Syngas production via methane steam reforming with oxygen: plasma reactorsversus chemical reactors

Steam reforming with oxygen (SRO) is a combination of non-catalytic partial oxidation and steam reforming of methane, industrially used for syngas pro duction. There are several models of the chemical reactors used for this pu rpose but in the last decade a new direction has developed-plasma devices. The aim of the present paper is to make a comparative analysis between the autothermal reformers, including their improved variants, and the plasma re actors. The study is conceived in terms of advantages and disadvantages com ing from the exploitation parameters, methane conversion, selectivity, ener gy efficiency and investment costs. Although SRO by means of chemical react ors may be the most efficient, plasma reactors represent an incisive approa ch by their simplicity, compactness and low price.