| 摘要 |
The artificial subterranean cavern (1) for the storage of natural gas at an elevated pressure and a low temperature has a casing (2) which is attached at a distance of a few centimetres from the cavern wall and ends above the cavern base surface. The cavern (1) is closed off from the atmosphere by a billet (4) through which feed and delivery lines (5, 6, 7) are run which lead into the gap space (8) between the casing (2) and the cavern wall or into the storage space (9). After the cavern (1) is vented, water is forced into the gap space (8) by means of a pressure gas. This water as well as a water layer still located above the cavern base surface is then frozen by means of a liquid coolant circulating through the inner space of the cavern (1), in the course of which the coolant boils and evaporates. When natural gas is stored in the cavern (1) at an elevated pressure and a low temperature, methane hydrates form in the open locations (cracks or small openings) of the casing (2) through contact with the ice, which methane hydrates seal off the casing (2) gas-tight from the surrounding rock. Such a method enables a gas-tight cavern (1) for the storage of natural gas at an elevated pressure and a low temperature to be economically produced. <IMAGE> |
