Hydrate cell with microscope and Raman setup
The hydrate cell with microscope and Raman setup is used to observe hydrate micro morphologies and phase transitions in micro pores.
The setup has a 2D rectangular microfluidic chip with the operation pressure up to 100 bar. The volume of microfluidic chip is 10µl and it has three types of micro pores, i.e. random type, uniform type and physical rock type.
The fluid in the micro pores of the chip is manipulated by two Vindum pumps controlling two piston containers.
The chip is fixed in a micromodel containing a chamber of two aluminium frames. The micromodel is completely submerged circulating to control temperature.
The temperature in glycol is controlled by a cooling bath circulating antifreeze in a jacket.
Gas/water is injected from piston containers up to 60-80 bar controlled by Vindum pumps.
Gas/water mixing is achieved in field of view by adjusting the pressures of the pumps.
Agitation is achieved by opening and closing the outlet in a few seconds to create gas/water interface.
Hydrate formation between gas (guests) and water (host) is achieved by decreasing the temperature from room temperature to low temperatures of 1-40C.
A pressure difference between two ports of the chip is an indicator of blockage due to hydrate formation. A stereomicroscope equipped with a Canon camera is employed to directly visualize and continuously record real-time phase transition of hydrate formation in micro pores.
An in-situ Raman device is used to determine the guests in gas phase, water phase and hydrate phase.
In case of no hydrate formation, the temperature is increased to 200C. A total three cycles of cooling and heating, known as the annealing process, are employed to promote gas/water distribution and induce hydrate formation in micro pores.
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