Volumetric plasma chemistry with carbon dioxide in an atmospheric pressure plasma using a technical scale reactor

The waste gas carbon dioxide can be used as a reactant in chemical industries. Due to the inert characteristics, plasma technology seems to be an appropriate way for carbon dioxide activation. In this paper, a dry plasma reforming process of carbon dioxide with methane is presented. This process is running in a microwave plasma under atmospheric pressure. Experiments were done in a technical plasma plant which was built at the University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany. Yields in the 90%-100% range were achieved using a gas flow of up to 10 m³/h. Based on these results, a cost calculation for a technical process is presented.