Carbon dioxide hydrates have attracted considerable attention
because
of their high gas storage capacity and low-cost carbon capture, but
their low formation rate limits their application. Currently, the
formation rate of hydrates is mainly improved via physical and chemical
methods. Chemical methods promote hydrate formation through the addition
of accelerators, which entail low cost and energy. To improve the
formation rate of CO2 hydrates, 0.244 g/L sodium dodecyl
sulfate (SDS), 0.288 g/L tetra-n-butylammonium bromide
(TBAB), and 0.33 g/L nanographite were used, and the effects of different
accelerator systems on CO2 hydrate formation were observed.
The results show that the single and combined use of promoters SDS,
TBAB, and nanographite can shorten the induced CO2 hydrate
nucleation time. The combinations of nanographite–TBAB and
SDS–TBAB shortened the induced nucleation time better than
the single SDS, TBAB, and nanographite systems, while the single SDS
and nanographite systems showed better promoting effect compared to
the SDS–nanographite system. Thus, the combined accelerators
do not necessarily promote the formation of hydrates. Among all accelerator
systems, SDS–TBAB showed the shortest induced nucleation time,
followed by the other three combinations. Among the single acceleration
systems, TBAB showed the largest formation amount, formation rate,
and conversion rate in the first 35 min from inflation stoppage. Meanwhile,
among the compound systems, SDS–TBAB exhibited the best promoting
effect. A comparison of all experiments shows that the accelerator
significantly affects the formation amount, conversion, and formation
rate of hydrates 35 min before the start of inflation; furthermore,
a different effect is observed in the subsequent period. The total
production, conversion, and saturation of CO2 hydrates
in different accelerator systems show a minimal difference. By providing
reference for the rapid formation of CO2 hydrates in a
short time, this study promotes the industrial application of hydrate
technology.