Effect of Different Feeding Modes on CO2 Reforming of CH4 by Thermal Plasma

CO2 reforming of CH4 was investigated using binode thermal plasma at atmospheric pressure. The experiment was conducted in two modes. One was to introduce the feed gases (CH4 and CO2) into the discharge region between the first anode and the second anode of the plasma generator as plasma forming gas; the other was to introduce the feed gases into the discharge region and also into the plasma jet from the exit of the plasma generator. Experimental results show that the conversion of feed gases and the selectivity of products by the former mode are higher than that by the latter. However, the energy conversion efficiency was less because of the larger feed flux and the higher amount of synthesis gas produced in the latter mode. Furthermore, during discharge in both modes, the discharge power was affected only by the feed flux into the plasma generator but the feed flux into the plasma jet, and oxidation on the cathode and anode or carbon deposition in the plasma generator was not observed in any experiments.