Methane hydrates are solid clathrate compounds in which a crystal structure of water traps a large amount of methane. They are found under sediments on the ocean floors of the Earth.Even though these compounds are powerful greenhouse gases, we have yet to truly understand the details of their combustion. Therefore, our overall project aims at designing, building and eventually testing a hydrate combustion system that allows us to understand the foundational phenomenon of hydrate combustion. This will be accomplished by:

Designing an experimental apparatus that is capable of measuring:
The time rate of change of mass of hydrates while they burn.
The weight of liquid water dripping from the hydrates as they burn.
The hydrate surface temperature at ignition.
The hydrate flame temperature in the system.
The exhaust gas composition (such as how much methane is unburned and how much carbon dioxide remains).
The overall combustion efficiency.

GOAL:
In our project we are fundamentally trying to create an apparatus that would ease the study of the behavior of methane hydrate under combustion.

OBJECTIVE:
Measure hydrate combustion efficiency with the following objectives
Measure the quantity of liquid water melted from hydrate combustion
Probe hydrate surface temperature
Probe hydrate flame temperature
Probe hydrate core temperature
Analyze exhaust

The purpose of the Methane Hydrate Combustion Analysis Device is to aid researchers further study the characteristics of hydrates.