Abstract
Liquid cyclopentane (CP)-based hydrate slurry is prepared at atmospheric pressure from a density-matched water-in-oil emulsion by quenching it to a lower temperature at a fixed shear rate. Viscosity increases by several orders of magnitude and is indicative of hydrate formation on the dispersed water droplets and subsequent agglomeration. A mechanism in which the hairy and porous hydrate growth combined with enhanced agglomeration due to liquid bridges formed by wetted water films leads to the development of a porosity, resulting in greater effective dispersed phase fraction, is proposed. This is supported by experiments performed for water volume fractions ranging from 10 to 45 % at variable shear rates, temperatures, and surfactant (Span 80) concentrations. The observed dependence on the degree of sub-cooling, with lower slurry viscosity obtained at higher sub-cooling, and the possible anti-agglomerant like effect of high Span 80 concentrations, support our proposed mechanism. The hydrate slurries are found to exhibit shear-thinning and a small degree of thixotropy.
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We acknowledge support from Chevron and discussions with the Chevron Flow Assurance Core Team.
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Prasad U. Karanjkar and Amit Ahuja made equal contributions to this work.
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Karanjkar, P.U., Ahuja, A., Zylyftari, G. et al. Rheology of cyclopentane hydrate slurry in a model oil-continuous emulsion. Rheol Acta 55, 235–243 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-016-0911-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-016-0911-1