Evaluation of Rate-limiting Process of Methane Hydrate Dissociation by Transient Interfacial Heat and Mass Transfer Measurement

Abstract

This paper describes evaluation of rate-determining factor of methane hydrate (MH) dissociation by transient interfacial heat and mass transfer measurement. The rate-determining factor for MH dissociation is important for understanding the production of methane gas from the natural hydrate in the sea bed. In this study, heat and mass transfer near solid-gas interface during MH dissociation was quantitatively measured with high-speed phase-shifting interferometer to evaluate the rate-determining factors of dissociation. It was found that the dissociation phenomenon is reaction rate-determining or the transition region from reaction rate-determining to diffusion rate- determining.