Xenon recovery from natural gas by multiple gas hydrate crystallization: a theory and simulation

For efficient xenon (Xe) recovery from natural gas (NG), multiple gas hydrate crystallization was considered. The optimal stages’ number for effective Xe recovery from model gas mixtures with close composition to NG one was determined. Gas hydrate distribution’s coefficients are defined for these gases at each stage, and each iterations of the multiple gas hydrate crystallization. In CH₄+ H₂S+CO₂+ Xe gas mixture that is closest to NG composition, the maximum average Xe concentration in the gas hydrate phase was observed at the second stage of the multiple gas hydrate crystallization.