Abstract
A continuous plug flow reactor supported by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is used to study the conversion of methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen at different compositions. The three studied gases were diluted with helium to 3 % with an overall flow rate of 200 sccm. The 13.56 MHz plasma was ignited at atmospheric pressure. The product stream and the inlet flow were analyzed by a FTIR spectrometer equipped with a White-cell and by a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The DBD reactor generates hydrogen, carbon monoxide, ethane, ethene, acetylene, formaldehyde, and methanol. Additional oxygen in the feed has positive effects on the yield of methanol, formaldehyde and carbon monoxide and reduces the total consumed energy. The hydrogen yield reaches its maximum at medium amounts of oxygen in the inlet flow. The conversion of methane increases to a limiting value of about 35 %. Methane rich feeds increase the yield of hydrogen, ethane and methanol. On the other hand, additional oxygen has a negative influence on the produced amount of C2 hydrocarbons. The conversion of methane and carbon dioxide as well as the yield of synthesis gas components and C2 hydrocarbons increases by changing the plasma power to higher values.
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Acknowledgments
This project is part of the framework of the European Research Area (ERA) Chemistry call. The work is financially supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). Support by the IGSM Braunschweig is gratefully acknowledged. We acknowledge T. Kroker for measuring the impedance spectra of our reactor and C. Maul for critically reading the manuscript.
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Kolb, T., Voigt, J.H. & Gericke, KH. Conversion of Methane and Carbon Dioxide in a DBD Reactor: Influence of Oxygen. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 33, 631–646 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-013-9448-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-013-9448-6