Cryogenic gel having a methane component and process for making same

摘要

Disclosed is a cryogenic gel, and a process for making such a gel from a liquid cryogen having at least a methane component, which normally comprises a majority of the cryogenic liquid, by flash vaporizing the cryogen so that a relatively small portion of the weight of the cryogen becomes vaporized while a remainder forms a mist of small cryogen droplets suspended in the vapor. After flash vaporization, a gelling agent is injected into the cryogen vapor-mist mixture. The gelling agent is present so that it forms between about 0.1% to about 25% (by weight) of the resulting gel and is selected so that it is a solid at the temperature of the liquid cryogen and a liquid or a gas at ambient temperature. Water and methyl alcohol are preferred gelling agents. After the injection of the gelling agent the mixture is segregated into a gaseous phase and a condensed phase or gel comprising the liquid cryogen droplets and the injected gelling agent.