CH$_4$ reforming with CO$_2$ in a nanosecond pulsed discharge. The importance of the pulse sequence

TL;DR

This study investigates how the sequence of nanosecond pulsed discharges affects methane reforming with CO2, revealing that pulse timing influences plasma efficiency and reactant conversion.

Contribution

It demonstrates that pulse sequence timing significantly impacts plasma performance and methane reforming efficiency in nanosecond pulsed discharges.

Findings

Successive pulses closer than 500 μs enhance reactant conversion.

Memory effects develop at short pulse intervals, improving energy efficiency.

Pulse sequence optimization leads to better plasma performance.

Abstract

The plasma dry reforming reaction of methane with carbon dioxide is investigated in a nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharge, a type of plasma that offers one of the highest non-equilibrium and performance characteristics. The experiment's purpose was to examine the effect of varying the sequence of high-voltage pulses for the same plasma energy. We find that when successive pulses are closer than 500 $\rm \mu$s, a memory-dominated regime gradually develops, which influences subsequent breakdown events. As a result, both a higher reactant conversion and more efficient use of the energy injected into the discharge plasma are achieved.