Ammonia synthesis using atmospheric pressure fluidized bed plasma

Abstract

In recent years, extensive research has been conducted on ammonia synthesis using catalysts under mild conditions and by combining plasma with the catalysts. Increasing the contact area between the catalyst surface and atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is crucial for improving the ammonia synthesis efficiency. In this study, we present a fluidized bed dielectric barrier discharge (FB-DBD) method that can be used to form FB-DBD plasma through the electrohydrodynamics of DBD discharge without a feed gas. We performed ammonia synthesis experiments using our FB-DBD reactor. The results indicate that the FB-DBD plasma can achieve an energy yield of 5.9 g-NH3/kWh, which is about twice higher than that of conventional DBD plasma. Consequently, it can be implemented in various applications as a new reaction field between solids and gases where surface reactions are predominant.