• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.8-18
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• 2023

Increasing of energy demand due to the rapid growth of global population and the development of world economy has inevitably resulted in the continuously increase of fossil fuel usage in the world. However, highly dependence on fossil fuels has necessarily brought about critical environmental issues and challenges such as severe air pollutions and rapid global warming. In order to settle these environmental and energy problems, clean energy generations in the conventional combustion processes have widely adapted in the world. In particular, novel thermochemical conversion processes such as pyrolysis and gasification have rapidly been applied for generating clean energy. Fluidized bed technologies having advantages such as various fuel use, easy continuous operation, high heat and material transfer, isothermal operation, and lower operation temperature are widely adopted and used because they are suitable for thermochemical energy conversion. The latest research trends and important findings in the thermo-chemical conversion process with fluidized bed technologies are summarized in this review. Also, the need for research such as layered materials and substances to reduce fine dust (biomass, natural resource waste, etc.) was suggested. Through this, it is intended to increase interest and understanding in fluidized bed technology and to present directions for solving future challenges in fluidized bed process technology development.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 2024

In order to produce high-yield pitch-based activated carbon, pitch was synthesized by blending pyrolysis fuel oil (PFO) and coal-tar. Pitch was synthesized by varying the amount of coal-tar from 0~20% compared to PFO and reacting at 380~420 ℃ for 3 h. The synthesized pitch had a softening point between 80 and 260 ℃, and yields ranged from 10 to 40%. At all synthesis temperatures, as the coal-tar blending ratio increased, the yield increased and the softening point decreased. After considering the selected pitches (softening points: 230~260 ℃), pitches containing coal-tar were more volatile at a low boiling point and had a higher residual carbon content. This is a difference in the composition of coal-tar and PFO, and it was con- firmed that coal-tar has a lot of aromatics and PFO has a lot of aliphatics. The selected pitch was heated to 950 ℃ in a tubular reactor and physically activated with steam for 1 hour. Activated carbon containing coal-tar showed higher yield and microporosity compared to only PFO. In this study, the effect of increasing activated carbon yield by blending pitch raw materials was confirmed, and the physical activation characteristics according to the coal-tar mixing ratio were examined.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.496-523
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to evaluate the economic feasibility of two fast pyrolysis and biooil upgrading (FPBU) plants including feed drying, fast pyrolysis by fluidized-bed, biooil recovery, hydro-processing for biooil upgrading, electricity generation, and wastewater treatment. The two FPBU plants are Case 1 of an FPBU plant with steam methane reforming (SMR) for $H_2$ generation (FPBU-HG, 20% yield), and Case 2 of an FPBU with external $H_2$ supply (FPBUEH, 25% yield). The process flow diagrams (PFDs) for the two plants were constructed, and the mass and energy balances were calculated, using a commercial process simulator (ASPEN Plus). A four-level economic potential approach (4-level EP) was used for techno-economic analysis (TEA) under the assumption of sawdust 100 t//d containing 40% water, 30% equity, capital expenditure equal to the equity, $H_2$ price of $1050/ton, and hydrocarbon yield from dried sawdust equal to 20 and 25 % for Case 1 and 2, respectively. TCI (total capital investment), TPC (total production cost), ASR (annual sales revenue), and MFSP (minimum fuel selling price) of Case 1 were $22.2 million, $3.98 million/yr, $4.64 million/yr, and $1.56/l, respectively. Those of Case 2 were $16.1 million, $5.20 million/yr, $5.55 million/yr, and $1.18/l, respectively. Both ROI (return on investment) and PBP (payback period) of Case 1(FPBU-HG) and Case 2(FPBU-EH) were the almost same. If the plant capacity increases into 1,500 t/d for Case 1 and Case 2, ROI would be improved into 15%/yr.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.461-468
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• 2014

Biochar is a carbon rich solid produced by the pyrolysis of biomass such as energy crops, forestry residues, and wood wastes. Biochar returned to soil is to mitigate climate change and the feedstock of wood wastes reduces fossil fuel consumption as well as disposal costs. This study was practiced to evaluate a biochar system by gasification in terms of global warming regarding the soil application of the produced biochar. Life cycle assessment methodology was used to analyze the environmental impacts of the system, and the functional unit was 1 tonne of wood wastes. The result shows that the biochar system by using wood wastes as feedstock produces 4.048E-01 $kgCO_2-eq$ from the pre-treatment process as chipping and drying, 4.579E-01 $kgCO_2-eq$ from the pyrolysis process, and 9.070E-02 $kgCO_2-eq$ from the spreading to agricultural land, therefore total 9.534E-01 $kgCO_2-eq$ are generated. About 252 kg of $CO_2$ is still stored in the produced biochar in soil after carbon offsetting of the system. Therefore, the net carbon of the system is -251 kg of $CO_2-eq$.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2010

In this study, we consider gas generation characteristics on pyrolysis of eco-fuel which were made by mixing of Pitch Pine and Lauan sawdust as biomass and polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene as municipal plastic wastes with catalyst in fixed bed reactor. From the result of higher heating value(HHV) measurement and of ultimate analysis, the heating value of plastic wastes and a hydrogen content in plastic sample are higher than biomass. An activation energy was reduced by a catalyst addition. However the catalyst content influence over 5 wt% was insignificant. The yield of hydrogen from gasification of biomass containing plastic wastes such as polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene were obtained higher than that of sole biomass. The high temperature and mixture ratio of catalyst conditions induced to high hydrogen yield in most of the samples. As the influence of catalyst, the hydrogen yield by catalytic reaction was higher than non-catalytic reaction. We confirmed that Ni-$ZrO_2$ catalyst is more active in increasing the hydrogen yield in comparison with that of carbonate catalyst. The maximum hydrogen yield was 65.9 vol.%(Pitch Pine / polypropylene / 20 wt.% Ni-$ZrO_2$(1:9) at $900^{\circ}C$).

• Composites Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2016

Nuclear fuel cladding used in a nuclear power plant must possess superior oxidation resistance in the coolant atmosphere of high temperature/high pressure. However, as was the case for the critical LOCA (loss-of-coolant accident) accident that took place in the Fukushima disaster, there is a risk of hydrogen explosion when the nuclear fuel cladding and steam reacts dramatically to cause a rapid high-temperature oxidation accompanied by generation of a huge amount of hydrogen. Hence, an active search is ongoing for an alternative material to be used for manufacturing of nuclear fuel cladding. Studies are currently aimed at improving the safety of this cladding. In particular, ceramic-based nuclear fuel cladding, such as SiC, is receiving much attention due to the excellent radiation resistance, high strength, chemical durability against oxidation and corrosion, and excellent thermal conduction of ceramics. In the present study, cladding with $SiC_f/SiC$ protective films was fabricated using a process that forms a matrix phase by polymer impregnation of polycarbosilane (PCS) after filament-winding the SiC fiber onto an existing Zry-4 cladding tube. It is analyzed the oxidation and microstructure of the metal cladding with $SiC_f/SiC$ composite protective films using a drop tube furnace for thermal shock test.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 1999

This paper contained an actual investigation of a wildfire which broke out on 23 April R 1996 in Go-sung Kun, Kang-won Do examined the calories and the total calories of the m main trees which were Quercus variabillis and Pinus densiflora. There were three important f fire spread factors which were weather condition, fuel condition and terrain. The weather c condition was the most dangerous alarm level. The fuel condition having a high calory v value, Pinus densiflora made up 63% of the forest. Terrain of the forest were mostly c covered by steep slopes and complicated line construction. This experimental calorie study a about Pinus densiflora and Quercus variabillis showed that Pinus densiflora had 13,34kcal/g a and Quercus variabillis had 9.64kcal/g. In the case of weight loss of pyrolysis, Pinus densiflora had a higher percentage rated 35.71~10.05% than Quercus variabillis. Accordingly, Pinus densiflora showed lower than Quercus variabillis in heat resistance.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.3-17
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• 1999

Smoldering is a non-flaming combustion mode, characterized by thermal degradation and c charring of the virgin material, evolution of smoke and emission of visible glow. A big fire may @ occur even in a confined environment having a limited amount of oxygen, due to smoldering c combustion through a porous solid material. This paper presents a theoretical analysis on the effect of smoldering combustion on fire occurrence based on a report about fire investigation of a real f fire accident. It is assumed that the propagation of the smolder wave is one-dimensional, d downward, opposing an upward forced flow and steady in a frame of reference moving with the s smolder wave. Smoldering combustion is modeled by a one-step reaction mechanism, without c considering pyrolysis. It is found that dominant parameters controlling smoldering combustion i include mass flux of oxidizer entering the reaction zone and void fraction of solid fuel. It is also found that the mechanism of transition to flaming is critically influenced by these two parameters.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.46-53
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• 2021

Biomass can be considered as chemical energy obtained from nature, and includes all living organisms such as plants, animals, and microorganisms. Biomass is eco-friendly, is easily obtainable from the environment, and can be recycled without special treatment processes. Biomass can also be converted into bioenergy fuel through pyrolysis and fermentation. Therefore, it has been considered as a renewable energy source, which prevents the depletion of natural resources such as fossil fuels. In this study, torrefaction to increase the carbon content in various types of biomass sources (sawdust, rice straw, rice bristles, coffee ground, and waste wood) was conducted under an inert atmosphere and at a temperature of 523~573K. The possibility of using torrefied biomass as an alternative to solid fuel for industrial purposes was analyzed by examining the carbon concentration and combustion behaviors.

• Clean Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.333-341
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• 2013

This paper presents results on $CO_2$ gasification of 17 raw coals containing a wide range of volatile matter (21-57 wt%). The gasification is performed using a TGA under $CO_2$ and also under $N_2$ atmosphere. An amount of weight loss with increasing temperature is proportional to that of volatile matter in a coal under $N_2$ atmosphere. Reactivity of $CO_2$ gasification also increases with a content of volatile matter. However, the correlation is a little scattered. Oxygenated functional groups in a coal are generally reactive and therefore, an increase in O/C ratio leads to enhanced reactivity. However, $CO_2$ reactivity is affected by neither H/C ratio nor a content of ashes that possibly activate the gasification reaction. These findings are also applicable to steam coal gasification and the reactivity series are confirmed in the test at a fixed bed reactor.