On the efficiency of CO ₂ conversion in corona and dielectric-barrier discharges

The regimes of CO 2 discharges are considered in which conversion of CO 2 molecules proceeds mainly due to dissociation by electron impact. The efficiency of this process is estimated in the framework of an approximate analytical approach, using various CO 2 dissociation cross sections available in the literature. It is shown that the best fit with the set of experimental data of the conversion efficiency in corona and dielectric-barrier discharges, corresponding to the range of reduced electric field values higher than 90 Td, is provided by using, as the dissociation cross section, of the cross section by Phelps, for excitation of electronic states with the energy threshold of 10.5 eV.