• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.48-57
• /
• 2015

In a sodium-cooled fast reactor, which is a Generation-IV reactor, refueling is conducted by rotating, but not opening, the reactor head to prevent a reaction between the sodium, water and air. Therefore, an inspection technique that checks for the presence of any obstacles between the reactor core and the upper internal structure, which could disturb the rotation of the reactor head, is essential prior to the refueling of a sodium-cooled fast reactor. To this end, an ultrasound-based inspection technique should be employed because the opacity of the sodium prevents conventional optical inspection techniques from being applied to the monitoring of obstacles. In this study, a ranging inspection technique using a plate-type ultrasonic waveguide sensor was developed to monitor the presence of any obstacles between the reactor core and the upper internal structure in the opaque sodium. Because the waveguide sensor installs an ultrasonic transducer in a relatively cold region and transmits the ultrasonic waves into the hot radioactive liquid sodium through a long waveguide, it offers better reliability and is less susceptible to thermal or radiation damage. A 10 m horizontal beam waveguide sensor capable of radiating an ultrasonic wave horizontally was developed, and beam profile measurements and basic experiments were carried out to investigate the characteristics of the developed sensor. The beam width and propagation distance of the ultrasonic wave radiated from the sensor were assessed based on the experimental results. Finally, a feasibility test using cylindrical targets (corresponding to the shape of possible obstacles) was also conducted to evaluate the applicability of the developed ranging inspection technique to actual applications.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.78-83
• /
• 2014

In this research, we evaluated the performance and characteristics of carbon supported PtM (M = Ni and Y) alloy catalysts (PtM/Cs) synthesized by a modified polyol method. With the PtM/Cs employed as a catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of cathodes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), their catalytic and ORR activities and electrical performance were investigated and compared with those of commercial Pt/C. Their particle sizes, particle distributions and electrochemically active surface areas (EAS) were measured by TEM and cyclic voltammetry (CV), while their ORR activity and electrical performance were explored using linear sweeping voltammetries with rotating disk electrodes and rotating ring-disk electrodes as well as PEMFC single cell tests. TEM and CV measurements show that PtM/Cs have the compatible particle size and EAS with Pt/C. When it comes to ORR activity, PtM/C showed the equivalent or better half-wave potential, kinetic current density, transferred electron number per oxygen molecule and $H_2O_2$ production(%) to or than commerical Pt/C. Based on results gained by the three electrode tests, when the PEMFC single cell tests were carried out, the current density measured at 0.6 V and maximum power density of PEMFC single cell adopting PtM/C catalysts were better than those adopting Pt/C catalyst. It is therefore concluded that PtM/C catalysts synthesized by modified polyol can result in the equivalent or better ORR catalytic capability and PEMFC performance to or than commercial Pt/C catalyst.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.157-162
• /
• 2014

In this research, we investigate electrical performance and electrochemical properties of carbon supported Pt (Pt/C) that is synthesized by polyol method. With the Polyol_Pt/C that is adopted for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as cathode of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), their catalytic activity and ORR performance and electrical performance are estimated and compared with commercial Pt/C(Johnson Mattey) catalyst. Their electrochemically active surface (EAS) area are measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV), respectively. On the other hand, regarding ORR activity and electrical performance of the catalysts, (i) linear sweeping voltammetry by rotating disk electrode and (ii) PEMFC single cell tests are used. The CV measurement demonstrate EAS of Polyol_Pt/C is compared with commercial JM_Pt/C. In case of Polyol_Pt/C, its half-wave potential, kinetic current density are excellent. Based on data obtained by half-cell test, when PEMFC single cell tests are carried out, current density measured at 0.6V and maximum power density of the PEMFC single cell employing Polyol_Pt/C are better than those employing commercial Pt/C. Conclusively, Polyol_Pt/C synthesized by modified polyol process shows better ORR catalytic activity and PEMFC performance than other catalysts.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
• /
• 2013.10a
• /
• pp.686-686
• /
• 2013

Automotive turbochargers have become common in gasoline engines as well as diesel engines. They are excellent devices to effectively increase fuel efficiency and power of the engines, but they unfortunately cause several noise problems. The noises are classified into mechanical noises induced from movement of a rotating shaft and aerodynamic noises by air flow in turbochargers. In addition to, there is a mechanical noise caused from movement of an actuator, electronically controlling a wastegate valve. It is called as valve rattle noise. The actuator is connected to a valve through a linkage. The noise occurs only if the valve is open, where the linkage is freely contact to neighbor structures without being constrained by any external forces. This condition allows impacts by the pulsation of exhaust gas, and the vibration from the impacts spreads out through turbine housing, causing the rattle noise. The noise is not in mechanical operating wastegate turbochargers because the linkage of an actuator is strongly connected by actuating force. For the electronic wastegate turbocharger, this paper proposed a test device to show the noise generating mechanism with a small vibration motor having an unbalanced shaft. It also shows how to reduce the noise - reduction of linkage clearances, inserting wave washers into a connection, and applying loose fitting in bushing embracing a valve lever to turbine housing.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.217-271
• /
• 1991

We have observed dense core around young stellar objects, DR21, S140, Orion-KL, and L1551 using four millimeter-wave transitions of $HC_3N\;J$=4-3, J=5-4, J=10-9, and J=12-11. The spatial distribution of $HC_3N$ emission closely resembles the morphology of the previous CS observations that trace high density gas. These observations reveal the existence of $HC_3N$ dense cores around central IR source, elliptical in shape and almost perpendicular to the CO bipolar outflow axis. Small differences can be explained by that $HC_3N$ molecular line is more optically thin and is seen to be more detailed structure in the neighborhood of central IR sources. In S140 and Orion-KL, massive(${\sim}10\;M_{\odot}$), slowly rotating dense cores lie near at the central IR sources of bipolar outflows. The velocity channel maps of DR21 show that the bipolar outflow gas may have a correlation with the dense core of DR21. We analyzed intensities of the four lines to derive physical conditions in dense core from two methods, LTE and LVG. The column density of $HC_3N$, $N(HC_3N)$, between LTE and LVG calculations agree well with each other. The abundances of $HC_3N$ in each observing source have been estimated using the average values of $n(H_2)$ and $N(HC_3N)$ and assuming the size of dense core. The fractional $HC_3N$ abundances in massive dense cores of DR21, S140, and Orion-KL have a range of $(2-7){\times}10^{-10}$, while that of low mass dense core, L1551, has one order of magnitude greater value of $2{\times}10^{-9}$. This should be considered good agreement with the result by Morris et al.(1976). It may be considered that dense cores of DR21, S140, and Orion-KL may have almost same stage of chemical evolution, and their abundances have a small values relative to that of L1551. The column density $N(HC_3N)$ decreases with increasing distance from the densest part of the cloud, the central infrared source, and have the relation of $N(HC_3N){\varpropto}R^{\alpha}$, where a has a range of 0.65 to 0.89. The values of $n(H_2)$ are not varied with increasing distance from the dense core, and have almost same values. Therefore, it is considered that the dense cores in these regions probably consist of dense clumps in diffuse molecular gas medium, and $n(H_2)$ of each clump is ${\sim}10^5\;cm^{-3}$. Levels in the $T_{ex}$ increases with $n(H_2)$. It is considered that the $HC_3N$ dense cores are not completely thermalized. We examine the relationships between the luminosity of central infrared sources versus mass of the dense cores, and the luminosity of central infrared sources versus molecular hydrogen column density. Luminosities of the central IR sources show good correlation with mass and hydrogen column density of the dense core. Same has been found from CS observations. However, mass and size derived from $HC_3N$ observations are one order of magnitude smaller than those from CS. It can be interpreted that we see more central part of the cloud cores in $NC_3N$ lines than CS lines.