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

本研究涉及一种新型反应器系统的研究，该系统采用煤焦（热解碳）床和微波（射频- RF）能量在低温下催化发生各种气相反应。在前期工作中，已证明该反应器可由甲烷生成高纯氢气，由甲烷和蒸汽生成异丙醇，并可分解NO、SO2和H2S。因此，该系统显示出从天然气中生产高价值产品的潜力，并在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。总体目标是了解在微波和热解碳存在下气相化学反应所涉及的现象。一系列的实验将被执行，以确定反应产物，反应机制，反应速率，和能量效应（吸收和加热），当各种反应发生在微波能量的存在。这是一笔用于探索性研究的小额赠款，旨在确定该过程的可行性，然后再投入资金进行广泛深入的研究。

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.