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About the enhancement of chemical yield during the atmospheric plasma synthesis of ammonia in a ferroelectric packed bed reactor
Author(s) -
GómezRamírez Ana,
MontoroDamas Antonio M.,
Cotrino José,
Lambert Richard M.,
GonzálezElipe Agustín R.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
plasma processes and polymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1612-8869
pISSN - 1612-8850
DOI - 10.1002/ppap.201600081
Subject(s) - dielectric barrier discharge , ferroelectricity , ammonia , packed bed , yield (engineering) , materials science , plasma , pellets , nitrogen , ammonia production , chemical engineering , atmospheric pressure , analytical chemistry (journal) , volumetric flow rate , dielectric , chemistry , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , composite material , thermodynamics , physics , oceanography , quantum mechanics , engineering , geology
Plasma reactions offer an attractive alternative route for the synthesis of a variety of valuable chemical compounds. Here we investigate the parameters that determine the efficiency of ammonia synthesis in a ferroelectric packed bed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. The effects of varying the operating frequency, the size of the ferroelectric pellets and the inter‐electrode distance have been systematically studied. Under optimised conditions nitrogen conversions in excess of 7% were achieved, higher than those previously obtained using DBD reactors. These findings are discussed with respect to variations in the electrical characteristics of the reactor under operating conditions and in the light of emission spectra obtained as a function of reactant flow rates. These encouraging results signpost future developments that could very substantially improve the efficiency of ammonia synthesis by means of DBD technology.