SGER: Application of atmospheric microplasma to fuel reforming

目的：本研究的目的是研究一种能够从碳氢化合物燃料中实现高效制氢的微等离子体MEMS装置。该项目将发展对基于微等离子体的重整过程的理解，并将导致用于燃料电池应用的微重整器的实际设计。该项目将包括设计和制造一个微结构，该微结构将产生用于氢气生产的等离子体。主要的挑战包括：在大气压下产生合适的等离子体，并确保其稳定性、耐久性和效率。微等离子体在几个重要方面与常规尺度等离子体不同，在这方面很有吸引力。理论和实验研究将由一个多学科团队进行，其中包括三名研究人员。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。更广泛的影响本科生和研究生都将参与这个项目。由于其跨学科和协作的性质，以及它的社会相关性，这项研究工作将作为一个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.