Hydrogen Production From Alcohol Or Ether Fuels By GlidingArc Discharge Plasma

Fossil energy is physically limited and the world of today is characterized by arapid growth in energy utilization. Therefore, more and more attention has beenfocused on the exploitation and utilization of alternative clean fuels. Hydrogen is aclean energy source with high energy density and considerable quantity of thermalenergy per unit weight, which is considered the favorite choice of replacing fossilenergy and also important chemical materials. Gliding arc gas discharge （GRD）plasma owns lower current intensity, higher electron density and higher energyefficiency, which gradually astracts human’s attentions. In order to improve H₂yieldand energy efficiency of alcohol ether fuels with plasma, in this work, we studied thedirect decomposition and steam reforming of methanol, ethanol and DME using GRDplasma, and had examined the influence law and mechanism of discharge parametersand process parameters on hydrogen production.Effects of discharge parameters and process parameters on the methanol conversionfor hydrogen producing were studied. The results showed that appropriate methanolcontent and carrier gas flow rate was advantangeous to methanol conversion forhydrogen production, and too high or too low was adverse to H₂yield.2#electrode（the top electrode50mm, the radian23°,5mm vertical section in the widest place）,the increase of electrode gap and discharge voltage could improve methanolconversion and H₂yield and decrease H₂energy consumption （SEC）. At thewater/methanol ratio of4, methanol steam reforming effect was the best. Preheatingmethanol could increase methanol conversion and H₂yield. Ar as carrier gas wasbetter than He for hydrogen production. Methanol steam reforming was obtained themaximum conversion and hydrogen yield of73.2%and40.7%at the optimumconditions.The investgation of discharge parameters and process parameters on the DMEconversion for hydrogen producing showed that: DME conversion and H₂yielddecreased with the increase of total feed gas flow rate and increased with largerelectrode gap and higher discharge voltage. As total feed gas flow rate, electrode gapand discharge voltage increased, H₂generation rate increased and SEC decreased.2# electrode and addition of steam was in favor for DME conversion. When H₂O/DMEmole ratio was2.3, the maximum DME conversion was73.2%and H₂yield was40.7%.The research results of discharge parameters and process parameters on the ethanolconversion for hydrogen producing showed that: As the ethanol content increased,ethanol conversion and H₂yield decreased, H₂generation rate increased and SECreduced. Appropriate carrier gas flow rate was beneficial to methanol directdecomposition and steam reforming.2#electrode, larger electrode gap and higherdischarge voltage were advantageous. As water/ethanol ratio increased up to6,ethanol conversion increased to the maximum. Ethanol steam reforming was obtainedthe maximum ethanol conversion and H₂yield of66.2%and31.4%at the optimumconditions.The comparative study of the influence of the direct decomposition and steamreforming of three kinds of materials on hydrogen production were carried out, theresults showed that steam reforming obtained higher conversion and H₂yield. Bycomparing the performances of three kinds of materials from several aspectscontaining discharge voltage, discharge current waveform, hydrogen producing effectunder the optimum condition, H₂/CO ratio and decomposition mechanism, weconcluded that methanol and DME were more conducive to hydrogen production.Hydrogen producing effects from methanol, ethanol and DME between other kinds ofnon-thermal plasma and GRD plasma in the work were compared. Hydrogenproducing processes of different materials were explored, in order to represent aneffort direction for further work.