(181ao) A New Equipment for Hydrate Formation: Measurements of Hydrate Phase Equilibria for Nitrogen + Water

Gas hydrates, or clathrate hydrates are, ice-like solid crystalline compounds, which are former through combination of water and small guest molecules, like nitrogen, under low temperatures and elevated pressures. Gas hydrates formation phenomenon has been used for developing separation processes. In this work we describe the details for experimental equipment developed for measuring the dissociation conditions of hydrates. The equipment is suitable to operate at temperatures ranging from (243 to 423) K and pressures up to 40 MPa. The present methodology is based on the isochoric search method (search for equilibrium pressure). Experimental dissociating conditions for nitrogen + water are reported up to 35 MPa and in the temperature interval of (272 and 280) K in order to validate the experimental methodology. The dissociation data generated in this study together with literature data are compared with prediction of thermodynamic model. Good agreement between the data indicates the reliability of the experimental technique used in this study.