Theoretical Study of the Influence of Seeding on the Dynamics of Propane Hydrate Nuclei Formation in Pure and Sea Water

Abstract

The effect of the addition of a propane hydrate seed on the dynamics of nucleation in propane solutions based on pure or seawater is considered within the framework of the molecular dynamics method. The time dependencies of the number of long-lived hydrogen bonds and the number of 512 and 51264 cavities formed were calculated. It was shown that presence of the seed leads to the immediate increase in the number of “stable” hydrogen bonds and the growth of hydrate nuclei, which can significantly reduce the induction time of hydrate formation in industrial use and, consequently, enhance the efficiency of the hydrate method of seawater desalination.