CONVERTING METHANE BY USING AN RF PLASMA REACTOR

A radio-frequency (RF) plasma system was used to convert methane gas. The reactants and final products were analyzed by using an FTIR (Fouri er transform infrared spectrometer). The effects of plasma operational parameters, including feeding concentration (C) of CH4, operational p ressure (P) in the RF plasma reactor, total gas flow rate (Q) and inpu t power wattage (W) for CH4 decomposition were evaluated The results s howed that the CH4 decomposition fraction increases with increasing po wer input, decreasing operational pressure in the RF plasma reactor, d ecreasing CH4 feeding concentration, and decreasing total gas flow rat e. In addition, mathematical models based on the obtained experimental data were developed and tested by means of sensitivity analysis.