AC plasma torch with a H₂O/CO₂/CH₄mix as the working gas for methane reforming

Abstract

This paper presents results of investigations implemented during construction of the three-phase ac plasma torch working on a mixture of steam with carbon dioxide and methane (H2O/CO2/CH4) with power upto 120 kW. Such thermal plasma generators are needed in industrial technologies for methane reforming with the aim of producing the syngas comprising of the hydrogen and carbon mono-oxide (H2/CO). It was shown that during plasma torch work there are two character parts of the high-voltage arc. In these parts, the arc column has a different diameter and temperature about (8.5 − 8.3) · 103 K and (10.5 − 10.0) · 103 K, respectively. The plasma torch output characteristics have been obtained for working regimes with various flow rates of the methane (0.0–0.8 g s−1) in the plasma-forming mix and constant flow rates of the carbon dioxide and water steam (each of 3.0 g s−1). For the mentioned mix of gases, the unit generates plasma with the mass-average temperature ~(3.2–3.3) · 103K and the thermal efficiency ~94–96%. This provides effective reforming of methane.