Formation and Dissociation Characteristics of CH₄ Hydrate in the Presence of Copper Foams

The gas hydrate solidification is an innovative technology for gas storage and transportation. It effectively addresses the problems of traditional gas storage methods such as low storage capacity and fire risks, making it an increasingly important method for safe storage and transportation. This study focuses on the formation and dissociation of CH4 hydrate in the presence of cylindrical copper foams and annular copper foams. Copper foams with three different pore densities, i.e., 10PPI, 30PPI, and 50PPI, were applied, and the experiments were conducted under pressures of 4.0 and 5.0 MPa. The results indicate that both types of copper foams can significantly accelerate the formation of CH4 hydrate and enhance gas consumption. Notably, 10PPI copper foam exhibits a stronger promotional effect compared to another two pore densities. The pressure of 5.0 MPa presents a more pronounced enhancement than 4.0 MPa. Furthermore, considering the induction time and gas consumption, the annular copper foam exhibits a more effective kinetic promotion. As for CH4 hydrate dissociation, the presence of copper foam led to a lower initial dissociation temperature and a reduction in dissociation time. Therefore, adding copper foams generally promotes CH4 hydrate formation and increases the gas capacity, whereas it accelerates the dissociation of CH4 hydrate.