Numerical simulation and experimental verification of gas streams feeding a gliding discharge plasma reactor

The modular device for the waste utilization, using the pyrolytic-plasma method, consists of, among others, the plasma reactor operating on the gliding discharge principles. The reactor is applied to oxidize hydrocarbons created in the process of the waste pyrolysis. Thus, the plasma reactor operation influences significantly the qualitative and quantitative composition of the output gases. Finding the most advantageous construction of the plasma reactor and the process parameters ensures full and complete oxidation of hydrocarbons. In the waste utilization process, two streams of gases were introduced into the plasma reactor through the system of two coaxial nozzles. The first stream was a mixture of argon and hydrocarbons and the second one was oxygen. Two different methods of gas introduction were considered. Methane was used as a model hydrocarbon both in calculations and in the experiments. On the basis of numerical calculations (Fluent commercial program), it was found that the most advantageous method of gas introduction into the reactor was the one in which the mixture of argon and hydrocarbons was introduced through the central nozzle and the oxygen was introduced through the outer one. This conclusion was confirmed experimentally.