The present invention discloses a plasma dry reforming apparatus for producing synthetic gas, main components of which are hydrogen and carbon monoxide, by reforming methane and carbon dioxide injected in plasma, the apparatus comprising: a plasma reformer 100, 200 which produces carbon dioxide plasma by making carbon dioxide supplied therein into plasma, ignites plasma flame by supplying hydrocarbon to the produced dioxide plasma, and produces synthetic gas by supplying methane to the plasma flame.

A reformer is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including a channel to convey a preheated plurality of reactants containing both a feedstock fuel and an oxidant. A plasma generator is provided to apply an electrical potential to the reactants sufficient to ionize one or more of the reactants. These ionized reactants are then conveyed to a reaction zone where they are chemically transformed into synthesis gas containing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A heat transfer mechanism is used to transfer heat from an external heat source to the reformer to provide the heat of reformation.

Methods of making fuel are described herein. A method may include providing a first working fluid, a second working fluid, and a third working fluid. The method may also include exposing the first working fluid to a first high voltage electric field to produce a first plasma, exposing the second working fluid to a second high voltage electric field to produce a second plasma, and exposing the third working fluid to a third high voltage electric field to produce a third plasma. The method may also include providing and contacting a carbon-based feedstock with the third plasma, the second plasma, and the first plasma within a processing chamber to form a mixture, cooling the mixture using a heat exchange device to form a cooled mixture, and contacting the cooled mixture with a catalyst to form a fuel.

The invention includes a gas processing system for transforming a hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into outflow gas products, where the system includes a gas delivery subsystem, a plasma reaction chamber, and a microwave subsystem, with the gas delivery subsystem in fluid communication with the plasma reaction chamber, so that the gas delivery subsystem directs the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the plasma reaction chamber, and the microwave subsystem directs microwave energy into the plasma reaction chamber to energize the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas, thereby forming a plasma in the plasma reaction chamber, which plasma effects the transformation of a hydrocarbon in the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the outflow gas products, which comprise acetylene and hydrogen. The invention also includes methods for the use of the gas processing system.

Devices and methods for reducing the specific energy required to reform or pyrolyze reactants in plasmas operating at high flow rates and high pressures are presented. These systems and methods include 1) introducing electrons and/or easily ionized materials to a plasma reactor, 2) increasing turbulence and swirl velocity of the flows of feed gases to have improved mixing in a plasma reactor, and 3) reducing slippage from a plasma reactor system. Such plasma systems may allow plasma reactors to operate at lower temperatures, higher pressure, with improved plasma ignition, increased throughput and improved energy efficiency. In preferred embodiments, the plasma reactors are used to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon, or carbon monoxide through reforming and pyrolysis reactions. Preferred feedstocks include methane, carbon dioxide, and other hydrocarbons.

Disclosed is methodology for controlling the H2:CO ratio of the product produced in a partial oxidation reactor, by carrying out the partial oxidation under temperature conditions that produce less than maximum conversion.

A method of generating syngas as a primary product from renewable feedstock, fossil fuels, or hazardous waste with the use of a cupola. The cupola operates selectably on inductive heat alone, chemically assisted heat, or plasma assisted heat. Additionally, the operation of the cupola is augmented by the use of direct acting carbon or graphite rods that carry electrical current for additional heat generation into the metal bath that is influenced by the inductive element. The method includes the steps of providing a cupola for containing a metal bath; and operating an inductive element to react with the metal bath. Feedstock in the form of a combination of fossil fuel, a hazardous waste, and a hazardous material is supplied to the cupola. A plasma torch operates on the metal bath selectably directly and indirectly. Steam, air, oxygen enriched air, and oxygen are supplied in selectable combinations.

Provided is a fuel-reforming device comprising: an ammonia tank (4); a reformer (5) for reforming ammonia and generating high-concentration hydrogen gas having a hydrogen content of at least 99%; a mixing tank (7) for mixing ammonia and hydrogen for temporary storage; and a control means (10) for controlling the respective supply amounts of ammonia and high-concentration hydrogen gas that are supplied to the mixing tank (7). The control means (10) calculates the combustion rate coefficient C of mixed gas with respect to a reference fuel on the basis of equation (1). Equation (1): S.sub.0=S.sub.H×C+S.sub.A×(1−C). In equation (1), S.sub.0 is the combustion rate of the reference fuel, S.sub.H is the combustion rate of hydrogen, S.sub.A is the combustion rate of ammonia, and C is the combustion rate coefficient of mixed gas. In addition, on the basis of equation (2), the control means (10) determines the volume fractions of ammonia and hydrogen that are supplied to the mixing tank. Equation (2): C=1−exp(−A×M.sub.B). In equation (2), M is the volume fraction of hydrogen in mixed gas, and A and B are constants.

A gas production system which applies plasma to a catalyst in a reactor and reforms a supplied source gas and a supplied oxidant gas to produce a product gas, includes: gas ratio change means for changing a ratio between the source gas to be supplied to the reactor by source gas supply means and the oxidant gas to be supplied to the reactor by oxidant gas supply means; and plasma generation means for generating the plasma to be applied to the catalyst. Thus, formation of highly reactive chemical species on a catalyst surface is efficiently promoted, whereby the yield of the product gas and energy efficiency are improved.

A hydrogen production system comprises a hydrogen pyrolysis reactor which has a hydrocarbon input, an electrical input and at least one hydrogen output. The hydrogen production system also comprises a hydrogen-fuelled generator. Means are provided to route part of the hydrogen from one of the at least one hydrogen outputs to the hydrogen-fuelled generator. The hydrogen-fuelled generator then generates an electrical output, which is routed to the electrical input of the hydrocarbon pyrolysis reactor. A related method of operating a hydrogen production system is also described.