The kinetics of methane pyrolysis stimulated by the introduction of atomic hydrogen into the reaction medium from an arcjet plasma source was analyzed. Numerical simulation of the reaction kinetics demonstrated that the thermal pyrolysis at lower temperatures (1800 K or lower) followed the radical chain mechanism with short chains (a chain length of 2 or 3), and the addition of atomic hydrogen considerably increased the rate of the process. An analysis of the kinetics of pyrolysis in a stirred reactor showed that acetylene was formed immediately after methane degradation without the buildup of by-products in the reaction medium.

A method for enhancing the hydrocarbon pyrolysis process by introducing atomic hydrogen into the reaction medium from an arcjet plasma source was considered. It was shown that hydrogen atoms could effectively be introduced by mixing under low pressure. The atomic hydrogen–stimulated methane pyrolysis process was experimentally studied in a continuous stirred reactor with a plasma plume. When hydrogen atoms were present in the plasma jet, the amount of the valuable product increased by a factor of two.

Results of a study on the microwave (MW) discharge plasma-induced processes of partial oxidation of kerosene (С 11 Н 24 ) and methane (СН 4 ) with air oxygen are reported. It was shown that energy input in the form of MW-discharge plasma is more effective than thermal input (preheating of reactants and internal recuperation of heat upon the complete combustion of fuel).

The degradation of methane in the batch mode by the action of a one-atmosphere pulse microwave discharge excited in a quartz reactor partially filled by a nickel gauze was studied. The fashion of gauze layout ensuring the sustainable excitation of discharge at an average power of 60–150 W and a pulse on/off ratio of 10 was described. Measurements of a pressure rise in the system simultaneously with the chromatographic analysis of the gas mixture sampled from the reactor showed that the product buildup kinetics were determined by the discharge character: when the discharge was maintained in the form of multiple sparks throughout the gauze-filled volume, the highest degradation rate was observed and all the products detected, including benzene, accumulated linearly with respect to the amount of methane decomposed. In the case of the formation of a local discharge zone in which the gauze was heated to a yellow heat, the benzene buildup followed a nonlinear law, its formation rate increased a few times with an increase in the degree of methane conversion. Although the total methane decomposition rate was lower in this case, conversion into benzene turned out to be a few times greater than in the previous experiment. For example, no more than 10–20% of methane decomposed within a discharge time of 10 min, whereas its conversion to benzene reached 10–15%.

This paper is dedicated to the discussion of possible plasma applications for hydrogen-rich gas production from hydrocarbons. Different types of plasma, both thermal and nonequilibrium ones, are under consideration. A special attention is devoted to experimental and theoretical results on hydrocarbon conversion in nonequilibrium plasma of pulse microwave discharge. A comparison of plasma methods and conventional catalytic technology is presented as well.

This paper is devoted to the results of diagnostic research of pulsed microwave discharge at atmospheric pressure. The discharge is used for plasma catalytic processes of hydrocarbon conversion to accelerate chemical reactions. The results of spectroscopic measurements of time dependencies of electric field magnitude, charged particles densities and gas temperature in the discharge plasma are presented. It is shown that the discharge evolution is well described by the «microwave streamer» mechanism followed by heating of the «streamer» and abrupt growth of its plasma ionization degree. Relying on the obtained data it is shown that the chemical process is accelerated in weakly ionized peripheral areas ofthe discharge channels.

This work is dedicated to plasma catalysis effect in the case of endothermic reactions of hydrogen and hydrogen rich gas production such as methane, propane, butane decomposition and methane and ethanol steam reforming processes. Process energy requirements are covered in this case mainly by low potential heat while plasma is using for chemical reaction acceleration only via active species generation. Experiments clearly demonstrated an ability of microwave plasma to accelerate chemical reaction at the relatively low temperature level. Possible mechanisms of plasma catalytic were analyzed as well.

Using neutral hydronium clusters H(H2O)n as an example, it was shown that excitation of the electronic subsystem can lead to polarization of the cluster, formation of collective electron states (polarons), and formation of a new type of metastable states characteristic of polar clusters

Electrocatalytic layers of a fuel cell-electrolyzing cell reversible system with solid polymer electrolyte are studied. The system may be used as both a dc generator and a water electrolyzing cell. It is shown that the way the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) additive is introduced into the cathode’s catalytic layer affects the cathode performance. The PTFE introduction in the form of suspension in an alcohol solution of MF-4SK polymer enhanced performance. Characteristics of platinum, iridium, and platinum-iridium anode catalysts are compared. The best characteristics are obtained using a composition based on platinum black and iridium black, applied layer-by-layer, with an iridium-black layer facing the surface of a solid-polymer membrane.

The investigation of energy characteristics for plasma chemical process of the treatment of hydrogen sulfide containing gases (H2S+CO2) with obtaining the synthesis gas (H-2 +CO) and the sulfur as the products have been carried out at the experimental- industrial plant at the site of the Orenburg gas-processing plant (Russia). The influence of the gasodynamic parameters of plasmotrons and the general macroscopic parameters of the discharges (pressures and energy inputs) were investigated. The method permits producing the H-2 from H2S with low energy consumptions:0.6 kW*h/(1 m(3) of H-2 + 1.4 kg of sulfur) - that is the theoretical limit or 1 kW*h/(1 m(3) of H-2 +1.4 kg of sulfur)- that is the experimental result.

Results are presented from studies on plasma catalysis of the decomposition of methane into hydrogen and carbon in a repetitive microwave discharge. The dependence of the propagation velocity of a plasma channel on the sort of gas is determined; from this dependence, a preliminary conclusion can be drawn about both the mechanism for the development of the discharge and the ion composition of the discharge plasma. The measurements of the electron temperature in the discharge show that the rate at which active particles are produced is high enough to explain the acceleration of a chemical reaction by chain processes with the participation of these particles.

The paper is dedicated to the study of methane steam reforming using three channels rotating discharge model of glidarc reactor. The process is described in terms of methane conversion, process selectivity, and energy cost as a function of discharge frequency. The analysis gives information on the reactor's exploitation parameters in order to optimise its chemical performances. The experimental observations are in good agreement with a proposed model describing the chemical evolution of the system.