• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.414-418
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• 2012

The quantity of research on microbial fuel cells has been rapidly increasing. Microbial fuel cells are unique in their ability to utilize microorganisms and to generate electricity from sewage, pig excrement, and other wastewaters which include organic matter. This system can directly produce electrical energy without an inefficient energy conversion step. However, with MFCs maximum power production is limited by several factors such as activation losses, ohmic losses, and mass transfer losses in cathodes. Therefore, electron acceptors such as nitrate and ferric ion in the cathodes were utilized to improve the cathode reaction rate because the cathode reaction is very important for electricity production. When 100 mM nitrate as an electron acceptor was fed into cathodes, the current in single-cathode and dual-cathode MFCs was noted as $3.24{\pm}0.06$ mA and $4.41{\pm}0.08$ mA, respectively. These values were similar to when air-saturated water was fed into the cathodes. One hundred mM nitrate as an electron acceptor in the cathode compartments did not affect an increase in current generation. However, when ferric ion was used as an electron acceptor the current increased by $6.90{\pm}0.36$ mA and $6.67{\pm}0.33$ mA, in the single-cathode and dual-cathode microbial fuel cells, respectively. These values, in single-cathode and dual-cathode microbial fuel cells, represent an increase of 67.1% and 17.6%, respectively. Furthermore, when supplied with ferric ion without air, the current was higher than that of only air-saturated water. In this study, we attempted to reveal an inexpensive and readily available electron acceptor which can replace platinum in cathodes to improve current generation by increasing the cathode reaction rate.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.46-55
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• 2004

This paper presents a high-frequency ZVS-PWM boost chopper-fed DC-DC converter with a single active auxiliary edge resonant snubber in the load-side which can be designed for power conditioners such as solar photovoltaic generation, fuel cell generation, battery and super capacitor energy storages. Its principle operation in steady-state is described in addition to a prototype setup. The experimental results of ZVS-PWM boost chopper-fed DC-DC converter proposed here, are evaluated and verified with a practical design model in terms of its switching voltage and current waveforms, the switching v-i trajectory, the temperature performance of IGBT module, the actual power conversion efficiency and the EMI of radiated and conducted emissions. And then discussed and compared with the hard switching scheme from an experimental point of view. Finally, this paper proposes a practical method to suppress parasitic oscillation due to the active auxiliary resonant switch at ZCS turn off mode transition with the aid of an additional lossless clamping diode loop, and reduced the EMI conducted emission in this paper.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2003.07a
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• pp.223-226
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• 2003

This paper presents a high-frequency ZVS-PWM boost chopper-fed DC-DC converter with a single active auxiliary edge-resonant snubber which is used for power conditioner such as solar photovoltaic generation and fuel cell generation. The experimental results of boost chopper fed ZVS-PWM DC-DC converter are evaluated. In audition to its switching voltage and current waveforms, and the switching v-i trajectory of the power devices are discussed and compared with the conventional hard switching DC-DC converter treated here. The temperature performance of IGBT module,, efficiency, and EMI noise characteristics of this ZVS-PWM DC-DC converter using IGBTs are measured and evaluated from an experimental point of view.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.235-239
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• 2005

We analyzed the thermal and mechanical behaviors of micro reformer for the purpose of design verifications and modification of micro channels. The reformer designed for hydrogen generation from methanol is essential to PEM(Proton Exchange Membrane) type fuel cell. For the mobile applications, the size and the simplicity would be the most critical issues. We utilized silicon process for micro reformer to obtain the thickness thinner than 2 mm thick. We have used commercial simulation software, IDEAS, to analyze the thermal and mechanical characteristics of micro reformer structure. The heat generation rates of heaters, heat transfer rates, and fluid temperatures are derived from thermal equilibrium relation and these values were used for thermal boundary conditions. We also analyzed the thermal stresses, thermal deformations to examine the possibility of failure.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.140-148
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• 2005

The molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) is endowed with the high potential especially in future electric power generation industry by its own outstanding characteristics. KEPCO (KEPRI) started a 100 kW MCFC system development program in 1993 and has been executed 100kW system develpilot plant successfully completed first phaseopment by 2005 on the basis of successful results of 25kW system development. In this program, the components and mechanical structure for 100 kW stack and system construction were completed on last year and now system pre - commissioning was being executed. A 100 kW MCFC power plant was constructed at the site of Boryeong Thermal Power Plant. A 100 kW MCFC system has characterized as a high pressure operation mode, CO2 recycle, and externally reforming power generation system. The 100 kW MCFC system consisted with stacks which was made by two 50 kW sub-stacks, 90 cells with 6,000 cm2 active area and BOP including a reformer, a recycle blower, a catalytic burner, an inverter, and etc. The system has been operated from 13th of September on this year and produced 50 kW AC under atmospheric pressure condition and expected to operate by the end of this year.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.577-586
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• 2011

This paper describes the development of hardware simulator for the operation analysis of DC microgrid. The hardware simulator consists of several distributed power sources such as a wind power generation, solar power and fuel cell, and two energy storages such as a supercapacitor and battery. The main controller which performs a role of energy management and state monitoring is connected with the local controller in each power source and storage through ethernet-based communication link. The developed hardware simulator can be utilized to analyze the performance DC microgrid with practical manner.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.96-103
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• 2009

Wind power, Solar power and Fuel cell is the representative of new and renewal energy sources. In this paper, the frictional noise made by vehicles tire on roads is considered and researched as alternative electrical generation source. The amplitude and waveform of generated electricity with various types of vehicles according to their velocity, weight and distances between vehicles and sensor are measured and analyzed. As a result, all difference effects mentioned above which make the frictional noise affect quality and quantity of generated electricity. Maximum 0.53[V] and 0.028[W] electricity was generated by truck with 100[km/h] velocity on the express way.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 2011

This paper proposes critical load following back-up system using MCFC stack. This system enables MCFC generation system to supply power to critical load without UPS and to generate rated power under grid fault state. This back-up system includes 'Load Leveler' that is connected with 3-phase inverter and is controlled by additional algorithm that includes critical load following. The proposed system and algorithm are verified by computer simulation based on 5kW system.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2020

The use of high-gain-voltage step-up converters for distributed power generation systems is being popularized because of the need for new energy generation and power conversion technologies. In this study, a new constructed high-gain-boost DC-DC converter was proposed to coordinate low voltage output DC sources, such as PV or fuel cell systems, with high DC bus (380 V) lines. Compared with traditional boost DC-DC converters, the proposed converter can create higher gain and has wider input voltage range and lower voltage stress for power semiconductors and passive elements. Moreover, the proposed topology produces multilevel DC voltage output, which is the main advantage of the proposed topology. Steady-state analysis in continuous conduction mode of the proposed converter is discussed in detail. The practicability of the proposed DC-DC converter is presented by experimental results with a 300 W prototype converter.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.53-59
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• 2007

Now, the study is activity that the energy market depending on a fossil fuel tend to change different way. In middle of the study compositive use of renewable energy(fuel cell and wind power, solar cell, etc.) is dispersion power system which concern is increasing. But in the case of generation of electric wind power system is changeable to be turbulence and wind and win speed are changeable in several seconds, so making the best of wind energy the MPPT that role in this case is important. In this paper suggest a MPPT which is making a use of information of wind speed and turning speed, windmill, electric power but it is simpler than former way. We could verify that a proposed controller working at the highest point of electric power when wind speed is regular speed and changable speed through the simulation.