Title: Investigation on gas hydrate formation properties in a spiral flow using a flow loop

Authors: Yongchao Rao; Yi Sun; Shuli Wang; Hao Ge; Boyang Ding; Minguan Yang

Addresses: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oil-gas Storage and Transportation Technology, School of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China; School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China ' Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oil-gas Storage and Transportation Technology, School of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China ' Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oil-gas Storage and Transportation Technology, School of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China ' Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oil-gas Storage and Transportation Technology, School of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China ' Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oil-gas Storage and Transportation Technology, School of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China ' School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China

Abstract: A series of experiments were performed in a high pressure hydrate experimental loop using spiral flow. The impacts of varying flow rate, pressure, temperature, and twist rate on hydrate formation have been studied in this paper. The experimental results showed that the flow patterns occurring in the experiments were classified into the spiral wavy stratified flow, the spiral bubble flow, the spiral annular flow, and the spiral dispersed flow. The induction and formation time in a spiral flow loop decreased with increasing pressure, and increased with the increasing temperature. The twist rate of twisttape had an influence on hydrate formation. The hydrate formation time decreased with decreasing twist rate. The initial gas liquid rate and twist rate had significant effects on the gas consumption during hydrate formation. The kinetic model of hydrate formation in a spiral flow loop was established. The proposed model was verified both qualitatively and quantitatively. [Received: March 16, 2018; Accepted: March 29, 2019]

Keywords: gas hydrates; spiral flow; flow pattern; formation kinetic model.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2020.110388

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2020 Vol.25 No.3, pp.292 - 318

Received: 22 Mar 2018
Accepted: 29 Mar 2019
Published online: 19 Oct 2020 *

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