ELECTRICALLY ASSISTED PARTIAL OXIDATION OF LIGHT HYDROCARBONS BY OXYGEN

The purpose of the process and device (1) to assist with gliding electric discharge plasma (4) the partial oxidation of hydrocarbons, accompanied by their steam reforming and/or reforming with CO2, is to produce gases rich in CO and H2 that may also have high contents of C2H4 and C2H2, without any formation of soot or coke. This mixture of products is achieved in a plasma reactor with gliding electric discharges (1) that glow in the compartment (15a) brought to a temperature lower than 1200 ~C and at a pressure of less than 6 bars. The discharges act directly in an oxothermic reactive medium consisting of hydrocarbons mixed with gaseous oxygen of any origin, and possibly with H2O and/or CO2. The flow of products activated by the plasma and exiting the zone (15a) comes into contact with a metal or ceramic material (19) placed in the compartment (15b) that is brought to a temperature not exceeding 1100 ~C. This material becomes active in the presence of the flow of products and, as such, it contributes to the enhancement of the conversion of the products exiting the plasma compartment (15a) into the final product.