• Clean Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.426-431
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• 2012

Carbon-rich coal can be utilized as a fuel for direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC). However, left-behind ash after the electrochemical oxidation may hinder the electrochemical reactions. In this study, we produced ash-free coal (AFC) by thermal extraction and then tested it as a fuel for DCFC. DCFC was built based on solid oxide electrolyte and the electrochemical performance of AFC mixed with $K_2CO_3$ was compared with AFC only. Significantly enhanced power density was found by catalytic steam gasification of AFC. However, an increase of the power density by catalytic pyrolysis was negligible. This result indicated that a catalyst activated the steam gasification reactions, producing much more $H_2$ and thus increasing the power density, compared to AFC only. Results of a quantitative analysis showed much improved kinetics in AFC with $K_2CO_3$ in agreement with DCFC results. A secondary phase of potassium on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) surface was observed after the cell operation. This probably caused poor long-term behavior of AFC with $K_2CO_3$. A thin YSZ (30 ${\mu}m$ thick) was found to be higher in the power density than 0.9 mm of YSZ.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.514-524
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• 2022

Carbon emissions from fuel consumption have been pointed by scientists as the cause of global warming. In particular, fossil fuels are known to emit more carbon when burned than other types of fuels. In this regard, International Maritime Organization has announced a regulation plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, recently, Liquefied Natural Gas propulsion ships are responding to such carbon reduction regulation. However, from a long-term perspective, it is necessary to use carbon-free fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia. Nitrogen oxides might be generated during ammonia combustion. There is a possibility that incompletely burned ammonia is discharged. Therefore, rather than being used as a direct fuel, Ammonia is only used to reduce NO_X such as urea solution in diesel vehicle Selective Catalyst Reduction. Currently, LPG vehicle fuel feed system studies have evaluated the durability of combustion injectors and fuel tanks in ammonia environment. However, few studies have been conducted to apply ammonia as a ship fuel. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate corrosion damage that might occur when ammonia is used as a propulsion fuel on ships.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.559-569
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• 2018

Catalytic supports made of carbon have many advantages, such as high coking resistance, tailorable pore and surface structures, and ease of recycling of waste catalysts. Moreover, they do not require pre-reduction. In this study, ash-free coal (AFC) was obtained by the thermal extraction of carbonaceous components from raw coal and its performance as a carbon catalytic support was compared with that of well-known activated carbon (AC). Nickel was dispersed on the carbon supports and the resulting catalysts were applied to the steam reforming of toluene (SRT), a model compound of biomass tar. Interestingly, nickel catalysts dispersed on AFC, which has a very small surface area (${\sim}0.13m^2/g$), showed higher activity than those dispersed on AC, which has a large surface area ($1,173A/cm^2$). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the particle size of nickel deposited on AFC was smaller than that deposited on AC, with the average values on AFC ${\approx}11nm$ and on AC ${\approx}23nm$. This proved that heteroatomic functional groups in AFC, such as carboxyls, can provide ion-exchange or adsorption sites for the nano-scale dispersion of nickel. In addition, the pore structure, surface morphology, chemical composition, and chemical state of the prepared catalysts were analyzed using Brunauer-Emmett-Taylor (BET) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR).

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2024

Ammonia is drawing attention as carbon free fuel due to its ease of storage and transportation compared to hydrogen. This study suggests ammonia fueled solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system with electrochemical hydrogen compressor (EHC)-based recirculation. Performance of electrochemical hydrogen pump is based on the experimental data under varying hydrogen and nitrogen concentration. As a result, the suggested system shows 62.04% net electrical efficiency. The efficiency is 10.33% point higher compared to simple standalone SOFC system (51.71%), but 0.02% point lower compared to blower-based recirculation system (62.06%). Further improvement in the EHC-based SOFC recirculation system can be achieved with EHC performance improvement.

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2012.03a
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• pp.406-409
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• 2012

Recently, enormous research efforts have been focused on the development of non-precious catalysts to replace Pt for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and to reduce the cost of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In recent years, heteroatom (N, B, and P) doped carbon nanostructures have been received enormous importance as a non-precious electrode materials for oxygen reduction. Doping of foreign atom into carbon is able to modify electronic properties of carbon materials. In this study, nitrogen and boron doped carbon nanostructures were synthesized by using a facile and cost-effective thermal annealing route and prepared nanostructures were used as a non-precious electrocatalysts for the ORR in alkaline electrolyte. The nitrogen doped carbon nanocapsules (NCNCs) exhibited higher activity than that of a commercial Pt/C catalyst, excellent stability and resistance to methanol oxidation. The boron-doped carbon nanostructure (BC) prepared at $900^{\circ}C$ showed higher ORR activity than BCs prepared lower temperature (800, $700^{\circ}C$). The heteroatom doped carbon nanomaterials could be promising candidates as a metal-free catalysts for ORR in the PEMFCs.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.446-450
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• 2013

TRISO coated particles with a ZrC barrier layer were fabricated by a fluidized-bed chemical vapor deposition (FBCVD) method for a use in a very high temperature gas-cooled reactor (VHTR). The ZrC layer was deposited by the reaction between $ZrCl_4$ and $CH_4$ gases at $1500^{\circ}C$ in an $Ar+H_2$ mixture gas. The amount of free carbon codeposited with in ZrC was changed by controlling the dilution gas ratio. Near-stoichiometric ZrC phase was also deposited when an impeller was employed to a $ZrCl_4$ vaporizer which effectively inhibited the agglomeration of $ZrCl_4$ powders during the deposition process. A near-stoichiometric ZrC coating layer had smooth surface while ZrC containing the free carbon had rough surface with tumulose structure. Surface roughness of ZrC increased further as the amount of free carbon increased.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2016

Oxidation behaviours of ash free coal (AFC), carbon, and H₂ fuels were investigated with a coin type molten carbonate fuel cell. Because AFC has no electrical conductivity, its oxidation occurs via gasification to H₂ and CO. An interesting behaviour of mass transfer resistance reduction at higher current density was observed. Since the anode reaction has the positive reaction order of H₂, CO₂ and H₂O, the lack of CO₂ and H₂O from AFC results in a significant mass transfer resistance. However, the anode products of CO₂ and H₂O at higher current densities raise their partial pressure and mitigate the resistance. The addition of CO₂ to AFC reduced the resistance sufficiently, thus the resistance reduction at higher current densities did not appear. Electrochemical impedance results also indicate that the addition of CO₂ reduces mass transfer resistance. Carbon and H₂ fuels without CO₂ and H₂O also show similar behaviour to AFC: mass transfer resistance is diminished by raising current density and adding CO₂.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.378-384
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• 2012

Higher compression ratio is required in diesel engine to ignite the fuel that leads to better efficiency. For complete combustion inside the cylinder it is important to ensure the clean air flow with free of debris and as cool as possible. In this manner, modification of intake valve arrangements is taken in to consideration importantly. In this paper, the intake valve arrangements are modified with newly designed valve mixer. It causes swirl flow of air through the intake port that mixing with the fuel followed by complete combustion. The use of valve mixer reduces the carbon sediment formation on valve fillet and its face area as the carbon particles gradually take place on it after certain running period. It therefore, helps to increase the valve lifetime. And at the same time it reduces the exhaust elements i.e. soot from the automobiles to a significant level.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.776-785
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• 2022

Hydrogen combustion in modern gas-turbine engine is the cutting edge technology as carbon-free energy conversion system. Flashback of hydrogen flame, however, is inevitable and critical specially for premixed hydrogen combustion. Therefore, this experimental investigation is conducted to understand flashback phenomenon in premixed hydrogen combustion. In order to investigate flashback characteristics in premixed hydrogen (H₂)/air flame, we focus on pressure conditions and nozzle shapes. In general, quenching distance reduces as pressure of combustion chamber increases, causing flashback from boundary layer near wall. The flashback regime for reference and modified candidate configurations can broadly appear with increasing combustion chamber pressure. The later one can improve flashback-resist by compensating flow velocity at wall. Also, improved wall flow velocity profile of suggested contraction nozzle prevents entire flashback but causes local flashback at nozzle exit.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.230-236
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• 2013

In this study, successive coating and co-sintering techniques have been used to fabricate LSM/GDC based cathode supported direct carbon fuel cells. The porous LSM/GDC cathode substrate, dense, thin and crack free GDC and ScSZ layers as bi-layer electrolyte, and a porous Ni/ScSZ anode layer was obtained by co-firing at $1400^{\circ}C$. The porous structure of LSM/GDC cathode substrate, after sintering at $1400^{\circ}C$, was obtained due to the presence of GDC phase, which inhibits sintering of LSM because of its higher sintering temperature. The electrochemical characterization of assembled cell was carried out with air as an oxidant and carbon particles in molten carbonate as fuel. The measured open circuit voltages (OCVs) were obtained to be more than 0.99 V, independent of testing temperature. The peak power densities were 116, 195 and $225mWcm^{-2}$ at 750, 800 and $850^{\circ}C$, respectively.