Simulation of CH4 Dry Reforming By Nanosecond Pulse Plasma-Catalysis

Summary form only given. Dry reforming of methane has attracted wide attention in new energy applications. Nanosecond pulse plasma-catalysis is able to increase the efficiency of producing synthesis gas (CO and H
₂
at low temperature. In this paper, a threedimension mixed gas flow model and a two-dimension plasma model are presented. The gas ratio of CH
₄
to CO
₂
is 1:1, and the total flow is 500 sccm. The maximum velocity of laminar flow is 0.23m/s, and the results show that the roughness and the position of catalytic materials lead to nonuniform gas concentration. In plasma model, two different discharge modes are found. One is the glow discharge mode, and the other is the streamer-surface composed discharge. The sheath breakdown happened as the applied voltage increases, therefore the discharge mode changed from glow discharge to composite discharge. The latter has higher catalytic efficiency. The results also show that the electron density, electric field and the concentration of active species are higher in the pores of the catalyst than in the smooth surface. The simulated selectivity of CO
₂
and CH
₄
, the simulated conversion rate of CO and H
₂
are consistent with experimental results.