Effect of surface curvature and wettability on nucleation of methane hydrate

• Published in: AIChE Journal
• Main Authors: Li, Mengyang, Fan, Shuanshi, Wang, Yanhong, Lang, Xuemei, Li, Gang, Wang, Shenglong, Yu, Chi
• Other Authors: Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2022
• Subjects: Methane hydrate
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aic.17823; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aic.17823; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/aic.17823

Abstract Natural gas hydrate nucleation is a complex physical and chemical process that is not well understood presently. In this article, an improved thermodynamic model is proposed to analyze the effects of surface curvature and wettability on methane hydrate nucleation for the first time. The results indicate that methane hydrate nucleation is more difficult on hydrophilic curvature surfaces under the same conditions, with a larger critical nucleation radius and required energy barrier than on hydrophobic surfaces. Furthermore, a convex surface is more favorable for forming methane hydrate under the same conditions than a concave surface. The model's results are critical in elucidating the microscopic mechanism of methane hydrate nucleation and providing a theoretical foundation for developing technologies for strengthening and inhibiting hydrate formation.