Hydrogen Production with optimized CoronaDBD Hybrid Plasma Micro-Reactor from Water Vapors

Abstract

Hydrogen is one of promising solutions of 100% renewable and sustainable energy demand. Hydrogen is being used in petroleum, chemical synthesis and considered as zeroemission fuel for transportation. The world is currently intensified its renewable energy related activities as fossil fuels are depleting and causing global warming potential. The current study investigates plasmolysis of demineralized water vapors and argon gas with (1) empty channel plasma reactor (2) glass beads packed plasma reactor and (3) PZT packed plasma reactor. A custom-made Corona-DBD hybrid micro plasma reactor has been designed and employed for water vapors/steam plasmolysis. The purpose is to investigate feasibility of water vapors dissociation into hydrogen at relatively small interelectrode gap as well as at atmospheric pressure. The present work investigates optimum conditions for glass beads packed miniaturized plasma reactor by varying parameters like voltage, L/D ratio, steam flowrate, steam temperature, argon flowrate as well as power. The maximum hydrogen production rate, concentration and conversion efficiency were observed 27.4 g/kWh, 757 ppm and 13.61%, at optimized conditions, for PZT packed plasma reactor, respectively. On par with electrolysis, it has been investigated as plasmolysis produces hydrogen with production rate of 27.4 g/kWh with PZT packed plasma reactor with the benefit of reduced equipment size and low power consumption.