• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.255-273
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• 2018

To develop effective emission abatement strategies for eighteen coal-fired power plants located throughout Korea, power plant emission data and TAPM (The Air Pollution Model) were used to quantify the impact of emission reductions on primary $PM_{10}$ concentrations. TAPM was validated for two separate time periods: a high $PM_{10}$ concentration period from April 7 to 12, 2016, and a low $PM_{10}$ concentration period from June 1 to June 6 2016. The validated model was then used to analyze the impacts of five applicable power plant shut-down scenarios. The results showed that shut-down of four power plants located within the Seoul metropolitan area (SMA) would result in up to 18.9% reduction in maximum $PM_{10}$ concentrations, depending on synoptic conditions. A scenario for the shutdown of a single low stack height with highest-emission power plant located nearest to Seoul showed a small impact on averaged $PM_{10}$ concentrations (~1%) and 4.4% ($0.54{\mu}g/m^3$) decrease in maximum concentration. The scenario for four shutdowns for power plants aged more than 30 years within SMA also showed a highest improvement of 6.4% ($0.26{\mu}g/m^3$ in April) in averaged $PM_{10}$ concentrations, and of 18.9% ($2.33{\mu}g/m^3$ in June) in maximum concentration, showing almost linear relationship in and around SMA. Reducing gaseous air pollutant emissions was also found to be significant in controlling high $PM_{10}$ concentrations, indicating the effectiveness of coreduction of power plant emissions together with diesel vehicle emissions in the SMA. In addition, this study is implying that secondary production process generating $PM_{10}$ pollution may be a significant process throughout most regions in Korea, and therefore concurrent abatement of both gas and particle emissions will result in more pronounced improvements in air quality over the urban cities in South Korea.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.40-47
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• 2015

Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants not only emit less greenhouse gases and air pollutants than conventional coal-fired power plants, but also use low-price, low-quality, and internationally easily procurable coal. Thus we can benefit from safeguarding energy security through building the IGCC power plant. This paper attempts to value the benefits of energy security enhanced by IGCC power plant. To this end, we report here the results from a contingent valuation survey of randomly selected 600 households. A combination of a double-bounded model and a spike model is applied for the purpose of increasing statistical efficiency and dealing with zero(0) willingness to pay data, respectively. The results show that the respondents are additionally willing to pay 6.05 won for 1kWh of electricity generated from IGCC power plant. In other words, the benefits from safeguarding energy security through building the IGCC power plant are 6.05 won per kWh. Given that the expected amount of generation from the Taean IGCC power plant that is scheduled to be built in late 2015 is 2.27 TWh per year, the benefits are estimated to be 13.74 billion won per year.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.281-292
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• 2024

North Korea relies heavily on coal as the primary energy source, playing an important role in all energy demand sectors except for the transportation sector. Approximately half of the total electricity is generated through coal-fired power plants, and coal is used to produce heat and power for all industrial facilities. Furthermore, coal has been a significant contributor to earning foreign currency through long-term exports to China. Nevertheless, since the 1980s, indiscriminate mining activities have led to rapid depletion of coal production in most coal mines. Aging mine facilities, lack of investment in new equipment, shortages of fuel and electricity, difficulties in material supply, and frequent damage from flooding have collectively contributed to a noticeable decline in coal production since the late 1980s. North Korea's coal deposits are distributed in various geological formations from the Proterozoic to the Cenozoic, but the most critical coal-bearing formations are Ripsok and Sadong formations distributed in the Pyeongnam Basin of the Late Paleozoic from Carboniferous to Permian, which are called as Pyeongnam North and South Coal Fields. Over 90% of North Korea's coal is produced in these coal fields. The classification of coal in North Korea differs from the international classification based on coalification (peat, lignite, sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, and anthracite). North Korean classification based on industrial aspect is classified into bituminous coal, anthracite, and low-grade coal (Chomuyeontan). Based on the energy factor, it is classified into high-calorie coal, medium calorie coal, and low-calorie coal. In North Korea, the term "Chomuyeontan" refers to a type of coal that is not classified globally and is unique to North Korea. It is a low-grade coal exclusively used in North Korea and is not found or used in any other country worldwide. This article compares North Korea's coal classification and the international coal classification of coal and provides insights into the geological characteristics, reserves, utilization, and research trends of North Korean coal resources. This study could serve as a guide for preparing scientific and industrial agendas related to coal collaboration between North Korea and South Korea.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2013

Since the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in March 2011, critical views on the increase in operation of nuclear power plants including the safety and the economic feasibility thereof have been expanding across the world. In these circumstances, we are to find out solutions to the controversial questions on whether nuclear power plants are economically more feasible than other energy sources, while the safety thereof is fully maintained. Thereby, nuclear power plants will play a key role as a sustainable energy source in the future as well as at present. To measure the social safety level that Korean people are actually feeling after the Fukushima accident, a method of cost-benefit analysis called the Contingent Valuation Method(CVM) was used, whereby we wanted to estimate the amount of expenses the general public would be willing to pay for the safety based on their acceptance rather than the social safety. As a result of calculating the trade-off value of the economic feasibility versus the safety in nuclear power plants through the survey thereon, it caused the nuclear power generation cost to be increased by 4.75 won/kWh. Reflecting this on the current power generation cost of 39.11 won/kWh would increase the cost to 43.86 won/kWh. It is thought that this potential cost is still more competitive than the coal-fired power generation cost of 67 won/kWh. This result will be available as a basic data for the 2nd Energy Basic Plan to be drawn up this year, presenting policy implications at the same time.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2018

This study applied upgrades to the processes of a 10 MW wet amine $CO_2$ capture pilot plant and conducted performance evaluation. The 10 MW $CO_2$ Capture Pilot Plant is a facility that applies 1/50 of the combustion flue gas produced from a 500 MW coal-fired power plant, and is capable of capturing up to 200 tons of $CO_2$. This study aimed to quantitatively measure efficiency improvements of post-combustion $CO_2$ capture facilities resulting from process upgrades to propose reliable data for the first time in Korea. The key components of the process upgrades involve absorber intercooling, lean/rich amine exchanger efficiency improvements, reboiler steam TVR (Thermal Vapor Recompression), and lean amine MVR (Mechanical Vapor Recompression). The components were sequentially applied to test the energy reduction effect of each component. In addition, the performance evaluation was conducted with the absorber $CO_2$ removal efficiency maintained at the performance evaluation standard value proposed by the IEA-GHG ($CO_2$ removal rate: 90%). The absorbent used in the study was the highly efficient KoSol-5 that was developed by KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation). From the performance evaluation results, it was found that the steam consumption (regeneration energy) for the regeneration of the absorbent decreased by $0.38GJ/tonCO_2$ after applying the process upgrades: from $2.93GJ/ton\;CO_2$ to $2.55GJ/tonCO_2$. This study confirmed the excellent performance of the post-combustion wet $CO_2$ capture process developed by KEPCO Research Institute (KEPRI) within KEPCO, and the process upgrades validated in this study are expected to substantially reduce $CO_2$ capture costs when applied in demonstration $CO_2$ capture plants.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.152-156
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• 2003

Air pollution problems due to the emission of pollutants from the various industrial facilities become serious issues and lots of air pollution control processes have been developed. To remove the SO$_2$ and NOx emitted from the solid waste incinerator and coal fired power plants, we studied the Ca-based sorbent which was prepared by waste clam and limestone. The objectives of this study were to develop a clam-based sorbent for removal of SO$_2$ and NOx, and to investigate the physicochemical properties of the waste clam sorbent. In order to determine acid gas removal capacity of sorbent, the batch study on SO$_2$ and NOx removal was performed with the Ca-based sorbent in the fixed bed reactor. Results of the research revealed that clam-based sorbent can be used as the iron-manufacturing industry and chemical adsorbents for the removal of acid gases because the lime content of the waste calm was more than 53.92%. From physicochemical analysis and gas reaction experiments, it could be concluded that clam is good sorbent for the removal of SO$_2$ and NOx in waste incinerator and flue gas desulfurization processes.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.306-315
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• 2005

Total gas phase mercury (TGM) concentrations and event wet-only precipitation for Hg were collected for nine months (from April, 2002 to Dec., 2002) at Sterling, NY on the shoreline of Lake Ontario. TGM concentrations measured in this study ($3.02{\pm}2.14\;ng/m^3$) were in somewhat high range compared to other background sites. Using simplified quantitative transport bias analysis (SQTBA) possible sources affecting high Hg concentration in Sterling was identified, and they are coal-fired power plants located in southern NY and Pennsylvania. Wet deposition measured at Mercury Deposition Network (MDN) sites including Pt. Petre and Egbert, ON were compared with data obtained at the Sterling to estimate the total mercury wet deposition flux to Lake Ontario. The wet deposition flux was calculated to be the highest at the Sterling site ($7.94\;{\mu}g/m^2$ from April, 2002 to Dec. 2002) and the lowest at the Egbert ($3.92\;{\mu}g/m^2$), due to the both the difference in precipitation depth and Hg concentration in the precipitation. The deposition measured at the Sterling site is similar to Lake Michigan deposition of $6-14\;{\mu}g/m^2$ (converted for ninth months) measured for Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study (LMMBS).

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2022

Fly ash is a by-product of coal fired electrical power plants and used as a material for cement and concrete; particularly, imported fly ash is mainly applied for cement production. Main objectives of this article are to replace domestic fly ash with an imported source. To verify the possibility of domestic fly ash as a material for cement from the aspect of chemical composition and physical properties, we manufactured various kinds of cement, such as using only natural raw material, shale, and partial replacement with domestic and imported fly ash. When we used the domestic and imported fly ash, there were no specific problems in terms of clinker synthesis or cement manufacturing in relation to the natural material, shale. In conclusion, domestic fly ash has been confirmed as an alternative raw material for cement because 7 days and 28 days compressive strength values were better than those of reference cement using natural raw material, on top of the process issue.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.668-675
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• 2019

Fine dust in air pollutants is recognized as one of the most serious social environmental problems. Most of the NOx is generated in a combustion process such as that of a coal-fired power plant, and therefore efficient elimination of the NOx from the coal-fired power plants is needed. This study investigates the removal efficiency of using $TiO_2$, a photocatalyst, to remove NOx by Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). To evaluate the NOx removal efficiency, $TiO_2$ catalyst and phosphate binder were mixed on the surface of the $Al_2O_3$ substrate with the exothermic agent, and the substrate was heat-treated. The NOx removal efficiency of the catalysts was evaluated according to the temperature, and XRD, SEM, TG-DTA and BET analyzes were performed to investigate the physicochemical properties of the catalysts. NOx removal efficiency was 58.7%~65.9% at 20min, 63.7~66.0% at 30min with temperature change according to time($250^{\circ}C{\sim}500^{\circ}C$). The $TiO_2$ used in the SCR for NOx removal is judged to have the most efficient removal efficiency at $300^{\circ}C$.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 2024

In an effort to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, countries around the world are aiming to phase out coal-fired power plants. Due to various reasons, electricity production through coal-fired power generation and sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions are expected to continue in the future. In the South Korea, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) and lime materials are used to treat SOx, and most of the sodium bicarbonate is imported. Therefore, this research was conducted to replace sodium bicarbonate by improving the physical properties of lime materials using domestic limestone. Limestone was heat-treated through a box-type electric furnace and a vertical electric furnace. Due to the structural characteristics of the vertical electric furnace, a lime material(quicklime) was possible to improve the physical properties like a specific surface area and a pore volume. Then, they were reached to 22.33 m²/g specific area and 0.14 cc/g pore volume.