Water transfer characteristics during methane hydrate formation and dissociation processes inside saturated sand

Gas hydrates formation and dissociation processes inside porous media are always accompanied by water transfer behavior, which is similar to the water behavior of ice freezing and thawing processes. These processes have been studied by many researchers, but all the studies are so far on the water transfer characteristics outside porous media and the water transfer characteristics inside porous media have been little known. In this study, in order to study the water transfer characteristics inside porous media during methane hydrate formation and dissociation processes, a novel apparatus with three pF-meter sensors which can detect water content changes inside porous media was applied. It was experimentally observed that methane hydrate formation processes were accompanied by water transfer from bottom to top inside porous media, however, the water behavior during hydrate dissociation processes was abnormal, for which more studies are needed to find out the real reason in our future work.

Methane hydrate formation comparisons in media with and without a water source supply

Water is a necessary element during gas hydrate formations. Therefore, by analyzing water depletion changes in media, the reaction characteristics of methane hydrate in media can be studied. In this study, two water sources supplying some liquid water which may be consumed by the methane hydrate formation reactions were designed and assembled. Using them, the full formation processes of methane hydrate was studied. Experimental results show the following： If heat released from nucleation reaction of methane hydrate is diffused rapidly, the nucleation ratios will be enhanced discernibly. While the hydrate is formed, a force is generated that sucks fresh water from the source into the vicinity of the hydrate, slowing down the cementation process and causing some hydrate grain dissociation. As a result of cementation differences, the hydrate reaction processes with different water sources present linear or quadratic equation characteristics. After a few repeated dissociation and formation processes of some hydrate grains caused by the fresh water, the gas amounts contained in hydrate will be significantly enhanced.

饱和粗砂、粉土内甲烷水合物形成与分解过程中的水分迁移规律

用可探测土壤水分变化的pF-meter探头组装了新型水合物研究设备,并对两种饱和介质内甲烷水合物形成与分解过程中的水分迁移规律进行研究,以期望能为进一步探索多孔介质内甲烷水合物形成与分解机制提供参考.通过实验发现相同条件下,不同饱和介质内生成的甲烷水合物形态存在较大差异,且形成过程中的水分迁移规律也不同水合物分解过程表现出的水分迁移规律与水合物常规分解事实相悖,其具体原因仍需做进一步研究.