Investigation of the effects of Al nanoparticles on CO₂ separation from natural gas using gas hydrates

ABSTRACT

The low hydrate formation rate, the low gas selectivity and the low gas storage capacity have been proved as the major bottlenecks for a successful application of CO₂ capture process using gas hydrates. Aluminum nanoparticles has an important specific area, which can lead to high heat and mass transfer efficiency, large gas dissolution, fast nucleation, and formation rate. In this work, CO₂-CH₄ hydrate formation with and without aluminum nanoparticles was investigated. Herein, the promoting mechanism and effects of aluminum nanoparticles concentrations for an initial pressure of 4.0 MPa and temperature of 274.15 K on CO₂-CH₄ hydrate formation process were studied experimentally. The obtained results showed that the nanoparticles of Al, beyond a certain minimum concentration, slightly enhanced the gas dissolution, notably improved the gas consumption by crystallization and dramatically improved the gas capture selectivity. These positive effects were observed at the beginning of the process and after that became negative.

KEYWORDS:

• Gas hydrates
• CO₂
• nanoparticles
• aluminium
• kinetic promotor

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the Laboratory of Materials Chemistry and the Living (LCMVAR) (University of Batna-1) and Institute of Health, Safety and Environment (University of Batna-2) for the financial support, and the Mines Saint-Etienne (France) and Sonatrach Upstream Activity, Technologies & Development Division for the technical support and advisory.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Samer Said

Samer Said received his Engineer and Master degrees in process engineering from National Institute of Hydrocarbons, Algeria and his PhD degree in Chemical Engineering from Batna University, Algeria. He is currently a Professor of Chemical Engineering at Batna University. He has involved in different research programmes in the fields of CO₂ capture and valorisation, gasoil desulfurization process improvement and gas hydrates process development. He has authored/co-authored more than 5 technical papers which have been presented and/or published in international conferences and journals.

Belloum Mohamed

Belloum Mohamedreceived his MSc degree from IAP school, Algeria and his PhD from IFP school, France, all in Chemical Engineering. He is currently a Professor at Batna University. He has involved in different research programmes in the fields of CO₂ capture and gas hydrates process development. He has authored/co-authored more than 14 technical papers, which have been presented and/or published in international conferences and journals.

Herri Jean-Michel

Herri Jean-Michel received his MSc degree from IFP School, France and his PhD from university of Paris VI, France, all in oil and gas sciences. He is currently a manager of a centre of RESEARCH and EDUCATION (SPIN Centre at Ecole des Mines de Saint-Etienne).  He is a specialist in crystallisation of clathrate hydrates, and applications in the domains of oil and gas flow assurance, energy and gas storage, CO₂ and gas separation, water purification. He has authored/co-authored more than 95 technical papers, which have been presented and/or published in international conferences and journals.