Process for Producing Gas Hydrate Pellet

• US 20090247797A1
• Filed: 03/30/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Company Limited (Mitsui E&S Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Company Limited (Mitsui E&S Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Horiguchi, Kiyoshi, Iwasaki, Toru, Katoh, Yuichi, Nagamori, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,999,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 585/15
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/06 Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by C10G, C10K3/02 or C10K3/04 liquefying by pressure and cold treatment F25J
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/108 Production of gas hydrates
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/00 Solid fuels produced by solidifying fluid fuels C10L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/363 Pellets or granulates

Abstract

A process for producing gas hydrate pellets includes generating a gas hydrate by reacting raw gas and raw water under predetermined temperature and pressure conditions, and then shaping the gas hydrate into pellets by means of a pelletizer. Newly-formed gas hydrate or still-moist gas hydrate that has been partially dehydrated is shaped into pellets by means of a pelletizer, the shaping being conducted under conditions of the gas hydrate formation temperature and formation pressure. Subsequently, the shaped pellets are cooled to a sub-zero temperature by means of a refrigerating machine.

Claims

1. A process for producing gas hydrate pellets, comprising the steps of:

generating a gas hydrate by reacting raw gas and raw water under predetermined temperature and pressure conditions;

shaping the gas hydrate into pellets by means of a pelletizer; and

after the shaping step, cooling the shaped pellets to a sub-zero temperature by means of a refrigerating machine;

wherein during the shaping step, newly-formed gas hydrate or still-moist gas hydrate that has been partially dehydrated is shaped under conditions of the gas hydrate formation temperature and formation pressure.

2. The process for producing gas hydrate pellets according to claim 1, wherein newly-formed gas hydrate having a gas hydrate concentration between 70 wt % and 95 wt % is shaped into pellets.

3. The process for producing gas hydrate pellets according to claim 1, wherein partially dehydrated gas hydrate having a gas hydrate concentration between 30 wt % and 70 wt % is shaped into pellets.

4. A process for producing gas hydrate pellets, comprising the steps of:

generating a gas hydrate by reacting raw gas and raw water under predetermined temperature and pressure conditions;

after the generating step, cooling the gas hydrate to a sub-zero temperature; and

after the cooling step, shaping the gas hydrate into pellets by means of a pelletizer;

wherein during the shaping step, gas hydrate is shaped into pellets under conditions of the gas hydrate formation temperature and formation pressure.