The Influence of Polymers and Nanomaterials on the Kinetics, Flow Characteristics and Surface Interactions of Hydrate/Ice Forming Systems

聚合物和纳米材料对水合物/冰形成系统的动力学、流动特性和表面相互作用的影响

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-05035
• 负责人: Servio, Phillip
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=713477
• 关键词: Influence; Polymers; Nanomaterials; Kinetics; Flow

Water is one of the most unique compounds in nature that is not only essential for life but also plays a significant role in many processes related to energy and safety. Water can exist in many solid forms when it is exposed to the proper conditions and components but two of the most important are: Gas Hydrate and Ice. Naturally occurring gas hydrates hold enormous amounts of stored energy that exceed conventional carbon reserves and mostly contain natural gas, the cleanest of all fossil fuels. Hence, they are being considered as a new/alternative method to sustain our ever increasing energy demands and preserve our quality of life. Carbon dioxide is also a major component in the emissions of thermal power plants, which contributes to global warming. The gas storage properties of hydrates position it as a potential candidate for capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide in order to lower its emissions and abide by the 2016 Paris Agreement, which Canada and 167 other nations agreed to. Complications arising from gas hydrate formation can also pose a significant threat to machinery and equipment in oil and gas processes. Its formation has even led to the loss of life and environmental devastation, as evidenced by the infamous British Petroleum oil spill of 2010. Similarly, ice accretion can cause catastrophic devastation such as the 1998 ice storm that hit Eastern Canada and the Northeastern U.S. Ice that forms on modern infrastructure such as aircrafts, ships, offshore oil platforms, wind turbines, telecommunications and power transmission lines jeopardizes their integrity and poses a significant safety hazard to operators and civilians alike. For these reasons, it is important to study both these phase change processes in order to provide information that is essential for the design of safe, economical, and environmentally responsible processes and facilities to deal with gas hydrate and ice formation. In order to accomplish this, a better understanding of the following is required. 1) Kinetics: Inhibition of gas hydrate formation via water-soluble polymers tailored using block copolymer self-assembly. 2) Rheology: Investigation of the effects of nanofluids and water-soluble polymers on the flow of water as it transitions to either gas hydrate or ice. 3) Surface interactions: Design and testing of hydrate-phobic and icephobic coatings comprised of polymer, nanomaterial and biomimetic surfaces. These three targeted areas will allow us to garner a better understanding of hydrate and ice and how to possibly exploit them by controlling and manipulating their interactions. The outcome of this work has the potential to place Canada at the forefront of technologies related to: 1) De-crystallizing techniques that preclude hydrate and ice accretion, 2) Natural gas recovery from in situ gas hydrate formations and 3) Storage and transportation of methane and carbon dioxide in gas hydrate form.

水是自然界中最独特的化合物之一，它不仅是生命所必需的，而且在许多与能源和安全有关的过程中发挥着重要作用。当水暴露在适当的条件和成分下时，它可以以多种固体形式存在，但最重要的两种是：气体水合物和冰。自然生成的天然气水合物拥有大量的储存能量，超过了传统的碳储量，其中大部分含有天然气，这是所有化石燃料中最清洁的。因此，它们被认为是满足我们日益增长的能源需求和保持我们的生活质量的一种新的/替代方法。二氧化碳也是火力发电厂排放的主要成分，导致全球变暖。水合物的天然气储存特性使其成为捕获和隔离二氧化碳的潜在候选者，以减少排放，并遵守2016年的《巴黎协定》，加拿大和其他167个国家同意该协定。天然气水合物形成的复杂情况也可能对石油和天然气加工过程中的机械和设备构成重大威胁。它的形成甚至导致了生命损失和环境破坏，2010年臭名昭著的英国石油泄漏就是明证。同样，结冰也可能造成灾难性的破坏，如1998年袭击加拿大东部和美国东北部的冰暴。在飞机、船舶、海上石油平台、风力涡轮机、电信和输电线路等现代基础设施上形成的冰危及它们的完整性，并对操作员和平民构成重大安全威胁。 出于这些原因，重要的是研究这两个相变过程，以便提供必要的信息，以设计安全、经济和对环境负责的处理天然气水合物和冰形成的工艺和设施。为了实现这一点，需要更好地理解以下几点。1)动力学：通过使用嵌段共聚自组装定制的水溶性聚合物来抑制天然气水合物的形成。2)流变学：研究纳米流体和水溶性聚合物在水转变为天然气水合物或冰的过程中对水流动的影响。3)表面相互作用：由聚合物、纳米材料和仿生表面组成的疏水和疏水涂层的设计和测试。这三个目标领域将使我们能够更好地了解水合物和冰，以及如何通过控制和操纵它们的相互作用来可能地利用它们。这项工作的成果有可能使加拿大走在相关技术的前沿：1)阻止水合物和冰吸积的去结晶技术；2)从就地天然气水合物中回收天然气；3)以天然气水合物的形式储存和运输甲烷和二氧化碳。