Huen Lee

Recovery of Methane from Gas Hydrates Intercalated within Natural Sediments Using CO2 and a CO2/N2 Gas Mixture

The direct recovery of methane from massive methane hydrates (MHs), artificial MH-bearing clays, and natural MH-bearing sediments is demonstrated, using either CO(2) or a CO(2)/N(2) gas mixture (20 mol % of CO(2) and 80 mol % of N(2), reproducing flue gas from a power plant) for methane replacement in complex marine systems. Natural gas hydrates (NGHs) can be converted into CO(2) hydrate by a swapping mechanism. The overall process serves a dual purpose: it is a means of sustainable energy-source exploitation and greenhouse-gas sequestration. In particular, scant attention has been paid to the natural sediment clay portion in deep-sea gas hydrates, which is capable of storing a tremendous amount of NGH. The clay interlayer provides a unique chemical-physical environment for gas hydrates. Herein, for the first time, we pull out methane from intercalated methane hydrates in a clay interlayer using CO(2) and a CO(2)/N(2) gas mixture. The results of this study are expected to provide an essential physicochemical background required for large-scale NGH production under the seabed.

Thermodynamic Stability of Structure II Methyl Vinyl Ketone Binary Clathrate Hydrates and Effects of Secondary Guest Molecules on Large Guest Conformation

Clathrate hydrates have received massive attention because of their potential application as energy storage materials. Host water frameworks of clathrate hydrates provide empty cavities that can capture not only small molecular guests but also radical species induced by γ-irradiation. In this work, we investigated structure II methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) binary clathrate hydrates with CH4, O2, and N2 and the effects of secondary guest species on MVK conformation in the cavity of hydrate and on the thermodynamic stability of unirradiated and γ-irradiated hydrate phases. The present findings provide meaningful information to understand the nature of guest–host interactions in γ-irradiated clathrate hydrates and to open up practical applications for hydrate-based nanoreactors.