Production of hydrogen by plasma-reforming of methanol

The reforming of methanol is usually carried out by a catalytic process. In this study, a single-stage, non-catalytic, methanol pyrolysis and reforming, process for producing mainly hydrogen using an atmospheric-pressure microwave plasma reactor is demonstrated. When the applied power was elevated from 800 to 1400 W, the selectivity of H2 increased from 77.5% to 85.8% at inlet molar fraction of MeOH = 3.3%. The selectivities of carbon-containing byproducts were in the order: CO > carbon black > C2H2 > CH4 > CO2 ∼ C2H4. In addition, a higher conversion of methanol with a higher selectivity of H2 was achieved at a higher applied power. While a low required energy consumption of H2 (13.2 eV/molecule-H2) was obtained at a low applied power (800 W) and a higher inlet concentration of methanol (5.0%).