Dissolution Process Observation of Methane Bubbles in the Deep Ocean Simulator Facility

• Main Authors: Tsutomu Uchida, Ike Nagamine, Itsuka Yabe, Tatsunori Fukumaki, Ai Oyama, Brandon Yoza, Norio Tenma, Stephen M. Masutani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-08-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: bubble dissolution; non-hydrate condition; temperature dependence; salinity
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/15/3938

To investigate the temperature dependency of the methane bubble dissolution rate, buoyant single methane bubbles were held stationary in a countercurrent water flow at a pressure of 6.9 MPa and temperatures ranging from 288 K to 303 K. The 1 to 3 mm diameter bubbles were analyzed by observation through the pressure chamber viewport using a bi-telecentric CCD camera. The dissolution rate in artificial seawater was approximately two times smaller than that in pure water. Furthermore, it was observed that the methane bubble dissolution rate increased with temperature, suggesting that bubble dissolution is a thermal activation process (the activation energy is estimated to be 9.0 kJ/mol). The results were different from the expected values calculated using the governing equation for methane dissolution in water. The dissolution modeling of methane bubbles in the mid-to-shallow depth of seawater was revised based on the current results.