Numerical modelling of a low power non-transferred arc plasma reactor for methane conversion

Thermal flow characteristics and the methane conversion reaction in a low power arc plasma reactor for efficient storage and transport of methane,which is the main component of shale gas,were simulated.The temperature and velocity distributions were calculated according to the type of discharge gases and arc current level by a self-developed magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)code and a commercial ANSYS-FLUENT code;the transport of chemical species was analyzed as including the chemical reactions of methane conversion.The simulated results were verified by the comparison of calculated and measured arc voltages with permissible low error as under 4%.Three C2 hydrocarbon gases with ethane (C2H6),ethylene (C2H4),and acetylene (C2H2)were selected as the converted species of methane from experimental data.The mass fraction of C2 hydrocarbons and hydrogen as the product of the conversion reaction at the reactor was also calculated.Those values show good agreement with the actual experimental results in that the major conversion reaction occurred in C2H2 and hydrogen,and the conversions to C2H6,C2H4,and hydrogen were minor reactions of methane pyrolysis conversion.

Modelling Study on the Plasma Flow and Heat Transfer in a Laminar Arc Plasma Torch Operating at Atmospheric and Reduced Pressure

A modelling study is performed to investigate the characteristics of both plasma flow and heat transfer of a laminar non-transferred arc argon plasma torch operated at atmospheric and reduced pressure. It is found that the calculated flow fields and temperature distributions are quite similar for both cases at a chamber pressure of 1.0 atm and 0.1 atm. A fully developed flow regime could be achieved in the arc constrictor-tube between the cathode and the anode of the plasma torch at 1.0 atm for all the flow rates covered in this study. However the flow field could not reach the fully developed regime at 0.1 atm with a higher flow rate. The arc-root is always attached to the torch anode surface near the upstream end of the anode, i.e. the abruptly expanded part of the torch channel, which is in consistence with experimental observation. The surrounding gas would be entrained from the torch exit into the torch interior due to a comparatively large inner diameter of the anode channel compared to that of the arc constrictor-tube.

THE INVESTIGATION ON PLASMA ARC TREATMENT OF CHROMIUM PLATED ALLOY STRUCTURE STEEL

The technology of plasma arc was used to modify the interface adhesion between c hromium coating and steel substrate. The interface microstructure was studied as a function of plasma arc processing parameters. Microstructure analysis was per formed by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electron probe. T he microhardness distribution along the depth of a cross-section of the chromium coating and the substrate was measured. The results show the energy density of transferred plasma arc is obviously higher than plasma non-transferred arc. The molten interface was obtained by plasma transferred arc. Interfaces between chro mium coating and steel substrate can be divided by plasma non-transferred arc in to three classes: non-molten, a little molten and molten. Good interface bonding was obtained by proper process parameters. The microhardness of chromium coatin g decreases with increasing energy density of plasma arc.