Frost Heave of Tetrahydrofuran Clathrate Hydrate on Porous Glass Powder

Abstract

The formation process of clathrate-hydrate in porous glass powder saturated with THF-water mixture was observed using directional cooling apparatus. When the cooling rate became lower, THF hydrate grew with excluding glass particles and formed lens -like layer of hydrate in the same manner as in the phenomenon of ice lens formation in the freezing of soil. The growth rate of hydrate lens was proportional to the supercooling degree of the growth surface and about one-twentieth the growth rate of hydrate layer in THF-water mixture without glass particles. When NaCl was added into the system, the growth of hydrate lens was inhibited depending on the NaCl concentration.