Yu Fengwen

Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane to Syngas by Thermal Plasma

Experiments were conducted on syngas preparation from dry reforming of methane by carbon dioxide with a DC arc plasma at atmospheric pressure. In all experiments, nitrogen gas was used as the working gas for thermal plasma to generate a high-temperature jet into a horizontal tube reactor. A mixture of methane and carbon dioxide was fed vertically into the jet. In order to obtain a higher conversion rate of methane and carbon dioxide, chemical energy efficiency and fuel production efficiency, parametric screening studies were conducted, in which the volume ratio of carbon dioxide to methane in fed gases and the total flux of fed gases were taken into account. Results showed that carbon dioxide reforming of methane to syngas by thermal plasma exhibited a larger processing capacity, higher conversion of methane and carbon dioxide and higher chemical energy efficiency and fuel production efficiency. In addition, thermodynamic simulation for the reforming process was conducted. Experimental data agreed well with the thermodynamic results, indicating that high thermal efficiency can be achieved with the thermal plasma reforming process.

A preliminary study on hydrogen-rich gas production by pyrolysis of glycerol in molten alkali

Experiment study on the pyrolysis of glycerol for hydrogen-rich gas production in molten alkali has been carried out in a self-designed reactor. The impact of molten alkali on the distribution of gas production was discussed. Operation parameters like pyrolysis temperature, carrier gas flow rate and feed rate, as well as catalyst types, were investigated for their influences on the hydrogen production yield. The results show that components like CO and CO2 in pyrolysis gas were absorbed by molten alkali, so there are only H2 and a small amount of CH4 in product gas. Higher carrier gas flow rate and lower feed rate are favorable to improve the hydrogen production yield, and the hydrogen production yield could reach 0.966 Nm3 H2/kg of glycerol when pyrolysis temperature was 400_, carrier gas flow rate was 200 L/h, feed rate was 3.38 g/min. The catalysts of MCM-41 zeolite and NiCl2 are helpful for improving the hydrogen production yield.