Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane in a Glow Discharge at 50 Hz and Atmospheric Pressure

A chromatographic study of atmospheric pressure glow discharge products in a mixture of CO2 and CH4 has been carried out. The discharge has been ignited using a source at a frequency of 50 Hz and a discharge voltage of up to 10 kV. The main gas products at the discharge output are H2 (∼55%) and CO (∼40%). It is shown that the discharge properties are determined by the ratio of CO2 and CH4 consumption at the reactor input. Soot particles are formed in the discharge in addition to gas products at the same CO2 and CH4 consumption at the reactor input. The soot formation is suppressed and water vapor appears in the discharge when in the CO2 content in the mixture increases. The discharge current and voltage oscillograms have been analyzed and the energy required to obtain hydrogen and spent on decomposition of СО2 have been estimated.