• Journal of ILASS-Korea
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.60-67
• /
• 2024

This study compared exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and excess air strategies for improving thermal efficiency and emissions of hydrogen combustion engines at low-load operation. The experimental investigation was conducted in a single-cylinder, heavy-duty engine under throttling and wide-open throttle (WOT) conditions. Although both EGR and excess air strategies reduced peak heat release rates and increased combustion durations, the net indicated thermal efficiencies were improved by reducing the pumping losses. Under the constraint of similar nitrogen oxides emissions, the EGR strategy had higher net indicated thermal efficiencies compared to the excess air strategy in throttling operation. However, the difference between their thermal efficiencies was reduced under WOT condition. The trend of reducing nitrogen oxides emissions according to the two strategies was similar.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.468-473
• /
• 2008

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) induces cell proliferation in human aortic smooth muscle cells (hAoSMCs), which may be involved in atherogenesis and intimal hyperplasia. Recent studies have demonstrated that $Cl^-$ channels are related to vessel cell proliferation induced by a variety of stimuli. In this study, we investigated a potential role of $Cl^-$ channels in the signaling pathway of LDL effects on hAoSMC proliferation with a focus on the activation of Erk1/2-PI3K/Akt and the subsequent upregulation of Egr-1. $Cl^-$ channel blockers, DIDS, but neither NPPB nor Furosemide, completely abolished the LDL-induced DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. Moreover, DIDS, but not NPPB, significantly decreased LDL-stimulated $Cl^-$ concentration, as judged by flow cytometry analysis using MQAE as a $Cl^-$-detection dye. DIDS pretreatment completely abolished the activation of Erk1/2 and PI3K/Akt in a dose-dependent manner that is the hallmark of LDL activation, as judged by Western blot and proliferation assays. Moreover, pretreatment with DIDS ($Cl^-$ channel blockers) but not LY294002 (PI3K inhibitors) completely abolished the LDL-induced upregulation of Egr-1 to the same extent as PD98059 (MEK inhibitors to inhibit Erk), as judged by Western blot and luciferase reporter assays. This is the first report, to our knowledge, that DIDS-sensitive $Cl^-$-channels play a key role in the LDL-induced cell proliferation of hAoSMCs via the activation of Erk1/2 and PI3K/Akt and the upregulation of Egr-1.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.25 no.11
• /
• pp.1509-1517
• /
• 2001

An experimental and numerical analysis were conducted to investigate the transient temperature distribution and flame propagation characteristics over an inline polystyrene spheres under microgravity. From the experimental, a self-ignition temperature of polystyrene bead was 872 K under gravity. Flame spread rates were 4.7-5.1 mm/s with ambient gas N$_2$and 2.3-2.5 mm/s with ambient gas CO$_2$, respectively. Flame radius diameters were 17 mm with ambient gas N$_2$and 9.6 mm with ambient gas CO$_2$, respectively. These results suggest that the flame propagation speed could be affected in the Diesel engine and the boiler combustor by EGR. In terms of the flame spread rate and the transient temperature profile, numerical results have the qualitative agreement with the experiment.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.742-749
• /
• 2002

Numerical Study with detailed chemistry has been conducted to investigate the flame structure and NOx formation characteristics in oxygen -enhanced(CH$_4$/O$_2$-$N_2$) and oxygen-enhanced-EGR(CH$_4$/O$_2$-$CO_2$) counter diffusion flame with various strain rates. A small amount of $N_2$is included in oxygen-enhanced-EGR combustion, in order to consider the inevitable $N_2$contamination by $O_2$production process or air infiltration. The results are as follows : In CH$_4$/O$_2$-$CO_2$flame it is very important to adopt a radiation effect precisely because the effect of radiation changes flame structure significantly. In CH$_4$/O$_2$-$N_2$flame special strategy to minimize NO emission is needed because it is very sensitive to a small amount of $N_2$. Special attention is needed on CO emission by flame quenching, because of increased CO concentration. Spatial NO production rate of oxygen-enhanced combustion is different from that of air and oxygen-enhanced-EGR combustion in that thermal mechanism plays a role of destruction as well as production. In case CH$_4$/O$_2$-$CO_2$flame contains more than 40% $CO_2$it is possible to maintain the same EINO as that of CH$_4$/Air flame with accomplishing higher temperature than that of CH$_4$/Air flame. EINO decreases with increasing strain rate, and those effects are augmented in CH$_4$/O$_2$flame.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
• /
• 2001.11b
• /
• pp.185-190
• /
• 2001

Numerical Study with detailed chemistry has been conducted to investigate the flame structure and NOx formation characteristics in oxygen-enhanced$(CH_4/O_2-N_2)$ and oxygen-enhanced-EGR$(CH_4/O_2-CO_2)$ counter diffusion flame with various strain rates. A small amount of $N_2$ is included in oxygen-enhanced-EGR combustion, in order to consider the inevitable $N_2$ contamination by $O_2$ production process or air infiltration. The results are as follows : In $CH_4/O_2-CO_2$ flame it is very important to adopt a radiation effect precisely because the effect of radiation changes flame structure significantly. In $CH_4/O_2-N_2$ flame special strategy to minimize NO emission is needed because it is very sensitive to a small amount of $N_2$. Special attention is needed on CO emission by flame quenching, because of increased CO concentration. Spatial NO production rate of oxygen-enhanced combustion is different from that of air and oxygen-enhanced-EGR combustion in that thermal mechanism plays a role of destruction as well as production. In case $CH_4/O_2-CO_2$ flame contains more than 40% $CO_2$ it is possible to maintain the same EINO as that of $CH_4/Air$ flame with accomplishing higher temperature than that of $CH_4/Air$ flame. EINO decreases with increasing strain rate, and those effects are augmented in $CH_4/O_2$ flame. Complementary study is needed with extending the range of strain rate variation.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.21-26
• /
• 2013

Diesel low temperature combustion (LTC) is the concept where fuel is burned at a low temperature oxidation regime so that $NO_x$ and particulate matters (PM) can simultaneously be reduced. There are two ways to realize low temperature combustion in compression ignition engines. One is to supply a large amount of EGR gas combined with advanced fuel injection timing. The other is to use a moderate level of EGR with fuel injection at near TDC which is generally called Modulated kinetics (MK) method. In this study, the effects of fuel injection pressure on performance and emissions of a single cylinder engine were evaluated using the latter approach. The engine test results show that MK operations were successfully achieved over a range of with 950 to 1050 bar in injection pressure with 16% $O_2$ concentration, and $NO_x$ and PM were significantly suppressed at the same time. In addition, with an increase in fuel injection pressure, the levels of smoke, THC and CO were decreased while $NO_x$ emissions were increased. Moreover, as fuel injection timing retarded to TDC, more THC and CO emissions were generated, but smoke and $NO_x$ were decreased.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.41-47
• /
• 2005

Exhaust gas emissions from internal combustion engines are one of the major sources of air pollution. And. it is extremely difficult to increase gasoline engine efficiency and to reduce NOx and PM(particulate matter) simultaneously in diesel combustion. This paper offers some basic concepts to overcome the above problems. To solve the problems, a recommended technique is CAI(controlled auto-ignition) combustion. In this paper. internal EGR(exhaust gas recirculation) effect is suggested to realize CAI combustion. An experimental study was carried out to achieve CAI combustion using homogeneous premixed gas mixture in the constant volume combustion chamber(CVCC). A flame trap was used to simulate internal EGR effect and to increase flame propagation speed in the CVCC. Flame propagation photos and pressure signals were acquired to verify internal EGR effect. Flame trap creates high speed burned gas jet. It achieves higher flame propagation speed due to the effect of geometry and burned gas jet.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.179-184
• /
• 2007

In this study, the potential use of oxygenated fuels such as ethylene glycol mono-normal butyl ether (EGBE) was investigated in an attempt to reduce the emission of exhaust smoke from diesel engines. Effects of the combustion method on exhaust emission of DI and IDI diesel engines were also examined. Since EGBE is composed of approximately 27.1% oxygen, this is one of several potential oxygenated fuels that could reduce the smoke content of exhaust gas. EGBE blended fuels have been proven to reduce smoke emission remarkably compared to the conventional commercial fuels. The test was conducted with single and four cylinder, four stroke, DI and IDI diesel engines. The study showed that a simultaneous reduction of smoke and NOx emission could be achieved by the combination of oxygenated blend fuels and the cooled EGR method in both DI and IDI diesel engines. It was also found that a reduction rate of exhaust emission in a DI engine was larger than an IDI diesel engine.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
• /
• 2007.10a
• /
• pp.43.1-43.1
• /
• 2007

See Full Text

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.415-421
• /
• 2008

Pro-inflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandin $E_2$ (PGE2), nitric oxide (NO), and cyclooxygenases-2 (COX-2), play pivotal roles in normal as well as transformed cells. Previous studies have shown that Euphorbiae humifusae Wind exhibits anti-proliferative and antioxidant activities. However, the it's anti-inflammatory properties are unclear. In this study, we examine the effects of water extract of E. humifusae (WEEH) on the expression of COX-2 and the production of $PGE_2$ in human lymphatic U937 cells. Treatment of phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) significantly induced COX-2 expression and $PGE_2$ production in U937 cells. However, pretreatment WEEH markedly inhibited the PMA-induced COX-2 expression and $PGE_2$ production in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, WEEH prevented the elevated early growth response gene-1 (Egr-1) expression and nuclear factor-kappaB ($NF{-\kappa}B\; p65$) nuclear translocation stimulated by PMA treatment. Taken together, the present data indicate that WEEH exhibits anti-inflammatory properties by suppressing the transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes through the $NF{-\kappa}B$ and Egr-1 signaling pathway.