Systematic Simulation Strategy of Plasma Methane Pyrolysis for CO₂‐Free H₂

Abstract

Recently, the direct conversion of methane into hydrogen using cold plasma reactors has attracted increasing attention, since hydrogen has considerable potential as a future feedstock in the steel and chemical industries. However, the simulation of plasma pyrolysis reactors is extremely complex due to the vast temporal and spatial ranges of the variables involved and steep gradients. Previously, methane pyrolysis has been meticulously modeled by 0D simulations, and 3D plasma modeling has been largely confined to Argon systems. In this paper, a systematic methodology is presented, which provides an expedient and efficient hierarchy of 0D to 3D simulations, in order to approximate the methane pyrolysis simulation of a plasma reactor in its entirety. Various simulation tools are applied in a coordinated and pragmatic manner. The results show that the proposed synergy allows simplification of the reaction set and arc characteristics, significantly reducing the runtime required for the simulations.

Comprehensive Review on Methane Pyrolysis for Sustainable Hydrogen Production

“…56 Table 5. Comparative Analysis of Different Reactor Types for Methane Pyrolysis characteristics fixed-bed reactor 119−121 moving bed and fluidized bed reactor 11,30,102,122 liquid metal bubble column reactor 19,71,91,123 plasma reactor 34,35,111,124,125 working principle methane gas passes through a fixed bed of catalyst particles methane flows through a bed of moving particles, enhancing contact with the catalyst methane bubbles through a column of liquid metal, decomposing into hydrogen and solid carbon currently limited because of small to medium scale and high energy requirements cost moderate; catalyst cost is significant higher than fixed-bed due to complexity and moving parts high initial cost but lower operational cost due to catalyst durability relatively high due to energy consumption and maintenance advantages simple design, easy to operate. improved heat and mass transfer, longer catalyst life high conversion rates, efficient heat management high conversion rates due to high temperature and energy input limitations catalyst deactivation due to coking is a major issue more complex design and operation, higher cost high initial setup cost, handling of liquid metals electrode erosion, high operational cost, complex maintenance The techno-economic aspects of MP are complex and depend on various factors, such as the type of reactor and catalyst used, the cost of natural gas, and the type, amount, and price of solid carbon produced.…”

“…On the other hand, non-thermal plasma has a significant temperature gap between the electrons and ions (nonequilibrium). While the electron temperatures can reach several thousand Kelvin, gas and ion temperatures usually remain in the range of hundreds of Kelvin …”

“…While the electron temperatures can reach several thousand Kelvin, gas and ion temperatures usually remain in the range of hundreds of Kelvin. 111 Different types of plasma reactors can be used for MP depending on the nature and characteristics of the plasma. Some common types include dielectric barrier discharge, microwave, and arc plasma reactors.…”

Feasibility of a Plasma Furnace for Methane Pyrolysis: Hydrogen and Carbon Production

“…Plasma, the fourth state of matter, comprises ions, electrons, and neutral particles, maintaining electrical neutrality [8]. Plasma technology harnesses high-voltage electricity to create an arc stabilized by a gas stream between electrodes [10]. High-voltage electricity, either direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC), is used to supply this energy, creating an arc stabilized by a gas stream between two electrodes.…”

Improvement of Plasma Reactor Design for Methane Pyrolysis by Simulation

“…Specifically, simulations open the potential for improvement of reactor design. Thus, a systematic approach including the replacement of plasma as a heat source is used, so that the reactor could be optimized in a limited amount of time [4]. 3D simulation of the GAP reactor reveals that the vortex length, velocity and intensity can positively influence the conversion of methane.…”