Patent ID: 7541009

Claim:
An apparatus for generating a hydrate slurry, wherein the hydrate slurry is a mixture of an aqueous solution containing a guest compound and a hydrate of the guest compound, the hydrate being generated by cooling the aqueous solution at a temperature of more than 0° C., the apparatus comprising a first heat exchanger, at least one second heat exchanger and a canceling device, the first heat exchanger being configured for supercooling the aqueous solution to generate a supercooled aqueous solution, while holding the aqueous solution in a liquid state, the canceling device being provided on the downstream side of the first heat exchanger, the canceling device being configured to cancel the supercooling of the aqueous solution, and the at least one second heat exchanger being provided on the downstream side of the first heat exchanger, the at least one second heat exchanger being configured to cool the hydrate slurry generated from the aqueous solution, the supercooling of which is canceled by the canceling device.