Recent advances in energy efficiency optimization methods for plasma CO2 conversion

Yang Luo; Xiaofeng Yue; Hongli Zhang; Xiaoping Liu; Zhengwei Wu

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167486

Recent advances in energy efficiency optimization methods for plasma CO₂ conversion

Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jan 1:906:167486. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167486. Epub 2023 Oct 1.

Authors

Yang Luo¹, Xiaofeng Yue¹, Hongli Zhang¹, Xiaoping Liu², Zhengwei Wu³

Affiliations

¹ School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230009, China.
² School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230009, China; Institute of Building Carbon Neutrality, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230009, China. Electronic address: liuxp@hfut.edu.cn.
³ School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China. Electronic address: wuzw@ustc.edu.cn.

PMID: 37788772
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167486

Abstract

Efforts to develop efficient methods for converting carbon dioxide (CO₂) have drawn mounting interest due to incremental concerns over carbon emissions. Non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology has shown promise in this regard by producing numerous reactive substances at relatively low temperatures. However, an analysis of relevant literature reveals an underwhelming level of overall energy efficiency for this technology and an insufficient level of attention being paid to it. It is crucial to put forward more effective energy-saving schemes based on a comprehensive analysis of past research results to promote sustained development. This review highlights the latest advances in pertinent energy efficiency optimization studies and outlines state-of-the-art methods. In terms of energy efficiency optimization for plasma CO₂ conversion, a comparison is made among different research results in four aspects as follows. Specifically, this study analyzes reactor structure optimization in terms of discharge characteristic, flow field, and plasma contact area; discusses pathways of heat transfer optimization to suppress the competing reaction; and explores catalyst optimization in terms of active sites, calcination temperature, and product selectivity; examines the potential of utilizing solar energy for clean energy applications. The analysis of energy efficiency data indicates an overall improvement when the aforementioned optimization measures are applied, which is essential to validate the effectiveness of each method. Finally, this paper discusses the potential difficulties and future research areas of NTP technology. Urgent further research is imperative on energy efficiency optimization methods for potential large-scale industrial applications in the future.

Keywords: CO(2) conversion; Carbon reduction; Energy efficiency; Non-thermal plasma; Optimization methods.

Publication types

Review