Production of Methane from Natural Mixed Gas Hydrates

Hong Woo Kim* and Nagasree Garapati, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Benjamim M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506

Field (Broad Category): Engineering (Physical Sciences & Engineering) 

Student’s Major: Chemical Engineering 

Natural Gas hydrates (NGHs) are ice-like crystal compounds, formed by the gas guest molecules trapped in the cavities of built by the hydrogen bonding of water molecules. They exist at relatively high pressure and low temperatures, and are found naturally below permafrost on land, or under seafloor. NGHs have recently emerged as a promising future energy source as it is estimated to contain more carbon than all the other fossil sources combined. The goal of this research was to simulate and predict the phase equilbrium of mixed hydrates and assess the feasibility of guest-molecule-exchange technology to recover methane (CH4) gas from NGHs. Using cell potential code, written in Intel FORTRAN, the composition of the gas, the pressure, and an initial guess for the calculated temperature was inputted to acquire the equilibrium temperature at which the mixed hydrates can form along with structure and composition of hydrate. Similarly, equilibrium pressure at various temperatures and gas composition is calculated. The information gained from this process is vital in predicting the amount of gas recovered from NGHs. 

Funding: 

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course