Nucleation and Growth of Methane and Carbon Dioxide Hydrates on Wetting Liquid Films

Abstract

The results of visual studies of the growth of methane and carbon dioxide hydrates from highly dilute aqueous solutions of acids and alkalis, as well as from the same solutions with the addition of 0.1 wt % sodium dodecyl sulfate, are presented. It was found that in addition to the growth of hydrate films at the water–gas interface (for solutions without sodium dodecyl sulfate) and the growth of a loose mass of hydrate on the walls of the reactor in the case of solutions with sodium dodecyl sulfate, there is also growth of the hydrate film on the free walls of the reactor. We speculate what these hydrate films form from the wetting water films located on the walls. In addition, growth of relatively large hydrate agglomerates on the reactor walls was observed. They look like “growing directly from the wall”. Presumably, this is due to the possibility of film transfer of water between the formed hydrate films and the walls of the reactor. Possible features of the hydrate formation process caused by the formation of hydrates on wetting films are also discussed.