The Destruction of Atmospheric Pressure Propane and Propene Using a Surface Discharge Plasma Reactor

Surface discharge plasma reactors (SDRs) have been shown to be effective in removing a wide range of pollutants. In this study, the effectiveness of a SDR for the removal of propane and propene from an atmospheric pressure air stream was investigated. For an input energy of 100 J L -1 , the conversions were found to be 16% and 68% for propane and propene, respectively. The total carbon recovery was found to increase with increasing specific input energy (SIE) for both hydrocarbons. FTIR analysis showed that CO and CO 2 are the major end-products, and GC-MS identified formic acid as a significant byproduct. The effect of initial propane concentration was also investigated. The reaction chemistry involved in the oxidative plasma conversion of propane and propene is discussed.