Plasma–Catalyst Synergy in Methane Reforming: Simulation-Guided Optimization for Hydrogen Production

Plasma-assisted non-oxidative methane reforming offers a low-temperature pathway for hydrogen and light hydrocarbon production. This study presents a zero-dimensional global model of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor using MATLAB’s stiff solver (ODE15s) to simulate time-dependent plasma kinetics and surface interactions. Under base conditions (70 W, 1 atm, 50 mL/min), hydrogen and ethylene emerged as major products, with moderate CH₄ conversion due to rapid radical consumption. Parametric analysis shows CH₄ conversion improves with increasing power (up to 47% at 90 W), while higher flow rates reduce efficiency. Introducing catalytic surfaces enhanced CH₄ conversion (~10%) and significantly boosted H₂ and C₂H₄ yields (by 38% and 150%, respectively), confirming strong plasma–catalyst synergy. Electron temperature (~2.9 eV) and density (up to 2.8 × 10¹⁶ m⁻³) stabilized rapidly, reflecting favorable non-equilibrium conditions. Model predictions aligned with experimental trends, and optimization identified ideal operating ranges (power: 87–90 W; pressure: ~1.0 atm) for maximum H₂ yield. These findings provide a validated framework for designing efficient plasma-catalytic methane reforming systems.