• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.69-77
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• 2018

The use of membrane as an innovative technology for water treatment process has now widely been accepted and adopted to replace the conventional water treatment process in increasing fresh water production for various domestic and industrial purposes. In this study, ultrafiltration (UF) membranes with different formulation were fabricated via phase inversion method. The membranes were fabricated by varying the polymer concentration (16 wt%, 18 wt%, 20 wt%, and 21 wt%). A series of tests, such as field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), pore size and porosity, contact angle, and zeta potential were performed to characterize the membranes. The membrane performance in terms of permeation flux and rejection were evaluated using a laboratory bench-scale test unit with mine water, lake water and tube well as model feed solution. Long hour filtration study of the membranes provides the information on its fouling property. Few pore blocking mechanism models were proposed to examine the behaviour of flux reduction and to estimate the fouling parameters based on different degree of fouling. 21 wt% PVDF membrane with smaller membrane pore size showed an excellent performance for surface water treatment in which the treated water complied with NWQS class II standard.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.64-73
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• 2015

Recently, hydraulic fracturing is used in various fields and microseismic monitoring is one of the best methods for judging where hydraulic fractures exist and how they are developing. When locating microseismic events using single vertical well data, distances from the vertical array and depths from the surface are generally decided using time differences between compressional (P) wave and shear (S) wave arrivals and azimuths are calculated using P wave hodogram analysis. However, in field data, it is sometimes hard to acquire P wave data which has smaller amplitude than S wave because microseismic data often have very low signal to noise (S/N) ratio. To overcome this problem, in this study, we developed a grid search algorithm which can find event location using all combinations of arrival times recorded at receivers. In addition, we introduced and analyzed the method which calculates azimuths using S wave. The tests of synthetic data show the inversion method using all combinations of arrival times and receivers can locate events without considering the origin time even using only single phase. In addition, the method can locate events with higher accuracy and has lower sensitivity on first arrival picking errors than conventional method. The method which calculates azimuths using S wave can provide reliable results when the dip between event and receiver is relatively small. However, this method shows the limitation when dip is greater than about $20^{\circ}$ in our model test.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.297-302
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• 2018

Bead type and hollow fiber type catalyst (HFC, Hollow Fiber type Catalyst) was prepared by $La_{0.1}Sr_{0.9}Co_{0.2}Fe_{0.8}O_{3-{\delta}}$ (LSCF1928) perovskite powder catalyst which showed excellent methane complete oxidation characteristics through previous studies. The HFC have a cylindrical shape with an empty interior, and pores can be formed through Phase inversion method so the specific surface area can be remarkably improved. In the case of the bead type catalyst prepared by adding Methyl Cellulose (MC), $SrCO_3$ was produced in addition to the original catalyst composition of LSCF1928 due to the reaction of $CO_2$ emitted from MC and Sr of the catalyst. In the case of the HFC, a single phase perovskite structure was obtained without impurities. The HFC calcined at $700{\sim}900^{\circ}C$ showed pore structure of finger-sponge-finger structure, and 99.9% oxygen conversion rate was achieved through complete oxidation of methane at $475^{\circ}C$. Air gap and spinning pressure condition were changed to control the HFC pore. 2 cm air gap and 7 bar spinning pressure showed the best catalytic performance and achieved oxygen conversion rates of more than 70.65%, 93.01%, and 99.99% at $425^{\circ}C$, $450^{\circ}C$ and $475^{\circ}C$, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.1044-1053
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• 2021

Objective: Motion-corrected averaging with a single-shot technique was introduced for faster acquisition of late-gadolinium-enhancement (LGE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging while free-breathing. We aimed to evaluate the image quality (IQ) of free-breathing motion-corrected single-shot LGE (moco-ss-LGE) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Materials and Methods: Between April and December 2019, 30 patients (23 men; median age, 48.5; interquartile range [IQR], 36.5-61.3) with HCM were prospectively enrolled. Breath-held single-shot LGE (bh-ss-LGE) and free-breathing moco-ss-LGE images were acquired in random order on a 3T MR system. Semi-quantitative IQ scores, contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs), and quantitative size of myocardial scar were assessed on pairs of bh-ss-LGE and moco-ss-LGE. The mean ± standard deviation of the parameters was obtained. The results were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: The moco-ss-LGE images had better IQ scores than the bh-ss-LGE images (4.55 ± 0.55 vs. 3.68 ± 0.45, p < 0.001). The CNR of the scar to the remote myocardium (34.46 ± 11.85 vs. 26.13 ± 10.04, p < 0.001), scar to left ventricle (LV) cavity (13.09 ± 7.95 vs. 9.84 ± 6.65, p = 0.030), and LV cavity to remote myocardium (33.12 ± 15.53 vs. 22.69 ± 11.27, p < 0.001) were consistently greater for moco-ss-LGE images than for bh-ss-LGE images. Measurements of scar size did not differ significantly between LGE pairs using the following three different quantification methods: 1) full width at half-maximum method; 23.84 ± 12.88% vs. 24.05 ± 12.81% (p = 0.820), 2) 6-standard deviation method, 15.14 ± 10.78% vs. 15.99 ± 10.99% (p = 0.186), and 3) 3-standard deviation method; 36.51 ± 17.60% vs. 37.50 ± 17.90% (p = 0.785). Conclusion: Motion-corrected averaging may allow for superior IQ and CNRs with free-breathing in single-shot LGE imaging, with a herald of free-breathing moco-ss-LGE as the scar imaging technique of choice for clinical practice.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.456-470
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• 2013

Hollow-fiber membranes, is one of the new technologies that is growing rapidly in the past few decades. In addition, separation membranes using polymer materials, have attracted attentions in various fields including gas separation, fuel cells, water treatment, wastewater treatment, and organic separation. Nanofiltration (NF) membranes having the separation characteristics in the intermediate range between ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes for liquid separation, with relatively low investment cost and operating pressure lower than that of RO membranes, have high permeance and rejection performance of multivalent ions as well as organic compounds of molecular weight between $200{\sim}1000gmol^{-1}$. In this paper, we would like to review the research trends on the various structure control and characterization of NF hollow fiber membranes with respect to materials and the methods of preparation (phase inversion method and interfacial polymerization method). Currently, most of NF membranes have been manufactured by plate and frame types or spiral wound types. But hollow fiber types have delayed in commercial products, because of the weak strength when to produce on the basis of the existing materials, therefore the development of new materials or improvement of existing materials will be needed. If improving manufacturing technology is available, hollow fiber types will replace spiral wound types and gradually show a higher market share.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2009

Purpose : A parallel imaging method provides us to improve temporal resolution to obtain three-dimensional (3D) MR images. The objective of this study was to optimize three 3D MRI techniques by adjusting 2D SESNE factors of the parallel imaging method in phantom and human brain. Materials and Methods : With a 3 Tesla MRI system and an 8-channel phase-array sensitivity-encoding (SENSE) coil, three 3D MRI techniques of 3D T1-weighted imaging (3D T1WI), 3D T2-weighted imaging (3D T2WI) and 3D fluid attenuated inversion recovery (3D FLAIR) imaging were optimized with adjusting SESNE factors in a water phantom and three human brains. The 2D SENSE factor was applied on the phase-encoding and the slice-encoding directions. Signal-to-noise ratio(SNR), percent signal reduction rate(%R), and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR) were calculated by using signal intensities obtained in specific regions-of-interest (ROI). Results : In the phantom study, SENSE factor = 3 was provided in 0.2% reduction of signals against without using SENSE with imaging within 5 minutes for 3D T1WI. SENSE factor = 2 was provided in 0.98% signal reduction against without using SENSE with imaging within 5 minutes for 3D T2WI. SENSE factor = 4 was provided in 0.2% signal reduction against without using SENSE with imaging around 6 minutes for 3D FLAIR. In the human brain study, SNR and CNR were higher with SENSE factors = 3 than 4 for all three imaging techniques. Conclusion : This study was performed to optimize 2D SENSE factors in the three 3D MRI techniques that can be scanned in clinical time limitations with minimizing SNR reductions. Without compromising SNR and CNR, the optimum 2D SENSE factors were 3 and 4, yielding the scan time of about 5 to 6 minutes. Further studies are necessary to optimize 3D MRI techniques in other areas in human body.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.660-667
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• 2010

In this research polyimide, Matrimid 5218, hollow fiber membrane was used to recover sulfur hexafluoride($SF_6$) which is one of the six greenhouse gases from $N_2/SF_6$ mixture gas. Fibers were spun from using dry-wet phase inversion method. The module was manufactured by fabricating fibers after surface coating with silicone elastomer. The scanning electron microscopy(SEM) studies showed that the produced fibers typically had an asymmetric structure; a dense top layer supported by a sponge-like substructure. The developed module had a permeance of 0.78-1.36 GPU for $N_2$ with $N_2/SF_6$ selectivity of 2.44-5.08 at various pressure and temperature. For recovery of $SF_6$, a membrane module and 10 vol.% $SF_6$ from $N_2/SF_6$ mixture gas was used. The effects of various operating condition such as pressure, temperature, and retentate side flow rate were tested. When pressure and temperature were increased and retentate flow rate was decreased, the $SF_6$ purity in recovered gas was increased up to 37.5 vol.% with decreasing recovery ratio. When retentate flow rate was increased pressure and temperature was decreased, the $SF_6$ recovery ratio in retentate side was increased up to 89% with decreasing the $SF_6$ purity in retentate side.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.83-88
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• 2009

Poly(ether block amide) (PEBA)/poly(dimethyl-siloxane) (PDMS) blend membranes (PEBA : PDMS = 5 : 2, 6 : 1 wt%) were prepared through the solution-casting and phase inversion process in order to demonstrate their superior performance in carbon dioxide separation. PDMS and PEBA (4033) were also prepared by the same method using n-butanol as a solvent. To study the gas permeation properties, the membranes were characterized with SEM and tested with carbon dioxide and nitrogen at $35^{\circ}C$ and pressure ranging from 3 to 5 atm. In conclusion, PEBA/PDMS blend membranes were shown to have selectivity for $CO_2/N_2$ separation that is 4 to 5 magnitudes greater than that of PDMS membrane at 3 atm.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.250-255
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• 2011

In this study, by using the polymeric membrane separation process, the $CO_{2}/CH_{4}$ separation and $H_{2}S$ removal from biogas were performed in order to $CH_{4}$ purification and enrichment for the fuel cell energy source application. Fibers were spun by dry/wet phase inversion method. The module was manufactured by fabricating fibers after surface coating with silicone elastomer. The scanning electron microscopy(SEM) studies showed that the produced fibers typically had an asymmetric structure; a dense top layer supported by a porous, sponge substructure. The permeance of $CO_{2}$ and $CO_{2}/CH_{4}$ selectivity increased with pressure and temperature. Mixture gas with increasing pressure and temperature, removal efficiency of the $CO_{2}$ and $H_{2}S$ were decreased while concentration of $CH_{4}$ was increased up to 100%. When retentate flow rate was increased with the decreasing of pressure and temperature the $CH_{4}$ recovery ratio in retentate side was increased while the $CH_{4}$ purity in retentate side was decreased.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.84-93
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• 2008

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) has received much attention in the last several years for the lithium secondary batteries. In this study, to enhance the porosity, PVdF was prepared by phase inversion method using as an additive, PEG (poly(ethylene glycol)), with N,N-dimethylformamid as a solvent. The pores are generated during the solvent and non-solvent exchange process in the coagulation bath filled with non-solvent (distilled water). The surface and cross-section of the membranes were observed with a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical property of the membrane was determined by using an universal testing machine (UTM) and thermal property was verified by heat shrinkage. Uniformed sponge structure of PVdF-PEG membrane for the lithium secondary batteries was prepared with 10 wt% of PEG concentration in the PVdF-PEG solution. Porosity, elongation and tensile strengh of the membrane were 87%, 75.45%, and 275. 27 MPa respectively.