• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.942-948
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• 2007

Popular techniques for producing hydrogen by converting methane include steam reforming and catalyst reforming. However, these are high temperature and high pressure processes limited by equipment, cost and difficulty of operation. Low temperature plasma is projected to be a technique that can be used to produce high concentration hydrogen from methane. It is suitable for miniaturization and fur application in other technologies. In this research, the effect of changing each of the following variables was studied using an AC GlidArc system that was conceived by the research team: the gas components ratio, the gas flow rate, the catalyst reactor temperature and voltage. Results were obtained for methane and hydrogen yields and intermediate products. The system used in this research consisted of 3 electrodes and an AC power source. In this study, air was added fur the partial oxidation reaction of methane. The result showed that as the gas flow rate, the catalyst reactor temperature and the electric power increased, the methane conversion rate and the hydrogen concentration also increased. With $O_2/C$ ratio of 0.45, input flow rate of 4.9 l/min and power supply of 1 kW as the reference condition, the methane conversion rate, the high hydrogen selectivity and the reformer energy density were 69.2%, 32.6% and 35.2% respectively.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.132-139
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• 2007

Popular techniques for producing synthesis gas by converting methane include steam reforming and catalyst reforming. However, these are high temperature and high pressure processes limited by equipment, cost and difficulty of operation. Low temperature plasma is projected to be a technique that can be used to produce high concentration hydrogen from methane. It is suitable for miniaturization and for application in other technologies. In this research, the effect of changing each of the following variables was studied using an AC Glidarc system that was conceived by the research team: the gas components ratio, the gas flow rate, the catalyst reactor temperature and voltage. Glidarc plasma reformer was consisted of 3 electrodes and an AC power source. And air was added for the partial oxidation reaction of methane. The result showed that as the gas flow rate, the catalyst reactor temperature and the electric power increased, the methane conversion rate and the hydrogen concentration also increased. With $O_2/C$ ratio of 0.45, input flow rate of 4.9 l/min and power supply of 1 kW as the reference condition, the methane conversion rate, the high hydrogen selectivity and the reformer energy density were 69.2%, 36.2% and 35.2% respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1268-1272
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• 2008

Low temperature plasma applied with partial oxidation is a technique to produce synthesis gas from methane. Low temperature plasma reformer has superior miniaturization and start-up characteristics to reformers using steam reforming or CO$_2$ reforming. In this research, a low temperature plasma reformer using GlidArc discharge was proposed. Reforming characteristics for each of the following variables were studied: gas components ratio (O$_2$/CH$_4$), the amount of steam, comparison of reaction on nickle and iron catalysts and the amount of CO$_2$. The optimum conditions for hydrogen production from methane was found. The maximum Hydrogen concentration of 41.1% was obtained under the following in this condition: O$_2$/C ratio of 0.64, total gas flow of 14.2 L/min, catalyst reactor temperature of 672$^{\circ}C$, the amount of steam was 0.8, reformer energy density of 1.1 kJ/L with Ni catalyst in the catalyst reactor. At this point, the methane conversion rate, hydrogen selectivity and reformer thermal efficiency were 66%, 93% and 35.2%, respectively.