Conversion of greenhouse gases to synthetic fuel using a sustainable cyclic plasma process

In the present article, a new thermodynamic process is proposed in which a thermal plasma reactor is utilised to dissociate carbon dioxide/steam blend into synthetic fuel using chemical looping technology. Chrome/chrome oxide (Cr/Cr2O3) pair was used as the oxygen carrier and also the thermal transport medium between the thermal plasma reactor and a synthetic fuel fluidized bed reactor. The proposed process was hybridised with renewable energy resources including solar photovoltaic and wind to account for the energy demand of the thermal plasma reactor. Results showed that at a molar ratio of CO2/ Cr = 1.12 and steam/Cr ratio = 2.8, the syngas quality referred to as H2: CO > 2.05, which is suitable for liquid fuel production and Fischer-Tropsch applications. Also, the thermal plasma reactor reached chemical conversion >0.99 at 5273 K, while SFR represented the conversion extent >0.95 at 1473 K. The highest thermodynamic efficiency of the proposed process was 0.43 with a 3 MW electricity production capacity that could be utilised by thermal plasma aiming at improving self-sustaining factor of the system. The integration of the system with solar photovoltaic and wind in Whyalla, South Australia, showed that the renewable energy penetration in the proposed system can be as high as 68.4% with battery storage of 30 MWh together with an installed capacity of 50 MW and 37.5 MW for photovoltaic panels and wind turbines, respectively. Larger battery storage did not affect the renewable energy fraction as solar irradiance and wind velocity were not sufficient to complete the charging cycle of the battery.& COPY; 2022 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.