Formation of Hydrogen Peroxide, Hydrogen, and Oxygen in Gliding Arc Electrical Discharge Reactors With Water Spray

Formation rates of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydrogen (H-2), and oxygen (O-2) in gliding arc discharge with water spray and a variety of carrier gases, including Ar, He, O-2, N-2, and CO2, were determined. Significantly larger rates and concentrations of hydrogen peroxide were found in the present reactor with a modified liquid injection nozzle than in previous work. As long as nitrogen oxide species are minimized or not formed, the formation rates of hydrogen peroxide were less sensitive to the carrier gas (O-2, CO2, Ar), although He gave about one-half the rate as these other gases. The stoichiometric ratios of H-2 : O-2 : H2O2 exhibited a range of behaviors for the different carrier gases with the highest H-2 formation rate in Ar and N-2 and the largest O-2 formation in CO2.