Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.53, No.47, 18189-18193, 2014
Mechanism of Cohesive Forces of Cyclopentane Hydrates with and without Thermodynamic Inhibitors
Gas hydrates are commonly formed in oil and gas pipelines. One approach in their prevention is the injection of thermodynamic inhibitors (e.g., methanol, ethanol, monoethylene glycol (MEG)), so that the hydrate stability phase equilibrium can be moved into the fluid stable region. In this study, we directly measure cohesive forces of cyclopentane hydrates with thermodynamic inhibitors (2 wt % MEG, methanol, ethanol, and 1 and 3.5 wt % sodium chloride) to understand the effects of thermodynamic inhibitors (THIs) on the cohesive forces of hydrates. The cohesive forces are measured as a function of annealing time and temperature and determined from pull-off measurements based on the principle of Hookes law (F = K-spring x Delta D, where Kspring is the spring constant of the cantilever fiber, and Delta D is the displacement of the cantilever). A mechanism for the cohesive force of partially and fully converted hydrate particles is inferred and partially demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements. These experiments and results are essential to quantify the impact of THIs on hydrate particle interactions, with implications on the usage of these chemicals, particularly in under-inhibited conditions.