Reduction of CO/sub 2/ from combustion gases by DC corona torches

An experimental investigation has been conducted to reduce CO/sub 2/ from combustion gases by using DC corona torches. This plasma device, the corona torch, consists of two small-diameter hollow electrodes. The gas flow enters the upstream cylindrical hollow electrode and exits at a downstream cylindrical hollow electrode. Therefore, all the reactive gas passes through the active corona-induced plasma zone. High-speed gas flow near the exit of the electrode cools the electrodes; hence, the chemical reactions and the stability of discharge are enhanced. Various amounts of argon gas were added to the model combustion gas (N/sub 2/:O/sub 2/:CO/sub 2/=0.745:0.15:0.105). The results show that the CO/sub 2/ gas reduction rate increases with increasing corona current when the model gas is seeded with argon. The CO/sub 2/ gas reduction rate increases when the percentage of argon gas in the mixture increases up to 20%, and decreases when the percentage of argon gas in the mixture increases above 20%.<
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