhanced strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the compression plunger advances at high speed to increase productivity, then the molding efficiency is improved, but the gas hydrate pellets have low shearing strength and break easily

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemolding efficiencyVSAvoidshearing strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The compression plunger operates with variable speed during the compression cycle: high advancing speed during the compression stroke to increase productivity, and high retreating speed during the return stroke to prepare for the next cycle. This dynamic speed adjustment allows the system to achieve both high productivity and adequate pellet strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the compression pressure parameters and cycle timing to ensure adequate binding between particles. By controlling the compression pressure magnitude and duration, the system achieves sufficient pellet strength while maintaining high cycling speed for productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of time

If the compression plunger advances at high speed to reduce processing time, then the production rate is improved, but the binding between particles is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing timeVSAvoidparticle binding
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The compression plunger operates continuously with minimized idle time. The high retreating speed ensures the plunger is ready for the next compression stroke immediately, maintaining continuous productive action while the optimized compression parameters ensure reliable particle binding during each stroke.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Productivity

If the compression cycle is shortened to increase output, then the productivity is improved, but the pellet strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoutput rateVSAvoidpellet strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses dynamic speed control where the compression stroke maintains adequate duration and pressure for strong binding, while the retreating stroke operates at high speed to minimize cycle time. This asymmetric dynamic operation allows short overall cycles for high productivity while maintaining pellet strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method results in gas hydrate pellets with high shearing strength, facilitating convenient handling and storage by maintaining pellet integrity under varying loads.

Implementation Method 1

advancing the compression plunger to exert compression action for squeezing out water from the gas hydrate slurry

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP2692837B1Method of molding gas hydrate pellet
Publication Date: 2018.12.26 MITSUI E&S SHIPBUILDING CO LTD
  • EP2692837B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP2692837B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2692837B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Problem] To provide a method of molding a gas hydrate pellet for improving convenience of handling of a natural gas hydrate during transportation and storage, and thereby improving the practical use of the natural gas hydrate. [Solution] Gas hydrate slurry is fed in a compression chamber 21, and pressure and compression are applied to the gas hydrate slurry by advancing a compression plunger 21e. At that time, a stroking speed of the compression plunger 21e is set minimum, preferably less than a value expressed by a stroke length of the compression plunger 21e at compression x 10-2 (m/min). By advancing the compression plunger 21e at low speed, binding between particles of the gas hydrate is tightened, thereby the gas hydrate pellet with increased shearing strength can be molded.