Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing, Vol.29, No.1, 13-25, 2009
Improvement of the Diluted Propane Efficiency Treatment Using a Non-thermal Plasma
The decomposition of propane diluted in air has been investigated using a pulsed high-voltage dielectric barrier discharges reactor. Effects of the temperature (from 300 to 800 K) and humidity in air on propane conversion and on produced species are studied. CO and CO(2) are the two main carbon species produced but other carbon species can be also obtained as functions of electrical parameters or temperature. Total decomposition of inlet propane to CO(2) is possible when propane is diluted in wet air from 600 K. Thermal energy is an important parameter to limit the energy density injected in the plasma reactor and to reduce the total energetic cost keeping a high propane decomposition yield.