• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.140-153
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• 2011

The objective of this paper is to investigate into the design of photbioreactor for mass production of microalgae. Characteristics of previously developed photobioreactors were examined to obtain design factors, including light transfer, fluid dynamics and metabolic reactions, of the photobioreactor. Design technology of components related to the design factors, such as light sources, photobioreactor cases, spargers, mixer, etc., was discussed to improve the viability and the growth rate of microalgal and productivity of the photobioreactor. Finally a principle direction of the design for an airlift flat plane photobiorectors was investigated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2012.10a
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• pp.957-958
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• 2012

• KSBB Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.277-281
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• 2003

The study of growth characteristics for Spirulina platensis were carried out in 400 mL cylindrical photobioreactor and the effects of carbon dioxide concentration and flow rate during the growth of Spirulina platensis were investigated. The results showed that relatively low carbon dioxide concentration and high flow rate forced the growth of Spirulina platensis in experiment conditions. The pH analysis showed that different carbon dioxide concentration might form particular aqueous carbonate system in culture medium and affect the growth of Spirulina platensis. In addition, the possibility of limiting light radiation by cell density was investigated by the analysis of specific growth rate. The result intimated that the cause of decrease of specific growth rate at exponential phase was due to the limitation of light radiation by Spirulina platensis cell density in cylindrical photobioreactor.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.143-147
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• 2013

We present results of the optical design and fabrication of a light-guiding plate (LGP) for a photobioreactor by using sunlight and a linear Fresnel lens. LGP patterns were designed by optical simulations with an illumination design tool, LightTools, and fabricated by using a computerized numerical control machine. Optical characteristics of average deviation of illuminance distribution and light throughput efficiency were measured and compared with simulation results.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.154-163
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• 2013

Adhesive bonding and plastic welding have been widely used to join two plastic materials together. The goal of this paper is to determine a proper joining technology of a pair of flat panel (FP) photobioreactor (PBR) case. The material of the FP PBR case is polycarbonate (PC) plate. Two types of adhesion, including acryl adhesive and two-part epoxy adhesive, as well as two types of plastic welding technology, including ultrasonic welding and thermal welding, are employed for joining of PC plates. In order to influence of the adhesion and welding conditions on the joining characteristics of the PC plates in operational conditions of the FP PBR case, the morphology in the vicinity of the joined region as well as the water and pressure resistance characteristic are investigated. In addition, the variation of the bonding strength of the joined region and deformation behaviors in the vicinity of the joined region according to the adhesion and welding conditions is examined via the lap-shear test. From the results of basic experiments, proper joining technologies are chosen. Using the chosen joining technologies, the FP PBR case are fabricated to perform full-scale durability experiment. The results of the full-scale durability experiment have been shown that the chosen joining technologies can be applicable to fabricate the FP PBR case.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.55-63
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• 2012

We present results of optical design and fabrication of a light guiding plate (LGP) to be used as an illumination system for photobioreactors. Modeling of a light-emitting diode (LED) light source, a reflection film, and LGP patterns was performed. Especially, the LGP patterns were modeled as Lambertian scatterers. The modeling parameters (reflectance, scatterer width) were determined through matching simulations with the experimentally measured illuminance distribution for a test LGP. An LGP for an LED light source was designed with the extracted model parameters, and fabricated using a computerized numerical control machine. Optical characteristics including average illuminance and uniformity of illuminance distribution were measured for the fabricated LGP.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.946-957
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• 2012

The objective of this paper is to investigate into the development of a thin flat panel photo-bioreactor case with characteristics shapes. The thin flat panel photo-bioreactor case was designed to be manufactured from a plastic thermoforming process. A proper design with a relatively high rigidity was obtained through the structural analyses for different designs of the photo-bioreactor case. The thermoforming analyses were performed. From the results of the thermoforming analyses, a proper forming condition and the formability of the designed plastic photo-bioreactor case were estimated. The thermoforming moulds for the flat panel photobioreactor cases were manufactured. The thermoforming experiments were performed to examine the manufacturability of the designed flat panel photo-bioreactor cases. From the results of the thermoforming experiments, it was shown that thin flat panel photo-bioreactor cases with characteristic shapes can be manufactured from the designed thermoforming mould and process.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.461-465
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• 2005

Characteristics of biological $CO_2$ fixation by Chlorella sp. HA-1 were investigated in a semi-continuous and series reactor system using an internally illuminated photobioreactor to overcome shortcomings of physicochemical technologies such as adsorption and membrane separation. High $CO_2$ fixation rate was achieved in the semi-continuous reactor system, in which the dilution ratios of the culture medium were controlled. The average $CO_2$ fixation rate was maintained almost constantly when the dilution ratio increased by 0.1 increment from the initial value of 0.5. The total removal efficiency of $CO_2$ was enhanced by employing a series reactor system. The average $CO_2$ fixation rate increased until 4.013 g $CO_2\;day^{-1}$ in a series operation of four reactors, compared to 0.986 g $CO_2\;day^{-1}$ in a batch operation mode. The total $CO_2$ fixation rate was proportional to the number of reactors used in the series reactor system. In the series reactor system of semi-continuous operation, a large amount of $CO_2$ was removed continuously for 30 days. These results showed that the present reactor systems are efficient and economically feasible for a biological $CO_2$ fixation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.63-71
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• 2021

Using fossil fuels in existing industrial systems causes a variety of social problems. Recently, many studies have been conducted on bio-refineries, which aim to actively utilize biomass to reduce the use of fossil fuels and solve various social problems. Among them, research using microalgae as a third-generation biomass has attracted considerable attention. Microalgae use inorganic matter to produce organic matter, and cell destruction is necessary to extract useful organic materials from microalgae. The extracted organic materials are currently used in various industrial fields. Numerous cell-destruction methods exist. We have investigated cell disruption by sonication, especially its efficiency. Ultrasound is a sound wave with frequencies above 20 kHz, and destroys cells by sending high energy through a cavitation that occurs, according to the characteristics of the sound wave. The Dunaliella salina microalgae used in this study was cultured in a flat-type photobioreactor. Experiments were performed using a batch low-frequency processing device. Logistic model was applied to analyze the results of cell-destruction experiments using ultrasound. The proper conditions for the most efficient cell destruction were OD 1.4(microalgae concentration)), 54watt(output power) and 200mL(microalgae capacity).

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.742-746
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• 1999

The microalgal, Chlorella sp. HA-1, had good $CO_2$ fixation efficiency compared to other algal strains at the same operating condition. In this study, Chorella sp. HA-1 showed similar tolerance both 10% and 20% $CO_2$ concentration. By optimization of the major operation variables such as pH, initial cell concentration, light intensity, the $CO_2$ fixation rate could be raised to a reasonably high value, 372 $gCO_2/m^2{\cdot}day$ in a 3 L internally illuminated photobioreactor. In order to maintain the $CO_2$ fixation rate for a long time, the method of semi-continuous operation was employed, in which dilution ratio was the controlling parameter. Starting with the dilution ratio of 0.5 with the increased increment of 0.1, the constant $CO_2$ fixation rate was obtained.