Progress in Plasma Processing of Materials, 1997

ISBN Print: 1-56700-093-2

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF AMMONIA DECOMPOSITION INJECTED INTO AN INDUCTION PLASMA STREAM

DOI: 10.1615/ITPPC-1996.440
pages 369-376

Résumé

The thermal decomposition of NH3, introduced into an induction plasma reactor operating at below atmospheric pressure, is investigated, Thermodynamics are initially used to predict the decomposition products ·of ammonia and to determine the minimum temperature required for complete decomposition. Experimentally, a cold wall reactor is used to contain the plasma, into which ammonia is injected axially. The temperature profiles of the plasma stream are evaluated by means of an enthalpy probe and the composition profiles of the plasma gas are measured in the mixing zone with the aid of the same enthalpy probe now connected to a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The results show that ammonia decomposition is strongly affected by both mass and energy transfer limitations and under very particular conditions a kinetic effect can also be observed in the decomposition zone.