• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2021

The aim of this study is to evaluate the possibility of treating slaughterhouse by-products using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). The diluted pig liver was fed to MEC reactors with the influent COD concentrations of 772, 1,222, and 1,431 mg/L, and the applied voltage were 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 V. The highest methane production of 5.9 mL was obtained at the influent COD concentration of 1,431 mg/L and applied voltage of 0.9 V. In all tested conditions, COD removal rate was increased as the influent COD concentration increased with average removal rate of 62.3~81.1%. The maximum methane yield of 129~229 mL/g COD was obtained, which is approximately 80% of theoretical maximum value. It might be due to the bioelectrochemical reaction greatly increased the biodegradability of pig liver. Future research is required to improve the methane yield and digestibility through optimizing the reactor design and operating conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.7-14
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• 2010

Synthesis gas was produced by the partial oxidation of methane. For the preparation of catalysts, Ni, known to be active in this reaction and cheap, was used as the active component and $CeO_2$, having high oxygen storage capability and high redox ability, was used as the support. The catalysts were prepared by the impregnation and urea methods. The catalyst prepared by the urea method showed about 11 times higher surface area and finer particle size than that prepared by the impregnation method. The catalysts prepared by the urea method showed higher methane conversion and synthesis gas selectivity than that prepared by the impregnation method. In this reaction, carbon deposition is a problem to be solved, so La was added to the catalyst system to reduce the carbon deposition. TGA analysis results showed that there was 2% carbon deposition with La-added catalysts and 16% with La-free catalysts. It was found that the addition of La decreases the amount of carbon deposition and prevents catalyst deactivation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.1869-1879
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• 2000

A series of experiments were conducted for modeling the fate and effect of the coupled oxidation reduction reaction of ethanol and propionate recognized as important intermediates in anaerobic degradation metabolism. Anaerobic kinetics for conversion of propionate and the interaction with ethanol were investigated using the model of specific substrate priority utilization effect. Seed cultures for the experiment were obtained from an anaerobically enriched steady-state propionate master culture reactor (HPr-MCR), ethanol-propionate master culture reactor (EtPr-MCR) and glucose master culture reactor (Glu-MCR). Experiments were consisted of four phases. Phase I, II and III were conducted by fixing the propionate organic loading as 1.0 g COD/L with increasing ethanol loading of 0, 100, 200, 400 and 1,000 mg/L, to find metabolic interaction of ethanol and propionate degradation by each enriched anaerobic culture. In phase IV, different mixing ratios of Glu-MCR and HPr-MCR cultures with fixed propionate organic loading, 1.0 g COD/L, were applied to observe the propionate degradation metabolic behavior. In the results of this study, different pathways of propionate and ethanol conversion were found using a modified competitive inhibition kinetic model. Increase of $K_{s2}$ value reflected the formation of acetate followed by ethanol degradation. In addition. $K_3$ value was increased slightly as the reactions of acetate formation and degradation were occurred in acetoclastic methanogenesis.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.720-725
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• 2017

M(10)-Ni(5)/SBA-15(M=Ce, Nd, Sm) catalysts were prepared for the partial oxidation of methane (POM) to syngas. The catalysts were characterized by BET, TEM, and XPS. The BET-specific surface area and average pore size for M(10)-Ni(5)/SBA-15(M=Ce, Nd, Sm) were 538.8, 504.3, and $447.3m^2/g$ and 6.4, 6.8, and 7.1 nm, respectively. TEM results showed that the mesoporous hexagonol structure was formed for SBA-15, while the homogeneous dispersion of Ni and Ce particles on the surface was formed for Ce(10)-Ni(5)/SBA-15 caused by the confinment effect of SBA-15. XPS data confirmed that $Ce^{4+}$ and $Ce^{3+}$ on the surface catalyst have two oxidation states due to the lattice oxygen species ($O^{2-}$, $O^-$). The yields of POM to syngas over Ce(10)-Ni(5)/SBA-15 were 52.9% $H_2$ and 21.7% CO at 1 atm, 973 K, $CH_4/O_2=2$, $GHSV=1.08{\times}10^5mL/g_{cat.}{\cdot}h$, and these values were kept constant even after 75 h on streams. The same tendency of syngas yields was observed for M(10)-Ni(5)/SBA-15(M=Ce, Nd, Sm). These results confirm that the redox reaction of promoters including Ce, Nd, and Sm enhanced the stability and yield of catalysts.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.136-141
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• 2007

The decomposition of chlorinated methanes including $CCl_4$, $CCl_3H$, and $CCl_2H_2$ was carried out using a thermal plasma process and the characteristics of the process were investigated. The thermal equilibrium composition was analyzed with temperature by Fcatsage program. The decomposition rates at various process parameters including the concentration of reactants, flow rate of carrier gas, and quenching rate, were evaluated, where sufficiently high conversion over 92% was achieved. The generation of main products was strongly influenced by the reaction atmosphere; carbon, chlorine, and hydrogen chloride at neutral condition; carbon dioxide, chlorine, and hydrogen chloride at oxidative condition. The decomposition mechanism was speculated considering the results from Factsage and the identification of generated radicals and ionic species. The main decomposition pathways were found to be dissociative electron attachment and oxidative by radicals formed in a plasma state.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.9-16
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• 2019

In today's global energy market, the importance of green energy is emerging. Hydrogen energy is the future clean energy source and one of the pollution-free energy sources. In particular, the fuel cell method using hydrogen enhances the flexibility of renewable energy and enables energy storage and conversion for a long time. Therefore, it is considered to be a solution that can solve environmental problems caused by the use of fossil resources and energy problems caused by exhaustion of resources simultaneously. The purpose of this study is to efficiently produce hydrogen using plasma, and to study the optimization of DME reforming by checking the reforming reaction and yield according to temperature. The research method uses a 2.45 GHz electromagnetic plasma torch to produce hydrogen by reforming DME(Di Methyl Ether), a clean fuel. Gasification analysis was performed under low temperature conditions ($T3=1100^{\circ}C$), low temperature peroxygen conditions ($T3=1100^{\circ}C$), and high temperature conditions ($T3=1376^{\circ}C$). The low temperature gasification analysis showed that methane is generated due to unstable reforming reaction near $1100^{\circ}C$. The low temperature peroxygen gasification analysis showed less hydrogen but more carbon dioxide than the low temperature gasification analysis. Gasification analysis at high temperature indicated that methane was generated from about $1150^{\circ}C$, but it was not generated above $1200^{\circ}C$. In conclusion, the higher the temperature during the reforming reaction, the higher the proportion of hydrogen, but the higher the proportion of CO. However, it was confirmed that the problem of heat loss and reforming occurred due to the structural problem of the gasifier. In future developments, there is a need to reduce incomplete combustion by improving gasifiers to obtain high yields of hydrogen and to reduce the generation of gases such as carbon monoxide and methane. The optimization plan to produce hydrogen by steam plasma reforming of DME proposed in this study is expected to make a meaningful contribution to producing eco-friendly and renewable energy in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.682-688
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• 2015

Effect of electrode spacing on the performance of microbial electrolysis cells(MECs) for treating sewage sludge was investigated through lab scale experiment. The reactors were equipped with two pairs of electrodes that have a different electrode spacing (16, 32 mm). Shorter electrode distance improved the overall performance of MEC system. With the 16 mm of electrode distance, the current density was $3.04{\sim}3.74A/m^3$ and methane production was $0.616{\sim}0.804Nm^3/m^3$, which were higher than those obtained with 32 mm of electrode spacing ($1.50{\sim}1.82A/m^3$, $0.529{\sim}0.664Nm^3/m^3$). The COD removal was in the range of 34~40%, and the VSS reduction ranged 32~38%. As the current production increased, VSS reduction and methane production were increased possibly due to the improved bioelectrochemical performance of the system. Methane production was more affected by current density than VSS reduction. These results imply that the reducing the electrode spacing can enhance the methane production and recovery from sewage sludge with the decreased internal resistance, however, it was not able to improve VSS reduction of sewage sludge.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.224.2-224.2
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• 2010

연료개질기는 연료전지 시스템의 핵심 구성요소 중의 하나로 도시가스로부터 수소를 생산하는 역할을 담당한다. 연료개질기는 주로 탈황, 수증기 개질, 수성가스 전이, 선택적 산화 반응의 4단계로 구성되어 있으며 이 중 상온 탈황부분을 제외한 나머지 부분은 일체화 설계를 통해 제작된다. 탈황의 경우 도시가스에 포함된 부취제인 황화합물를 제거하여 후단에 위치한 촉매층이 황에 의해 피독되는 것을 막는 역할을 하며 주로 상온흡착식 탈황제를 사용한다. 황이 제거된 도시가스는 물과 함께 연료개질기로 도입되어 수증기 개질반응을 통하여 수소, 일산화탄소, 이산화탄소 및 소량의 메탄과 미반응 수증기로 구성된 개질가스로 전환된다. 이후의 수성가스 전이반응에서는 일산화탄소가 물과 반응하여 수소 생산량을 늘리며 동시에 일산화탄소의 농도를 낮추게 된다. 또한 고분자 전해질 연료전지에 공급되는 개질가스는 선택적 산화반응을 통하여 일산화탄소의 농도를 10ppm이하로 유지하게 된다. 이러한 기능의 연료개질기 개발의 주요 이슈로는 컴팩트화 및 고효율화이며 이 두가지 요소를 고려하여 연료개질기를 설계하여야 한다. 연료전지 시스템의 전체부피를 줄이기 위한 노력의 일환으로 연료개질기의 컴팩트화가 요구되는데 가정용 연료전지 기술 선진국인 일본 제품의 경우 $1Nm^3/h$급 연료개질기의 부피는 20L정도로 알려져 있다. 또한 연료전지 시스템의 효율은 연료개질기의 개질효율과 연료전지 스택의 발전효율의 곱으로 계산되기 때문에 연료개질기의 연료개질 효율은 전체 시스템의 효율에 직접적으로 영향을 미치게 된다. 한국에너지기술연구원에서는 수소생산량 기준 $1Nm^3/h$급 연료개질기의 개발을 완료하였으며 크기 및 효율면에서 선진국 제품과 비교하여 동등 또는 우위의 수준을 달성하였다. 연료개질기 내부의 혼합 및 분배 구조를 개선하고 각 촉매층의 최적 배치를 통해 연료개질기의 부피를 최소화 하였으며 연료개질기 내부에서 고온부위와 저온부위 사이의 최적 열교환을 통해 열효율을 극대화 시켰다. 현재 개발된 $1Nm^3/h$급 개질기의 단열 후 부피는 13.5L 그리고 단독운전 시 열효율은 80%(LHV)로 측정되었다. 또한 $1Nm^3/h$급의 연료개질기의 스케일-업 설계를 통하여 수소생산량 3, $5Nm^3/h$ 규모의 연료개질기를 개발하였으며 성능평가가 진행 중이다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.71.2-71.2
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• 2013

천연가스를 화학적 전환에 의해 부가가치를 높이기 위해서는 리포밍에 의해 합성가스(CO/H2)를 경유하는 간접전환경로가 현재로서는 가장 현실적인 방법이라 할 수 있다. 천연가스를 이용한 합성가스 제조기술은 수증기개질법(SRM), 이산화탄소 개질법(CDR, dry reforming), 부분산화법, 촉매 부분 산화법, 자열개질법 등으로 구분되며, 최근에는 각각의 제조방법의 장점을 고려하여 혼합개질법 또는 일련의 리포머 조합 방법이 개발되고 있다. CDR은 촉매 하에서 메탄과 이산화탄소의 직접접촉에 의해 반응이 일어나며, 수소와 일산화탄소의 비가 같은 합성가스가 제조된다. SRM에 비하여 고온에서 반응이 일어나고 전환율이 더 낮으므로 에너지 소비가 상대적으로 높다. 하지만, SRM과 함께 사용하면 합성가스 비율을 F-T합성이나 메탄올 합성에 적절한 비율로 조절이 가능한 장점이 있으며, 온실가스를 저감시킬 수 있는 전환기술로도 각광받고 있다. 본 발표에서는 최근의 CDR을 이용한 가스로부터 합성석유(GTL)와 메탄올을 고효율로 생산하는 기술 개발 동향에 대해서 소개하고자 한다.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 2017

The nitrogen plasma thermal decomposition and recovery processes for $CHClF_2$ (Chlorodifluoromethane) refringent were investigated. The steam generator was employed to provide superheated steam reactor, supporting the decomposition reaction of refringent. Even though over 94% of R-22 was decomposed on the condition of 60 A and 9.0 kW, a higher power and specific energy density were required to achieve the complete combustion of carbon materials. In the operating condition of 60 A and 12.6 kW, $O_2$/R-22 ratio in reactants gases are a key factor to obtain much higher decomposition ratio during process. It should be noticed that injecting the mixture of $O_2$ and air was much more effective than injecting the air consisting equivalent $O_2$ amount.