• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2024

Methane is an abundant and renewable hydrocarbon, but it causes global warming as a greenhouse gas. Therefore, methods to convert methane into useful chemicals or energy sources are needed. Methanol is a simple and abundant chemical that can be synthesized by the partial oxidation of methane. Methanol can be used as a chemical feedstock or a transportation fuel, as well as a fuel for low-temperature fuel cells. However, the electrochemical oxidation of methanol is a complex and multi-step reaction. To understand and optimize this reaction, new electrocatalysts and reaction mechanisms are required. This review discusses the methanol oxidation reaction mechanism, recent research trends, and future research directions.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.968-974
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• 2010

We assessed the feasibility of discrete wavelet transform (DWT) applied for the spectral processing to enhance the estimation performance quality of soil organic matters using visible-near infrared spectra and mapped their distribution via block Kriging model. Continuum-removal and $1^{st}$ derivative transform as well as Haar and Daubechies DWT were used to enhance spectral variation in terms of soil organic matter contents and those spectra were put into the PLSR (Partial Least Squares Regression) model. Estimation results using raw reflectance and transformed spectra showed similar quality with $R^2$ > 0.6 and RPD> 1.5. These values mean the approximation prediction on soil organic matter contents. The poor performance of estimation using DWT spectra might be caused by coarser approximation of DWT which not enough to express spectral variation based on soil organic matter contents. The distribution maps of soil organic matter were drawn via a spatial information model, Kriging. Organic contents of soil samples made Gaussian distribution centered at around 20 g $kg^{-1}$ and the values in the map were distributed with similar patterns. The estimated organic matter contents had similar distribution to the measured values even though some parts of estimated value map showed slightly higher. If the estimation quality is improved more, estimation model and mapping using spectroscopy may be applied in global soil mapping, soil classification, and remote sensing data analysis as a rapid and cost-effective method.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.182-190
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• 2005

Purpose: There are differences between Standard Uptake Value (SUV) of CT attenuation corrected PET and that of $^{137}Cs$. Since various causes lead to difference of SUV, it is important to know what is the cause of these difference. Since only the X-ray CT and $^{137}Cs$ transmission data are used for the attenuation correction, in Philips GEMINI PET/CT scanner, proper transformation of these data into usable attenuation coefficients for 511 keV photon has to be ascertained. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy in the CT measurement and compare the CT and $^{137}Cs$-based attenuation correction in this scanner. Methods: For all the experiments, CT was set to 40 keV (120 kVp) and 50 mAs. To evaluate the accuracy of the CT measurement, CT performance phantom was scanned and Hounsfield units (HU) for those regions were compared to the true values. For the comparison of CT and $^{137}Cs$-based attenuation corrections, transmission scans of the elliptical lung-spine-body phantom and electron density CT phantom composed of various components, such as water, bone, brain and adipose, were performed using CT and $^{137}Cs$. Transformed attenuation coefficients from these data were compared to each other and true 511 keV attenuation coefficient acquired using $^{68}Ge$ and ECAT EXACT 47 scanner. In addition, CT and $^{137}Cs$-derived attenuation coefficients and SUV values for $^{18}F$-FDG measured from the regions with normal and pathological uptake in patients' data were also compared. Results: HU of all the regions in CT performance phantom measured using GEMINI PET/CT were equivalent to the known true values. CT based attenuation coefficients were lower than those of $^{68}Ge$ about 10% in bony region of NEMA ECT phantom. Attenuation coefficients derived from $^{137}Cs$ data was slightly higher than those from CT data also in the images of electron density CT phantom and patients' body with electron density. However, the SUV values in attenuation corrected images using $^{137}Cs$ were lower than images corrected using CT. Percent difference between SUV values was about 15%. Conclusion: Although the HU measured using this scanner was accurate, accuracy in the conversion from CT data into the 511 keV attenuation coefficients was limited in the bony region. Discrepancy in the transformed attenuation coefficients and SUV values between CT and $^{137}Cs$-based data shown in this study suggests that further optimization of various parameters in data acquisition and processing would be necessary for this scanner.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.319-325
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• 2015

Submicron-sized $CeO_2:Er^{3+}/Yb^{3+}$ upconversion phosphor particles were synthesized by spray pyrolysis, and their luminescent properties were characterized by changing the concentration of $Er^{3+}$ and $Yb^{3+}$. $CeO_2:Er^{3+}/Yb^{3+}$ showed an intense green and red emission due to the $^4S_{3/2}$ or $^2H_{11/2}{\rightarrow}^4I_{15/2}$ and $^4F_{9/2}{\rightarrow}^4I_{15/2}$ transition of $Er^{3+}$ ions, respectively. In terms of the emission intensity, the optimal concentrations of Er and Yb were 1.0 % and 2.0%, respectively, and the concentration quenching was found to occur via the dipole-dipole interaction. Upconversion mechanism was discussed by using the dependency of emission intensities on pumping powers and considering the dominant depletion processes of intermediate energy levels for the red and green emission with changing the $Er^{3+}$ concentration. An energy transfer from $Yb^{3+}$ to $Er^{3+}$ in $CeO_2$ host was mainly involved in ground-state absorption (GSA), and non-radiative relaxation from $^4I_{11/2}$ to $^4I_{13/2}$ of $Er^{3+}$ was accelerated by the $Yb^{3+}$ co-doping. As a result, the $Yb^{3+}$ co-doping led to greatly enhance the upconversion intensity with increasing ratios of the red to green emission. Finally, it is revealed that the upconversion emission is achieved by two photon processes in which the linear decay dominates the depletion of intermediate energy levels for green and red emissions for $CeO_2:Er^{3+}/Yb^{3+}$ phosphor.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.53-63
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• 1995

A 100kW class stack consisting of 10 molten carbonate fuel cells has been fabricated. Internally manifold stack has been tested for endurance. Each cell in the stack had an electrode area of $100cm^2$ and reactant gases were distributed in each cells in a cross-flow configuration. Initial and long term operation performance of the stack was investgated as a function of gas utilization using a specially designed small scale stack test facility. It was possible to have a stack with an output of more than 100W using an anode gas of 72% $H_2/18%$ $CO_2/10%H_2O$ and cathode gas of 33% $O_2/67%$ $CO_2$ and 70% Air 30% $CO_2$. The output and voltage of the stack at a current 15A($150mA/cm^2$) and gas utilization of 0.4 showed 125.8W and 8.39V respectively by elapsed time of 310 hours operation. In long term operation characteristics, the voltage drop of 52.4mV/1000hour was observed after more than 1,840 hours operation. Among the voltage drop, the OCV loss was highest than other voltage loss such as internal resistance and electrode polarization. Non uniformity of 2voltages and degradation of cell voltage in the stack was observed in according to changing the utilization rate after a long term operation. Further work for increasing the performance prolonging the life of the stack are required.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.104.1-104.1
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• 2011

가볍고, 유연성(flexibility)을 갖는 박막(thin film)형 플랙서블 태양전지(flexible solar cell)는 상황에 따른 형태의 변형이 가능하여, 휴대가 간편하고, 기존 혹은 신규 구조물의 지붕(rooftop)등에 설치가 용이하여, 차세대 성장 동력 분야에서 각광받고 있다. 그러나 아직까지 플랙서블 태양전지는 제작시 열에 의한 기판의 변형, 기판 이송시 너울 현상, 대면적 패터닝(patterning) 기술 등 많은 어려움 등으로 웨이퍼나 글라스 기판에 제조된 태양전지 대비 낮은 광전환 효율을 갖는다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 플랙서플 태양전지 성능개선을 위해 3.5세대급 ($450{\times}450cm^2$) 스퍼터(sputter), 금속유기 화학기상장치 (MOCVD), 플라즈마 화학기상장치 (PECVD), 레이저 가공장치 (Laser scriber)를 이용하여 a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H 이중접합(tandem)을 갖는 태양전지를 제작하였고, 광 변환효율 특성을 평가하였다. 전도도(conductivity), 라만(Raman)분광 및 UV/Visible 분광 분석을 통하여 박막의 전기적, 구조적, 광학적 물성을 평가하여 단위박막의 물성을 최적화 했다. 또한 제작된 태양전지는 쏠라 시뮬레이터 (Solar Simulator)를 이용하여 성능 평가를 수행하였고, 상/하부층의 전류 정합 (current matching)을 위해 외부양자효율 (external quantum efficiency) 분석을 수행하였다. 제작된 이중접합 접이식 태양전지로 소면적($0.25cm^2$)에서 8.7%, 대면적($360cm^2$ 이상) 8.0% 이상의 효율을 확보하였으며, 성능 개선을 위해 대면적 패턴 기술 향상 및 공정 기술 개선을 수행 중이다.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.171-181
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• 2011

Recently, many studies have been attempted to save the cost of production and to build the ocean energy power generating system. The low-reflection structure with the wall-typed curtain which has a wave power generation system of OWC is known as the most effective energy conversion system. A three-dimensional numerical model was used to understand the characteristics of velocity of flows about compressed air and to estimate the pressure acting on the low-reflection structure due to the short-period waves. The three-dimensional numerical wave flume which is the model for the immiscible two-phase flow was applied in interpretation for this. The numerical simulation showed well about the changes in velocity of compressed air and the characteristics of pressure according to the change in the wave height and depth of the curtain wall. Additionally, the results found that there was the point of the maximum velocity of the compressed air when the reflection coefficient is at its lowest point.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2018

The proportion of natural gas-fueled power generation is expanding due to the change of domestic energy policy pursuing reduction of dust and increasing clean energy consumption. Natural gas fuels used for the combined-cycle power plants and the district-heating power plants are operated at high temperature and high pressure in the fuel supply system. Accidents due to leakage of the gas such as fire and explosion should be prevented by applying risk management techniques. In this study, risk assessment was performed on the natural gas fuel supply system of a combined power plant based on the API RP 581 RBI code. For the application of the API RBI code, lines and segments of the evaluation target system were identified. Operational data and input information were analyzed for the calculations of probability of failure and consequence of failure. The results of the risk assessment were analyzed over time from the initial installation time. In the code-based evaluation, the gas fuel supply system was mainly affected by thinning, external damage, and mechanical fatigue damage mechanisms. As the operating time passes, the risk is expected to increase due to the external damage caused by the CUI(Corrosion Under Insulation).

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.60-66
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• 1998

The hot stove system is a process that is continuously and constantly generating the hot combustion air required for the blast furnace. The hot stove process is considered as a main energy consumption process because it consumes about $20\%$ of the total energy in steel making works. So, many researchers have interested in the improvement of the heat efficiency of the hot stove to reduce the energy consumption. But they have difficulties in improving the heat efficiency of the hot stove because there is no precise information on heat transformation occurring during the heating period. In order to model the relationship between the operating conditions and heat efficiencies, we propose a neural network using feature extraction as one of experimental modeling methods. In order to show the performance of the model, we compare it with Partial Least Square (PLS) method. Both methods have similarities in using the dimension reduction technique. And then we present the simulation results on the prediction of the heat efficiency of the hot stove.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2012

In the present study, a gamma-ray detector and associated signal processing circuit was developed for a side-absorber of a dual-mode Compton camera. The gamma-ray detector was made by optically coupling a CsI(Tl) scintillation crystal to a silicon photodiode. The developed signal processing circuit consists of two parts, i.e., the slow part for energy measurement and the fast part for timing measurement. In the fast part, there are three components: (1) fast shaper, (2) leading-edge discriminator, and (3) TTL-to-NIM logic converter. AC coupling configuration between the detector and front-end electronics (FEE) was used. Because the noise properties of FEE can significantly affect the overall performance of the detection system, some design criteria were presented. The performance of the developed system was evaluated in terms of energy and timing resolutions. The evaluated energy resolution was 12.0% and 15.6% FWHM for 662 and 511 keV peaks, respectively. The evaluated timing resolution was 59.0 ns. In the conclusion, the methods to improve the performance were discussed because the developed gamma-ray detection system showed the performance that could be applicable but not satisfactory in Compton camera application.