Plasma reforming of aliphatic hydrocarbons with CO2

CO₂ reforming of methane, propane, and neopentane was investigated with a ferroelectric packed-bed reactor (FPR) in N₂ at temperatures ranging from 298 K to 433 K. The reaction behavior of the hydrocarbons was greatly affected by their chemical structures and reaction temperature. At ambient temperature, hydrocarbon conversion decreased in the following order: neopentane≫propane>methane. With an increase in reaction temperature, hydrocarbon reactivity was enhanced with only a slight difference in the conversions of the above hydrocarbons. CO₂ deoxygenation was a clean reaction irrespective of reaction temperature, but CO was formed not only from CO₂ but also from hydrocarbons. No chemical interaction between CO₂ and the hydrocarbons in nonthermal plasma was observed. Temperature effect on the H₂ yield depended on the hydrocarbon structure. Higher H₂ yields were obtained for neopentane and propane than for methane. Product composition and carbon balance were also affected by the hydrocarbon structure, relative concentrations of hydrocarbons to CO₂, and temperature.