Abstract
Various types of plasma source applied in $CH_4$ decomposition process are compared. DBD by pulse and AC power, spark by pulse and AC power, rotating arc and hollow cathode plasma are chosen to be compared. The results show that $CH_4$ conversion per given unit power is relatively high in hollow cathode plasma and rotating arc that induces rather high temperature condition and that is why both thermal dehydration and plasma induced decomposition contribute for the overall process. In case of DBD wherein high temperature electron and low temperature gas molecule coexist, the process shows low conversion rate, for in rather low temperature condition the contribution of thermal dehydration is lowered. Selectivity of $C_2H_6$ and $C_2H_2$ is shown to be a good parameter of the relative contribution of plasma chemistry in the overall process. From the results we concluded that required condition of plasma source for a cost effective and high yield $CH_4$ decomposition is to have characteristics of both thermal plasma and non thermal plasma in which temperature is high above a certain threshold state for thermal dehydration and electron induced collision is maximized in the same breath.
