• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2014

Performance tests on $Ni/Ce-ZrO_2/Al_2O_3$ catalysts with additives (MgO, $La_2O_3$) were investigated in the combined reforming processes (SCR, ATR, TRM) in order to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide (it is called "syngas".). The catalyst characterization was conducted using the BET surface analyzer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM, TPR and TGA. The combined reforming process was developed to adjust the syngas ratio depending on the synthetic fuel (methanol, DME and GTL) manufacturing processes. Ni-based catalysts supported on alumina has been generally recommended as a combined reforming reaction catalyst. It was found that both free NiO and complexed NiO species were responsible for the catalytic activity in the combined reforming of methane conversion, and the $Ce-ZrO_2$ binary support employed had improved the oxygen storage capacity and thermal stability. The additives, MgO and $La_2O_3$, also seemed to play an important role to prevent the formation of the carbon deposition over the catalysts. The experimental results were compared with the equilibrium data using a commercial simulation tool (PRO/II).

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.209-217
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• 2014

To enhance the performance of SEWGS system by holding the WGS catalyst in a SEWGS reactor, a spring type bed insert was developed. In this study, effects of operating variables such as steam/CO ratio, gas velocity, syngas concentration on CO conversion were investigated in a fluidized bed reactor using the spring type bed insert to hold the WGS catalyst as tablet shape. CO conversion increased initially as the steam/CO ratio increased. But further increment of the steam/CO ratio caused decreasing of CO conversion because of increment of gas velocity and decrement of syngas concentration. Moreover, CO conversion decreased as the gas velocity increased and the syngas concentration decreased at the same steam/CO ratio. Continuous operation up to 48 hours (2 days) was carried out to check reactivity decay of WGS catalyst supported by spring type bed insert. The average CO conversion was 99.04% and we could conclude that the WGS reactivity at those conditions was maintained up to 48 hours.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2013

A steam reformer is a chemical reactor to produce high purity hydrogen from fossil fuel. In the steam reformer, since endothermic steam reforming is heated by exothermic combustion of fossil fuel, the heat transfer between two reaction zones dominates conversion of fossil fuel to hydrogen. Steam Reforming is complex chemical reaction, mass and heat transfer due to the exothermic methane/air combustion reaction and the endothermic steam reforming reaction. Typically, a steam reformer employs burner to supply appropriate heat for endothermic steam reforming reaction which reduces system efficiency. In this study, the heat of steam reforming reaction is provided by anode-off gas combustion of stationary fuel cell. This paper presents a optimization of heat transfer effect and average temperature of cross-section using two-dimensional models of a coaxial cylindrical reactor, and analysis three-dimensional models of a coaxial cylindrical steam reformer with chemical reaction. Numerical analysis needs to dominant chemical reaction that are assumed as a Steam Reforming (SR) reaction, a Water-Gas Shift (WGS) reaction, and a Direct Steam Reforming(DSR) reaction. The major parameters of analysis are temperature, fuel conversion and heat flux in the coaxial reactor.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.186-192
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• 2013

In order to reduce the costs and to improve the durability of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), the operating temperature should be decreased while the power density is maintained as much as possible. However, lowering the operating temperature increases the cathode interfacial polarization resistances dramatically, limiting the performance of low-temperature SOFC at especially purely electronic conducting cathode. To improve cathode performance at low temperature, the number of reaction sites for the oxygen reduction should be increased by using a mixed ionic and electronic conducting (MIEC) material. In this study, anode-supported fuel cells with two different thicknesses of the MIEC cathode were fabricated and tested at various operating temperatures. The anode supported cell with $32.5{\mu}m$-thick BSCFZn-LSCF cathode layer showed much lower polarization resistance than that with $3.2{\mu}m$ thick cahtode and higher power density especially at low temperature. The effects of cathode layer thickness on the electrochemical performance are discussed with analysis of impedance spectra.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.558-565
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• 2013

This paper presents how to determine AEP(Annual Energy Production) by a small wind turbine in DuckjeokDo island. Evaluation of AEP is introduced to make a self-contained island including renewable energy sources of wind, solar, and tidal energy. To determine the AEP in DuckjeokDo island, a local wind data is analyzed using the annual wind data from Korea Institute of Energy Research firstly. After the wind data is separated in 12-direction, a mean wind speed at each direction is determined. And then, a small wind turbine power curve is selected by introducing the capacity of a small wind turbine and the energy production of the wind turbine according to each wind direction. Finally, total annual wind energy production for each small wind turbine can be evaluated using the local wind density and local energy production considering a mechanical energy loss. Throughout the analytic study, it is found that the AEP of DuckjeokDo island is about 2.02MWh/y and 3.47MWh/y per a 1kW small wind turbine installed at the altitude of 10 m and 21m, respectively.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.487-494
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• 2013

In this study, solutions for a liquid pool spreading model with continuous and instantaneous release are discussed based on the model used in the FERC's report. The effects of the release time on the liquid pool volume and radius are investigated for the continuous release. For the continuous release with the frictional resistance force in the liquid pool spreading model, the vaporization time decreases as the release time increases. On the other hand, for the continuous release without the frictional resistance force in the liquid pool spreading model, the vaporization time increases as the release time increases. These phenomena are deeply related to the pool radius. In addition, the effects of the initial pool radius for the instantaneous release in the liquid pool spreading model are discussed. For the case with the frictional resistance force in the liquid pool spreading model, as reducing release time in the model with the frictional resistance force for the continuous release, the solution for a continuous release approaches to that for an instantaneous release. On the contrary to this, the pool volume and radius for the instantaneous release without the frictional resistance force are totally different from those for the continuous release without the frictional resistance force.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.428-436
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• 2013

Attrition characteristics of $CO_2$ absorbents for pre-combustion $CO_2$ capture were investigated to check attrition loss of those absorbents and to determine solid circulation direction and the better $CO_2$ absorbent. The cumulative attrition losses of two absorbents increased with increasing time. However, attrition loss under a humidified condition was lower than that under a non-humidified condition case. Between two absorbents, attrition loss of PKM1-SU absorbent was higher than that of P4-600 absorbent. The average particle sizes of the attrited particles were less than $2.5{\mu}m$ for two absorbents under a non-humidified condition case, and therefore, we could conclude that the main mechanism of attrition for two absorbents is not fragmentation but abrasion. Based on the results from the test for the effect of humidity on the attrition loss, we selected solid circulation direction from SEWGS reactor to regeneration reactor because the SEWGS reactor contains more water vapor than regeneration reactor. Attrition loss and make-up rate of two absorbents were compared based on the results from $CO_2$ sorption capacity tests and attrition tests. Required make-up rate of P4-600 absorbent was lower than that of PKM1-SU absorbent. However, more detail investigation on the optimum regeneration temperature, manufacturing cost, solid circulation rate, regeneration rate, and long-term sorption capacity should be considered to select the best $CO_2$ absorbent.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.160-171
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• 2013

$LiNi_{1/3}Co_{1/3}Mn_{1/3}O_2$ powder for cathode materials in lithium rechargeable batteries was treated by atmospheric plasma containing hydrogen to investigate the relationship between charge/discharge performance and physical/chemical changes of materials. Hydrogen plasma at atmosphere pressure was irradiated on the surface of active materials, and the change for their crystal structure, surface morphology, and chemical composition were observed by XRD, SEM-EDS and titration method, respectively. The crystal structure and surface morphology of $H_2$ plasma-treated powders were not changed but their chemical compositions were slightly varied. For charge/discharge test, $H_2$ plasma affected initial capacity and rate capability of active materials but continuous cycling was not subject to plasma treatment. Therefore, it was observed that $H_2$ plasma treatment affected the surface of materials and caused the change of chemical composition.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.367-372
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• 2013

Hydrogen storage as a metal hydride is the most promising alternative because of its relatively large hydrogen storage capacities near room temperature. TiMn2-based C14 Laves phases alloys are one of the promising hydrogen storage materials with easy activation, good hydriding-dehydriding kinetics, high hydrogen storage capacity and relatively low cost. In this work, multi-component, hyper-stoichiometric $Ti_{0.85}Zr_{0.13}(Fe_x-V)_{0.56}Mn_{1.47}Ni_{0.05}$ C14 Laves phase alloys were prepared by a vacuum induction melting for a hydrogen storage tank. Since pure vanadium (V) is quite expensive, the substitution of the V element in these alloys has been tried and some interesting results were achieved by replacing V by commercial ferrovanadium (FeV) raw material. In addition, the melt-spinning process, which was applied to the manufacturing of some of these alloys, could make the plateau slopes much flatter, which resulted in the increase of reversible hydrogen storage capacity. The improvement of sloping properties of melt-spun $Ti_{0.85}Zr_{0.13}(Fe_x-V)_{0.56}Mn_{1.47}Ni_{0.05}$ alloys was mainly attributed to the homogeneity of chemical composition.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.535-542
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• 2013

To enhance the performance of SEWGS system by holding the WGS catalyst in a SEWGS reactor using bed inserts, effect of bed insert geometry on CO conversion of WGS catalyst was measured and investigated. Small scale fluidized bed reactor was used as experimental apparatus and tablet shaped WGS catalyst and sand particle were used as bed materials. The cylinder type and the spring type bed inserts were used to hold the WGS catalysts. The CO conversion of WGS catalyst with the change of steam/CO ratio was determined based on the exit gas analysis. Moreover, gas flow direction was confirmed by bed pressure drop measurement for each case. The measured CO conversion using the bed inserts showed high value comparable to previous results even though at low catalyst content. Most of input gas flowed through the bed center side when we charged tablet type catalyst into the cylinder type bed insert and this can cause low $CO_2$ capture efficiency because the possibility of contact between input gas and $CO_2$ absorbent is low in this case. However, the spring type bed insert showed good reactivity and good distribution of gas, and therefore, the spring type bed insert was selected as the best bed insert for SEWGS process.