• Clean Technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2018

Catalytic filter has many advantages for the industrial application owing to its bi-functional ability to treat nitrogen oxides and particulate simultaneously. The technical feasibility of using the catalytic filter in the flue gas treatment process will be more promoted if the high porous ceramic sheet filter is utilized. However, it is not easy to prepare the effective catalytic filter using sheet filter as it has less room for catalyst support due to its thin layer. In this study, catalytic filter using a domestic ceramic sheet filter element has been prepared and conducted the experimental evaluation for NO reduction performance. The current sheet filter element shows the low catalytic activity less than 92% conversion for NO concentration 700 ppm at the face velocity $0.02m\;s^{-1}$. This unexpected low catalytic activity seems to be caused by the present of extraordinary large pores from the lack of uniformity in the pore size distribution of the sheet filter. The large pore size of the sheet filter is reduced by composing the smaller powder as its raw material, which presents improvement in NO conversion more than 96%. More improvement is observed showing 98% NO conversion which is applicable to a commercial plant when the catalyst coating layer is expanded by adding the large $TiO_2$ particles during the catalyst preparation. Both of above two methods is regarded as that the broad gates of the larger pores in the coating layer are effectively filled with the proper catalyst. So these results encourage the utilization of sheet filter as a good catalytic filter material with its potential merit of high permeability.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.359-369
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• 2015

Stream ecosystems are highly valued natural resources, however, stream environments are currently under threat in several respects. We evaluated vegetation and ecological characteristics according to different revetment types. The distribution of vegetation differed with revetment type, with a 42~45 taxa found in natural revetments, and 23~38 taxa in vertical revetments. Thus, natural revetments host more diverse vegetation than vertical revetments. We also found more plants belonging to the families Labiatae and Cyperaceae growing in natural revetments than in vertical revetments. We proposed that habitat space be apportioned to introduce annual plants as part of stream restoration projects. And, we identified 7 families and 18 taxa of naturalized plants, majority taxa were either biennial or perennial. Moreover, naturalized ratio was higher in vertical(14.3%) than natural(12.1%), we proposed a plan to promote and improve natural streams and revetments. Furthermore, we applied a waterfront evaluation method developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the USDA-NRCS, which confirmed that stream health can be improved in most regions by controlling naturalized plants and ensuring shrub and tree growth. We adopted a new method to remove naturalized plants and establish natural revetments to ensure shrub and tree growth to aid in small-stream restoration and improvement. In future studies, we hope to develop methods for small-stream restoration projects in rural areas.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.1706-1709
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• 2010

Sewerage Treatment Plants(STPs) are complexes systems in which a range of physical, chemical and biological processes occur. Since Activated Sludge Model(ASM) No.1 was published, a number of new mathematical models for simulating biological processes have been developed. However, these models have disadvantages in cost and simplicity due to the laboriousness and tediousness of their procedures. One of the major difficulties of these mathematical model based tools is that the field-operators mostly don't have the time or the computer-science skills to handle there models, so it mainly remains on experts or special engineers. In order to solve these situations and help the field-operators, the $KM^2BM$(K-water & More-M Mass Balance Model) based on the dynamic-mass balance model was developed. This paper presents $KM^2BM$ as a simulation tools for STPs design and optimization. This model considers the most important microbial behavioral processes taking place in a STPs to maximize potential applicability without increasing neither model parameter estimation nor wastewater characterization efforts.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.549-556
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• 2005

Estrogenic and antioxidant activities of ethanol extracts of 45 edible and medicinal plants were evaluated by ${\beta}-galactosidase$ assay, and DPPH radical scavenging assay, and TBARS inhibition rate, respectively. Total polyphenol contents were in the range of 8.6 (Panax notoginseng Buck F.H. Chen.)-594.7 (Amomum globosum Loureiro) mg/g. Direct correlation between the DPPH radical scavenging activity and polyphenol content $(r^2=0.61)$ was established through simple regression analysis, whereas no correlation was observed between TBARS inhibition rate or ${\beta}-galactosidase$ activity and polyphenol content. Among medicinal plants screened, Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and Rheum undulatum L. showed strong antioxidant and estrogenic activities. Results of this study could be used as fundamental data for selecting potential phytoestrogen candidates.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.413-422
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• 2018

Soybean transgenic plants with ectopically expressed AtABF3 were produced by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and investigated the effects of AtABF3 expression on drought and salt tolerance. Stable Agrobacterium-mediated soybean transformation was carried based on the half-seed method (Paz et al. 2006). The integration of the transgene was confirmed from the genomic DNA of transformed soybean plants using PCR and the copy number of transgene was determined by Southern blotting using leaf samples from $T_2$ seedlings. In addition to genomic integration, the expression of the transgenes was analyzed by RT-PCR and most of the transgenic lines expressed the transgenes introduced. The chosen two transgenic lines (line #2 and #9) for further experiment showed the substantial drought stress tolerance by surviving even at the end of the 20-day of drought treatment. And the positive relationship between the levels of AtABF3 gene expression and drought-tolerance was confirmed by qRT-PCR and drought tolerance test. The stronger drought tolerance of transgenic lines seemed to be resulted from physiological changes. Transgenic lines #2 and #9 showed ion leakage at a significantly lower level (P < 0.01) than ${\underline{n}}on-{\underline{t}}ransgenic$ (NT) control. In addition, the chlorophyll contents of the leaves of transgenic lines were significantly higher (P < 0.01). The results indicated that their enhanced drought tolerance was due to the prevention of cell membrane damage and maintenance of chlorophyll content. Water loss by transpiration also slowly proceeded in transgenic plants. In microscopic observation, higher stomata closure was confirmed in transgenic lines. Especially, line #9 had 56% of completely closed stomata whereas only 16% were completely open. In subsequent salt tolerance test, the apparently enhanced salt tolerance of transgenic lines was measured in ion leakage rate and chlorophyll contents. Finally, the agronomic characteristics of ectopically expressed AtABF3 transgenic plants ($T_2$) compared to NT plants under regular watering (every 4 days) or low rate of watering condition (every 10 days) was investigated. When watered regularly, the plant height of drought-tolerant line (#9) was shorter than NT plants. However, under the drought condition, total seed weight of line #9 was significantly higher than in NT plants (P < 0.01). Moreover, the pods of NT plants showed severe withering, and most of the pods failed to set normal seeds. All the evidences in the study clearly suggested that overexpression of the AtABF3 gene conferred drought and salt tolerance in major crop soybean, especially under the growth condition of low watering.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.298-306
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• 2016

Planting date shift is one of the means of adapting to climate change in Kimchi Cabbage growers in major production areas in Korea. This study suggests a method to estimate the potential yield of Kimchi Cabbage based on daily temperature accumulation during the growth period from planting to maturity which is determined by a plant phenology model tuned to Kimchi Cabbage. The phenology model converts any changes in the thermal condition caused by the planting date shift into the heat unit accumulation during the growth period, which can be calculated from daily temperatures. The physiological maturity is estimated by applying this model to a variable development rate function depending either on growth or heading stage. The cabbage yield prediction model (Ahn et al., 2014) calculates the potential yield of summer cabbage by accumulating daily heat units for the growth period. We combined these two models and applied to the 1km resolution climate scenario (2000-2100) based on RCP8.5 for South Korea. Potential yields in the current normal year (2001-2010) and the future normal year (2011-2040, 2041-2070, and 2071-2100) were estimated for each grid cell with the planting dates of July 1, August 1, September 1, and October 1. Based on the results, we divided the whole South Korea into 810 watersheds, and devised a three - dimensional evaluation chart of the time - space - yield that enables the user to easily find the optimal planting date for a given watershed. This method is expected to be useful not only for exploring future new cultivation sites but also for developing cropping systems capable of adaptation to climate change without changing varieties in existing production areas.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.43-54
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• 2013

This study proposed a new embankment stability control method to analyze the measurement data on the slope activities of the soft ground, using the Stability Control Index (SCI) obtained from the p-q stress paths. In order to validate this new technique, the data from triaxial compression tests (CU) and field measurement were compared. SCI is calculated from the current path of the effective stress points ($p^{\prime}=p-{\Delta}u$) using the relative position between the Total Stress Path $p_{max}$ and the point of $k_f$ line $p_f$. From this result, the point of effective stress $p^{\prime}(=p-{\Delta}u)$ will have access to the point $p_f$ of $k_f$ line when the pore water pressure occurs or the point of total stress pass $p^{\prime}_{max}$ when the pore pressure dissipates. Thus, the Stability Control Index (SCI) can evaluate quantitatively the safety of embankment from the relative position of the effective stress path.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.639-647
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• 2011

In this paper, we introduce a design methodology of data-centroid Radial Basis Function neural networks with extended polynomial function. The two underlying design mechanisms of such networks involve K-means clustering method and Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO). The proposed algorithm is based on K-means clustering method for efficient processing of data and the optimization of model was carried out using PSO. In this paper, as the connection weight of RBF neural networks, we are able to use four types of polynomials such as simplified, linear, quadratic, and modified quadratic. Using K-means clustering, the center values of Gaussian function as activation function are selected. And the PSO-based RBF neural networks results in a structurally optimized structure and comes with a higher level of flexibility than the one encountered in the conventional RBF neural networks. The PSO-based design procedure being applied at each node of RBF neural networks leads to the selection of preferred parameters with specific local characteristics (such as the number of input variables, a specific set of input variables, and the distribution constant value in activation function) available within the RBF neural networks. To evaluate the performance of the proposed data-centroid RBF neural network with extended polynomial function, the model is experimented with using the nonlinear process data(2-Dimensional synthetic data and Mackey-Glass time series process data) and the Machine Learning dataset(NOx emission process data in gas turbine plant, Automobile Miles per Gallon(MPG) data, and Boston housing data). For the characteristic analysis of the given entire dataset with non-linearity as well as the efficient construction and evaluation of the dynamic network model, the partition of the given entire dataset distinguishes between two cases of Division I(training dataset and testing dataset) and Division II(training dataset, validation dataset, and testing dataset). A comparative analysis shows that the proposed RBF neural networks produces model with higher accuracy as well as more superb predictive capability than other intelligent models presented previously.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2016

This study examined the compressive strength development and pH values of alpha-calcium sulfate hemihydrate(${\alpha}-CH$)-based binders developed for vegetation concrete with neutral pH between 6~7. Considering cost down and strength enhancement of the prepared binders, the ${\alpha}-CH$ was partially replaced by ground granulated blast furnace slag(GGBS), fly ash(FA), or ordinary Portland cement(OPC) by 25% and 50%. The compressive strength of mortars using 100% ${\alpha}-CH$ was 50% lower than that of 100% OPC mortars. With the increase of the replacement level of GGBS or FA, the compressive strength of ${\alpha}-CH$-based mortars tended to decrease, whereas the pH values were maintained to be 6.5~7.5. The main hydration products of ${\alpha}-CH$-based binders with GGBS or FA were a gypsum($CaSO_4$), whereas portlandite($Ca(OH)_2$) was not observed in such binders. Meanwhile, the pH values of ${\alpha}-CH$-based binders with OPC exceeded 11.5 due to the formation of $Ca(OH)_2$ phase as a hydration product. From the thermogravimetric analysis, the amount of $Ca(OH)_2$ in ${\alpha}-CH$-based binders with OPC was evaluated to be approximately 10% of the cement content.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.4 no.3 s.11
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• pp.9-18
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• 2000

Accident analysis are useful in the design stage of chemical plants and their surrounding structures. Also, analysis results are required for safety management of existing plants. In this paper, the fire and explosion effect by BTX released was evaluated. The computer program was prepared for accident analysis and adopted for evaluating the magnitude of fire (pool fire) and explosion (UVCE) effect. The thermal radiation was used as a measure of fire magnitude and the overpressure as a measure of explosion magnitude. And probit analysis was made for each case. As a case study, benzene tank model was used. The simulation results of explosion of benzene showed that the damage within 20 meters from the accident spot was severe and the damage beyond 60 meters was negligible. The simulation results of fire of benzene showed that the damage in summer is bigger than that in winter. And the damage of city located inland seems to be bigger than that of city in seaside. And thermal radiation effects was negligible beyond 40 meters-distance from the accident spot.