A pilot-scale continuous-jet hydrate reactor

A three-phase, pilot-scale continuous-jet hydrate reactor (CJHR) has been developed for the production of gas hydrates. The reactor receives water and a hydrate-forming species to produce the solid gas hydrate. The CJHR has been tested for the production of CO₂ hydrate for the purpose of ocean carbon sequestration. Formation of CO₂ hydrate was investigated using various reactor/injector designs in a 72-l high-pressure vessel. Designs of the CJHR varied from single-capillary to multiple-capillary injectors that dispersed (1) liquid CO₂ into water or (2) water into liquid CO₂. The novel injector is designed to improve the dispersion of one reactant into the other and, thus, eliminate mass transfer barriers that negatively affect conversion. An additional goal was an increase in production rates of two orders of magnitude. The designed injectors were tested in both distilled and saline water. Hydrate production experiments were conducted at different CO₂ and water flow rates and for pressures and temperatures equivalent to intermediate ocean depths (1100-1700 m). The pilot-scale reactor with the novel injection system successfully increased hydrate production rates and efficiency.