• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.926-935
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• 2007

The NOx emission characteristics of DME in laminar coaxial jet and counterflow nonpremixed flames were investigated using experimental and numerical approaches, respectively. The flame structure and NOx emission of DME were compared with those of $C_2H_6$ and $C_3H_8$. The DME flame was calculated using the Kaiser's mechanism, while the $C_2H_6$ and $C_3H_8$ flames were calculated using the $C_3$ mechanism. These mechanisms were combined with the modified Miller-Bowman mechanism for the analysis of NOx. Experimental results show in coaxial jet flame that DME flame has the characteristics of partial premixed flame and the flame length decreases up to 1/3 than that of $C_3H_8$ in the same condition of fuel mass flowrate. Then, the NOx emission of DME decreases to 40% approximately, comparing with that of $C_3H_8$. In the calculated results of counterflow nonpremixed flame, DME flame shows the $EI_{NO}$ decreases up to 50% approximately than those of$ C_2H_6$ and $C_3H_8$ flames when the equivalent fuels are consumed per unit mass and time. Although the overall NOx reaction path of DME is similar with other hydrocarbon fuels, it can be identified that DME flame has a distinct NO reduction mechanism due to the reburning NO chemistry in fuel rich region. From these results, we can conclude that the different NOx emission characteristics of DME flame with other hydrocarbon fuels are attributed to not the temperature increase and the activation of NO reactions due to O atom in DME fuel but the rapid processes of pyrolysis/oxidation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.35-41
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• 2011

This work investigates the potential of in-cylinder thermal stratification and fuel stratification for extending the operating ranges in HCCI engines, and the coupling between thermal stratification and fuel stratification. Computational results areemployed. The computations were conducted using both a custom multi-zone version and the standard single-zone version of the Senkin application of the CHEMKINII kinetics rate code, and kinetic mechanism for di-methyl ether (DME). This study shows that the potential of thermal stratification and fuels stratification for extending the high-load operating limit by a staged combustion event with reduced pressure-rise rates is very large. It was also found that those stratification offers good potential to extend low-load limit by a same mechanism in high-load. However, a combination of thermal stratification and fuel stratification is not more effective than above stratification techniques for extending the operating ranges showing similar results of fuel stratification. Sufficient condition for combustion (enough temperature for) turns misfire in low-load limit to operate engines, which also leads to knock in high-load limit abruptly due to the too high temperature with high. DME shows a potential for maximizing effect of stratification to lower pressure-rise rate due to the characteristics of low-temperature heat release.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.453-460
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• 2015

Engineering the polylactide via stereocomplexation with supercritical fluid (SCF) technology paved way to fabricate polymers with enhanced thermal and mechanical properties. We aimed to establish a SCF medium with excellent solubility for PLA without any additional solvent/co-solvent. We, therefore, employed supercritical dimethyl ether to synthesize 100% stereocomplex polylactide from high molecular weight homopolymers with an excellent yield. The remarkable solubility of the homopolymers in dimethyl ether is the key for quick conversion to s-PLA. This study proves a rapid synthesis route of dry s-PLA powder with sc-DME at 250 bar, $70^{\circ}C$ and 1.5 h, which are reasonably achievable processing parameters compared to the conventional methods. The degree of stereocomplexation was evaluated under the effect of pressures, temperatures, times, homopolymer-concentrations and molecular weights. An increment in the degree of stereocomplexation was observed with increased temperature and pressure. Complete conversion to s-PLA was obtained for PLLA and PDLA with $M_n{\sim}200kg{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ with a total homopolymer to total DME ratio of 6:100% w/w at prescribed reaction conditions. The degree of stereocomplexation was determined by DSC and confirmed by XRD. Considerable improvement in thermo-mechanical properties of s-PLA was observed. DSC and TGA analyses proved a $50^{\circ}C$ enhancement in melting transition and a high onset temperature for thermal degradation of s-PLA respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2014

Mesoporous SAPO-34 catalyst was successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method using carbon nanotube (CNT) as a secondary template. The effects of CNT contents (0.5, 1.5, 2.5, and 4.5 mol%) on catalytic performances were investigated. The synthesized catalysts were characterized with XRD, SEM, nitrogen physisorption isotherm and $NH_3$-TPD. Among the synthesized catalysts, SAPO-34 catalyst prepared by the addition of 1.5 mol% CNT (1.5C-SAPO-34) observed not only the largest amounts of mesopore volume but also acid sites. However, the mesopore volume was relatively decreased by further increasing of CNT contents due to the formation of small crystalline. The catalytic lifetime and the selectivity of light olefins ($C_2{\sim}C_4$) were examined for the dimethyl ether to olefins reaction. As a result, the 1.5C-SAPO-34 catalyst showed an improvement of ca. 36% in a catalytic lifetime and a better selectivity to light olefins as compared with the general SAPO-34 catalyst.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.33-41
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• 2015

Dimethyl ether (DME) can be used as a clean diesel alternative fuel due to the high cetane number and low emission, it can also be applied to automotive fuel as a blended liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) because physical properties are similar to those of LPG. In this study, feasibility test of LPG vehicle using blended DME-LPG fuel was investigated. Three types of fuel supply such as LPLi (Liquid phase LPG injection), LPGi (Liquid phase gas injection) and mixer type were selected to consider the LPG fuel-injection system. The performance characteristics of LPG vehicle were examined by using LPG and blended DME-LPG fuel in order to compare the exhaust emissions (CO, THC, $NO_X$) and fuel economy. The emissions and fuel economy of DME-LPG blend fuel were comparable to those of LPG with increasing driving distance.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.925-933
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• 2011

The traditional feedstock for dimethyl ether (DME) has been natural gas obtained by pipeline from a nearby natural gas or oil field. This report focuses on other feedstock: Coal bed methane (CBM). The resource availability and suitability of CBM for DME manufacturing have been investigated. CBM in a short time has become an important industry, providing an abundant clean-burning fuel and also suggesting as a feedstock for gas industry. The use of CBM will have very little impact on the KOGAS' DME process design and economics up to 50 vol% of $CO_2$ in the CBM source. Many of the CBM sources in Asia are high in $CO_2$, but pose no difficulties for the KOGAS' DME plant. Since tri-reformer requires substantial $CO_2$ in its feed, no $CO_2$ removal from the CBM feed is needed. The $CO_2$ in the CBM means that less $CO_2$ needs to be recycled from the downstream in the process.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1299-1304
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• 2014

The electrochemical performance of Li-S cells was investigated in various ternary electrolyte solutions composed of 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), tetra(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether (TGM), and 1,3-dioxolane (DOX). The discharge capacity values and cycle data obtained at each composition were statistically treated with the Minitab program to obtain mixture contour plots, from which the optimal composition of the ternary solvent systems was predicted. The discharge capacities and capacity retention were quite dependent on the electrolyte composition. It was estimated from the contour plots of the capacity at 1.0 C that the discharge capacity sharply increased with a decrease in the TGM content. High capacities greater than 900 mAh/g at 1.0 C were expected for the electrolyte composition with a volume ratio of DME/TGM/DOX = 1/0/1. In contrast, it was predicted from the mixture contour plot of the capacity retention that the cycle performance would significantly increase with an increase in the DME content.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.109-116
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is the experimental and numerical investigation on the DME spray characteristics in the combustion chamber according to the injection timing in a common-rail injection system. The visualization system consisted of the high speed camera with metal halide lamp was used for analyzing the spray characteristics such as spray development processes and the spray tip penetration in the free and in-cylinder spray under various ambient pressure. In order to observe the spray characteristics as a function of injection timing, the piston head shape of re-entrant type was created and the fuel injected into the chamber according to various distance between nozzle tip and piston wall in consideration of injection timing. Also, the spray and evaporation characteristics in the cylinder was calculated by using KlVA-3V code for simulating spray development process and spray tip penetration under real engine conditions. It was revealed that the high ambient pressure of 3 MPa was led to delay the spray development and evaporation of DME spray. In addition, injected sprays after BTDC 20 degrees entered the bowl region and the spray at the BTDC 30 degrees was divided into two regions. In the calculated results, the liquefied spray tip penetration and fuel evaporation were shorter and more increased as the injection timing was retarded, respectively.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.171-178
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• 2008

The combustion and exhaust emission characteristics were investigated in an DME fueled HCCI engine. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen and mixed gas, which was composed of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, were used as control parameters of combustion and exhaust emission. As the oxygen concentration in induction air, which was occurred by carbon dioxide, nitrogen and mixed gas, was reduced, the start of auto-ignition was retarded and the burn duration was extended due to obstruction of combustion and reduction of combustion temperature. Due to these fact, indicated mean effective pressure was increased and indicated combustion efficiency was decreased by carbon dioxide, nitrogen and mixed gas. In case of exhaust emission, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide was increased by reduction of oxygen concentration in induction air. Especially, partial burning was appeared at lower than about 18% of oxygen concentration by supplying carbon dioxide. However it was overcome by intake air heating.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.119-124
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• 2003

Dimethyl Ether (DME) is an excellent alternative fuel that provides lower particulate matter (PM) than diesel fuel under the same engine operating conditions. Spray characteristical of DME in common rail injection system were investigated within a constant volume chamber by using the particle motion analysis system. The injector used in this study has a single hole with the different orifice diameter of 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 mm. The injection pressure was fixed at 35MPa and the ambient pressure was varied from 0.6 to 1.5 MPa. Spray characteristics such as spray angle, spray tip penetration and SMD (Sauter mean diameter) were measured. Spray angle was measured at 30d$_{0}$, downstream of the nozzle tip. The measured spray angie increased with increase in the ambient pressure. Increase of the ambient pressure results in a decrease of spray penetration. The experimental result, of spray penetration were compared with the predicted one by theoretical and empirical models. Increase in the ambient pressure and nozzle diameter results in an increase of SMD at a distance 30, 45 and 60d$_{0}$, downstream of the nozzle, respectively.ely.