• Clean Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.329-335
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• 2020

Methanol synthesized from renewable hydrogen and captured CO2 has recently attracted great interest as a sustainable energy carrier for large-scale renewable energy storage. In this study, molten carbonate fuel cell's performance was investigated with the direct conversion of methanol into syngas inside the anode chamber of the cell. The internal reforming of methanol may significantly improve system efficiency since the heat generated from the electrochemical reaction can be used directly for the endothermic reforming reaction. The porous Ni-10 wt%Cr anode was sufficient for the methanol steam reforming reaction under the fuel cell operating condition. The direct supply of methanol into the anode chamber resulted in somewhat lower cell performance, especially at high current density. Recycling of the product gas into the anode gas inlet significantly improved the cell performance. The analysis based on material balance revealed that, with increasing current density and gas recycling ratio, the methanol steam reforming reaction rate likewise increased. A methanol conversion more significant than 90% was achieved with gas recycling. The results showed the feasibility of electricity and syngas co-production using the molten carbonate fuel cell. Further research is needed to optimize the fuel cell operating conditions for simultaneous production of electricity and syngas, considering both material and energy balances in the fuel cell.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.97-104
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• 2017

Greenspace enlargement through proper landscape planting is essential to creating a low carbon society. This study analyzed changes in stem diameter growth rates(DGR), ratios of below ground/above ground biomass(B/A), and carbon sequestration by age of major landscape tree species. Landscape trees for study were 11 species and 112 individuals planted in middle region of Korea. The DGR and B/A were analyzed based on data measured through a direct harvesting method including root digging. The carbon sequestration by tree age was estimated applying the derived regression models. The annual DGR at breast height of trees over 30 years averaged 0.72 cm/yr for deciduous species and 0.83 cm/yr for evergreen species. The B/A of the trees over 30 years averaged 0.23 for evergreen species and 0.40 for deciduous species, about 1.7 times higher than evergreen species. The B/A by age in this study did not correspond to the existing result that it decreased as tree ages became older. Of the study tree species, cumulative carbon sequestration over 25 years was greatest with Zelkova serrata(198.3 kg), followed by Prunus yedoensis(121.7 kg), Pinus koraiensis(117.5 kg), and Pinus densiflora (77.4 kg) in that order. The cumulative carbon sequestration by Z. serrata offset about 5% of carbon emissions per capita from household electricity use for the same period. The growth rates and carbon sequestration for landscape trees were much greater than those for forest trees even for the same species. Based on these results, landscape planting and management strategies were explored to improve carbon sequestration, including tree species selection, planting density, and growth ground improvement. This study breaks new ground in discovering changes in growth and carbon sequestration by age of landscape trees and is expected to be useful in establishing urban greenspaces towards a low carbon society.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.57 no.8
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• pp.509-518
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• 2024

Flash drought is a rapid-onset drought that occurs rapidly over a short period due to abrupt changes in meteorological and environmental factors. In this study, we utilized satellite-based soil moisture product from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-2(AMSR2) ascending X-band to calculate the weekly Flash Drought Intensity Index (FDII). We also analyzed the characteristics of flash droughts on the Korean Peninsula over a 10-year period from 2013 to 2022. The analysis of monthly spatial distribution patterns of the irrigation period across the Korean Peninsula revealed significant variations. In North Korea (NK), a substantial increase in the rate of intensification (FD_INT) was observed due to the rapid depletion of soil moisture, whereas South Korea (SK) experienced a significant increase in drought severity (DRO_SEV). Additionally, regional time series analysis revealed that both FD_INT and DRO_SEV were significantly high in the Gangwon province of both NK and SK. The estimation of probability density by region revealed a clear difference in FD_INT between NK and SK, with SK showing a higher probability of severe drought occurrence primarily due to the high values of DRO_SEV. As a result, it is inferred that the occurrence frequency and damage of flash droughts in NK are higher than those in SK, as indicated by the higher density of large FDII values in the NK region. We analyzed the correlation between DRO_SEV and the Evaporative Stress Index (ESI) across the Korean Peninsula and confirmed a positive correlation ranging from 0.4 to 0.6. It is concluded that analyzing overall drought conditions through the average drought severity holds high utility. These findings are expected to contribute to understanding the characteristics of flash droughts on the Korean Peninsula and formulating post-event response plans.