Study on cracking of n-hexadecane by dielectric barrier discharge with diethyl ether addition

Abstract

Innovative technologies for converting heavy oil into more environmentally friendly petroleum products are emerging as a result of growing concerns about climate change. Non-thermal plasma is a promising technology for this purpose due to its ability to use renewable energy sources at ambient temperature and its non-equilibrium nature. This study investigates the cracking of n-hexadecane, a model compound for heavy oil, using dielectric barrier discharge plasma assisted by liquid organic additives to generate light substances. The study compares the effects of three different liquid additives on the products, and diethyl ether is found to be the most favorable for generating light liquid chemicals. The effects of additive concentration, addition method, discharge time, and power on light product selectivity were also discussed. The results demonstrate that the method of bringing in the diethyl ether via the carrier gas can significantly inhibit the cracking of n-hexadecane to produce heavy substances and improve the yield of light substances and light product selectivity. The inlet diethyl ether concentration of 2.8 g/L, the discharge power of 19.2 W, and the discharge time of 15 min ensure a high yields of liquid light substances (287.5 mg) while maintaining the light product selectivity of 86.4% with the gas flow rate of 7.9 mL/min and the n-hexadecane conversion of 5.6%. Finally, the possible reaction pathways for the co-conversion of n-hexadecane and diethyl ether by plasma were discussed.