GlidArc-Assisted Production of Synthesis Gas Through Propane Partial Oxidation

Commercial propane can contain up to 300 ppm of Sulfur so that reforming technologies based on catalytic processes can not be directly applied without prior cleaning of such a feed in order to avoid the reformer’s catalyst poisoning (while some Solid Oxide Fuel Cells can accept Sulfur-polluted syngas). We run our reforming process in a presence of high-voltage discharges (called GlidArc) that assist the Partial Oxidation of pure or polluted propane. Electric consumption for this non-catalytic reformer is less than 2% of a Fuel Cell electric output. Recycling such a small portion of the electric energy is, in our opinion, an acceptable compromise as our active (and also very simple) GlidArc discharges play a role of an igniter and homogeneous phase catalyst; they also stabilize a post-plasma zone of our reformer. Our 1-Liter reactor works at atmospheric pressure and needs less than 100 W of electric assistance to produce up to 3 m³(n)/h of pure syngas corresponding to about 10 kW of electric power of an ideal Fuel Cell. The propane is totally reformed at more than 70% energetic efficiency and at the total absence of soot.