Micromechanical adhesion force measurements between tetrahydrofuran hydrate particles.

Adhesion forces between tetrahydrofuran (THF) hydrate particles in n-decane were measured using an improved micromechanical technique. The experiments were performed at atmospheric pressure over the temperature range 261-275 K. The observed forces and trends were explained by a capillary bridge between the particles. The adhesion force of hydrates was directly proportional to the contact force and contact time. A scoping study examined the effects of temperature, anti-agglomerants, and interfacial energy on the particle adhesion forces. The adhesion force of hydrates was found to be directly proportional to interfacial energy of the surrounding liquid, and to increase with temperature. Both sorbitan monolaurate (Span20) and poly-N-vinyl caprolactam (PVCap) decreased the adhesion force between the hydrate particles.

Assessing the feasibility of hydrate deposition on pipeline walls--adhesion force measurements of clathrate hydrate particles on carbon steel.

Adhesive forces between cyclopentane (CyC5) hydrates and carbon steel (CS) were measured. These forces were found to be substantially lower than CyC5 hydrate-CyC5 hydrate particle measurements and were also lower than ice-CS measurements. The measured adhesive forces were used in a force balance to predict particle removal from the pipeline wall, assuming no free water was present. The force balance predicted entrained hydrate particles of 3 microns and larger diameter would be removed at typical operating flow rates in offshore oil and gas pipelines. These predictions also suggest that hydrate deposition will not occur in stabilized (cold) flow practices.