Methane reformation using plasma: an initial study

An initial study of the reformation of methane using a microwave induced plasma and quench has been carried out. Methane/argon mixtures at atmospheric pressure were treated experimentally. The study encompasses both experiments and modelling, to measure and predict the maximum throughput and final product mix from the reactor. Both experiments showed and theory predicted that the most important gas phase product was acetylene; however soot formation was significant. The modelling comprised both equilibrium thermodynamic and kinetic modelling. The equilibrium modelling was used to predict the throughput of the plasma reactor, because at the plasma temperature, achieved by microwaves at atmospheric pressure, equilibrium was achieved well before the plasma had time to flow through the plasma generating region of the reactor. Chemical kinetic modelling was used to predict the final products emerging from the quench and indicated that for the quench rates used in practice (about 10 000 K s−1), gas phase reactions are too slow to reach equilibrium below about 2000 K.