• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 한국추진공학회 2006년도 제26회 춘계학술대회논문집
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• pp.181-184
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• 2006

We successfully completed the development test for a 10-ton thrust liquid rocket engine using LOX+LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas, or Methane) with a high performance turbopump system. Resulting from the success of the regenerative-cooling capability using LNG, high pressure-generating capability and gas-generating performance, etc, methane engine with the product name CHASE-10 will be commercialized in the near future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

A set of preliminary design parameters for the bipropellant rocket engine using liquid methane-fuel as green propellant were derived through a theoretical performance analysis. Chemical equilibrium analysis utilizing CEA was conducted for the prediction of combustion performance: combustion characteristics according to the O/F ratio and chamber pressure variation were investigated. For a determination of chamber-characteristic length, the vaporization time of fuel-droplet with various performance parameters was calculated by applying Spalding's 1-D droplet vaporization model. Finally, the preliminary design specification of methane-bipropellant rocket engine, which is to be performance-tested under the ground firing condition, was proposed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• 제17권6호
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• pp.120-130
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• 2013

A study was conducted for the performance characteristics of methane taking recently the limelight in the world as a next-generation propellant, with the survey for state of the art in the development of methane/oxygen rocket engine being accompanied. Liquid methane as a rocket fuel has the favorable characteristics such as non-toxic, low cost, regenerative cooling capability, and potential for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). The combination of liquid methane and liquid oxygen also provides the excellent performance including high specific impulse and low system mass. For these reasons, many researches have been actively carried out on the methane/oxygen engine, nevertheless, its technology readiness level is not that high enough just yet. Therefore, it is judged that it is the time to mitigate the technical gap with the space technology of advanced countries through a swift onset of the development of methane rocket engine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.101-112
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• 2021

SpaceX shows various strategies such as constructing various payload portfolio through the reuse of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, constructing the launch vehicles using one type of engine, the transition from kerosene engine to methane engine, and the use of 3D printing. In this study, launch vehicle proposals that can cover a variety of payloads and trajectories from KOMPSAT to GEO-KOMPSAT were constructed, and ten launch vehicles using kerosene gas generator cycle engine, kerosene staged-combustion cycle engine, and methane staged-combustion cycle engine were reviewed. Of the ten launch vehicles, the reusable launch vehicle using a 35-ton methane engine was rated as the best in terms of development potential.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.119-143
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• 2021

Selecting liquid methane as fuel is a prevailing trend for recent rocket engine developments around the world, triggered by its affordability, reusability, storability for deep space exploration, and prospect for in-situ resource utilization. Given years of time required for acquiring a new rocket engine, a national-level R&D program to develop a methane engine is highly desirable at the earliest opportunity in order to catch up with this worldwide trend towards reusing launch vehicles for competitiveness and mission flexibility. In light of the monumental cost associated with development, fabrication, and testing of a booster stage engine, it is strategically a prudent choice to start with a low-thrust engine and build up space application cases.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• 제19권5호
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• pp.7-12
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• 2015

Hydrogen is usually produced by using syngas generated by the fuel reforming for natural gas so far. The further process is needed for increasing the hydrogen yield of syngas. However, the process for upgrading the hydrogen yield is accompanied by additional energy sources and economic costs. Thus related studies on the method for using as a mixture in itself have been conducted in order to utilize more efficiently syngas. The effect on the engine performance for methane/syngas mixture of 30kW spark ignition gas engine for power generation has been investigated in this study. As a result, it was found that the combustion phenomena such as the maximum in-cylinder pressure and crank angle at that time have been improved by methane/syngas mixture. Through these, fuel conversion efficiency could be enhanced by about 98% of methane/hydrogen mixture and $NO_x$ emissions could be reduced by about 12% of methane-hydrogen mixture.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• 제45권7호
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• pp.558-565
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• 2017

Recently, there has been a tendency to lead the private sector in the launch vehicle market, and as the market has become saturated, efforts are being made to reduce the launch cost. Advanced countries in space development have promoted manned long-range space exploration plans. As oxygen/methane is more efficient, lower cost, and eco-friendly than typical propellants, and can be produced locally on an alien planet, it is the most suitable next-generation propellant to meet this trend. Now methane engine development is accelerating due to changes in international conditions and corporate environment. It is also expected to develop a methane engine in order to survive in this global trend and to keep up with the launch vehicle market in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.89-100
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• 2021

This paper deals with the construction of a combustion test facility and preliminary tests for hot-firing tests of a methane engine. First, the combustion test facility for a 1 kN-class thrust chamber using liquid oxygen/gas methane as propellants was designed and built. Before hot-firing tests, the cold-flow tests of each propellant line and the ignition tests of torch igniter/afterburner were performed to verify propellant supply stability of the combustion test facility, operation of the control and measurement system, and successful ignition. Finally, a preliminary hot-firing test was conducted to measure the combustion efficiency, heat flux, and combustion stability of a thrust chamber prototype. The constructed combustion test facility will be helpfully used for basic research and development of methane engine thrust chambers.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.22-27
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• 2013

HCNG engine is performed as a future engine because of high combustion efficiency and eco-friendly property, and is predicted to a brdge of hydrogen vehicles. As EURO-6 regulagion is due to be applied in 2014, consolidated regulations of methane gas that is exhausted from CNG and HCNG vehicles will come into effect. In this studies, methane oxidation catalyst is introduced to remove methane gas from HCNG emissions. Methane oxidation efficiency on catalyst was studied when it is driven long time. And characterization like metal dispersion, surface area was performed to investigate the correlation of catalyst efficiency and characteristics.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2005년도 제17회 워크샵 및 추계학술대회
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• pp.60-75
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• 2005

천연가스차량이 배출하는 미연 탄화수소 중 약 80%이상이 메탄으로 구성 되어있다. 메탄은 그 자체로 유독성 물질은 아니지만 이산화탄소와 더불어 지구온난화를 유발하는 온실가스로 향후 강력한 규제가 예상되는 물질로 이를 저감하는 기술 개발이 이루어져야하나 연료 특성상 이를 줄이는데 어려움이 있다. 최근 연구에 의하면 천연가스엔진에 수소를 일정량(15%이상) 첨가할 경우 배출가스 및 성능 이 상당량 개선되는 결과를 보이고 있다. 이는 종래 천연가스 연소의 문제점인 지연된 화염 전파 속도를 수소 연료를 첨가함에 따라 화염 전파속도를 촉진시켜 적정한 연소를 야기 시켜 미연탄화수소 배출이 줄어들고 열효율도 향상되는 결과를 보이고 있다. 이와 같이 수소와 천연가스연료의 각각의 장점을 활용한 Hy-thane 엔진을 개발할 경우 무공해엔진에 근접한 초 저공해 동력장치 개발이 가능하며 이에 대한 상용화 측면에서 산업용 발전기, GEHP, 차량용 엔진 등 활용도가 크기 때문에 그 개발이 절실히 필요하다고 할 수 있다. 따라서 본 과제에서는 이중연료를 사용하는 수소-천연가스 기관을 개발하고 이를 효과적으로 제어할 수 있는 제어시스템을 개발하여, 기관효율 향상과 배기가스저감을 이루었다.