• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.457-469
• /
• 2016

During the late phase of severe accidents of light water reactors, a porous debris bed is expected to develop on the bottom of the flooded reactor cavity after breakup of the melt in water. The geometrical configuration, i.e., internal and external characteristics, of the debris bed is significant for the adequate assessment of the coolability of the relocated corium. The internal structure of a debris bed was investigated experimentally using the DAVINCI (Debris bed research Apparatus for Validation of the bubble-Induced Natural Convection effect Issue) test facility. Particle sedimentation under the influence of a two-phase natural convection flow due to the decay heat in the debris bed was simulated by dropping various sizes of particles into a water vessel with air bubble injection from the bottom. Settled particles were collected and sieved to obtain the particle mass, size distribution in the radial and axial positions, and the bed porosity and permeability. The experimental results showed that the center part of the particle bed tended to have larger particles than the peripheral area. For the axial distribution, the lower layer had a higher fraction of larger particles. As the sedimentation progressed, the size distribution in the upper layers can shift to larger sizes because of the higher vapor generation rate and stronger flow intensity.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.200-207
• /
• 1993

A methanol reformer was designed and fabricated using a CuO-ZnO low temperature shift catalyst, and its operation characteristics have been studied for the phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) power generation system. The type of reactor was annular Methanol was consumed both for heating and for reforming fuel. Contents of carbon monoxide produced from the reformer increased as the reaction temperatures increased, but decreased as the mole ratios of water to methanol(H$_2$O/CH$_3$OH) increased. At steady state operating conditional, temperature profile of the catalytic reactor of the reformer was well coincide with the model equation, and it took 50 minutes from start to the rated condition of the reformer. When the system was operated at 4/4 and 1/4 of load, thermal efficiencies of the system were 72.3% and 77%, respectively. When the PAFC system was operated with reformed gas in the range of 62 V-37.6 V and 0-147 A, the trend of I-V curve showed a typical fuel tell characteristic. At steady state condition, the flow rates of reforming and combustion methanol were 88.1 mol/h and 50.1 mol/h, respectively.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.56 no.2
• /
• pp.169-175
• /
• 2018

This study deals with a process for the recovery of hydrogen isotopes from methane ($CQ_4$) and water ($Q_2O$) containing tritium in the nuclear fusion exhaust gas (Q is Hydrogen, Deuterium, Tritium). Steam Methane Reforming and Water Gas Shift reactions are used to convert $CQ_4$ and $Q_2O$ to $Q_2$ and the produced $Q_2$ is recovered by the subsequent Pd membrane. In this study, one circulation loop consisting of catalytic reactor, Pd membrane, and circulation pump was applied to recover H components from $CH_4$ and $H_2O$, one of $CQ_4$ and $Q_2O$. The conversion of $CH_4$ and $H_2O$ was measured by varying the catalytic reaction temperature and the circulating flow rate. $CH_4$ conversion was 99% or more at the catalytic reaction temperature of $650^{\circ}C$ and the circulating flow rate of 2.0 L/min. $H_2O$ conversion was 96% or more at the catalytic reaction temperature of $375^{\circ}C$ and the circulating flow rate of 1.8 L/min. In addition, the amount of $CQ_4$ generated by Korean Demonstration Fusion Power Plant (K-DEMO) in the future was predicted. Then, the treatment process for the $CQ_4$ was proposed and HAZOP (hazard and operability) analysis was conducted to identify the risk factors and operation problems of the process.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.96-101
• /
• 2020

In this paper, the commercial feasibility of trigeneration, producing heat, power, and hydrogen (CHHP) and using biogas derived from macroalgae (i.e., seaweed biomass feedstock), are investigated. For this purpose, a commercial scale trigeneration process, consisting of three MW solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), gas turbine, and organic Rankine cycle, is designed conceptually and simulated using Aspen plus, a commercial process simulator. To produce hydrogen, a solid oxide fuel cell system is re-designed by the removal of after-burner and the addition of a water-gas shift reactor. The cost of each unit operation equipment in the process is estimated through the calculated heat and mass balances from simulation, with the techno-economic analysis following through. The designed CHHP process produces 2.3 MW of net power and 50 kg hr^-1 of hydrogen with an efficiency of 37% using 2 ton hr^-1 of biogas from 3.47 ton hr^-1 (dry basis) of brown algae as feedstock. Based on these results, a realistic scenario is evaluated economically and the breakeven electricity selling price (BESP) is calculated. The calculated BESP is ¢10.45 kWh^-1, which is comparable to or better than the conventional power generation. This means that the CHHP process based on SOFC can be a viable alternative when the technical targets on SOFC are reached.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.97-104
• /
• 2013

Methyl alcohol is one of the basic intermediates in the chemical industry and is also being used as a fuel additive and as a clean burning fuel. In this study, conversion of carbon dioxide to methyl alcohol was investigated using catalytic chemical methods. Ceramic monoliths (M) with $400cell/in^2$ were used as catalyst supports. Monolith-supported CuO-ZnO catalysts were prepared by wash-coat method. The prepared catalysts were characterized by using ICP analysis, TEM images and XRD patterns. The catalytic activity for carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methyl alcohol was investigated using a flow-type reactor under various reaction temperature, pressure and contact time. In the preparation of monolith-supported CuO-ZnO catalysts by wash-coat method, proper concentration of precursors solution was 25.7% (w/v). The mixed crystal of CuO and ZnO was well supported on monolith. And it was known that more CuO component may be supported than ZnO component. Conversion of carbon dioxide was increased with increasing reaction temperature, but methyl alcohol selectivity was decreased. Optimum reaction temperature was about $250^{\circ}C$ under 20 atm because of the reverse water gas shift reaction. Maximum yield of methyl alcohol over CuO-ZnO/M catalyst was 5.1 mol% at $250^{\circ}C$ and 20 atm.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.215-220
• /
• 2010

Hydrogen is a clean and efficient energy source and is expected to take an important role in future energy demand. A possibly good route to produce hydrogen is by using biomass and organic wastes as a source through thermo-chemical conversion technology. In this study, pyrolysis of wood Pellet(Oregon pine) has been carried out in batch type fixed-bed reactor in $N_2$ atmosphere during 20 minutes to determine the optimum hydrogen generating conditions. At the influence of temperature, hydrogen yield was increased with increasing temperature. For the influence of Steam/Biomass Ratio(SBR), hydrogen yield was increased by steam addition at low temperature condition. However, effect of steam addition was insignificant over at SBR = 1. The hydrogen yield was increased with increasing SBR at high temperature condition. From result of $H_2$/CO and $H_2/CH_4$ ratio, dominant reaction was steam reforming in this experimental condition. The optimum condition for hydrogen production was determined as follows: $H_2$ yield = 38.3 vol.% (56.01 L/min kg) at $900^{\circ}C$, SBR=3.