Volume 18: Sustainable Energy Solutions for a Post-COVID Recovery towards a Better Future: Part I

Kinetic Study of Mixed Hydrogen/1,3-Dioxolane Hydrates in the Presence of Amino Acids Ye Zhang, Gaurav Bhattacharjee, Praveen Linga

Abstract

Hydrate based hydrogen storage or solidified hydrogen storage (Solid-HyStore) enabling safe, long-term, and energy-dense storage of hydrogen molecules under moderate temperature and pressure conditions is bound to play a critical role in the foreseeable hydrogen economy. 1,3-Dioxolane (DIOX), a promising alternative to tetrahydrofuran (THF) by its environmentally benign chemical properties and the superior hydrate formation kinetics with hydrogen gas in aqueous solution, has secured its exclusive relevance to the development of Solid-HyStore technology. Amino acids emerging as a kinetic promotor can enhance the formation kinetics of various hydrate systems with the gas molecules being methane or carbon dioxide. Herein, the effects of amino acids (i.e. L-Tryptophan and L-Methionine) on the formation kinetics of mixed H2/DIOX (5.56 mol%) hydrate system was investigated. The visual observation of hydrate appearance during hydrate formation is presented to illustrate the hydrate growth behavior in the presence of amino acids. The results obtained in the current work confirmed the inability of amino acids to enhance the mixed H2/DIOX (5.56 mol%) hydrate formation kinetics and to alter the hydrate growth behavior of the same.

Keywords Gas hydrates, Hydrogen storage, Energy storage, Kinetics, Amino acids, Morphology