Modelling the effect of methanol,glycol inhibitors and electrolytes on the equilibrium stability of hydrates with the SAFT-VR approach

In this work we integrate the statistical associating fluid theory for fluids interacting through potentials of variable range (SAFT-VR) into a traditional van der Waals and Platteeuw framework for modelling clathrate hydrates. We incorporate a new water–guest cell potential for the hydrate phase that can be related to the potential adopted in the familiar SAFT-VR equation of state for modelling fluids. We show how the ability of this equation of state to treat a wide range of complex fluids increases the scope of hydrate modelling to incorporate, in a single framework, the presence of various inhibitors (alcohols, glycols) or brines – or, indeed, any fluid for which a model is available (for use within SAFT-VR) or can be conveniently obtained. Agreement with experimental results is good throughout and, in many cases, excellent.