Development of a Swirl‐Induced Rotating Glow Discharge Reactor for CO₂ Conversion: Fluid Dynamics and Discharge Dynamics Studies

Abstract

A novel concept of swirl flow–induced rotating glow discharge for converting carbon dioxide from industrial flue gas to valuable carbon monoxide and oxygen is developed. Maximum energy efficiency of 64 % is recorded in the turbulent flow regime due to the formation of central toroidal recirculation zones. More details can be found in article number http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/ente.202000535 by Bharathi Raja, Ramanujam Sarathi, and Ravikrishnan Vinu.

CHEMampere: Technologies for sustainable chemical production with renewable electricity and CO2, N2, O2, and H2O

“…In terms of reactor designs already in use for CO 2 splitting (the most popular application), a tubular design using vortex flow was presented in 2019 by Trenchev et al [ 75 ] Just recently, Raja et al used a vortex gas flow and ring electrodes to prevent arc formation. [ 76 ] In a design, which will be further pursued for CHEMampere, collaborators of the initiative have presented a reactor using pin‐discharge and an axial magnetic field, [ 77 ] which does not utilize a vortex flow and can thus be operated at arbitrary gas flow rates.…”

“…[ 75 ] Raja et al also used a vortex gas flow, but ring electrodes to prevent arc formation, being rewarded with a high energy efficiency of 60% at conversions ranging from 2% to 3%. [ 76 ] In a design that will be further pursued for CHEMampere, a reactor using pin‐discharge and an axial magnetic field was presented, which achieved 27% energy efficiency at 17% conversion. [ 77 ] It does not utilize a vortex flow and can thus be operated at arbitrary gas flow rates.…”