Gas-to-liquids process using multi-phase flow, non-thermal plasma microreactor

A multi-phase flow non-thermal plasma microreactor based on dielectric barrier discharge has been developed for partial oxidation of methane to liquid oxygenates at atmospheric pressure. A pulsed water injection method has been used to remove condensable liquid components from the active discharge region. The effect of the pulsed water injection on methane conversion, yield of oxygenates and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) formation as an intermediate oxidation product is discussed. H2O2 has been found to oxidize formaldehyde in the post-discharge liquid. The overall kinetics of the gas-to-liquids process is described by dividing process into three different stages: electron impact dissociation of methane and oxygen and radical reactions in the gas phase followed by condensation of oxygenates and oxidation in the post-discharge liquid. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.