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

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
• /
• 2007.05b
• /
• pp.2232-2237
• /
• 2007

Steam reforming and catalytic reforming of $CH_4$ conversion to produce synthesis gas require both high temperatures and high pressure. Non-thermal plasma is considered to be a promising technology for the hydrogen rich gas production from methane. In this study, three phase AC GlidArc plasma system was employed to investigate the effects of gas composition, gas flow rate, catalyst reactor temperature and applied electric power on the $CH_4$ and $H_2$ yield and the product distribution. The studied system consisted of three electrode and it connected AC generate power system different voltages. In this study, air was used for the partial oxidation of methane. The results showed that increasing gas flow rate, catalyst reactor temperature, or electric power enhanced $CH_4$ conversion and $H_2$ concentration. The reference conditions were found at a $O_2$/C molar ratio of 0.45, a feed flow rate of 4.9 ${\ell}$/min, and input power of 1kW for the maximum conversions of $CH_4$ with a high selectivity of $H_2$ and a low reactor energy density.

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

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.323-328
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the reforming characteristics and optimum operating condition of the GlidArc-assisted $C_3H_8$ reforming reaction for the synthesis gas(SynGas) production without formation of carbon black from propane using GildArc plasma reforming. Also, in order to increase the hydrogen production and the propane conversion rate, 13 wt % nickel catalyst was filled into the catalytic reactor and parametric screening studies were conducted, in which there were the variations of vapor mole ratio$(H_2O/C_3H_8),\;CO_2$ mole ratio($CO_2/C_3H_8$), input power and injection flow rate. When the variations of vapor mole ratio, $CO_2$ mole ratio, input power and injection flow rate were 1.86, 0.48, 1.37 kW and 14 L/min, respectively, the conversion rate of the propane reached its most optimal condition, or 62.6%. Under the condition mentioned above, the dry basic concentrations of the SynGas were $H_2\;44.4%,\;CO\;18.2%,\;CH_4\;11.2%,\;C_2H_2\;2.0%,\;C_3H_6\;1.6%,\;C_2H_4\;0.6%\;and\;C_3H_4$ 0.4%. The conversion rate of carbon dioxide was 29.2% and the concentration ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide($H_2/CO$) in the SynGas was 2.4.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.656-662
• /
• 2007

Fuel reformer using plasma and shift reactor for CO oxidation were designed and manufactured as $H_2$ supply device to operate a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). $H_2$ selectivity was increased by non-thermal plasma reformer using GlidArc discharge with Ni catalyst simultaneously. Shift reactor was consisted of steam generator, low temperature shifter, high temperature shifter and preferential oxidation reactor. Parametric screening studies of fuel reformer were conducted, in which there were the variations of the catalyst temperature, gas component ratio, total gas ratio and input power. and parametric screening studies of shift reactor were conducted, in which there were the variations of the air flow rate, stema flow rate and temperature. When the $O_2/C$ ratio was 0.64, total gas flow rate was 14.2 l/min, catalytic reactor temperature was $672^{\circ}C$ and input power 1.1 kJ/L, the production of $H_2$ was maximized 41.1%. And $CH_4$ conversion rate, $H_2$ yield and reformer energy density were 88.7%, 54% and 35.2% respectively. When the $O_2/C$ ratio was 0.3 in the PrOx reactor, steam flow ratio was 2.8 in the HTS, and temperature were 475, 314, 260, $235^{\circ}C$ in the HTS, LTS, PrOx, the conversion of CO was optimized conditions of shift reactor using simulated reformate gas. Preheat time of the reactor using plasma was 30 min, component of reformed gas from shift reactor were $H_2$ 38%, CO<10 ppm, $N_2$ 36%, $CO_2$ 21% and $CH_4$ 4%.