Hydrogen Production From Partial Oxidation of Methane Using an AC Rotating Gliding Arc Reactor

Abstract

Hydrogen, as well as petrochemical feedstock, can be produced by the partial oxidation of methane in an alternating-current rotating-gliding-arc plasma driven by swirling flow. The effects of the air ratio (0.6 to 1.6), height of outer cover (25 and 45 cm), supply voltage (6.6 to 11.1 kV), and gas flow rate (6 to 18 L/min) on methane reforming have been investigated. The conversion of methane grows with rising air ratio, whereas hydrogen selectivity first augments and then declines. A higher outer cover was beneficial, and maximum methane conversion attains 80.73%. Higher voltage improves the reactor performance. As gas flow rate grows, both methane conversion and hydrogen selectivity diminish, while power consumption first drops to a minimum value of 8.23 kJ/L H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> for a flow rate of 16 L/min and then again amplifies.