Claims
- 1. A method of preparing an edible gas-hydrate-clathrate comprising positively conveying at least one edible gas-hydrate-forming material in gaseous state and gaseous water as a mixture towards a predetermined spot and arranging conditions of temperature and pressure at said spot suitable for forming a gas-hydrate-clathrate of said material and water.
- 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a gaseous mixture is used comprising at least 0.126 moles of the gas-hydrate-forming material to each mole of water.
- 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein a gaseous mixture is used comprising from 0.3 to 5 moles of the gas-hydrate-forming material to each mole of water.
- 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein a gaseous mixture is used comprising a molar excess of the gas-hydrate-forming material.
- 5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein CO.sub.2 is used as a gas-hydrate-forming material.
- 6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein nitrous oxide is used as a gas-hydrate-forming material.
Priority Claims (1)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
| 8814477 |
Jun 1988 |
GBX |
|
Parent Case Info
The invention relates to a method of preparing an edible gas-hydrate clathrate wherein at least one edible gas-hydrate-forming material and water are combined and brought under conditions of temperature and pressure capable of forming the clathrate of said material and water.
A method as described above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,660 and comprises dissolving the gas-hydrate-forming material such as nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide into an aqueous liquid under conditions suitable to form a clathrate.
An object of the invention is to provide an industrially applicable method whereby clathrates of well-controllable composition may be obtained. Another object is to provide such a method whereby clathrates of high clathrated gas content may be obtained.
The invention provides thereto a method of preparing an edible gas-hydrate-clathrate comprising positively conveying at least one edible gas-hydrate-forming material in gaseous state and gaseous water as a mixture towards a predetermined spot and arranging conditions of temperature and pressure at said spot suitable for forming a gas-hydrate-clathrate of said material and water. The expression "positively conveying" in this specification and claims relates to conveying speeds and capacities suitable for industrial application and positively excludes transport by diffusion only.
If highly active clathrate material is to be prepared, i.e. a gas-hydrate clathrate containing substantially no water or ice 1h, at least a minimum ratio of gas-hydrate-forming material to water is to be used. On the other hand, if a large excess of this material is used, the production rate will become very slow. For instance, the minimum ratio of CO.sub.2 to H.sub.2 O molecules to be used in the vapour phase is 0.126 CO.sub.2 : 1 H.sub.2 O such that CO .sub.2 gas hydrate substantially free from water or ice 1h is formed. The maximum ratio CO.sub.2 to H.sub.2 O in the vapour phase is obtained using a CO.sub.2 partial pressure of 44 atmospheres and a H.sub.2 O vapour partial pressure of 0.012 atmospheres and is equivalent to a molecular ratio of 3.67 .10.sup.3 CO.sub.2 molecules to 1 H.sub.2 O molecule. These ratios are used in conjunction with condensation temperatures below 10.degree. C. such that CO.sub.2 hydrate forms.
The temperature and pressure conditions are controlled in conformity to the well-known phase diagram water/clathrate/gas-hydrate-forming material.
In a preferred embodiment, a gaseous mixture comprising CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O in a molecular ratio between 0.3:1 and 5:1 is used.
The invention will be exemplified in the following non-limiting Example of the invention, serving for illustration purposes only.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Patent Grant
4930319
