Experimental study of hydrocarbons synthesis from syngas by a tip-tip electrical discharge at very high pressure

International audienceThis paper is dedicated to the study of hydrocarbons synthesis from a syngas using a plasma process based on the generation of a electrical discharge at very high pressure. We report experimental results performed using a He/H2/CO mixture with the ratio 40%/48%/12% at a pressure of 2.2 MPa, through three modes of treatment: one continuous mode and two intermittent modes including a relaxation time between two successive discharges. The study shows that significant quantities of C1, and saturated and unsaturated C2 molecules are synthesized at these experimental conditions. It also indicates the better efficiency of the intermittent treatment modes for the C2 molecules synthesis. Estimates of the chemical synthesis balance occurring in the reactor during an instantaneous treatment are also presented in the manuscript. In addition, the study indicates a preliminary scan of other synthesized molecules which have been identified by varying the operating pressure in the continuous treatment mode