Effects of Temperature Gradient and Cooling Rate on the Formation of Methane Hydrates in Coarse Sand

Temperature gradient and cooling rate have an obvious effect on formation of methane hydrate. The process for formation of methane hydrate in coarse sand is monitored to understand the relationship between temperature gradient and cooling rate and nucleation, growth and distribution of methane hydrate by using the electrical resistivity method. The results show that the change of resistivity can better reflect the nucleation and growth and distribution of methane hydrate. Temperature gradient promotes the nucleation, formation, and formation rate of methane hydrate. At a temperature gradient of 0.11 ℃/cm, the rate of methane hydrate formation and saturation reaches a maximum. Cooling rate has little effect on the methane hydrate formation process. Judging from the outcome of final spatial distribution of methane hydrate, the cooling rate has an obvious but irregular effect in coarse sand. The effect of temperature gradient on distribution of methane hydrate in coarse sand is less than that of cooling rate. At a temperature gradient of 0.07 ℃/cm, methane hydrate is distributed uniformly in the sample. If the temperature gradient is higher or lower than this value, the hydrate is enriched in the upper layer of sample.