Low energy cost conversion of methane to ethylene in a hybrid plasma-catalytic reactor system

In this work, we report on low energy cost methane conversion to ethylene in a hybrid plasma-catalytic reactor system. Methane is first converted to acetylene, reaching up to 23.5% yield per pass, by a nanosecond pulsed discharge (NPD), and subsequently, acetylene is hydrogenated to ethylene using a Pd-based catalyst, which is placed in the post-plasma zone. Overall, ethylene is formed as major product at 25.7% yield per pass, consuming 1642 kJ/molC2H4, which is the lowest energy cost reported for plasma-assisted methane-to-ethylene conversion so far. The two-step process is carried out in a single reactor volume that aside from the discharge energy does not require any heat or hydrogen input since both are provided by methane cracking in the plasma zone itself.