• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.285-290
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• 2003

An analytical method for the simultaneous determination of trace Ge, As and Se in biological samples by inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry has been investigated. The effects of added organic gas into the coolant argon gas on the analyte signal were studied to improve the detection limit, accuracy and precision. The addition of a small amount of methane (10 mL/min.) into the coolant gas channel improved the ionization of Ge, As and Se. The analytical sensitivity of the proposed Ar/CH₄system was superior by at least two-fold to that of the conventional Ar method. In the present method, the detection limits obtained for Ge, As and Se were 0.014, 0.012 and 0.064 ㎍/L, respectively. The analytical reliability of the proposed method was evaluated by analyzing the certified standard reference materials (SRM). Recoveries of 99.9% for Ge, 103% for As, 96.5% for Se were obtained for NIST SRM of freeze dried urine sample. The proposed method was also applied to the biological samples.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.374-383
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• 2020

Landfill gas (LFG) emissions from a given amount of landfill waste depend on the carbon flows in the waste. The objective of this study was to more accurately estimate the first-order decay parameters through methane (CH₄) and carbon flow balances based on the analysis of a full-scale landfill with long-term data and detailed field records on LFG and leachate. The carbon storage factor for the case-study landfill was 0.055 g-degradable organic carbon (DOC) stored per g-wet waste and the amounts of DOC lost with the leachate were less than 1.3%. The appropriate CH₄ generation rate constant (k) for bulk waste was 0.24 y-1. The the CH₄ generation potential (L0) values ranged 33.7-46.7 m3-CH₄ Mg-1, based on the fraction of DOC that can decompose (DOCf) value of 0.40. Results show that CH4 and carbon flow balance methods can be used to estimate model parameters appropriately and to predict long-term carbon emissions from landfills.

• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.296-301
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• 2020

Ni as a catalyst for steam methane reforming (SMR) was deposited on a porous Al₂O₃ support using a hydrothermal-infiltration method. The SMR performance of Ni/Al₂O₃ composites was strongly affected by the microstructural change of the support according to the firing temperature. While there was no significant change up to 800 ℃, significant grain growth and large interfacial necking occurred after firing at 1,200 ℃, resulting in a significant increase in both porosity and pore size. The Al₂O₃ support with a large pore size and broad pore size distribution could load a relatively larger amount of Ni catalyst during the hydrothermal-infiltration process and facilitate the diffusion of reaction gases. Therefore, the Ni/Al₂O₃ composite with the support fired at 1,200 ℃ exhibited the best SMR performance. Meanwhile, Ni catalysts were distributed evenly throughout the porous support in the Ni/Al₂O₃ composite prepared by the hydrothermal-infiltration method compared to that prepared by the conventional infiltration method. Therefore, the Ni/Al₂O₃ composite prepared by the hydrothermal-infiltration method exhibited much better SMR performance. Moreover, no significant performance degradation was observed at 600 ℃ for 100 h.

• Clean Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.223-230
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• 2019

This research was performed to evaluate the characteristics of food waste from 5 areas in Gangwon Province, Korea and to predict the $CH_4$ gas production rate. Food wastes were sampled in July and September, 2017. The amount of methane gas generation was evaluated through the biochemical methane potential (BMP) test and a calculation method using chemical composition. Average bulk density and pH of the food wastes were in the range of $0.758{\sim}0.850g\;cm^{-3}$ and 4.29 ~ 4.75, respectively. By physical composition, vegetables were the highest with 56.43 ~ 72.81% with fruits recording 5.31 ~ 8.95%, cereals 1.60 ~ 18.73%, fish and meat 4.47 ~ 12.11%, and filtrate 1.76 ~ 3.64%. The average water content was 69.30 ~ 75.87%, and VS and ash content were 22.50 ~ 27.98% and 1.63 ~ 2.48%, respectively. In addition, $BOD_5$, $COD_{Cr}$, and $COD_{Mn}$ were in the ranges of $17,690.3{\sim}33,154.9mg\;L^{-1}$, $106,212.3{\sim}128,695.5mg\;L^{-1}$, and $51,266.1{\sim}63,426.3mg\;L^{-1}$, respectively. The NaCl content ranged from 0.81 to 1.17%. The results of elemental analysis showed that the contents of C, H, O, N, and S were 44.87 ~ 48.1%, 7.12 ~ 7.57%, 40.13 ~ 43.78%, 3.22 ~ 4.14%, and 0.00 ~ 0.02%, respectively. In a comparison of the methane production yield per VS mass of food waste, there was no significant difference between the cumulative amount (${0.303{\sim}0.354m_{CH4}}^3\;{kg_{VS}}^{-1}$) by the BMP test and the theoretical amount (${0.294{\sim}0.352m_{CH4}}^3\;{kg_{VS}}^{-1}$) calculated by chemical composition.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.160-167
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• 2018

The role played by reservoirs in the biogeochemical cycles of elements is a subject of ongoing debate. Recent research has revealed that reservoirs emit significant levels of greenhouse gases. To assess the importance of reservoirs in monsoon climate areas as a source of methane gas into the atmosphere, we investigated variations in organic carbon (OC) input into the reservoir, oxic state changes, and finally the amount of methane emitted (focusing on the ebullition pathway) in Lake Soyang, which is the largest reservoir in South Korea. Total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations were higher during summer after two years of heavy rainfall. The sedimentation rates of particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) were higher in the epilimnion and hypolimnion than the metalimnioin, indicating that autochthonous and allochthonous carbon made separate contributions to the TOC. During stratification, oxygen depletion occurred in the hypolimnion due to the decomposition of organic matter. Under these conditions, $H_2S$ and $CH_4$ can be released from sediment. The methane emissions from the reservoir were much higher than from other natural lakes. However, the temporal and spatial variations of methane ebullition were huge, and were clearly dependent on many factors. Therefore, more research via a well-organized field campaign is needed to investigate methane emissions.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.85-93
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• 2018

Semi-dry anaerobic digestion experiment using dairy cattle manure collected from dairy cattle house was conducted to analyze efficiency of biogas production. As a first experiment, Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) test was carried out according to certain ratio of sample mixtures: dairy cattle manure, pig slurry, and mixture of dairy cattle manure and pig slurry. The amount of methane accumulated during BMP test period was high in the experimental groups containing dairy cattle manure. As a second experiment, semi-dry anaerobic digestion experiment was carried out using only the dairy cattle manure collected from floor of the dairy cattle house. Judging from the experimental results, the optimum hydraulic retention time (HRT) of semi-dry anaerobic digestion for dairy cattle manure containing 13% of TS was 25 days. The amount biogas generated from the semi-dry anaerobic digestor with the TS of 13% of the dairy cattle manure ranged from 1.36~1.50v/v-d and the average was 1.44v/v-d. The optimum HRT of the semi-dry anaerobic digestor for dairy cattle manure containing TS of 15% and the semi-dry anaerobic digestor for dairy cattle manure containing TS of 17% was the same as 30 days. The amount biogas generated from the semi-dry anaerobic digestor with the TS of 15% of the dairy cattle manure ranged from 1.42~1.52v/v-d and the average was 1.47v/v-d. The amount biogas generated from the semi-dry anaerobic digestor with the TS of 17% of the dairy cattle manure ranged from 1.50~1.61v/v-d and the average was 1.55v/v-d.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.263-270
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• 2004

A repeated $4{\times}4$ Latin square design was conducted with eight ileal cannulated castrates to examine the effect of source of starch and fiber on nutrient balance and energy metabolism. Pigs were fed on one of the four experimental diets: Control diet (C) mainly based on cooked rice; and diets P, S and W with the inclusion of either raw potato starch, sugar beet pulp or wheat bran supplementation, respectively. With the exception of an increased (p<0.05) energy loss from methane production with diet S observed, no significant differences (p>0.05) in the ratio of metabolizable energy (ME)/digestible energy, the utilization of ME for fat deposition and for protein deposition, energy loss as hydrogen and urinary energy were found between diets. The efficiency of utilization of ME for maintenance was lower (p<0.05) with diets P and S than with diet C. The inclusion of fiber sources (sugar beet pulp or wheat bran) or potato starch reduced the maintenance energy requirement. The fecal energy excretion was increased (p<0.05) with either sugar beet pulp or wheat bran supplementation, while it was unaffected (p>0.05) by addition of potato starch. In comparison with diets C and P, a lowered ileal or fecal digestibility of energy with diets S and W was observed (p<0.05). Feeding sugar beet pulp caused increased (p<0.05) daily production of methane and carbon dioxide and consequently increased energy losses from methane and carbon dioxide production, while it did not influence the daily hydrogen production (p>0.05). An increased (p<0.05) proportion of NSP excreted in feces was seen by the supplementation of wheat bran. Higher NSP intake caused an increased daily amount of NSP in the ileum, but the ileal NSP proportion as a percentage of NSP intake was unaffected by diets. Feeding potato starch resulted in increased daily amount of starch measured in the ileum and the proportion of ileal starch as a percentage of starch intake, while no significant influence on fecal starch was found. Higher (p<0.05) daily amount of fecal starch and the proportion of fecal starch as a percentage of starch intake were found with fiber sources supplementation compared with diets C and P. By increasing the dietary NSP content the fecal amount of starch increased (p<0.01).

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.31-45
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• 2001

The effect of adding carbon dioxide to methane-air flame was investigated experimentally. Measurements included extinction limits, flame temperature and photographic investigation of flame. A diffusion flame was stabilized between counterflowing streams of methane diluted with carbon dioxide and air diluted with carbon dioxide. Extinction limits and temperature for such flames were measured over a wide parametric range and were compared with those for other flames that fuel or oxidant was diluted with nitrogen or argon. The experimental results indicate that extinction phenomena can be explained by thermal effect and as an amount of carbon dioxide in fuel or oxidant increases, greatly as compared with other flames flame-temperature falls and flame-thickness is reduced.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.29 no.11 s.242
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• pp.1277-1284
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• 2005

The combustion characteristics of methane oxygen diffusion flames have been investigated to give basic information for designing industrial oxyfuel combustors. NOx reduction has become one of the most determining factors in the combustor design since the small amount of nitrogen is included from the current low cost oxygen production process. Flame lengths decreased with increasing fuel or oxygen velocity because of the enhancement of mixing effect. Correlation equation between flame length and turbulent kinetic energy was proposed. NOx concentration was reduced with increasing fuel or oxygen velocity because of the enhanced entrainment of the product gas into flame zone as well as the reduction of residence time in combustion zone.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.359-363
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• 2006

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with few defects and very small amount of amorphous carbon coating have been synthesized by catalytic decomposition of methane in $H_2$ over well-dispersed metal particles supported on MgO. The yield of SWCNTs was estimated to be 88.5% and the purities of SWCNTs thus obtained were more than 90%. Peak of the radial breathing mode in the Raman spectrum demonstrated that the diameters of synthesized CNTs are in the range 0.4-2.0 nm. Our results also indicated that MgO support materials are useful to a large-scale synthesis of high-quality SWCNTs. Increasing temperature could remarkably increase the yield and also improve the quality of SWCNTs from catalytic decomposition of methane. The morphologies and microstructures of the synthesized carbon materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD).