Plasma reforming of aliphatic hydrocarbons with CO2

CO2 reforming of methane, propane, and neopentane was investigated with a ferroelectric packed-bed reactor (FPR) in N-2 at temperatures ranging from 298 K to 433 K. The reaction behavior of the hydrocarbons was greatly affected by their chemical structures and reaction temperature. At ambient temperature, hydrocarbon conversion decreased in the following order: neopentane >> propane > methane. With an increase in reaction temperature, hydrocarbon reactivity was enhanced with only a slight difference in the conversions of the above hydrocarbons. CO2 deoxygenation was a clean reaction irrespective of reaction temperature, but CO was formed not only from CO2 but also from hydrocarbons. No chemical interaction between CO2 and the hydrocarbons in nonthermal plasma was observed. Temperature effect on the H-2 yield depended on the hydrocarbon structure. Higher H-2 yields were obtained for neopentane and propane than for methane. Product composition and carbon balance were also affected by the hydrocarbon structure, relative concentrations of hydrocarbons to CO2, and temperature.