Plasma torch

Macroeconomics

Quantum mechanics

Engineering

Materials science

Nuclear physics

Plasma

Economics

Chemical engineering

Geology

Atmospheric pressure

Oceanography

Waste management

Hydrogen

Physics

Nonthermal plasma

Organic chemistry

Polyethylene

Environmental science

Composite material

Low-density polyethylene

Chemistry

Hydrogen production

Production (economics)

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Hydrogen is largely produced via natural gas reforming or electrochemical water-splitting, leaving organic solid feedstocks under-utilized. Plasma technology powered by renewable electricity can lead to the sustainable upcycling of plastic waste and production of green hydrogen. In this work, low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma reactors based on transferred arc (transarc) and gliding arc (glidarc) discharges are designed, built, and characterized to produce hydrogen from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) as a model plastic waste. Experimental results show that hydrogen production rate and efficiency increase monotonically with increasing voltage level in both reactors, with the maximum hydrogen production of 0.33 and 0.42 mmol/g LDPE for transarc and glidarc reactors, respectively. For the transarc reactor, smaller electrode-feedstock spacing favors greater hydrogen production, whereas, for the glidarc reactor, greater hydrogen production is obtained at intermediate flow rates. The hydrogen production from LDPE is comparable despite the markedly different modes of operation between the two reactors.

Nonthermal atmospheric plasma reactors for hydrogen production from low-density polyethylene