Production of Methane Hydrates in Dispersed Frozen Aqueous Solutions of Polyvinyl Alcohol

Abstract

The paper presents the first results of studying the kinetics of the formation of methane hydrates in dispersed frozen aqueous solutions of polyvinyl alcohol (FAS PVA) near the ice melting point under static conditions (without stirring). Based on the obtained experimental data, it was determined for the first time that using FAS PVA significantly (severalfold) decreases the time of conversion of much of the initial water into hydrate in comparison with dispersed ice. Furthermore, it was shown that the formation of gas hydrates in FAS PVA dispersions under static hydrate formation conditions can occur not only at higher rate but also at higher water-to-hydrate conversion in comparison with those in aqueous solutions of surfactants or in “dry water.”