• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.217-222
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• 2022

It is very important to analyze the OCV change behavior during the open circuit potential holding (OCV holding) process, which accelerates the evaluation of the electrochemical durability of the PEMFC membrane. In this study, an empirical formula using the experimental data of three MEAs with different durability was created and compared. The durability evaluation time of the reinforced membrane MEA without radical scavenger inside the membrane was 383 h, and the durability evaluation time of the reinforced membrane MEA with radical scavenger inside the membrane was 1,000 and 1,650 h, respectively. The degradation of the membrane was divided into the reversible degradation that can be recovered by activation and the irreversible degradation that is not recovered. The irreversible degradation of the membrane was indicated by an increase in hydrogen permeability, and the change in hydrogen permeability was similar to the irreversible degradation constant c of all three MEAs. The initiation of irreversible deterioration without recovery is indicated by an increase in hydrogen permeability, and the OCV is not recovered due to an increase in hydrogen permeability, so the slope of the OCV recovery line (ORL) decreases, which can be confirmed by an increase in the constant c value of the empirical formula.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.168-180
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• 2022

The IMO has decided to proceed with the early introduction of EEDI Phase 3, a CO₂ emission regulation to prevent global warming. Measures to reduce CO₂ emissions for ships that can be applied immediately are required to achieve CO₂ reduction. We set six different CO₂ emission scenarios according to the type of ship and fuel, and designed a monoethanolamine-based CO₂ capture process for ships using a rate-based model of Aspen Plus v10. The simulation model using Aspen Plus was validated using pilot plant operation data. A ship inevitably tilts during operation, and the performance of a tilted column decreases as its height increases. When configuring the conventional CO₂ capture process, we considered that the required column heights were so high that performance degradation was unavoidable when the process was implemented on a ship. We applied a parallel column concept to lower the column height and to enable easy installation and operation on a ship. Simulations of the parallel column confirmed that the required column height was lowered to less than 3 TEU (7.8 m).

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.478-482
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• 2017

Humidity control of proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) is very important control condition during driving. In terms of water management, low humidification conditions are advantageous, and high humidification is advantageous in terms of drainage utilization and energy efficiency. In this study, the characteristics of outlet water in low humidification and high humidification process were studied in terms of utilization of discharged water. Since the impurities in the effluent are generated during the degradation of the membrane and the electrode assembly(MEA), degradation of the MEA under low humidification and high humidification conditions was also studied. The rate of radical generation was high at low humidification condition of the anode RH 0%, which showed that it was the main cause of the degradation of the polymer membrane. Analysis of effluent showed low concentration of fluoride ion concentration of about 20 ppb at high humidification (both electrodes RH 100%) and 0.6 V, which was enough to be used as the feed water for electrolysis. Very low concentration of platinum below 0.2 ppb was detected in the condensate discharged from the high humidification condition.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.178-186
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• 2023

Three activation methods (constant voltage, current cycling, and hydrogen pumping) were applied to investigate the effects on the performance of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) loaded with PtCo/C catalyst. The current cycling protocol took the shortest time to activate the MEA, while the performance after activation was the worst among the all activation methods. The constant voltage method took a moderate activation time and exhibited the best performance after activation. The hydrogen pumping protocol took the longest time to activate the MEA with moderate performance after activation. According to the distribution of relaxation time analysis, the improved performance after the activation mainly comes from the decrease of charge transfer resistance rather than the ionic resistance in the cathode catalyst layer, which suggests that the existence of water on the electrode is the key factor for activation.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.241-246
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• 2008

Increase of $CO_2$ by using fossil fuels makes mainly global warming and the international efforts to reduce the $CO_2$ emission is being promoted. Absorption process using aqueous alkanolamine solution to remove acid components in the mixed gases has been used commercially. This method was used to remove $CO_2$ in the flue gas in recent years. $CO_2$ Absorption characteristics of several aqueous alkanolamine solutions such as MEA, DEA and AMP was studied by measuring vapor-liquid-equilibrium(VLE) and absorption velocity in this study. VLE measuring equipment, shell and reactor type, was used to acquire VLE data, equilibrium $CO_2$ pressure(${P_{CO_2}}^*$) and time at each pulse gas input. We also acquired the $CO_2$ absorption velocity by measuring the time to arrive the VLE at $40{\sim}80^{\circ}C$ and first gas input. The $CO_2$ absorption capacity of MEA 10wt% solution was higher than two alkanolamine solutions at $40^{\circ}C$ and the equilibrium $CO_2$ loading was 0.5. Absorption capacity was excellent as follows; AMP>DEA>MEA. But absorption velocity was fast as follows; MEA>AMP>DEA. Though good absorbent was considered by many variables, absorption velocity and capacity was more important factor.

• Clean Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.221-225
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• 2012

In this study, simulation works for a carbon dioxide capture process using solvent absorption method have been performed for decrease of regeneration energy in applying phase transition of liquid solvent. When carbon dioxide is dissolved in 30 wt% MEA solvent, liquid mixture divided into two phase according to mole loading of dissolved carbon dioxide. Using this phenomenon, we can decrease regeneration energy about 61% than primary absorber column-stripper column process.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.1002-1007
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• 2012

The considerable portion of energy demand has been satisfied by the combustion of fossil fuel and the consequent $CO_2$ emission was considered as a main cause of global warming. As a technology option for $CO_2$ emission mitigation, absorption process has been used in $CO_2$ capture from large scale emission sources. To set up optimal operating parameters in $CO_2$ absorption and solvent regeneration units are important for the better performance of the whole $CO_2$ absorption plant. Optimal operating parameters are usually selected through a lot of actual operation data. However theoretical approach are also useful because the arbitrary change of process parameters often limited for the stability of process operation. In this paper, a theoretical approach based on vapor-liquid equilibrium was proposed to estimate optimal operating conditions of $CO_2$ absorption process. Two $CO_2$ absorption processes using 12 wt% aqueous $NH_3$ solution and 20 wt% aqueous MEA solution were investigated in this theoretical estimation of optimal operating conditions. The results showed that $CO_2$ loading of rich absorbent should be kept below 0.4 in case of 12 wt% aqueous $NH_3$ solution for $CO_2$ absorption but there was no limitation of $CO_2$ loading in case of 20 wt% aqueous MEA solution for $CO_2$ absorption. The optimal regeneration temperature was determined by theoretical approach based on $CO_2$ loadings of rich and lean absorbent, which determined to satisfy the amount of absorbed $CO_2$. The amount of heating medium at optimal regeneration temperature is also determined to meet the difference of $CO_2$ loading between rich and lean absorbent. It could be confirmed that the theoretical approach, which accurately estimate the optimal regeneration conditions of lab scale $CO_2$ absorption using 12 wt% aqueous $NH_3$ solution could estimate those of 20 wt% aqueous MEA solution and could be used for the design and operation of $CO_2$ absorption process using chemical absorbent.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.433-439
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• 2017

The high temperature performance of PEM type electrolyser at $120^{\circ}C$ based on covalently cross-linked sulfonated poly ether ether ketone (SPEEK) composie membrane was investigated. Ion conductivity and other properties of SPEEK membrane were improved by adding heteropoly acid and Ceria. The membrane electrode assemblies were prepared using commercial PtC and nano-sized $IrRuO_2$ catalyst by electro-spraying and decal process. Voltage efficiency of MEA equipped with SPEEK membrane was slightly better than that of $Nafion^{(R)}$ membrane, due to its higher proton conductivity at high temperature. The cell performance of MEA with CL-SPEEK/Cs-TSiA/Ceria is 1.71 V at $1A/cm^2$ and $120^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.6-10
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• 2021

The shorting resistance (SR) of the PEMFC(Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) polymer membrane is an important indicator of the durability of the membrane. When SR decreases, shorting current (SC) increases, reducing durability and performance. When SR becomes less than about 0.1 kΩ·㎠, shorting occurs, the temperature rises rapidly, and MEA(Membrane Electrode Assembly) is burned to end stack operation. In order to prevent shorting, we need to control the SR, so the conditions affecting the SR were studied. There were differences in the SR measurement methods, and the SR measurement method, which improved the DOE(Department of Energy) and NEDO(New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) method, was presented. It was confirmed that the SR decreases as the relative humidity, temperature and cell compression pressure increase. In the final stage of the accelerated durability evaluation process of the polymer membrane, SR rapidly decreased to less than 0.1 kΩ·㎠, and the hydrogen permeability became higher than 15 mA/㎠. After dismantling the MEA, SEM(Scanning Electron Microscope) analysis showed that a lot of platinum was distributed inside the membrane.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2012

Low-temperature carbon dioxide stripping by a vacuum membrane stripping technology was studied as a substitute for the stripping process in a conventional aqueous amine process. Composite membranes with $5{\mu}m$ thickness of PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) dense layer on a PE (polyethylene) support layer were prepared by a casting method and used as a membrane contactor for $CO_2$ stripping. Aqueous amine solutions of 30 wt% MEA (monoethanolamine) were used as absorbents. $CO_2$ flux was examined under various operating conditions by varying the vacuum pressure (60~360 mmHg (abs.)), stripping temperature ($25{\sim}80^{\circ}C$), $CO_2$ loading (0.5~0.7). $CO_2$ stripping flux increased with increasing temperature and $CO_2$ loading as well as decreasing vacuum pressure. PDMS-PE composite membrane has stability for vacuum stripping process compared with PTFE porous membrane.