Evaluation of the gas absorption performance of a flow-type hydrate-based gas uptake system

[Display omitted] •The volumetric mass transfer coefficient for hydrate-based gas uptake was evaluated.•An R134a–N2 mixture was used as a model gas with the aim of separating R134a.•The gas uptake coefficient was more than ten times that for gas dissolution. As a means of assessing the viability of hydrate-based gas separation, this study examined the gas absorption performance of a flow-type gas–liquid contact device with static mixing. Assuming for the sake of simplification that the hydrate-based gas uptake occurred as a result of pseudo gas–liquid contact in a bubble-hydrate slurry solution, overall liquid side volumetric mass transfer coefficients were determined. An R134a–N2 mixture was used as a model gas because the corresponding hydrate readily forms under low pressure/high temperature conditions. At 0.325 MPa and 278 K, the average coefficients were determined to be in the range of 0.088–0.142 s−1. These values were more than ten times greater than those obtained from simple gas dissolution. The results of this work suggest that hydrate-based systems are preferable for the purpose of gas absorption and separation.