Formation of H2 and H2O2 in a Water-Spray Gliding Arc Nonthermal Plasma Reactor

The formation rates and energy yields of H-2 and H2O2 from pure water exposed to a nonthermal pulsed plasma-gliding arc reactor equipped with a spray nozzle were determined. Both H-2 and H2O2 formation rates were the highest with the argon carrier where the maximum energy yields were 13 and 81 g/kWh, respectively. Both H2O2 and H-2 were suppressed with carrier gases (air and nitrogen) where significant amounts of nitrates are formed. The energy yields of H-2 and H2O2 with the argon carrier gas in the present work are higher than previously reported microwave plasma, corona, and AC gliding arc. The results for H-2 are very close to an ideal quenching limit of 45% of thermodynamic limitations, thereby suggesting that the presence of water droplets in the plasma enhance energy yield through enhanced quenching of radicals and reactions that destroy the desired molecular products.