• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1119-1122
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• 2006

Aeration by using diffusers usually requires approximately 50~90% of the total electricity needed to operate WWTP (WasteWater Treatment Plant)s. Accurate evaluation of the oxygen transfer efficiency for an aeration system, and recommendation of a better alternative may help saving WWTP operational costs. Appropriate techniques and methods to achieve this purpose have not been introduced in Korea. In this study, in-process analysis was performed for a coarse bubble aeration system by the off-gas method to evaluate its applicability in Korea. To accomplish this analysis, an off-gas test, unsteady-state clean water test and steady-state off-gas column test was conducted and comparisons to other aeration systems were made. The ${\alpha}$ and the F estimated from the results of the unsteady-state clean water test and the steady-state off-gas column test were 0.61 and 0.90 respectively in a coarse bubble aeration system. The comparison of P.E tube diffusers laid out single spiral roll and ceramic dome diffusers laid out full floor coverage showed that the oxygen transfer efficiency of the coarse bubble aeration system was less than or similar to other aeration systems. But, airflow rates per unit area were 4~5 times greater than other aeration systems. In regards to the oxygen transfer efficiency for airflow rates per unit area, a retrofit to higher efficiency diffusers was urgently needed. This study showed proved that off-gas methods can apply to evaluate diffuser performances to estimate operating factors and to compare other aeration systems in Korea.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.12-21
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• 2017

Red mud generated in the alumina manufacturing process contains various valuable resources, but it is not comprehensively recycled yet causing severe environmental problems. In Korea, red mud is producing about 200,000 tons annually and most of them are landfilled or disposed. Red mud's recycling technology is also being developed in many countries, but red mud's recycling technologies are still lacking compared to the production rate. In this study, we analyzed the characteristics and the amount of red mud, and the current status and technology development trend. Red mud has shown that recycling studies are being carried out in fields such as construction, recycling, metal recovery, adsorbent, and pollution stabilization. In particular, technologies for recovering rare earths have been developed as worldwide because of their high economic value. The data analyzed in this study will be used as basic data for the further development of technologies in the future.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2022

An environmental evaluation was conducted by employing LCA methodology for a mechanical seal manufacturing process that uses recycled silicon recovered from end-of-cycle PV modules. The recycled silicon was purified and reacted with carbon to synthesize β-SiC particles. Then the particles underwent compression molding, calcination and heat treatment to produce a product. Field data were collected and the potential environmental impacts of each stage were calculated using the LCI DB of the Ministry of Environment. The assessment was based on 6 categories, which were abiotic resource depletion, acidification, eutrophication, global warming, ozone depletion and photochemical oxidant creation. The environmental impacts by category were 45 kg CO₂ for global warming and 2.23 kg C₂H₄ for photochemical oxide creation, and the overall environmental impact by photochemical oxide creation, resource depletion and global warming had a high contribution of 98.7% based on weighted analysis. The wet process of fine grinding and mixing the raw silicon and carbon, and SiC granulation were major factors that caused the environmental impacts. These impacts need to be reduced by converting to a dry process and using a system to recover and reuse the solvent emitted to the atmosphere. It was analyzed that the environmental impacts of resource depletion and global warming decreased by 53.9% and 60.7%, respectively, by recycling silicon from end-of-cycle PV modules. Weighted analysis showed that the overall environmental impact decreased by 27%, and the LCA analysis confirmed that recycling waste modules could be a major means of resource saving and realizing carbon neutrality.

• Clean Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.172-179
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• 2009

The thermoplastic polyurethane waste (TPU-S) with good tensile properties, hardness, NBS abrasion resistance, specific gravity and low wet coefficient of kinetic friction was melt-blended with ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) with high wet slip resistance and low mechanical properties to form EPDM/TPU-S blend films, and their composition-property relationship was investigated to find the optimum composition for shoe outsole material. The properties except the wet slip resistance increased with increasing TPU-S contents in the blend. All the properties except elongation at break, specific gravity and the wet coefficient of kinetic friction in the range of $0{\sim}65\;wt%$ of TPU-S did not attain the values predicted by the simple additive rule. The optimum weight ratio of EPDM/TPU-S for the application to the typical shoe outsole material was found to be 30/70.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.908-913
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• 2001

Paper sludge Ash (PA) and Fly Ash (FA) wastes are usually land-filled for reclamation or substituted for cements as a resource. It could also offer some advantages when they are substituted for clay to preserve the environment. To recycle those wastes, the sintered specimen made of PA-FA-Clay system were examined to find the microstructure and physical properties. The ratio of clay to wastes was fixed as 30:70 by wt%, while PA to FA within waste portion were varied in the range of $1:6{\sim}7:0$. Those specimens were fired in $1150{\sim}1350^{\circ}C$. It was found that the relative density of sintered specimen was increased with amount of PA added at low sintering temperature (i.e, $1150{\sim}1200^{\circ}C$). This is due to increased amount of liquid during sintering. It is shown, however that at high sintering temperature ($1250{\sim}1350^{\circ}C$), the relative density of specimens was decreased with amount of PA added. This is because of overfiring phenomenon which may be able to induce an inhomogeneous microstructure and increased porosity. The mechanical properties of sintered specimen were depended upon the homogeneity of microstructure in accordance with SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and pore size distribution analysis. For example, the compressive strength of 10PA-60FA-30Clay specimen sintered at $1225^{\circ}C$ was twice higher than that of 70PA-30Clay specimen even thought the relative density of those specimen was similar. This decreased strength of 70PA-30Clay specimen appears to be an inhomogeneity of microstructure due to overfiring.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.492-507
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• 2010

This article reviews the papers published in the Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering during 2009. It is intended to understand the status of current research in the areas of heating, cooling, ventilation, sanitation, and indoor environments of buildings and plant facilities. Conclusions are as follows. (1) Research trends of thermal and fluid engineering have been surveyed as groups of general thermal and fluid flow, fluid machinery and piping, and new and renewable energy. Various topics were covered in the field of general thermal and fluid flow such as an expander, a capillary tube, the flow of micro-channel water blocks, the friction and anti-wear characteristics of nano oils with mixtures of refrigerant oils, etc. Research issues mainly focused on the design of micro-pumps and fans, the heat resistance reliability of axial smoke exhaust fans, and hood systems in the field of fluid machinery and piping. Studies on ground water sources were executed concerning two well type geothermal heat pumps and multi-heat pumps in the field of new and renewable energy. (2) Research works on heat transfer area have been reviewed in the categories of heat transfer characteristics and industrial heat exchangers. Researches on heat transfer characteristics included the heat transfer in thermoelectric cooling systems, refrigerants, evaporators, dryers, desiccant rotors. In the area of industrial heat exchangers, researches on high temperature ceramic heat exchangers, plate heat exchangers, frosting on fins of heat exchangers were performed. (3) In the field of refrigeration, papers were presented on alternative refrigerants, system improvements, and the utilization of various energy sources. Refrigeration systems with alternative refrigerants such as hydrocarbons, mixed refrigerants, and $CO_2$ were studied. Efforts to improve the performance of refrigeration systems were made applying various ideas of suction line heat exchangers, subcooling bypass lines and gas injection systems. Studies on heat pump systems using unutilized energy sources such as river water, underground water, and waste heat were also reported. (4) Research trend in the field of mechanical building facilities has been found to be mainly focused on field applications rather than performance improvements. In the area of cogeneration systems, papers on energy and economic analysis, LCC analysis and cost estimating were reported. Studies on ventilation and heat recovery systems introduced the effect on fire and smoke control, and energy reduction. Papers on district cooling and heating systems dealt with design capacity evaluation, application plan and field application. Also, the maintenance and management of building service equipments were presented for HVAC systems. (5) In the field of architectural environment, various studies were carried to improve indoor air quality and to analyze the heat load characteristics of buildings by energy simulation. These studies helped to understand the physics related to building load characteristics and to improve the quality of architectural environment where human beings reside in.