Experimental investigation of hydrogen production through heavy naphtha cracking in pulsed DBD reactor

Cracking of heavy naphtha is studied experimentally in a nanosecond pulsed DBD plasma reactor. The system has been evaluated for instant production of light gaseous hydrocarbons in the range of C1–C3 and hydrogen via continuous hydrocarbons cracking at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The effect of some process parameters such as reactor geometry/gap distance, carrier gas and feed flow rates have been considered on the reactor performance, experimentally. Results indicate that the less carrier gas and feed flow rates cause more energy efficiency. The maximum process efficiency is found for carrier gas and feed flow rates of 50 and 1 ml/min, respectively, which gets higher to 106.23 l/kWh for 11.50 W input power and 1.35 mm inner electrode diameter. Furthermore, results proof that for cracking process in DBD reactors there is an optimum diameter to maximize the process efficiency. For the reactor studied here, the optimum diameter of inner electrode is 2.68 mm. In this case energy efficiency of the process is 159.29 l/kWh. Results indicates that the hydrocarbon product distribution during the process is C2 > C1 ≫ C3 > C4.

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► Cracking of heavy naphtha is studied experimentally in a nanosecond pulsed DBD plasma reactor.
► The system has been evaluated for instant production of light gaseous hydrocarbons and hydrogen.
► The effect of reactor geometry/gap distance, carrier gas and feed flow rates have been considered on the reactor performance.
► Results indicate that the less carrier gas and feed flow rates cause more energy efficiency.
► Results indicates that the hydrocarbon product distribution during the process is C2 > C1 ≫ C3 > C4.