Effects of reactor type and voltage properties in methanol reforming with nonthermal plasma

Reactor type and voltage properties affected the reforming behavior of 1% methanol in N₂ with nonthermal plasma. Methanol conversion increased with voltage frequency for both a ferroelectric packed-bed reactor (FPR) and a silent discharge reactor (SDR), but they showed different sensitivities to frequency change at fixed applied voltages. In the frequency range of 5 Hz-5 kHz, methanol conversion was expressed as a function of reactor energy density irrespective of the reactor type. Regarding the effect of voltage waveform with 50-Hz ac at the same applied voltage levels for FPR and SDR, methanol conversion decreased in the order: triangle>sine>square. H₂, CO, and CO₂ were obtained as the major products, and similar product distributions were observed in comparable methanol conversions irrespective of reactor type and the differences in frequency and waveform. Energy conversion efficiency increased to 40%∼60% at ∼80% of MeOH conversions for FPR and SDR.