Experimental investigation on thermal energy transportation by CO_2 hydrate

摘要

Optimum conditions for an efficient long-distance thermal energy transportation system using CO_2 hydrateslurry are evaluated in a lab-scale environment. The properties of CO_2 hydrate grant its purpose as a secondaryrefrigerant considering the high dissociation enthalpy. High pressure and low temperature conditions arerequired for stable hydrate formation and therefore, tetrahydrofuran (THF) is selected to ease the formationconditions for pure CO_2 hydrate. The experiments are conducted based on various THF concentrations,formation pressure, and temperature conditions. Two heat exchangers are installed for the formation anddissociation of CO_2+THF hydrate slurry. Heat transfer rates for both heat exchangers and coefficient ofperformance are evaluated. Pressure drop is obtained during the transportation process from the formation heatexchanger to the dissociation heat exchanger. Consequently, a hydrate based optimized system is assessed forlong-distance heat transportation applications.