Gliding arc plasma for CO₂ conversion: Better insights by a combined experimental and modelling approach

Wang, Weizong, Mei, Danhua ORCID: 0000-0002-3024-3551, Tu, Xin ORCID: 0000-0002-6376-0897 and Bogaerts, Annemie (2017) Gliding arc plasma for CO₂ conversion: Better insights by a combined experimental and modelling approach. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL, 330. pp. 11-25.

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Abstract

A gliding arc plasma is a potential way to convert CO2 into CO and O2, due to its non-equilibrium character, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. In this paper, a self-consistent two-dimensional (2D) gliding arc model is developed, with a detailed non-equilibrium CO2 plasma chemistry, and validated with experiments. Our calculated values of the electron number density in the plasma, the CO2 conversion and energy efficiency show reasonable agreement with the experiments, indicating that the model can provide a realistic picture of the plasma chemistry. Comparison of the results with classical thermal conversion, as well as other plasma-based technologies for CO2 conversion reported in literature, demonstrates the non-equilibrium character of the gliding arc, and indicates that the gliding arc is a promising plasma reactor for CO2 conversion. However, some process modifications should be exploited to further improve its performance. As the model provides a realistic picture of the plasma behaviour, we use it first to investigate the plasma characteristics in a whole gliding arc cycle, which is necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms. Subsequently, we perform a chemical kinetics analysis, to investigate the different pathways for CO2 loss and formation. Based on the revealed discharge properties and the underlying CO2 plasma chemistry, the model allows us to propose solutions on how to further improve the CO2 conversion and energy efficiency by a gliding arc plasma.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	CO2 conversion, Gliding arc, Non-equilibrium plasma, Plasma chemistry, Splitting mechanisms, Breakdown
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	01 Aug 2017 09:45
Last Modified:	12 Oct 2023 22:59
DOI:	10.1016/j.cej.2017.07.133
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3008672