skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


This content will become publicly available on April 1, 2026

Title: Dielectric Barrier Discharge Reactors for Plasma‐Assisted CO 2 and CH 4 Conversion: A Comprehensive Review of Reactor Design, Performance, and Future Prospects
Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma is a promising technology for catalysis due to its low‐temperature operation, cost‐effectiveness, and silent operation. This review comprehensively analyzes the design and operational parameters of DBD plasma reactors for three key catalytic applications: CH4conversion, CO2splitting, and dry reforming of methane (DRM). While catalyst selection is crucial for achieving desired product selectivity, reactor design and reaction parameters such as discharge power, electrode gap, reactor length, frequency, dielectric material thickness, and feed gas flow rate, significantly influence discharge characteristics and reaction mechanisms. This review also explores the influence of less prominent factors, such as electrode shape and applied voltage waveforms. Additionally, this review addresses the challenges of DBD plasma catalysis, including heat loss, temperature effects on discharge characteristics, and strategies for enhancing overall efficiency.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2427213 2427238
PAR ID:
10595726
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Wiley
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Energy Technology
Volume:
13
Issue:
4
ISSN:
2194-4288
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Lopez, J. L. (Ed.)
    In this study, voltage distribution and surface dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) of a microplasma discharge device (MDD) were modeled in 2-D domain using finite-element analysis (FEA). Initially, the voltage distribution across comb-, H-tree-, and honeycomb-structured MDD was analyzed. Then, the cross section of an MDD consisting of a polyimide-based dielectric sandwiched between two copper electrodes was used for modeling the microplasma discharge characteristics in an argon environment. A sinusoidal voltage was applied to one of the copper electrodes while the other electrode was grounded. The spatial distributions of electron temperature (ET) across the electrodes for varying input voltages were simulated to demonstrate the importance of breakdown voltage. A detailed analysis on the effect of varying electrode and dielectric barrier thicknesses on electron density and ET was also performed to understand the importance of optimizing device configurations for microplasma discharge. Moreover, MDD was also simulated in varying ambient temperature and pressure conditions to evaluate their effect on ET and density across the electrodes. The results from these simulations provide a better understanding of parameters such as varying input voltage, electrode, and dielectric thickness on ET and electron density. This enables us to optimize design parameters for fabricating MDDs and the operating conditions for effective sterilization applications. 
    more » « less
  2. In this report, CeO 2 and SiO 2 supported 1 wt% Ru catalysts were synthesized and studied for dry reforming of methane (DRM) by introducing non-thermal plasma (NTP) in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) fixed bed reactor. From quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) data, it is found that introducing non-thermal plasma in thermo-catalytic DRM promotes higher CH 4 and CO 2 conversion and syngas (CO + H 2 ) yield than those under thermal catalysis only conditions. According to the H 2 -TPR, CO 2 -TPD, and CO-TPD profiles, reducible CeO 2 supported Ru catalysts presented better activity compared to their irreducible SiO 2 supported Ru counterparts. For instance, the molar concentrations of CO and H 2 were 16% and 9%, respectively, for plasma-assisted thermo-catalytic DRM at 350 °C, while no apparent conversion was observed at the same temperature for thermo-catalytic DRM. Highly energetic electrons, ions, and radicals under non-equilibrium and non-thermal plasma conditions are considered to contribute to the activation of strong C–H bonds in CH 4 and C–O bonds in CO 2 , which significantly improves the CH 4 /CO 2 conversion during DRM reaction at low temperatures. At 450 °C, the 1 wt% Ru/CeO 2 nanorods sample showed the highest catalytic activity with 51% CH 4 and 37% CO 2 conversion compared to 1 wt% Ru/CeO 2 nanocubes (40% CH 4 and 30% CO 2 ). These results clearly indicate that the support shape and reducibility affect the plasma-assisted DRM reaction. This enhanced DRM activity is ascribed to the surface chemistry and defect structures of the CeO 2 nanorods support that can provide active surface facets, higher amounts of mobile oxygen and oxygen vacancy, and other surface defects. 
    more » « less
  3. Abstract This study reports an experimental comparison of two types of atmospheric pressure plasma jets in terms of their fundamental plasma characteristics and efficacy in bacterial sterilization. The plasma jets are fabricated by inserting a high voltage electrode inside a one-end closed (double DBD plasma jet) or both ends open (single DBD plasma jet) quartz tubes which are further enclosed inside a second quartz tube containing a ground electrode. Both plasma jets are operated in contact with water surface by using a unipolar pulsed DC power supply with helium as the working gas. Results from electrical and time-resolved imaging show that the single DBD configuration induces 3–4 times higher accumulation of charges onto the water surface with significantly faster propagation of plasma bullets. These results are accompanied by the higher discharge intensity as well as stronger emissions from short-lived reactive species which were analyzed through optical emission spectroscopy at the plasma-water interface. The rotational temperature for the single DBD configuration was observed to be higher making it unsafe for direct treatments of sensitive biological targets. These characteristics of the single DBD configuration result in the production of more than two times higher concentration of H 2 O 2 in plasma activated water. Shielding of the HV electrode reduces the plasma potential which in turn reduces the electric field & electron energy at the plasma-water interface. The reduced electric field for the double DBD configuration was lower by ≈463 Td than the single DBD configuration. The bactericidal efficacy of the two configurations of the plasma jets were tested against Escherichia coli , a well studied Gram-negative bacterium that can be commensal and pathogenic in human body. Our results demonstrate that although single DBD plasma jet result in stronger antibacterial effects, the double DBD configuration could be safer. 
    more » « less
  4. Miniaturized photoionization detectors (PIDs) are used in conjunction with gas chromatography systems to detect volatile compounds in gases by collecting the current from the photoionized gas analytes. PIDs should be inexpensive and compatible with a wide range of analyte species. One such PID is based on the formation of a He plasma in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), which generates vacuum UV (VUV) photons from excited states of He to photoionize gas analytes. There are several design parameters that can be leveraged to increase the ionizing photon flux to gas analytes to increase the sensitivity of the PID. To that end, the methods to maximize the photon flux from a pulsed He plasma in a DBD-PID were investigated using a two-dimensional plasma hydrodynamics model. The ionizing photon flux originated from the resonance states of helium, He(3P) and He(21P), and from the dimer excimer He2*. While the photon flux from the resonant states was modulated over the voltage pulse, the photon flux from He2* persisted long after the voltage pulse passed. Several geometrical optimizations were investigated, such as using an array of pointed electrodes. However, increasing the capacitance of the dielectric enclosing the plasma chamber had the largest effect on increasing the VUV photon fluence to gas analytes. 
    more » « less
  5. Abstract Aircraft icing, resulting from the freezing of supercooled water droplets on exposed surfaces, presents considerable hazards to flight safety by impairing aerodynamic performance and operating efficiency. This study empirically examines the interaction dynamics of supercooled water droplets and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators, emphasizing electrical, thermal, and phase transition phenomena. Supercooled droplets were produced via sonic levitation in a freezer set at −10°C and subsequently deposited onto the plasma actuator surface at −5°C. Electrical diagnostics indicated a reduction in current intensity following droplet impact which inhibited plasma discharge activity. Thermal imaging detected localized heating at nucleation locations, indicating a temperature plateau during freezing caused by latent heat release. A study of spatial temperature along the droplet x-axis revealed a pronounced thermal gradient, with the most significant temperature rise occurring adjacent to the plasma-exposed area. High-speed imaging elucidated droplet dynamics, demonstrating spreading, descent towards the ground electrode, and subsequent retraction following stabilization. These discoveries improve the comprehension of plasma-droplet interactions, aiding in the improvement of plasma-based anti-icing technology. This research promotes the creation of effective and environmentally friendly solutions for aviation safety and other areas affected by icing hazards. 
    more » « less