Small Grant for Exploratory Research: Microwave Catalyzed Gas Phase Reactions in a Pyrolytic Carbon Reactor

这项研究涉及一种新的反应器系统的研究，该系统利用煤焦(热解碳)和微波(射频-射频)能量来使各种气相反应在低温下催化发生。在前期工作中，已经证明这种反应器可以从甲烷生产高纯度氢气，从甲烷和水蒸气中生产异丙醇，并可以分解NO、SO2和H_2S。因此，该系统显示出从天然气中生产高价值产品的潜力，以及在将热燃烧烟气和合成燃料工艺气体排放到环境之前对其进行清理的潜力。总体目标是了解在微波和热解碳存在下的气相化学反应中涉及的现象。将进行一系列实验，以确定在微波能量存在下发生各种反应时的反应产物、反应机理、反应速率和能量效应(吸收和加热)。这是探索性研究的一小笔赠款，目的是在承诺为广泛而深入的研究提供资金之前，确定这一过程的可行性。

This research involves the investigation of a new king of reactor system which employs a bed of coal char (pyrolytic carbon) and microwave (radio frequency - RF) energy to cause a variety of gas phase reactions to occur catalytically at low temperatures. In preliminary work, it has been demonstrated that such a reactor will produce high purity hydrogen from methane, isopropyl alcohol from methane and steam, and can decompose NO, SO2, and H2S. The system thus shows potential to produce high-value products from natural gas, and to clean up hot combustion flue gases and synfuel process gases before their discharge to the environment. The overall objective is to understand the phenomena involved in gas phase chemical reactions in the presence of microwave and pyrolytic carbon. A series of experiments will be performed to determine reaction products, reaction mechanisms, reaction rates, and energy effects (absorption and heating) when a variety of reactions occur in the presence of microwave energy. This is a Small Grant for Exploratory Research and is meant to determine the feasibility of the process before funds are committed for an extensive, in-depth study.