Apparatus for producing hydrate slurry
First Claim
1. An apparatus for generating a hydrate slurry, wherein the hydrate slurry is a mixture of an aqueous solution containing a guest compound and a hydrate of the guest compound, the hydrate being generated by cooling the aqueous solution at a temperature of more than 0°
- C.,the apparatus comprising a first heat exchanger, at least one second heat exchanger and a canceling device,the first heat exchanger being configured for supercooling the aqueous solution to generate a supercooled aqueous solution, while holding the aqueous solution in a liquid state,the canceling device being provided on the downstream side of the first heat exchanger, the canceling device being configured to cancel the supercooling of the aqueous solution, andthe at least one second heat exchanger being provided on the downstream side of the first heat exchanger, the at least one second heat exchanger being configured to cool the hydrate slurry generated from the aqueous solution, the supercooling of which is canceled by the canceling device.
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Abstract
An apparatus produces hydrate slurry, which is a mixture of aqueous solution and hydrate, by cooling aqueous solution containing a guest compound, which generates the hydrate at temperature higher than 0° C., by using a cooling medium. The apparatus includes a first heat exchanger for supercooling the aqueous solution while holding the aqueous solution in a liquid state and in a second heat exchanger, which is provided on the downstream side of the first heat exchanger for cooling hydrate slurry.
89 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating a hydrate slurry, wherein the hydrate slurry is a mixture of an aqueous solution containing a guest compound and a hydrate of the guest compound, the hydrate being generated by cooling the aqueous solution at a temperature of more than 0°
- C.,
the apparatus comprising a first heat exchanger, at least one second heat exchanger and a canceling device, the first heat exchanger being configured for supercooling the aqueous solution to generate a supercooled aqueous solution, while holding the aqueous solution in a liquid state, the canceling device being provided on the downstream side of the first heat exchanger, the canceling device being configured to cancel the supercooling of the aqueous solution, and the at least one second heat exchanger being provided on the downstream side of the first heat exchanger, the at least one second heat exchanger being configured to cool the hydrate slurry generated from the aqueous solution, the supercooling of which is canceled by the canceling device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- C.,
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14. In an apparatus for generating a hydrate slurry containing a hydrate of a guest compound produced by cooling an aqueous solution containing the guest compound at a temperature of higher than 0°
- C., the apparatus comprising;
a refrigerator configured to cool a refrigerant and provide a cooled refrigerant, the refrigerator having a plurality of evaporators, the plurality of evaporators being provided so as to be switchable and the cooled refrigerant flowing in one or more of the plurality of evaporators; a circulation system configured to cool the aqueous solution of the guest compound by the cooled refrigerant in one or more of the plurality of the evaporators; a controller configured to (i) stop the cooling of the aqueous solution of the guest compound in one evaporator of the plurality of the evaporators, when a blockage of the circulation system occurs due to a hydrate which is generated by the cooling thereof, and (ii) start the cooling of the aqueous solution of the guest compound in another evaporator of the plurality of evaporators; and a device for supplying the refrigerant at a high temperature from the refrigerator to the evaporator in which the cooling of the aqueous solution of the guest compound is stopped so as to melt the hydrate causing the blockage of the circulation system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- C., the apparatus comprising;
Specification