Detonation decomposition of hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen

Abstract

Detonation decomposition of methane, ethane, propane, butane, propylene and ethylene in their mixtures with oxygen was conducted in a pulsed gas detonation device (PGDD) with a goal of obtaining gaseous hydrogen, H2. Chemical reactions occurring behind the detonation front were elaborated for mixtures differing in the oxygen content. The upper concentration limits of detonation corresponding to minimal oxygen contents (maximal fuel contents), at which detonation is still possible, were determined. It was shown that, in order to maximize the hydrogen yield, 15% of acetylene, C2H2, should be added to methane. The productivity of a PGDD device with a barrel of a diameter of 26 mm and a length of 2 m is 3.60, 3.67, 4.25, 4.39, 4.61 and 5.76 kg h−1 of hydrogen when processing methane, ethylene, ethane, propylene, propane and butane, respectively. Upon detonation of mixtures based on ethylene, propylene and butane, along with hydrogen, nanoscale detonation carbon (NDC) is generated at a rate of 6.9, 6.5 and 5.2 kg h−1, respectively. NDC can be used as an additive to metals and polymers to modify their properties. The obtained results are discussed together with data on the production of hydrogen and NDC by detonation decomposition of acetylene previously obtained by the authors.