• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.51-65
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• 2008

The increasing demand for energy in the near future has created strong motivation for environmentally clean alternative energy resources. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have opened up new ways of utilizing renewable energy sources. MFCs are devices that convert the chemical energy in the organic compounds to electrical energy through microbial catalysis at the anode under anaerobic conditions, and the reduction of a terminal electron acceptor, most preferentially oxygen, at the cathode. Due to the rapid advances in MFC-based technology over the last decade, the currently achievable MFC power production has increased by several orders of magnitude, and niche applications have been extended into a variety of areas. Newly emerging concepts with alternative materials for electrodes and catalysts as well as innovative designs have made MFCs promising technologies. Aerobic bacteria can also be used as cathode catalysts. This is an encouraging finding because not only biofouling on the cathode is unavoidable in the prolonged-run MFCs but also noble catalysts can be substituted with aerobic bacteria. This article discusses some of the recent advances in MFCs with an emphasis on the performance, materials, microbial community structures and applications beyond electricity generation.

• 한국가스학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.141-145
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• 2005

DME (Di-Methyl Ether) is a new clean fuel and an environmental-friendly energy resource, also is recently increasing with an alternative interest because of the industrial use. DME has been shown to have excellent properties as a diesel fuel giving emission level better than ULEV standard. So it has been attracting considerable as an alternative diesel fuel. In this study, we carried out simulation of separation and purification process of demo plant for 101on per day DME production, which cause the effect that is important in productivity, from operation results of pilot plant for 50kg per day DME production. The liquefied stream, which was separated by gas-liquid separator after DME reactor, includes $CO_2$, DME, Methanol and $H_2O$. We established three distillation columns for separation and purification of the stream. $CO_2$ was extracted from the stream by first distillation column, DME was extracted by second column and Methanol was extracted by third column. We investigated and analyzed the effect which the actual operation variables cause in efficiency of process and optimized process, finally we got the DME of purity $100\%$.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.174-180
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• 2017

Recently, the world faces the environmental problem such as air pollution due to harmful gas discharged from car and abnormal climate due to the green-house gases increased by the discharge of $CO_2$. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), one of alternative for this problem, is less harmful, compared to the existing fossil fuel, as gaseous fuel, and less carbon in fuel ingredients and carbon dioxide generation rate relatively favorable more than the existing fuel. However, CNG fuel has the weakness of slow flame propagation speed and difficult fast burn. On the other hand, hydrogen does not include carbon in fuel ingredients, and does not discharge harmful gas such as CO and HC. Moreover, it has strength of quick burning velocity and ignition is possible with small ignition energy source and it's has wide Lean Flammability Limit. If using this hydrogen with CNG fuel, the characteristics of output and discharge gas is improved by the mixer's burning velocity improved, and, at the same time, is possible to have stable lean combustion with the reduction of $CO_2$ expected. Therefore, this research tries to identify the characteristics of engine and emission gas when mixing CNG fuel and hydrogen in each portion and burning them in spark igniting engine, and grasp the lean combustion limit and emission gas characteristics according and use it as the basic data of hydrogen-CNG premixed engine.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.300-309
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• 2012

Long endurance is a key issue in the application of unmanned aerial vehicles. This study presents feasibility test results when fuel cell system as an alternative to the conventional engine is applied for the power of the UAV after the 150W fuel cell system is developed and packaged to the 1/4 scale super cub airplane. Fuel cell system is operated by dead-end method in the anode part and periodically purged to remove the water droplet in flow field during the operation. Oxygen in the air is supplied to the stack by the two air blowers. And fuel cell stack is water cooled by cooling circuit to dissipate the heat generated during the fuel cell operation. Weight balance is considered to integrate the stack and balance of plant (BOP) in package layout. In flight performance test, we demonstrated 4 times standalone take-off and landing. In the laboratory test simulating the flight condition to quantify the energy flow, the system is analyzed in detail. Sankey diagram shows that electric efficiency of the fuel cell system is 39.2%, heat loss 50.1%, parasitic loss 8.96%, and unreacted purged gas 1.67%, respectively compared to the total hydrogen input energy. Feasibility test results show that fuel cell system is high efficient and appropriate for the power of UAV.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.105-108
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• 2006

The fuel cell is one of the promising environment-friendly energy sources for the next generation. The fuel cell provides good energy efficiency above 40% without pollution or noise. Different fuel cell types are usually distinguished by the kind of electrolyte. Among these, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has advantages of high power density. low operating temperature, relatively quick start-up, and rapid response to varying loads. The bipolar plate is a major component of the PEM fuel cell stack, and it takes a large portion of stack volume, weight and cost. In this study, as alternative materials for bipolar plate of PEM fuel cells, graphite composites were fabricated by compression molding and by machining. Graphite particles mixed with epoxy resin were used as the main substance to provide electric conductivity. Flow channels were fabricated by compression molding with design of experiments (DOE) to evaluate moldability. The cost for compression molding of graphite-composite bipolar plate was compared with machining cost to make the same bipolar plate.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2008.10c
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• pp.191-193
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• 2008

A fuel cell power system among various alternative power sources has many advantages such as low-polluted, high-efficient, and heat-recyclable, thus it is now able to be up to hundreds MWh-scaled through improving feasibility and longevity of it. During the last few years of the twentieth century, much changed to stimulate new and expanding interest in fuel cell technology. This paper presents optimal design and operational features of stand-alone 500W PEMFC(Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) system which can be a substitute instead fossil fuel. The stack of PEMFC is composed of 35 laminated graphite, and a unit cell of the stack has electrical characteristics as below; 14W, 0.9V, 15A. The other components of BOP(Balance of Plant) are composed of hydrogen and nitrogen tanks, regulators, 3way 5solenoid valves, mass flow meters, etc.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.149-152
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• 2008

Three properties of food waste are water 80%, ash 3%, volatile matter 17%. When food waste goes through treatment process such as removal of foreign substances, removal of water as well as sodium, dryness, and pulverization, it transforms into 4,000Kcal/kg purverized fuel if moisture content is below 13%. Fuel ratio(fixed carbon/volatile matter) of purverized fuel is low compared with bituminuous coal. Ignition temperature measured by thermogravimetry analyzer is about $460^{\circ}C$. Combustion test of purverized fuel have been performed using energy recovery facility which include storage tank of dewatered cake, dryer, hammer mill, combuster including burner, boiler, flue gas treatment equipment. When 160-180 kg/hr of fuel is steadily supplied to burner for 3 hours, combueter temperature reaches about $1000^{\circ}C$ and CO is 77-103ppm at 1.55 excess air ratio and SOx and Cl are under 2ppm and 1ppm, respectively. This experiment demonstrate that purverized fuel made from food waste could be an alternative clean energy for high oil price era

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.21-30
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• 2008

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the most promising method of treating and recycling of different organic wastes, such as OFMSW, household wastes, animal manure, agro-industrial wastes, industrial organic wastes and sewage sludge. During AD, i.e. degradation in the absence of oxygen, organic material is decomposed by anaerobes forming degestates such as an excellent fertilizer and biogas, a mixture of carbon dioxide and methane. AD has been one of the leading technologies that can make a large contribution to producing renewable energy and to reducing $CO_2$ and other GHG emission, it is becoming a key method for both waste treatment and recovery of a renewable fuel and other valuable co-products. A classification of the basic AD technologies for the production of biogas can be made according to the dry matter of biowaste and digestion temperature, which divide the AD process in wet and dry, mesophilic and thermophilic. The biogas produced from AD plant can be utilized as an alternative energy source, for lighting and cooking in case of small-scale, for CHP and vehicle fuel or fuel in industrials in case of large-scale. This paper provides an overview of the status of biogas production and utilization technologies.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.18-29
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• 2011

Biofuls are considered as an option to reduce greenhouse gases emission, increase energy supply diversity and security of supply, as well as an opportunity for job creation and rural development. First of all, biofuls technologies have been promoted as a means for reducing the carbon intensity of the transport sector. Hence, in the last decade biofuels production has been driven by governmental policies. The key instruments widely adopted to foster production and increase consumption have been mandatory blending targets, tax exemptions and sibsidies. As one of the most powerful instruments, biofuel mandates require fuel producers to produce a pre-defined amount (or share) of biofuels and blend them with petroleum fuel. National biofuels mandates are in place 35 countries and partially in place in 6 countries. In this study, we reviewed status of global biofuels policies to reduce greenhouse gases in the European Union, United States and other countires worldwide. Especially, we discussed representative biofuels mandates policies same as Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS, US), Renewable Transport Fules Obligation (RTFO, UK) in transport sector.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.29-34
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• 2009

Recently, we have a lot interest in a sudden rise of oil prices and a change weather for the earth warmming, so, development of new alternative fuels need in order to spare fossil fuel and reduce exhaust emissions for air pollution prevention. Biodiesel, which can be generated from natural renewable sources such as new or used vegetable oils or animal fats, may be used as fuel in diesel engine of compression ignition engine. In this paper, the combustion characteristics between neat diesel oil and biodiesel blends(10 vol.% biodiesel and 20 vol.% biodiesel) were tested using four stroke, direct injection diesel engine, especially this biodiesel was produced from soybean oil at our laboratory. This analysis showed that cylinder pressures, the rate of pressure rises and the rate of heat releases were decreased as the blending ratios of biodiesel to diesel oil increased because of lower heating value of biodiesel in spite of increased oxygen content in biodiesel.