Plasma-Catalytic Process of Hydrogen Production from Mixture of Methanol and Water

In the present work the process of hydrogen production was conducted in the plasma-catalytic reactor, the substrates were first treated with plasma and then introduced into the catalyst bed. Plasma was produced by a spark discharge. The discharge power ranged from 15 to 46 W. The catalyst was metallic nickel supported on Al2O3. The catalyst was active from a temperature of 400 degrees C. The substrate flow rate was 1 mol/h of water and 1 mol/h of methanol. The process generated H-2, CO, CO2 and CH4. The gas which formed the greatest amount was H-2. Its concentration in the gas was similar to 60%. The conversion of methanol and the production of hydrogen in the plasma-catalytic reactor were higher than in the plasma and catalytic reactors. The synergy effect of the interaction of two environments, i.e., plasma and the catalyst, was observed. The highest hydrogen production was 1.38 mol/h and the highest methanol conversion was 64%. The increased in the discharge power resulted in increasing methanol conversion and hydrogen production.

Automated summary

In the present study, hydrogen production process was conducted in a plasma-catalytic reactor, with substrates treated by plasma and introduced into the catalyst bed. The highest hydrogen production was 1.38 mol/h, and increasing discharge power resulted in higher methanol conversion and hydrogen production. The synergy effect between plasma and catalyst was observed, leading to efficient hydrogen production.