Plasma Reactors for Syngas Production From Natural Gas

Syngas is a crucial feedstock for a number of key chemicals via the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis process. Currently, syngas is primarily produced via a thermal chemical process using fossil fuel-based feedstocks such as oil and coal, incurring high CO2 emissions, therefore developing new and sustainable processes using renewable energy is critical to achieve net zero. The use of non-thermal plasma (NTP) appears to be a promising technology for syngas generation from methane at low temperatures and atmospheric pressure. Through this chapter, we will introduce three promising reactions for the generation of syngas from methane in NTP (dry reforming of methane (DRM), steam reforming of methane (SMR), and partial oxidation of methane (POM)). This chapter will highlight the recent advances in this field, including the effects of plasma reactors, operating parameters, and catalysts. Furthermore, the current challenges and future perspectives in this emerging area will also be discussed in the conclusion of this chapter.