SGER: Application of atmospheric microplasma to fuel reforming

目的：这项工作的目的是研究一种能够实现碳氢燃料高效制氢的微等离子体MEMS设备。该项目将加深对基于微等离子体的重整过程的理解，并将导致燃料电池应用的微重整器的实际设计。智力价值该项目将涉及一个微结构的设计和制造，该微结构将产生用于制氢的等离子体。主要挑战包括：在大气压下产生合适的等离子体，并确保其稳定性、耐用性和效率。微等离子体在几个重要方面不同于常规规模的等离子体，在这方面很有吸引力。理论和实验研究都将由一个多学科小组进行，其中包括三名调查人员。这项工作将使微等离子体方法成为所有其他制氢方法的基准。由于它的跨学科和协作性质，以及它的社会相关性，这项研究努力将成为一种有吸引力的教育工具。该项目将涉及RIT的合作教育计划。

Objective:The objective of this effort is to investigate a microplasma MEMS device that is capable of achieving efficient hydrogen production from hydrocarbon fuels. The project will develop understanding of the microplasma-based reforming processes and will also lead to practical designs of micro-reformers for fuel cell applications. Intellectual MeritThe project will involve the design and fabrication of a microstructure that will generate plasmas for hydrogen production. Major challenges include: the generation of a suitable plasma at atmospheric pressure, and ensuring its stability, durability, and efficiency. Microplasmas, which differ from conventionally-scaled plasmas in a few important ways, are attractive in this respect. Both theoretical and experimental studies will be conducted by a multi-disciplinary team, which includes three investigators. The effort will benchmark the microplasma approach to all other methods of hydrogen production.Broader ImpactBoth undergraduate and graduate students will be involved in this project. Because of its interdisciplinary and collaborative nature, as well as its societal relevance, this research effort will serve as a appealing vehicle for education. The project will involve RIT's co-operative education program.