Design and modeling of a plasma reactor for the production of O2 from the conversion of CO2

Inês Robalo Dias Martins dos Santos

Key information

Authors:

Inês Robalo Dias Martins dos Santos (Inês Robalo Dias Martins dos Santos)

Supervisors:

Pedro Arsénio Nunes Aleixo Viegas (Pedro Arsénio Nunes Aleixo Viegas); Nuno Rombert Pinhão (Nuno Rombert Pinhão)

Published in

November 18, 2025

Abstract

Driven by the need to value CO2 as a resource, this work designs a compact Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma reactor integrating non-thermal plasma CO2 dissociation with Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conducting (MIEC) membranes for selective oxygen separation and CO-based fuel production, targeting Mars in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and terrestrial O2 generation. A multiphysics framework using Gmsh, ElmerGRID, ElmerFEM, and ParaView guided reactor optimization with axisymmetrical 2D and 3D models. For future integration in the reactor, perovskite MIEC membranes of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-d (BSCF) and La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-d (LSCF) were synthesized via uniaxial pressing and silk-printing. A comparative analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential thermal analysis (DTA) evaluated the fabrication routes. The silk-printing method yielded LSCF membranes with superior microstructural homogeneity and mechanical integrity, while XRD confirmed both methods produce the required perovskite structure. DTA established the ceramic's thermal behavior, revealing a BSCF melting point near 1250°C. Simulation of the reactor shows that the necessary thermal conditions of approximately 730°C can be obtained with a 10 W heating power and 10 W plasma power. The model also includes stress analysis under operating conditions. Crucially, the combined heating strategy maintains the membrane's activation temperature, while the computed flow fields ensure sufficient gas-plasma contact for conversion. These results provide a critical blueprint for a functional prototype, de-risking the final design by ensuring compatibility with the MIEC membrane environment.