The use of hydrate-based technologies for gas storage and transportation, carbon capture and sequestration, desalination, and cold energy utilization is gaining popularity. Unfortunately, the slow formation kinetics of hydrates constrains the development of these technologies. Nanofluids have received widespread attention as they can effectively improve the formation kinetics of hydrates. Accordingly, this review examines the history of nanofluid use in rapid hydrate formation as well as the mechanisms of action of various nanofluids. Furthermore, the performance of various nanofluids is fairly assessed, and their performance is compared to that of other systems. Finally, current nanofluid challenges and constraints are discussed, as well as future development recommendations.

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Hydrate technology promoted the development of natural gas industry. Nanoparticles showed a broad prospect for hydrate technology because of their excellent mass and heat transfer characteristics. At an experimental temperature of 275.15 K and pressure of 5 MPa, silica nanoparticles and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were used to investigate the characteristics (pressure drop, gas storage capacity, and formation rate). The experimental results showed that the higher the concentration of silica nanofluid, the shorter the induction time. Among the four silica nanoparticles concentration (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5 wt%) tested in this work, the concentration of 0.3 wt% was optimal for the enhancement of CH4 hydrate formation. In the complex system composed of silica nanoparticles and CTAB, the surface of silica nanoparticles was positively charged by hydrolysis. The cationic active groups ionized by surfactants were aggregated to the surface of the particles under the Coulomb force. Methane molecules were gathered to hydrophobic groups by non‐polar adsorption, which was more conducive to hydrate formation. Compared to silica nanofluid, the total time for hydrate formation decreased by 66.2 %.

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The research on gas hydrates can be divided into two subfields: risk prevention and control of pipeline blockage by hydrates and industrial applications of solidified natural gas (SNG) in gas storage and transportation, seawater desalination, and gas recovery. The two opposing properties of hydrates have stimulated research into promoting and inhibiting methods. A considerable number of studies have reported that the same type of additive can play a promoting or inhibiting effect at different concentrations. This study evaluated the kinetic effects of low concentrations of ethylene glycol (EG) and sodium chloride (NaCl) on methane hydrate production in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution. The results showed that both NaCl and EG had kinetic inhibitory effects on the hydrate reaction in SDS solution, and the inhibitory effects gradually increased with the increase of the concentration. Among them, the inhibitory effect of NaCl was stronger than that of EG at the same content. 5 wt % NaCl can reduce the reaction rate of hydrate in SDS solution by 81%, but 0.1 wt % NaCl helped SDS to act on hydrate growth, and the rate of hydrate growth stage was increased by 100%. When 0.1 wt % NaCl or 5 wt % EG existed in the SDS solution, the hydrate mainly grew in the bulk solution and on the inner wall surface of the container, forming a peak-like structure below the interface, and 5 wt % EG also formed a ridge-like structure above the interface. Exploring the macroscopic formation characteristics of hydrate is helpful to industrial process optimization and predicting the additive concentration in the pipeline. This work emphasizes that the selection of substances can be broadened and the rational use of resources can be achieved as much as possible when selecting promoters that are conducive to hydrate formation kinetics or inhibitors that control hydrate growth.