Application of thermal plasma for production of hydrogen and carbon black from direct decomposition of hydrocarbon

Direct decomposition of hydrocarbon (methane, propane) was studied using a thermal plasma to produce high purity hydrogen and carbon black. Thermodynamic equilibrium compositions were calculated based on the minimization of Gibb's free energy, and decomposition experiments were performed on the basis of calculation results. The purity of hydrogen was found to be depended strongly on the flow rate of hydrocarbon. The decomposition conditions for high purity hydrogen were investigated. The purity of hydrogen produced from methane decomposition was higher than that from propane. In the case of propane, it was investigated that by products such as methane, acetylene, and ethane etc., by radical recombination under thermal plasma were produced more than that of methane. Produced carbon blacks were characterized by material analyses, such as XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and particle size analysis. In both methane and propane decompositions, well-crystallized carbon blacks were produced and showed uniform and sphere-like morphologies. The size of carbon black synthesized from methane was observed to be smaller than that from propane.