Energy storage by plasma methane decarbonization for CO2-free synthesis of H2 & carbonaceous nanoparticles

通过等离子体甲烷脱碳储能用于无二氧化碳合成氢气

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-06330
• 负责人: Kholghy, MohammadReza
• 金额: $ 1.97万
• 依托单位: Carleton University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=759517
• 关键词: Energy; storage; plasma; methane; decarbonization

The share of natural gas (methane) in Canadian energy portfolio is rapidly increasing which hinders energy decarbonization. Novel processes are needed to use methane recourses with minimal environmental impact. Plasma decomposition is an emerging technology for breaking C-H bonds without direct CO2 emissions to produce hydrogen and carbonaceous nanoparticles. This technology stores electricity in hydrogen and produces valuable carbonaceous nanoparticles used in batteries with minimal, if not zero environmental footprint. With plasma decarbonization, most of the consumed electricity can be recycled from hydrogen and the elemental carbon can be converted to valuable nanoparticles without combustion emissions. This technique has not been widely used because: 1. There is a fundamental lack of understanding regarding the interaction of methane pyrolysis with plasma chemistry. Combustion kinetic models are developed for methane oxidation where only a handful of reactions dominate. However, plasma synthesis operates without oxygen for which other important reaction pathways are active. Such non-oxidative routes have major implications for process design and open possibilities for novel technologies. 2. Knowledge of gas phase synthesis of carbonaceous nanoparticles is limited to a narrow range of flame temperatures. With plasma, this range is extended beyond thermodynamic limitations of combustion and an array of new valuable functional nanoparticles can be made. The non-oxidizing nature of plasma synthesis results in particles with completely different compositions, surface functionalities and optical properties. It is not currently possible to predict how these parameters change with high temperature particle residence time due to gaps in understanding and lack of a predictive framework. This research addresses many of these issues through a multiscale experimental and modeling approach with a focus on the interaction of plasma chemistry with: a) methane pyrolysis kinetics, b) high temperature aerosol dynamics and c) functional properties of carbonaceous nanoparticles. Specifically, we will couple methane and plasma kinetic models with particle simulations to predict species and aerosol measurements in pyrolysis conditions. Then we benchmark predicted particle optical properties needed for laser diagnostics in process control. Finally, with experiments in a modular reactor, we understand how the functional properties of carbonaceous nanoparticles are controlled. The main goal is to reveal how process conditions such as high temperature particle residence time affect particle functional properties and hydrogen production. This research enables Canada to harness the energy of its vast hydrocarbon resources by converting them to hydrogen and functional nanoparticles, i.e. two essential commodities for carbon free energy conversion and storage. It also contributes to developing novel hydrocarbon reforming technologies to reduce emissions.

加拿大能源投资组合中天然气（甲烷）的份额正在迅速增加，这阻碍了能量脱碳。需要新的过程来使用具有最小环境影响的甲烷回流。血浆分解是一种新兴技术，用于破坏C-H键，而无需直接二氧化碳排放以产生氢和碳质纳米颗粒。该技术可存储氢中的电力，并生产有价值的碳质量纳米颗粒，用于电池，即使不是零环境足迹。通过血浆脱碳化，大多数消耗的电力可以从氢中回收，并且可以将元素碳转换为无燃烧排放的有价值的纳米颗粒。该技术尚未被广泛使用，因为：1。基本上缺乏对甲烷热解与血浆化学的相互作用的理解。燃烧动力学模型是用于甲烷氧化的，其中只有少数反应占主导地位。然而，血浆合成无需氧气工作，其他重要的反应途径为活性。这种非氧化途径对新技术的过程设计和开放可能性具有重大影响。 2。碳质纳米颗粒的气相合成知识仅限于火焰温度范围狭窄。使用等离子体，该范围扩大了燃烧的热力学限制，并且可以制造出一系列新的有价值的功能纳米颗粒。血浆合成的非氧化性质导致具有完全不同组成，表面功能和光学特性的颗粒。目前无法预测由于理解和缺乏预测框架的差距而导致高温粒子停留时间如何变化。这项研究通过多尺度实验和建模方法解决了许多此类问题，重点是血浆化学与以下方面的相互作用：a）甲烷热解动力学，b）高温气溶胶动力学和c）碳质纳米颗粒的功能特性。具体而言，我们将将甲烷和血浆动力学模型与粒子模拟息息，以预测热解条件下的物种和气溶胶测量。然后，我们基准预测过程控制中激光诊断所需的粒子光学特性。最后，通过在模块化反应器中的实验，我们了解如何控制碳质纳米颗粒的功能特性。主要目标是揭示工艺条件（例如高温粒子停留时间）如何影响颗粒功能性能和氢产生。 这项研究使加拿大能够通过将其转换为氢和功能性纳米颗粒来利用其广泛的碳氢化合物资源，即两种用于碳自由能量转换和存储的基本商品。它还有助于开发新型的碳氢化合物改革技术以减少排放。