• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.927-937
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• 2015

This study was performed to identify and quantify the asbestos fibers released from two types of asbestos-cement slate roofs. One is a plant roof installed in 1987 which contained 15% chrysotile, and the other is a residential roof installed before 1983 which contained 12% chrysotile. The concentrations of asbestos fibers in air surrounding asbestos-cement slate roofs and in the falling water harvested from the same roofs on rainy days ranged from 0.0012 to 0.0018 f/mL and from 1,764 f/L to 10,584 f/L, respectively. The concentration of inorganic fibers in the soil around asbestos-cement slate roofs was from 217 to 348 f/g. With the above results, the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) for the risk assessment of the asbestos fibers released from asbestos-cement slate based on US EPA IRIS (Integrated risk information system) model is within 5.5E-06 ~ 6.5E-06 levels which indicates that the levels do not exceed "the acceptable risk(1.0E-05)" recommended by WHO. The asbestos concentration in air, drained rainfall and soil around the plant slate roof was higher than that around residential slate roof, but the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) from residential slate was higher than that from plant slate. This suggested that the enclose and encapsulation of residential roofs have priority in removal policy to minimize the exposure risk.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.59-67
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• 2023

Background: This study aims to reevaluate natural radiation exposure, following up on our previous study conducted in 2019, and to assess the associated risk of lung cancer to the public residing in the gold mining areas of Betare-Oya, east Cameroon, and its vicinity. Materials and Methods: Gamma-ray spectra collected using a 7.62 cm×7.62 cm in NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer during a car-borne survey, in situ measurements and laboratory measurements performed in previous studies were used to determine the outdoor absorbed dose rate in air to evaluate the annual external dose inhaled by the public. For determining internal exposure, radon gas concentrations were measured and used to estimate the inhalation dose while considering the inhalation of radon and its decay products. Results and Discussion: The mean value of the laboratory-measured outdoor gamma dose rate was 47 nGy/hr, which agrees with our previous results (44 nGy/hr) recorded through direct measurements (in situ and car-borne survey). The resulting annual external dose (0.29±0.09 mSv/yr) obtained is similar to that of the previous study (0.33±0.03 mSv/yr). The total inhalation dose resulting from radon isotopes and their decay products ranged between 1.96 and 9.63 mSv/yr with an arithmetic mean of 3.95±1.65 mSv/yr. The resulting excess lung cancer risk was estimated; it ranged from 62 to 216 excess deaths per million persons per year (MPY), 81 to 243 excess deaths per MPY, or 135 excess deaths per MPY, based on whether risk factors reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, United Nations Scientific Committee on the effects of Atomic Radiation, or International Commission on Radiological Protection were used, respectively. These values are more than double the world average values reported by the same agencies. Conclusion: There is an elevated level of risk of lung cancer from indoor radon in locations close to the Betare-Oya gold mining region in east Cameroon. Therefore, educating the public on the harmful effects of radon exposure and considering some remedial actions for protection against radon and its progenies is necessary.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2017

The experimental design methodology was applied in the real scale coal-fired boiler to predict the various combustion properties according to the operating conditions and to assess the coal plant safety. Response surface method (RSM) was introduced as a design of experiment, and the database for RSM was provided with the numerical simulation of the coal-fired boiler. The three independent variables, high heating value of coal (HHV), overall stoichiometry excess air ratio (OST), and burner-side stoichiometry excess air ratio (BST), were set to characterize the cross section averaged NOx concentration and temperature distribution. The maximum NOx concentration was predicted accurately and mainly controlled by BST in the boiler. The parabola function was assumed for the zone averaged peak temperature distribution, and the prediction was in a fairly good agreement with the experiments except downstream. Also, the location of the peak temperature was compared with that of maximum NOx, which implies that thermal NOx formation is the main mechanism in the coal-fired boiler. These results promise the wide use of statistical models for the fast prediction and safety assessment.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.106-112
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• 2013

Compression ratio is an important factor affecting engine performance and emission characteristics since thermal efficiency of spark ignition engine can be theoretically improved by increasing compression ratio. In order to evaluate the effect of compression ratio change in HCNG engine, natural gas engine was employed using HCNG30 (CNG 70 vol%, hydrogen 30 vol%). Combustion and emission characteristics of CNG and HCNG fuel was analyzed with respect to the change of compression ratio at each operating condition. The results showed that thermal efficiency improved and $CH_4$, $CO_2$ emission decreased with the increase in compression ratio while $NO_x$ emissions were decreased at a certain excess air ratio condition. Higher thermal efficiency and further reduction of exhaust emissions can be achieved by the increase of compression ratio and the retard of spark timing.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1692-1701
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• 2001

This study describes the combustion characteristics under various condition of air excess ratio and ignition timing in a 2-valve SI optically accessible engine with swirl control valve(SCV). It adapted three different types of SCV(open ratio 72.5%, 78%, 59%) to strengthen a swirl flow. Pressure data were acquired using pressure sensor to investigate the effect of swirl flow on combustion, and from these pressure data, IMEP(indicated mean effective pressure) and MFB(mass fraction burnt) were calculated to explain burn rate and flame speed. From acquired flame images, we inspected the flame propagation direction, flame area, and flame centroid. Flame propagation direction showed different tendency between with/without SCV, and flame area with SCV was faster and larger than that of conventional engine. Finally, the representative flame images at each crank angle were acquired by PDF method to verify flame growth process. It is found that strengthened swirl flow is more beneficial for faster and stable combustion.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1373-1383
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• 2001

The desulfurization characteristics of anthracite in a bench scale pressurized fluidized bed combustor are investigated. The coal used in the experiment is domestic anthracite from Kangwon Taeback area. The desulphurization experiment is performed with limestone from Chungbuk Danyang. The pressure of the combustor is maintained at 6 atm, and the combustion temperatures are 850, 900, and 950$\^{C}$. The superficial gas velocities are 0.9, 1.1, and 1.3 m/s. The excess air ratio is varied from 5 to 35%. The Ca/S mole ratios are 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 4.5 mole. All experiments are executed at 2m bed height. Consequently, SO$_2$ concentration in the flue gas is increased with incresing bed temperature and superficial gas velocity. However SO$_2$ concentration is decreased with incresing excess air ratio and Ca/S mole ratio.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 1997

In this paper, we investigated the heating performance and the basic characteristics required for normal combustion of kerosene fan heater. And also the iso-velocity contours and the iso-temperature contours of hot gas discharged from the exit of kerosene fan heater were analyzed. The experiment was carried out with kerosene fan heater attached to the blow-down-type subsonic wind tunnel with a test section of $240mm{\times}240mm{\times}1200mm$. The purpose of this paper was to obtain the basic data for new design from conventional kerosene fan heater. Consequently it was found that (i) the pressure ratio $P_2/P_1$ had a comparatively constant value of 0.844 according to the increase of the revolution of turbo fan, (ii) the primary excess air ratio had a range of $0.84{\sim}1.11$ during normal combustion, and (iii) the heating performance of kerosene fan heater had a range of $1,494{\sim}3,852kcal/hr$.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.517-523
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• 1997

We have been studied that combustion efficiency and the production of air pollution of anthracite-bituminous coal blend in a fluidized bed coal combustor. Also, the reaching time of steady state condition have been studied. This experimental results are presented as follows. As the height of fluidized bed combustor becomes higher, the concentrations of $SO_2$ and NOx mainly increased. Also, as anthracite fraction increased, the emission of $SO_2$ concentration was increased but, the variation of $NO_X$ concentration was negligible according to anthracite fraction. When anthracite fraction ratio was increased, elutriation rate was increased and exit combustible content over feeding combustible content was increased. Regardless of anthracite fraction ratio the uncombustible weight percentage according to average diameter of elutriation particles were approximately high in the case of fine particles. Over bed temperature $850^{\circ}C$ and excess air 20%, the difference of combution at the velocity 0.3m/s, bed temperature $850^{\circ}C$, the excess air 20%.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2006

The effects of turning frequency were examined on the efficiency of composting lime treated excess sludge amended with sawdust from the activated sludge process after a liquid/solids separation process. The raw and excess sludge from the activated sludge process associated with the hog wastewater treatment system is a significant problem and composting is an effective method far reducing the pollution potential of hog wastewater sludge. The coagulant used sludge composting and ammonia emissions from composting are not well established. The effect of compost properties such as high total carbon, C/N ratio and pH value on performance of composting sludge and biofiltration of ammonia from composting process were investigated. The ammonia emission was not significantly increased during composting. The ammonia concentrations of the exhaust air of composter were ranged from 0.5 and 7 ppm about 12 days after composting. The performance of the hog wastewater sludge composting was the most sensitive to chemical treated sludge properties such as high total carbon and high C/N ratio of the initial compost mixes. Temperature in compost and ammonia emission were not greatly affected by the turning frequency.

• Journal of the korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.74-80
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• 1992

The purpose of this study is to improve the performance of gasoline engine. Combustion-characteristics orignated from supplying cylinder with fuel-air mixture which was formed by the rise of oxygen-concentration in air with oxygen-enriching membrane have been investigated. The results showed that the poor-limit of oxygen-concentration was increased by shortening combustion-duration because the rise of oxygen-concentration in fuel-air mixture resulted in the promotion of combustion-velocity. Also, the generation of large output of power was expected from combustion in proportion as the amount of oxygen was increased.