Energies 2010, 3(12), 1861-1879; doi:10.3390/en3121861
Article

A Method to Use Solar Energy for the Production of Gas from Marine Hydrate-Bearing Sediments: A Case Study on the Shenhu Area

Fulong Ning 1,2,* email, Nengyou Wu 2,* email, Guosheng Jiang 1 email, Ling Zhang 1 email, Jin’an Guan 2 email, Yibing Yu 1 email and Fenglin Tang 1 email
1 Faculty of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China 2 Guangzhou Center for Gas Hydrate Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
* Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 2 November 2010; in revised form: 16 November 2010 / Accepted: 24 November 2010 / Published: 2 December 2010
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Gas Hydrate)
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Abstract: A method is proposed that uses renewable solar energy to supply energy for the exploitation of marine gas hydrates using thermal stimulation. The system includes solar cells, which are installed on the platform and a distributor with electric heaters. The solar module is connected with electric heaters via an insulated cable, and provides power to the heaters. Simplified equations are given for the calculation of the power of the electric heaters and the solar battery array. Also, a case study for the Shenhu area is provided to illustrate the calculation of the capacity of electric power and the solar cell system under ideal conditions. It is shown that the exploitation of marine gas hydrates by solar energy is technically and economically feasible in typical marine areas and hydrate reservoirs such as the Shenhu area. This method may also be used as a good assistance for depressurization exploitation of marine gas hydrates in the future.
Keywords: marine gas hydrates; solar energy; gas production; Shenhu area

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Ning, F.; Wu, N.; Jiang, G.; Zhang, L.; Guan, J.; Yu, Y.; Tang, F. A Method to Use Solar Energy for the Production of Gas from Marine Hydrate-Bearing Sediments: A Case Study on the Shenhu Area. Energies 2010, 3, 1861-1879.

AMA Style

Ning F, Wu N, Jiang G, Zhang L, Guan J, Yu Y, Tang F. A Method to Use Solar Energy for the Production of Gas from Marine Hydrate-Bearing Sediments: A Case Study on the Shenhu Area. Energies. 2010; 3(12):1861-1879.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ning, Fulong; Wu, Nengyou; Jiang, Guosheng; Zhang, Ling; Guan, Jin’an; Yu, Yibing; Tang, Fenglin. 2010. "A Method to Use Solar Energy for the Production of Gas from Marine Hydrate-Bearing Sediments: A Case Study on the Shenhu Area." Energies 3, no. 12: 1861-1879.

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