Enhanced hydrogen production by microwave liquid-phase discharge plasma reforming of methanol solution without catalyst.

Improved hydrogen production efficiency by microwave liquid-phase discharge plasma reforming of methanol solution without catalyst is investigated in this study. The ethanol solution was added to the methanol solution as accelerator for plasma reforming hydrogen production. The features of radicals and gas-phase products generated by discharge in different mixed solutions were studied by the optical emission spectrum (OES) and gas chromatography (GC). The study found that adding a small amount of ethanol to methanol solution could promote the production of hydrogen by microwave liquid-phase discharge plasma reforming of alcohols. The maximum flow rate of total gas was 30.8 NL/min when discharge in a mixed solution of S e t h / m e t h 1 : 4 , which was 11.6% higher than discharge in S m e t h 1 : 1 . • Ethanol was used as a promoter for hydrogen production by plasma reforming methanol. • Flow rate of total gas production increased by 11.6%. • The highest energy yield of hydrogen production was 0.78 Nm³/kWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]