Hydrogen-Rich Syngas Production from Biogas Reforming by Gliding Arc Plasma- Catalyst Minireactor

Abstract

This research aim was to investigate the production of H2-rich syngas from simulated biogas waste using a developed gliding arc plasma minireactor integrated with nickel-based catalysts. The effect of different catalyst types of NiO/Al2O3, NiO/MS 5A and NiO/ZSM-5 zeolite on overall system performance was investigated. Different support types significantly affected physical and chemical properties of prepared catalyst and had the dominant roles on the biogas plasma reforming in different ways. The integration of NiO/Al2O3 catalysts into gliding arc plasma minireactor gave the remarkable enhancement of H2 product in syngas with high H2 selectivity and H2/CO molar ratio of 63.59% and 2.91, respectively. Using NiO/Al2O3 catalyst in this plasma system lead the synergistic effect on H2 selectivity, as compared the only plasma system. NiO/ZSM-5 catalyst provided the highest CH4 conversion of 19.29% and also gave the minimum consumed energy of system (Ec=6.14x10-18 W·s/molecule of biogas converted and Es=5.52x10-18 W·s/molecule of syngas produced). The gliding arc plasma minireactor of this work performed the biogas reforming better than other low-temperature plasma such as conventional dielectric barrier discharge system.