Chemical Kinetics of Methane Pyrolysis in Microwave Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure

• Published in: Plasma chemistry and plasma processing Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. 313 - 326
• Main Authors: Dors, Mirosław, Nowakowska, Helena, Jasiński, Mariusz, Mizeraczyk, Jerzy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.03.2014
• Subjects: Atmospheric pressure; Barometric pressure; Calorimetry; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Inorganic Chemistry; Mathematical models; Mechanical Engineering; Methane; Microwave plasmas; Original Paper; Pyrolysis; Reactors; Methane; Microwave plasma; Pyrolysis; Modeling
• ISSN: 0272-4324; 1572-8986
• DOI: 10.1007/s11090-013-9510-4

Results of chemical kinetics modeling in methane subjected to the microwave plasma at atmospheric pressure are presented in this paper. The reaction mechanism is based on the methane oxidation model without reactions involving nitrogen and oxygen. For the numerical calculations 0D and 1D models were created. 0D model uses Calorimetric Bomb Reactor whereas 1D model is constructed either as Plug Flow Reactor or as a chain of Plug Flow Reactor and Calorimetric Bomb Reactor. Both models explain experimental results and show the most important reactions responsible for the methane conversion and production of H 2 , C 2 H 2 , C 2 H 4 and C 2 H 6 detected in the experiment. Main conclusion is that the chemical reactions in our experiment proceed by a thermal process and the products can be defined by considering thermodynamic equilibrium. Temperature characterizing the methane pyrolysis is 1,500–2,000 K, but plasma temperature is in the range of 4,000–5,700 K, which means that methane pyrolysis process is occurring outside the plasma region in the swirl gas flowing around the plasma.