Optimization of plasma-thermal system for non-oxidative coupling of methane to ethylene and hydrogen

Rui Liu, Dongxing Li, Qian Chen, Zhiwei Gong, Li Wang, Hongchen Guo and Yanhui Yi

Applied Energy, 2025, vol. 383, issue C, No S0306261925001412

Abstract: This study explores an integrated hybrid plasma-thermal system to achieve a non-oxidative coupling of methane (2CH4 ⇌ C2H4 + 2H2) by employing an atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma and a thermal cracking reactor. The size and configuration of the plasma reactor (Stage 1) and the thermal cracking reactor (Stage 2) have been optimized, and the residence time in both reactors is identified to be crucial for non-oxidative coupling of methane. Under the optimized reactors, a 32 % methane conversion has been achieved with remarkable selectivity of 68 % for ethylene and 63 % for hydrogen, at residence time of around 500 s and 10 s for Stage 1 and Stage 2, respectively. Therefore, a 21.8 % yield of ethylene has been achieved for non-oxidative conversion of methane to ethylene at temperature below 900 °C. Furthermore, the study explores the complex relationship between ethylene selectivity in the plasma-assisted non-oxidative coupling of methane and residence time in thermal cracking reactor, revealing a first increase and then decrease trend with an optimized residence time at ca. 10 s.

Keywords: Hybrid plasma-thermal system; Non-oxidative coupling of methane; Ethylene; Hydrogen; Residence time (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.125411

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