Water vapor plasma torch for synthesis gas production from organic waste

Summary form only given. Plasma technologies have many fields of application, especially for treatment of materials and environmental purposes. Water vapor plasma has appropriate characteristics of high enthalpy and high activity. It can be a promising technology for gaseous, liquid and solid waste treatment and production of synthetic hydrogen-rich gas [1,2]. Thermal plasma technology of atmospheric pressure has been realized at Lithuanian Energy Institute, Plasma Processing Laboratory as an alternative to other reforming methods producing syngas. An experimental linear, sectional, direct current arc plasma source 55-70 kW of power with copper anode was developed and manufactured. The main plasma forming gas is overheated water vapor, produced by 5 bar of pressure steam generator. The operational characteristics of stable work of water vapor plasma torch were established. The flow was heated up to 2000-3000 K of temperature, the fuel conversion process from organic waste, such as toluene and glycerol in plasma-chemical reactor was realized. Hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases (H2+CO) were produced as main products, additionally small amounts of CO2 and CxHy were obtained. The investigations confirmed that the conversion of toluene and glycerol into synthesis gas by means of atmospheric pressure water vapor plasma torch was successful. Liquid waste conversion rate exceed 100%. The main products of thermal plasma treatment are H2 (max. 56.9%) and CO (max. 20.7 %) with relatively high concentrations of CO2 (up to 12.6%). The results will be useful projecting new plasma equipment, designed for the decomposition of biomass and organic waste.