Plasma Reactor for Liquid Fuel Reforming

Typical conversion of hydrocarbon fuels into lighter hydrocarbons is usually performed thermally, involving high energy input and elevated temperature. In this work, we report a new approach and system for multi-phase fuel reforming utilizing atmospheric pressure plasma discharge operating in the non-thermal regime. A plasma reactor system, capable of producing large volume discharge, has been developed. In the reactor, a plate-to-plate electrode configuration is used maintaining a separation distance of 1.5 mm. The plasma is driven by a nanosecond pulser with a variable repetition frequency in the range of 1-5 KHz. The reactor receives liquid fuel driven by a fuel pump. The liquid goes through phase-change when passing through a cavitation venturi. The formations of bubbles produced in the venture section is controlled by varying the liquid flow rate. The presence of a multiphase environment allows the plasma discharge to treat a larger volume. As a preliminary study ethanol is used as a test fuel. Characterization of the reformed product indicates the formations of lighter hydrocarbons such as ethylene and acetylene. The conversion of ethanol was significantly affected by the repetition frequency and applied voltage, which can be attributed to the energy density of the discharge. Further characterizations are underway to provide valuable insight into understanding the conditions that govern the production of the desired hydrocarbon products, gas and liquid.