• Clean Technology
• /
• 제13권2호
• /
• pp.87-98
• /
• 2007

As the interest in environmental problems increased, the guideline of effluent qualities becomes strict and the amount of sludge produced from the wastewater treatment facilities steeply increased. The revised Korean acts prohibit the direct reclamation of the sludge exhausted in sewage treatment works from 2003, and the ocean dump of sludge will be also prohibited from 2012. Therefore, the sludge must be recycled, incinerated or composted. To properly perform the utilization and disposal operations, the establishment of well-defined procedures for the characterization of sludge by physical, chemical and biological method and setting up of guidelines for different treatment and disposal routes has become necessary. However, there have not been such standardized methods for sludge characterization in Korea. This review analyzes the present status of establishment and problems of sludge characterization method of Korea. Finally, it was proposed total 15 items of standardized characterization methods suitable to our country for proper sludge recycling and disposal, which was based on the more systematic standard methods of Germany (DIN 38414) and those of advanced nations.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• 제44권6호
• /
• pp.524-538
• /
• 2018

Objective: This study aimed to identify the size distributions of particulate matter emitted during 3D printing according to operational conditions and estimate particle inhalation exposure doses at each respiratory region. Methods: Four types of printing filaments were selected: acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (PLA), Laywood, and nylon. A fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer was used for printing. Airborne particles between 10 nm and $10{\mu}m$ were measured before, during, and after printing using real-time monitors under extruder temperatures from 215 to $290^{\circ}C$. Inhalation exposures, including inhaled and deposited doses at the respiratory regions, were estimated using a mathematical model. Results: Nanoparticles dominated among the particles emitted during printing, and more particles were emitted with higher temperatures for all materials. Under all temperature conditions, the Laywood emitted the highest particle concentration, followed by ABS, PLA, and nylon. The particle concentration peaked for the initial 10 to 20 minutes after starting operations and gradually decreased with elapsed time. Nanoparticles accounted for a large proportion of the total inhaled particles in terms of number, and about a half of the inhaled nanoparticles were estimated to be deposited in the alveolar region. In the case of the mass of inhaled and deposited dose, particles between 0.1 and $1.0{\mu}m$ made up a large proportion. Conclusion: The number of consumers using 3D printers is expected to expand, but hazardous emissions such as thermal byproducts from 3D printing are still unclear. Further studies should be conducted and appropriate control strategies considered in order to minimize human exposure.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
• /
• 제65권6호
• /
• pp.23-35
• /
• 2023

In this study, we developed a method to determine the flood-limited water levels of agricultural reservoirs, considering both their irrigation and flood control functions. Irrigation safety and flood safety indices were defined to be applied to various reservoirs, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of the irrigation and flood control properties. Seasonal flood-limited water level scenarios were established to represent the temporal characteristics of rainfall and agricultural water supply and the safety indices were analyzed according to these scenarios. The optimal scenarios were derived using a schematic solution based on Pareto front analysis. The method was applied to Obong, Yedang, and Myogok reservoirs, and the results showed that the characteristics of each reservoir were well represented in the safety indices. The irrigation safety of Obong reservoir was found to be significantly influenced by the late-stage flood-limited water level, while those of Yedang and Myogok reservoir were primarily affected by the early and mid-stage flood-limited water levels. The values of irrigation safety and flood safety indices for each scenario were plotted as points on the coordinate plane, and the optimal flood-limited water levels were selected from the Pareto front. The storage ratio of the optimal flood-limited water levels for the early, mid, and late stages were 65-70%, 70%, and 75% for Obong reservoir, 75%, 70-75%, and 65-70% for Yedang reservoir, and 75-80%, 70%, and 50% for Myogok reservoir. We expect that the method developed in this study will facilitate efficient reservoir operations.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
• /
• 제14권2호
• /
• pp.171-210
• /
• 2024

This paper focuses on the rigorous and holistic fatigue analysis of mooring chains for a deep draft semi-submersible platform in the challenging environment of the central Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Known for severe hurricanes and strong loop/eddy currents, this region significantly impacts offshore structures and their mooring systems, necessitating robust designs capable of withstanding extreme wind, wave and current conditions. Wave scatter and current bin diagrams are utilized to assess the probabilistic distribution of waves and currents, crucial for calculating mooring chain fatigue. The study evaluates the effects of Vortex Induced Motion (VIM), Out-of-Plane-Bending (OPB), and In-Plane-Bending (IPB) on mooring fatigue, alongside extreme single events such as 100-year hurricanes and loop/eddy currents including ramp-up and ramp-down phases, to ensure resilient mooring design. A detailed case study of a deep draft semi-submersible platform with 16 semi-taut moorings in 2,500 meters of water depth in the central GoM provides insights into the relative contributions of wave scatter diagram, VIMs from current bin diagram, the combined stresses of OPB/IPB/TT and extreme single events. By comparing these factors, the study aims to enhance understanding and optimize mooring system design for safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness in offshore operations within the central GoM. The paper addresses a research gap by proposing a holistic approach that integrates findings from various contributions to advance current practices in mooring design. It presents a comprehensive framework for fatigue analysis and design optimization of mooring systems in the central GoM, emphasizing the critical importance of considering environmental conditions, OPB/IPB moments, and extreme single events to ensure the safety and reliability of mooring systems for offshore platforms.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
• /
• 제11권3호
• /
• pp.138-149
• /
• 2008

Rapid accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for the past century leads to acidify the surface ocean and contributes to the global warming as it forms acid in the ocean and it is a green house gas. In order to curb the green house gas emissions, in particular carbon dioxide, various multilateral agreements and programs have been established including UN Convention of Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol for the last decades. Also a number of geo-engineering projects to manipulate the radiation balance of the earth have been proposed both from the science and industrial community worldwide. One of them is ocean fertilization to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through the photosynthesis of phytoplankton in the sea. Deliberate fertilization of the ocean with iron or nitrogen to large areas of the ocean has been proposed by commercial sector recently. Unfortunately the environmental consequences of the large scale ocean iron fertilization are not known and the current scientific information is still not sufcient to predict. In 2007, the joint meeting of parties of the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 and 1996 Protocol (London Convention/Protocol) has started considering the purposes and circumstances of proposed large-scale ocean iron fertilization operations and examined whether these activities are compatible with the aims of the Convention and Protocol and explore the need, and the potential mechanisms for regulation of such operations. The aim of this paper is to review the current development on the commercial ocean fertilization activities and management regimes in the potential ocean fertilization activities in the territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, and high seas, respectively, and further to have a view on the emerging international management regime to be London Convention/Protocol in conjunction with a support from the United Nations General Assembly through The United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
• /
• 제14권4호
• /
• pp.645-652
• /
• 2011

This study examined changes of both psychological and physiological emotional responses according to change of the PMV (predicted mean vote) in the heating and the cooling air conditions. For this purpose, the changes of PMV were induced by the heating and cooling operations of the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems. In addition, positive/negative and arousal/relaxation were measured as the participant's psychological emotional responses, and HR (heart rate) was measured as the participant's physiological emotional responses. As a result, in same range of the PMV, both psychological and physiological emotional-responses were changed by air conditioning. It is suggested that occupant's emotional responses would depend on the operational conditions of heating and cooling in indoor thermal environments, and both psychological and physiological emotional response should be considered when occupants try to match the indoor thermal environments to their thermal expectations.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
• /
• 제11권2호
• /
• pp.77-82
• /
• 2012

To share the lanes with conventional vehicles, traffic operation strategy is needed for NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle). Because NEV cannot accelerate sharply as fast as common car include gasoline, diesel and LPG cars, they may interrupt traffic conditions and make traffic delay. After green lights turn on, all vehicles run through the street including NEV, but NEV have a maximum speed which is 50km/h. It can be an obstacle for following vehicles and will make traffic delay of the intersection. In this reason, we need to organize traffic systems like queue jump with priority traffic signal. To analyze the necessity for NEV road operations, we simulate three scenarios in congested and non-congested conditions. First is that we examine the condition which is mixed NEV and cars on the road, the second one is that we set up lane only NEV can accepted in simulation and last one is making queue jump lane and providing priority signal for NEV. In conclusion, we can conclude that making lane only for NEV is effective to improve travel speed when rate of NEVs is over 20%. Also queue jump lane and priority signal cannot make good effect to intersection delay and average speed.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• 제15권3호
• /
• pp.276-285
• /
• 2001

This report surveyed degradation of forest environment and rehabilitation in Ashio of Japan. Since 1880, a large scale forestry in this area has been destroyed by sooty smoke, and the local government invested heavily to rehabilitate the damaged forestry and denuded mountains. These degradations are due to complex operations, such as sulfurous acid gas from copper refinery, forest fires, steep slope and disadvantageous climate. The rehabilitation works on degraded forestry(2,399ha) were undertaken by tree planting fur three years from 1897. However, forest degradation and disasters were continued, and the total damaged areas were about 2,400~3,000ha in 1956. A Manual labor method, a Helicopter method and also Combination of manual labor and helicopter method had been adopted to rehabilitation works from 1945 to 1996, while 828.19ha of the degraded mountains was rehabilitated. Total investment for those projects was 80 billion yen. A debris control dam, a soil arresting structure, a vegetation-block, a vegetation sack measures and tree planting have implemented significantly fur the method of rehabilitation. An objective of manual labor works is a complete rehabilitation on each place through 3 stage working. The revived green areas accounted fur 49% of the total, and the entire afforest areas are less than 10%. In coming 25 years, an amount of 21.3 billion yen will be invested to rehabilitate 564ha of degraded mountain lands. However, it is impossible to estimate that how long it will take until the whole degraded mountain lands are completely rehabilitated. Rehabilitation works in Ashio may be applicable to environmental restoration and revegetation in the abandoned coal-mine lands of Korea.

• Clean Technology
• /
• 제27권2호
• /
• pp.160-167
• /
• 2021

This study investigated the environmental effects of improving the general-type activated carbon adsorption tower used at the Sihwa/Banwol Industrial Complex with use of a cartridge-type activated carbon adsorption tower for the application of an activated carbon co-regenerated system. Four general-type activated carbon adsorption towers and two cartridge-type activated carbon adsorption towers were selected to analyze the properties of activated carbon and to compare the efficiency of reducing environmental pollutants. The results showed that the activated carbon used in the cartridge-type activated carbon adsorption towers was high quality activated carbon with an iodine adsorption force of more than 800 mg/g and that a good adsorption performance was maintained within the replacement cycle. From an analysis of the environmental pollutant reduction efficiency, it was confirmed that the cartridge-type activated carbon adsorption tower functioned properly as a prevention facility for handling emissions pollutants with a treatment efficiency of total hydrocarbons (THC), toluene, and methylethylketone (MEK) components of 71%, 77%, and 80%, respectively. The general activated carbon adsorption tower, which was confirmed to use low-performance activated carbon, had a very low treatment efficiency and did not function properly as a prevention facility for dealing with emission pollutants. It is believed that it is possible to reduce pollutants during operations by changing from the general-type activated carbon adsorption tower to a cartridge-type activated carbon adsorption tower.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• 제28권6호
• /
• pp.1054-1062
• /
• 2022

The population of Korea's solar salt-producing regions is rapidly aging, resulting in a decrease in the number of productive workers. In solar salt production, salt collection is the most labor-intensive operation because existing salt collection vehicles require human operators. Therefore, we intend to develop an unmanned solar salt collection vehicle to reduce manpower requirements. The unmanned solar salt collection vehicle is designed to identify the salt collection status and location in the salt plate via color detection, the color detection performance is a crucial consideration. Therefore, an image processing algorithm was developed to improve color detection performance. The algorithm generates an around-view image by using resizing, rotation, and perspective transformation of the input image, set the RoI to transform only the corresponding area to the HSV color model, and detects the color area through an AND operation. The detected color area was expanded and noise removed using morphological operations, and the area of the detection region was calculated using contour and image moment. The calculated area is compared with the set area to determine the location case of the collection vehicle within the salt plate. The performance was evaluated by comparing the calculated area of the final detected color to which the algorithm was applied and the area of the detected color in each step of the algorithm. It was confirmed that the color detection performance is improved by at least 25-99% for salt detection, at least 44-68% for red color, and an average of 7% for blue and an average of 15% for green. The proposed approach is well-suited to the operation of unmanned solar salt collection vehicles.