Towards plasma-enhanced gasification: Investigating free-burning carbon arcs in molecular gas mixtures

Authors

  • P. J. Pieterse Leibnitz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology, Greifswald, Germany
  • D. Gonzalez Leibnitz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology, Greifswald, Germany
  • A. Najam Leibnitz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology, Greifswald, Germany
  • R. Schimpke Institute of Energy Process Engineering and Chemical Engineering, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
  • M. Gräbner Institute of Energy Process Engineering and Chemical Engineering, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
  • D. Uhrlandt Leibnitz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology, Greifswald, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6534-147X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14311/ppt.2025.1.52

Keywords:

Free-burning arc,, graphite electrodes, molecular gas,, gasification

Abstract

A pre-study of free burning arcs between carbon electrodes for potential use in gasification processes is presented. Free-burning arcs offer the potential to be used without additional gas feed or significant changes to gas flows in established gasification systems as well as with minimal cooling requirements for improved energy efficiency. Direct current (DC) arcs with currents up to 200 A and power levels up to 40 kW have been operated in molecular gas mixtures of H2, CO and CO2. The electrical characteristics and dynamic behaviour of the arcs under various electrode configurations have been analysed, along with an assessment of electrode erosion. Finally, concepts for the power sources have been deduced and tested.

References

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D. Uhrlandt, A. Najam, G. Gött, et al. Electrical models of arcs in different applications. Plasma Phys. Technol., 11(1):28–35, 2024. doi:10.14311/ppt.2024.1.28.

A. Khakpour, S. Gortschakow, D. Uhrlandt, et al. Video spectroscopy of vacuum arcs during transition between different high-current anode modes. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 44(10):2462–2469, 2016. doi:10.1109/tps.2016.2602384.

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Published

2025-08-26

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 P. J. Pieterse, D. Gonzalez, A. Najam, R. Schimpke, M. Gräbner, D. Uhrlandt

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