Application of water steam plasma in obtaining synthesis gas from waste oil industry

• Grant number: 10/12321-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: January 27, 2011
• End date: January 26, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Physics of Fluids, Plasma Physics and Electrical Discharge
• Principal Investigator: Homero Santiago Maciel
• Grantee: Homero Santiago Maciel
• Visiting researcher: Andrei Gorbunov
• Visiting researcher institution: National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB), Belarus
• Host Institution: Divisão de Ciências Fundamentais (IEF). Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA). Ministério da Defesa (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Plasma reformers have been regarded as an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to obtain fuel gases and other products from gasification of organic inputs, they offer several advantages over conventional technologies including: the ability of plasma high-power drive for the process, flexibility in the choice of the material type to be gasified, fast response time, simple building materials, high conversion efficiencies and can operate in a variety of configurations selective chemical processes including partial oxidation, steam reforming and pyrolysis (with minimal CO2 emissions). This project aims to study the thermodynamics and chemical kinetics of thermal plasmas of water steam and exploratory research on the principle of reforming the plasma for the production of synthesis gas (H2 and CO) from the products generated from gasification of waste oil industry, to example of the tank bottom sludge and distillation residues from crude oil. Such products include tar (condensable hydrocarbons, as a furans, phenols), non-condensable hydrocarbons as a methane, ethane, and also dioxins. The focus of work will be in thermal processes in plasmas using a plasma torch of water steam. This device is integrated with a gasification system at the laboratory scale aimed at testing and possible innovations in systems assisted by plasma gasification. The effectiveness of the plasma gasification should be finally evaluated for the effect of the injection of dry water steam being checked the nature of the reactions, whilst monitoring the discharge parameters in order to optimize the selectivity of reaction and conversion efficiency of high molecular weight compounds into hydrogen and carbon monoxide.As a major aims of the proposal, we aim to obtain an appropriate clean fuel gas to be driven to a combustion system for utilization of its calorific value, for example, in a gas turbine or engine to generate electricity. (AU)