Publication
Title
Splitting of $CO_{2}$ by vibrational excitation in non-equilibrium plasmas : a reaction kinetics model
Author
Abstract
 We present a zero-dimensional kinetic model of CO2 splitting in non-equilibrium plasmas. The model includes a description of the CO2 vibrational kinetics (25 vibrational levels up to the dissociation limit of the molecule), taking into account state-specific VT and VV relaxation reactions and the effect of vibrational excitation on other chemical reactions. The model is applied to study the reaction kinetics of CO2 splitting in an atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) and in a moderate-pressure microwave discharge. The model results are in qualitative agreement with published experimental works. We show that the CO2 conversion and its energy efficiency are very different in these two types of discharges, which reflects the important dissociation mechanisms involved. In the microwave discharge, excitation of the vibrational levels promotes efficient dissociation when the specific energy input is higher than a critical value (2.0 eV/molecule under the conditions examined). The calculated energy efficiency of the process has a maximum of 23%. In the DBD, vibrationally excited levels do not contribute significantly to the dissociation of CO2 and the calculated energy efficiency of the process is much lower (5%).
Language
English
Source (journal)
Plasma sources science and technology / Institute of Physics. - Bristol, 1992, currens
Publication
Bristol : Institute of Physics, 2014
ISSN
0963-0252
Volume/pages
23:4(2014), 17 p.
Article Reference
045004
ISI
000345761500014
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
 Faculty/Department Research group [E?say:metaLocaldata.cgzprojectinf] Publication type Subject Affiliation Publications with a UAntwerp address