EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE FORMATION OF STRUCTURE H HYDRATE

Big molecular hydrocarbons can be turned into structure H hydrate by the help of small molecular hydrocarbons like methane, ethane, etc. Therefore, this study carried out lab tests on condition and process respectively for the formation of structure H hydrate. The formation condition test showed that the methane hydrate was added methylcyclohexane (MCH), structure I hydrate would be turned into structure H, and its formation pressure would be reduced as low as more than 1.0 MPa. The formation process test showed that MCH could help increase the speed of forming hydrate in the reaction system of methane hydrate, while shortening the time of hydrate growth and cutting down the consumption of methane gas. Comparing hydrate formation in methane and in methane + MCH, this study discovered that the former hydrate formation speed and the consumption of methane gas would increase with the rising pressure; whereas the latter hydrate speed and the consumption of gas would decrease gradually with the increasing content of MCH.