Numerical Study of Syngas Production during Partial Oxidation of Sour Natural Gases upon Activation of Oxygen by an Electrical Discharge

Abstract

The paper presents a numerical study of synthesis gas (H2 + CO) production during a low-temperature partial oxidation of sour natural gases in an atmospheric pressure plug-flow reactor upon activation of oxygen by an electrical discharge. Conversion features of sour gases with considerably different compositions are considered. One of them contains a noticeable amount of H2S and CO2, and the other consists mainly of methane. Calculations show that exposure of oxygen to an electrical discharge makes it possible to conduct the sour gas partial oxidation at a lower temperature (at least by 100 K compared to the thermal process) and to obtain the same yield of syngas. Specific energy required for production of 1 mol of syngas in this case can be 4.5–5 times lower than when using thermal conversion. The optimal fuel/oxygen equivalence ratio is φ ∼ 3. In this case, the maximum amount of syngas and minimal amount of byproducts form in the conversion products, and a lower energy supply is required per produced syngas. An addition of water vapor to sour gas does not lead to an increase in the syngas production during low-temperature plasma-assisted conversion of sour gases in the flow reactor.