CATALYTIC PARTIAL OXIDATION OF MODEL BIOGAS USING A PLASMA-ASSISTED GLIDARC REACTOR

摘要

In this work, the potential of the catalytic partial oxidation of model biogas (CH_4/CO_2=60/40) tornproduce synthesis gas (H_2+CO) was both experimentally and thermodynamically studied at fixed pressure (1 bar) andrnelectric power. The investigations were performed in a partially adiabatic plasma-assisted (nonthermal) GlidArcrnreactor using a Ni-based catalyst. Two cases were studied: in the first case, normal air was used, whereas enriched airrn(O_2/N_2=40/60) was utilized in the second case. In the findings from the first part of the study, the effect of the O_2/CH_4rnmolar ratio for both cases was studied and compared with thermodynamic equilibrium calculations at different bedrnexiting temperatures. In the second part of the study, the effect of the exiting bed temperature was studied at a fixedrnoptimal O_2/CH_4 molar ratio for both cases. The main trends of the dry product molar concentration, the reactantrnconversions, the syngas yield and the efficiency based on the LHV (lower heating value) were analyzed andrncompared. Any deviations from equilibrium could be explained by temperature gradients. The results showed thatrnCO_2 could be used as a neutral gas. For the normal air case, an optimal value of the O_2/CH_4 ratio of 0.66, a GHSVrn(Gas hour space velocity) of 1.25 NL/(gcat.hr) and a maximum temperature (Tmax) of 870℃ were good reformingrnchoices, whereas for enriched air, these values were 0.64, 0.86 and 860℃, respectively.