• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2017

In this study, a finite element analysis approach is proposed to predict the fluid-structure interaction behavior of active materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which are mainly composed of graphite powder. The porous matrix of graphite powder saturated with fluid electrolyte is considered a representative volume element (RVE) model. Three different RVE models are proposed to consider the uncertainty of the powder shape and the porosity. P-wave modulus from RVE solutions are analyzed based on the microstructure and the interaction between the fluid and the graphite powder matrix. From the results, it is found that the large surface area of the active material results in low mechanical properties of LIB, which leads to poor structural durability when subjected to dynamic loads. The results obtained in this study provide useful information for predicting the mechanical safety of a battery pack.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.527-530
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• 2013

I present the behavior of colloidal adsorption to an oil-water interface in the presence of electrolyte in an aqueous subphase. The optical laser tweezers and the piezo controller are used to trap an individual polystyrene microsphere in water and forcibly transfer it to the interface in the vertical direction. Addition of an electrolyte (i.e., NaCl) in the aqueous subphase enables the particle to attach to the interface, whereas the particle escapes from the trap without the adsorption in the absence of the electrolyte. Based on the analytical calculations of the optical trapping force and the electrostatic disjoining pressure between the particle and the oil-water interface, it is found that a critical energy barrier between them should exist. This study will provide a fundamental understanding for applications of colloidal particles as solid surfactants that can stabilize the immiscible fluid-fluid interfaces, such as emulsions (i.e., Pickering emulsions) and foams.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.132-139
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• 2020

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are among one of the promising technologies for efficient and clean energy. SOFCs offer several advantages over other types of fuel cells under relatively high temperatures (600℃ to 800℃). However, the thermal behavior of SOFC stacks at high operating temperatures is a serious issue in SOFC development because it can be associated with detrimental thermal stresses on the life span of the stacks. The thermal behavior of SOFC stacks can be influenced by operating or material properties. Therefore, this work aims to investigate the effects of the thermal conductivity of each component (anode, cathode, and electrolyte) on the thermal behavior of samarium-doped ceria-based SOFCs at intermediate temperatures. Computational fluid dynamics is used to simulate SOFC operation at 600℃. The temperature distributions and gradients of a single cell at 0.7 V under different thermal conductivity values are analyzed and discussed to determine their relationship. Simulations reveal that the influence of thermal conductivity is more remarkable for the anode and electrolyte than for the cathode. Increasing the thermal conductivity of the anode by 50% results in a 23% drop in the maximum thermal gradients. The results for the electrolyte are subtle, with a ~67% reduction in thermal conductivity that only results in an 8% reduction in the maximum temperature gradient. The effect of thermal conductivity on temperature gradient is important because it can be used to predict thermal stress generation.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.237-242
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• 2009

In the pyroprocessing of spent nuclear fuels, fuel materials are recovered by electrochemical reactions on the surface of electrodes as well as stirring the electrolyte in electrolytic cells such as electrorefiner, electroreducer and electrowinner. The system with this equipment should first be scaled-up in order to commercialize the pyroprocessing. So in this study, the scale-up for those electrolytic cells was studied to design a large-scale system which can be employed in a commercial process in the future. Basically the dimensions of both electrolytic cells and electrodes should be enlarged on the basis of the geometrical similarity. Then the criterion of constant power input per unit volume, characterizing the fluid behavior in the cells, was introduced in this study and a calculation process based on trial-and-error methode was derived, which makes it possible to seek a proper speed of agitation in the electrolytic cells. Consequently examples of scale-up for an arbitrary small scale system were shown when the criterion of constant power input per unit volume and another criterion of constant impeller tip speed were respectively applied.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.69-75
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• 2006

The microbubbles were used in various fields, such as turbulent control, drag reduction, material science and life science. The X-ray PTV using X-ray micro-imaging technique was employed to mea-sure the size and velocity of micro-bubbles moving in an opaque tube simultaneously. Micro-bubbles of $10{\sim}60{\mu}m$ diameter moving upward in an opaque tube (${\phi}$=2.7mm) were tested. Due to the different refractive indices of water and air, phase contrast X-ray images clearly show the exact size and shape of over-lapped microbubbles. In all of the working fluids tested (deionized water, tap water, 0.01 and 0.10M NaCl solutions), the measured terminal velocity of the microbubbles rising through the solution was proportional to the square of the bubble diameter. The rising velocity was increased with increasing mole concentration. The microbubble can be useful as contrast agent or tracer in life science and biology. The X-ray PTV technique should be able to extract useful information on the behavior of various bio/microscale fluid flows that are not amenable to analysis using conventional methods.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.101-108
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• 2008

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are promising power generation devices which are ideal for residential and automobile applications, thanks to their fast transient characteristics. However, liquid water produced in PEM fuel cells should be properly managed to enhance the performances and durabilities of the cells. In this study, a visualization experiment was conducted to investigate the flow behavior of water droplets in cathode channels. The visualization experiment was done with four different model flow channels which were made by varying the material (Acrylic and Teflon) and the channel width (1 mm and 2 mm). Acrylic is hydrophilic (contact angle is about $80^{\circ}$) while Teflon is hydrophobic (contact angle is about $120^{\circ}$). A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was also performed to compare the observed and the simulated two-phase water/air flow characteristics in cathode channels. The computational models were made to be consistent with the geometries and surface properties of the model flow channels. Both the experimental and numerical results showed that the Teflon cathode channel with 1 mm width has the best water management performance among four model flow channels considered. A close correlation was found between the experimental visualization results and the numerical CFD simulation results.