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ISSN Online: 2377-424X

International Heat Transfer Conference 12
August, 18-23, 2002, Grenoble, France

Low-Temperature Thermal Storage Using ClathrateHydrate Slurries of Tetra-n-butylammonium Bromide: Thermophysical Properties and Morphology of ClathrateHydrate Crystals

Get access (open in a dialog) DOI: 10.1615/IHTC12.2870
6 pages

Abstract

Fundamental thermophysical properties, such as the dependence of the liquid-to-solid phase-change temperature, the latent heat of phase change and the solid-to-liquid mass ratio in the hydrate slurries on the concentration of the aqueous solution of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB), are measured. At the same time the morphology of the TBAB clathrate hydrate crystals while they are formed and grow in the solution is observed through a microscope. The clathrate hydrate crystals of TBAB, formed under a temperature range between 0 and 11 degree Celsius, depending upon the concentration of the aqueous solution, has advantages over the ice of water as a cold-storage material because it has a higher phase-change temperature and because it takes a form of slurry that can be pumped directly into pipe lines. Furthermore, the latent heat of phase change of TBAB solution is found to be comparable to that of water. In addition to the above, a feasibility study has been made on the use of TBAB clathrate hydrate slurry as the cold-storage material. It has been confirmed that the system proposed in this paper has advantages over the conventional ice-storage system in saving of both the energy and the cost.