Magnetically accelerated gliding arc discharge for enhanced biomass tar decomposition: Influence of producer gas components

Gliding arc (GA) plasma is an effective and promising technique for the decomposition of tar produced during biomass gasification. In this study, a magnetically accelerated gliding arc (MAGA) system was developed by coupling a traditional blade-type GA with a magnetic field for the decomposition of toluene, a model compound for tar. The effects of various carrier gas components (N 2 , H 2 , CO, CO 2 , and CH 4 ), commonly present in producer gas from the gasification process, on reaction performance and discharge characteristics were systematically investigated and compared with those of a conventional GA. Additionally, a simulated producer gas (SPG) was used to treat toluene, offering a more complex alternative to the simple N 2 -based condition. MAGA demonstrated superior reaction performance, achieving a maximum toluene conversion of 89.2% and an energy yield of 44.6 g/kWh when nitrogen was used as the carrier gas. In contrast, the lowest toluene conversion of 47.2% was observed when N 2 /CO/CO 2 was used as the carrier gas in the GA reactor. The toluene decomposition efficiency in different carrier gases followed this order: N 2 > N 2 /CO > N 2 /CO/H 2 > SPG > N 2 /CO/CO 2 . The distribution of products was also found to depend on the nature of the carrier gas. Optical emission spectroscopy was employed for gliding arc plasma diagnostics and identification of the reactive species in the plasma zone under different gas environments. Based on spectroscopic diagnostics and a comprehensive analysis of major gas products and condensable by-products, possible reaction pathways for the plasma-assisted decomposition of toluene under various gas mixtures were proposed. • A magnetically accelerated gliding arc reactor was designed for biomass tar reforming. • A magnetic field enhanced the efficiency of the plasma reactor for tar decomposition. • The effects of producer gas components on tar decomposition were investigated. • A toluene conversion of 89.3 % and an energy yield of 44.6 g/kWh were achieved. • The MAGAD reactor outperformed the conventional GAD system in tar conversion.