METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING A HYDROGEN ENRICHED FUEL USING MICROWAVE ASSISTED METHANE PLASMA DECOMPOSITION ON CATALYST

摘要

A METHOD FOR PRODUCING A HYDROGEN ENRICHED FUEL INCLUDES THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A FLOW OF METHANE GAS AT A SELECTED FLOW RATE, PROVIDING A CATALYST (56), PRODUCING A METHANE PLASMA AT A NEGATIVE PRESSURE USING MICROWAVE IRRADIATION AT A SELECTED MICROWAVE POWER, DIRECTING THE METHANE PLASMA OVER THE CATALYST (56), AND CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF METHANE GAS AND THE MICROWAVE POWER TO PRODUCE A PRODUCT GAS HAVING A SELECTED COMPOSITION. A SYSTEM (10) FOR PRODUCING A HYDROGEN ENRICHED FUEL INCLUDES A METHANE GAS SOURCE (16), A REACTOR (12) HAVING A REACTION CHAMBER (22) CONTAINING A CATALYST (56), A MICROWAVE POWER SOURCE (14) CONFIGURED TO FORM A METHANE PLASMA, AND A VACUUM PUMP (78) CONFIGURED TO MAINTAIN THE REACTION CHAMBER (22) AT A NEGATIVE PRESSURE.