• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.315-322
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• 2015

The research carried out on thorium-based fuels indicates that these fuels can be considered as economic alternatives with improved physical properties and proliferation resistance issues. In the current study, neutronic assessment of $UO_2$ in comparison with two $(Th-^{233}U)O_2$, and $(Th-^{235}U)O_2$ thorium-based fuel loads in a heavy water research reactor has been proposed. The obtained computational data showed both thorium-based fuels caused less negative temperature reactivity coefficients for the modeled research reactor in comparison with $UO_2$ fuel loading. By contrast, $^{235}U$-containing thorium-based fuel and $^{235}U$-containing thorium-based fuel loadings in the thermal core did not drastically reduce the effective delayed neutron fractions and delayed neutron fractions compared to $UO_2$ fuel. A provided higher conversion factor and lower transuranic production in the research core fed by the thorium-based fuels make the fuel favorable in achieving higher cycle length and less dangerous and costly nuclear disposals.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.203-211
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• 2022

The aim of this paper is to analyze the performance of commercial fuel cell (rated capacity 1000W) with the help of resistive load and output power variation with change in H₂ flow rate and calculate the maximum power point (MPP) of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) while changing AC and DC load respectively. The factors influencing the output power of a fuel cell are hydrogen flow rate, cell temperature, and membrane water content. The results show that when the H₂ flow rate is changed from 11, 13, and 15 Lpm, MPP is increased from lower to higher flow rate. The power of the fuel cell is increased at the rate of 29% by increasing the flow rate from 11 to 15 lpm. This study will allow small-scale industries and residential buildings (in remote or inaccessible areas) to characterize the performance of PEMFC. Furthermore, fuel cell helps in reducing emission in the environment compared to fossil fuels. Also, fuel cells are ecofriendly as well as cost effective and can be the best alternative way to convert energy.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.357-363
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• 2021

Eco-friendly hybrid railroad propulsion system with fuel-cell and battery was suggested to reduce carbon dioxide gas and replace retired diesel railroads. Lithium-ion battery with high energy/power density and long lifetime is selected as the energy source at the battery side due to its excellent performance. However, the performance of lithium-ion batteries was affected by temperature, current rate, and operating condition. Temperature is known to be the most influential factor in changing battery parameters. In addition, appropriate thermal management is required to ensure the safe and effective operation of lithium-ion battery. Electro-thermal coupled model with varying parameter depends on temperature, and state-of-charge (SOC) is suggested to estimate battery temperature. The electric-thermal coupled model contains diffusion current using parameter identification by adaptive control algorithm when considering thermal diffusion effect. An experiment under forced convection was conducted using cylindrical cell and 18 parallel-connected battery module to demonstrate the method.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.487-492
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• 2011

The effect of the application of lanthanum strontrium manganite and yttria-stabilized zirconia (LSM-YSZ) nano-composite fabricated by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) as a cathode of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is studied. A gradient-structure thin-film cathode composed of 1 micron-thick LSM-YSZ deposited at an ambient pressure ($P_{amb}$) of 200 mTorr; 2 micron-thick LSM-YSZ deposited at a $P_{amb}$ of 300 mTorr; and 2 micron-thick lanthanum strontium cobaltite (LSC) current collecting layer was fabricated on an anode-supported SOFC with an ~8 micron-thick YSZ electrolyte. In comparison with a 1 micron-thick nano-structure single-phase LSM cathode fabricated by PLD, it was obviously effective to increase triple phase boundaries (TPB) over the whole thickness of the cathode layer by employing the composite and increasing the physical thickness of the cathode. Both polarization and ohmic resistances of the cell were significantly reduced and the power output of the cell was improved by a factor of 1.6.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.17-24
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• 2009

Reburning is one of the most useful technologies for reducing nitric oxide in economically and technically. The reburning process was demonstrated as an effective NOx reduction method through injection of a secondary hydrocarbon fuel. An experimental study has been conducted to evaluate the effect of biomass reburning on NOx and CO formation in a light oil flamed combustion furnace. Reburning tests on NOx reduction of air-carried rice husk powder as the reburn fuel and light oil as the main fuel were performed in flames stabilized by a co-flow swirl and fuel staged burner, which was mounted at the front of the furnace. The results included flue gas emissions and temperature distribution in the furnace for several kinds of experimental conditions. It was observed clearly that NOx concentrations in the exhaust have considerably decreased due to effect of biomass reburning. The maximum NOx reduction rate was 42% when the reburn fuel fraction was 0.18. The CO emissions were kept under 42 ppmv in all experimental tests. And this paper makes clear that in order to decrease NOx concentration in the exhaust when the biomass reburning system is adapted, the control of some factors such as reburn fuel fraction and reburn zone fraction is very important.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.333-346
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• 1997

Plasma spray processes for functional coatings of tubular SOFC ( Soild oxide Fuel Cell).consisting of air electrode, oxide electrolyte, an fuel electrode, are optimized by fully saturated fractional factorial testing. Material and electric characteristics of each coating are analtsed by the implementation of SEM and optical microscope for evaluating microstructure and porosity, X-ray diffraction method for investigating compositional change between raw powder and sprayed coating, and Van der Pauw method for measuring electrical conductivity. LSM ($La_{0.65}Sr_{0.35}MnO_3$air electrode and Ni-YSL fuel electrode coatings have porosities of around 23~30% sufficient for effective fuel and oxidant gas supply to electrochemical reaction interfaces and electrical conductivities of around 90 S/cm and 1000 S/cm, respectively, enough for acting as current collecting electrodes. YSZ($ZrO_2-8mol%Y_2O_3$) electrolyte film has a high ionic conductivities of 0.05~0.07 S/cm at $1000^{\circ}C$ in air atmosphere, but appears to be somewhat too porous to reduce the thickness. for enhancing the cell efficiency. A unit tubular SOFC has beem fabricated by the optimized plasma spray processes for each functional coating and the cell. Its electrochemical chracteristics are investigated by measuring voltage-current and power density with variation of operationg temperature, radio of fuel to air gas flowrates, and total gas flowrate of reactants.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.6
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• pp.481-487
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• 2005

In this study, a GIS model to simulate the behavior of surface forest fires was developed on the basis of forest fire growth prediction algorithm. This model consists of three modules for data-handling, simulation and report writing. The data-handling module was designed to interpret such forest fire environment factors as terrain, fuel and weather and provide sets of data required in analyzing fire behavior. The simulation module simulates the fire and determines spread velocity, fire intensity and burnt area over time associated with terrain slope, wind, effective humidity and such fuel condition factors as fuel depth, fuel loading and moisture content for fire extinction. The module is equipped with the functions to infer the fuel condition factors from the information extracted from digital vegetation map sand the fuel moisture from the weather conditions including effective humidity, maximum temperature, precipitation and hourly irradiation. The report writer has the function to provide results of a series of analyses for fire prediction. A performance test of the model with the 2002 Chungyang forest fire showed the predictive accuracy of 61% in spread rate.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.243-260
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• 2018

A literature review on the effects of high temperature and radiation on radiation shielding concrete in Spent Fuel Dry Storage is presented in this study with a focus on concrete degradation. The general threshold is $95^{\circ}C$ for preventing long-term degradation from high temperature, and it is suggested that the temperature gradient should be less than $60^{\circ}C$ to avoid crack generation in concrete structures. The amount of damage depends on the characteristics of the concrete mixture, and increases with the temperature and exposure time. The tensile strength of concrete is more susceptible than the compressive strength to degradation due to high temperature. Nuclear heating from radiation can be neglected under an incident energy flux density of $10^{10}MeV{\cdot}cm^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$. Neutron radiation of >$10^{19}n{\cdot}cm^{-2}$ or an integrated dose of gamma radiation exceeding $10^{10}$ rads can cause a reduction in the compressive and tensile strengths and the elastic moduli. When concrete is highly irradiated, changes in the mechanical properties are primarily caused by variation in water content resulting from high temperature, volume expansion, and crack generation. It is necessary to fully utilize previous research for effective technology development and licensing of a Korean dry storage system. This study can serve as important baseline data for developing domestic technology with regard to concrete casks of an SF (Spent Fuel) dry storage system.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.66-72
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• 2008

Fuel reforming technology for the fuel cell vehicles could be adopted to internal combustion engine for the reduction of engine out emissions. Since syngas which is reformed from fossil fuel has hydrogen as a major component, it has abilities to enhance the combustion characteristics with wide flammability and high speed flame propagation. In this paper, syngas was feed to 2.0 liter gasoline engine during the cold start and early state of idle condition. Not only cold start HC emission but also $NO_x$ emission could be dramatically reduced due to the fact that syngas has no HC and has nitrogen up to 50% as components. Exhaust gas temperature was lower than that of gasoline feeding condition. Delayed ignition timing, however, resulted in increased exhaust gas temperature approximated to gasoline condition. It is supposed that the usage of syngas in the gasoline internal combustion engine is an effective solution to meet the future strict emission regulations by the reduction of cold start THC and $NO_x$ emissions.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.30 no.8 s.251
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• pp.788-795
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• 2006

From the view of the environmental protection against the use of fossil fuels, the great of efforts have been exerted to find an effective method which is not only pollutant reduction but also high thermal efficiency. Reburning is a useful technology in reducing nitric oxide through injection of a secondary hydrocarbon fuel. In this paper, an experimental study has been conducted to evaluate the hybrid effects of reburning and selective non-catalytic reaction (SNCR) on $NO_x/CO$ reduction from oxygen-enriched LPG flame. Experiments were performed in flames stabilized by a co-flow swirl burner, which was mounted at the bottom of the furnace. Tests were conducted using LPG gas as main fuel and also as reburn fuel. The paper reported data on flue gas emissions, temperature distribution in furnace and various heat fluxes at the wall for a wide range of experimental conditions. Overall temperature in the furnace, heat fluxes to the wall and $NO_x$ generation were observed to increase by oxygen-enriched combustion, but due to its hybrid effects of reburning and SNCR, $NOx/CO$ concentration in the downstream has considerably decreased.