Fundamental Studies on Gas Hydrates related to Energy Recovery and Processing and Carbon Storage

通过进一步推进我们对天然气水合物晶体如何生长、分解和与其他物质相互作用的基本理解，有一个重要的机会对与能量回收和处理以及二氧化碳捕获和储存相关的转化研究产生强大而积极的影响。笼形物或气体水合物是由水和许多其他分子（如CH4、C2H6、C3H8、H2、N2和CO2）形成的非化学计量的结晶包合化合物。天然气水合物是在石油和天然气生产、运输和加工过程中可能遇到的温度和压力下形成的。安全可靠的油气作业需要努力避免天然气水合物的形成，或者以确保碳氢化合物流动的方式控制含水合物系统的行为（风险管理）。化学添加剂（通常是水溶性合成聚合物）被称为动能水合物抑制剂（KHIs），用于风险管理。KHIs也被称为低剂量水合物抑制剂（LDHIs）。合成聚合物可能是有问题的，因为它们可能引起环境问题。另一方面，抗冻蛋白是对环境无害的（绿色）气体水合物抑制剂。我们的工作旨在充分揭示抗冻蛋白如何与气体水合物晶体相互作用，以及管道中的水合物晶体塞如何解离。这些知识可以用来有效地管理水合物形成的风险，也可以设计出更有效、更经济、更绿色的水合物风险管理添加剂。众所周知，大量的天然气以天然气水合物晶体的形式积累在地球上，构成了一种非常规的能源。回收这种能量的一种潜在技术是通过注入发电厂的烟气混合物。如果这项技术成功，它将使二氧化碳储存与能量回收同时实现。我们的工作旨在进一步了解二氧化碳/天然气交换机制，以及扩大工艺规模和现场实施所需的关键控制参数。本提案要求资助三名博士生参与本研究项目。这三名学生将进行实验室调查和分子模拟，撰写并捍卫一篇博士论文，在各自领域的顶级期刊上发表他们的成果，并在国内和国际会议上展示他们的发现。

There is a significant opportunity to have a strong and positive impact on translational research related to energy recovery and processing as well as carbon dioxide capture and storage by further advancing our fundamental understanding of how gas hydrate crystals grow, decompose and interact with other substances. Clathrate or gas hydrates are non-stoichiometric crystalline inclusion compounds formed by water and a number of other molecules like as CH4, C2H6, C3H8, H2, N2 and CO2. Gas hydrates form at temperature and pressures, which may be encountered during production, transportation and processing of oil and gas. Safe and reliable oil and gas operations require an effort to either avoid the formation of gas hydrates or control the behaviour (risk management) of a hydrate containing system in a manner that ensures flow of the hydrocarbons. Chemical additives (usually water soluble synthetic polymers) known as kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHIs) are used for risk management. KHIs are also known as low dosage hydrate inhibitors (LDHIs). Synthetic polymers may be problematic as they may raise environmental concerns. On the other hand, antifreeze proteins are environmentally benign (green) gas hydrate inhibitors. Our work aims to fully uncover how antifreeze proteins interact with gas hydrates crystals as well as how hydrate crystal plugs in pipelines may be dissociated. This knowledge can be used to effectively manage the risk from hydrate formation and also to design more effective and more economic and green additives for hydrate risk management. It is also well known that quantities of natural gas have accumulated in the Earth as natural gas hydrate crystals and constitute an unconventional source of energy. One potential technology for he recovery of this energy is through the injection of flue gas mixture from power plants. If this technology is successful it will enable carbon dioxide storage simultaneously with energy recovery. Our work aims to contribute towards further understanding of the carbon dioxide/natural gas exchange mechanism and the key controlling parameters needed for the scale up of the process and field implementation. Funding for three PhD students to work in this research program is requested by this proposal. The three students will carry out laboratory investigations and molecular simulations, write and defend a PhD thesis, publish their results in the top journals in their field and present their findings at National and International conferences.