Plug flow reactor model of the plasma chemical conversion of CO2

V Kotov,P M J Koelman

doi:10.1088/1361-6595/ab3774

Abstract

A 1D plug flow model suitable for describing the CO2 conversion into CO in microwave plasma reactors is proposed. The model is applied together with the Antwerp data set for the CO2 reaction kinetics to calculate parameter scans for a realistic experimental set up. The energy re-distribution pathways in the model calculations are analyzed. The analysis shows that despite the input power being initially deposited mainly into vibrational states the fast vibrational-translational (VT) transfer leads to dissociation of CO2 predominantly via the thermal quenching mechanism. Solutions with mitigated VT-losses can be obtained by increasing the specific input power–power per unit volume. In this regime the energy efficiency starts to be constrained by reverse processes.

Highlights

Plasma assisted splitting CO2 → CO +O2 attracted considerable attention in the last decade due to its potentially key role for the electricity to fuel conversion [1]
The analysis shows that despite the input power being initially deposited mainly into vibrational states the fast vibrationaltranslational (VT) transfer leads to dissociation of CO2 predominantly via the thermal quenching mechanism
specific energy input (SEI) is controlled by the initial particle flux density at x = 0 as follows: GCO2(x = 0) =

Summary

Introduction

O2 attracted considerable attention in the last decade due to its potentially key role for the electricity to fuel conversion [1]. The interest in this technology is based to a large extent on high energy efficiencies—up to 80%—reportedly obtained in microwave induced discharges in the past [2, 3]. This record high result is not yet fully reproduced in modern day experiments where efficiencies up to 60% have been obtained [4].

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Conclusion