BEHAVIOR OF CLATHRATE HYDRATE FORMATION AT THE BOUNDARY OF LIQUID WATER AND A FLUOROCARBON IN LIQUID OR VAPOR STATE

Observational studies have been carried out to reveal the mechanistic aspects of the formation of clathrate hydrate, crystalline solid, at t he boundary of water in the liquid state and a fluorocarbon (HFC-134a; CF3CH2F) in the liquid or vapor state. The surface morphology of the hydrate layer formed at the interface depends strongly on the degree o f saturation of the water phase with the fluorocarbon. Whether the flu orocarbon is in a liquid state or in a vapor state matters little to t he mechanical structure of the hydrate layer. The structure seems to b e affected more significantly by the hydrodynamic conditions near the interface. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.