• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.303-310
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• 2023

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a bioelectrochemical system where electrochemically active bacteria convert organic waste into electricity. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and chitosan (CS) are polymers that have been studied as potential alternative ion exchange membranes to Nafion for many electrochemical systems. This study examined the optimal mixing ratio of PVA and chitosan CS in a PVA:CS composite membrane for MFC applications. PVA:CS composite membranes with 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1 ratios were synthesized and tested. The water uptake and ion exchange capacity, Fourier transform infrared spectra, and scanning electron microscopy images were analyzed to determine the physicochemical properties of PVA:CS membranes. The prepared membranes were applied to the ion exchange membrane of the MFC system, and their effects on the electrochemical performance were evaluated. These results showed that the composite membrane with a 3:1 (PVA:CS) ratio showed comparable performance to the commercialized Nafion membrane and produced more electricity than the other synthesized membranes. The PVA:CS membrane implemented MFCs produced a maximum power density of 0.026 mW cm^-2 from organic waste with stable performance. Therefore, it can be applied to a cost-effective MFC system.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.50-57
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• 2009

The Kyoto Protocol finally entered into force in 2008. In this respect, it is imperative to explore different options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for developing countries under the framework of the Kyoto Protocol. One of the main sources of $CO_2$ gas emission is fossil fueled power plants, thereby emission reduction could be achieved by substituting fossil fuel by non-fossil fuel sources on electric power generation sector. This paper presents the method for evaluating the effectiveness of emissions trading by fuel mix change. The cost of Fuel mix is formulated considering the economic effects of emission trading in electricity market. And the optimal fuel mix is proposed under the given emission constraints.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.62 no.11
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• pp.1520-1527
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to derive COE reduction targets of offshore wind power in Korea. In addition, innovation factors for achieving the COE reduction targets were derived. Also the COE reduction targets of offshore wind power was to improve that national policy, technology, industry and improving regulations would like to help. The results of this study has been created based on the various assumptions, scenarios and experts' discussions. Currently, offshore wind power generation price is 229.72won/kWh in 2012. According to the study, COE of offshore wind power has been proposed 88.8won/kWh at third scenario by 2030. This result has shown competitiveness with fossil fuel power generation.

• IE interfaces
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.237-248
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to make an economic analysis of power plant utilities by examining electricity generating costs with environmental consideration. Economic growth has caused pollutant emission, and subsequent environmental pollution has been identified as a very real limit to sustainable development. Considering the enormous role of electricity in the national economy, it is thus very important to study the effect of environmental regulations on the electricity sector. Because power utilities need large investments during construction, operation and maintenance, and also require much construction lead time. Economic analysis is the very important process in the electric system expansion planning. In this study, the levelized generation cost method is used in comparing economic analysis of power plant utilities. Among the pollutants discharged of the electricity sector, this study principally deals with the control activities related only to $CO_2$, and $NO_2$, since the control cost of $SO_2$, and TSP (Total Suspended Particulates) is already included in the construction cost of utilities. The cost of electricity generation in a coal-fired power plant is compared with one in an LNG combined cycle power plant. Moreover this study surveys the sensitivity of fuel price, interest rate and carbon tax. In each case, this sensitivity can help to decide which utility is economically justified in the circumstance of environmental regulations.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.55-73
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• 2019

The cost incurred by voltage sag effect in power networks has always been of important concern for discussions. Due to the environmental constraints, fossil fuel shortage crisis and low efficiency of conventional power plants, decentralized generation and renewable based DG have become trends in recent decades; because DGs can reduce the voltage sag effect in distribution networks noticeably; therefore, optimum allocation of DGs in order to maximize their effectiveness is highly important in order to maximize their effectiveness. In this paper, a new method is proposed for calculating the cost incurred by voltage sag effect in power networks. Thus, a new objective function is provided that comprehends technical standards as minimization of the cost incurred by voltage sag effect, active power losses and economic criterion as the installation and maintenance costs of DGs. Considering operational constraints of the system, the optimum allocation of DGs is a constrained optimization problem in which Lightning Attachment procedure optimization (LAPO) is used to resolve it and is the optimum number, size and location of DGs are determined in IEEE 33 bus test system and IEEE 34 bus test system. The results show that optimum allocation of DGs not only reduces the cost incurred by voltage sag effect, but also improves the other characteristics of the system.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.164-173
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• 2015

This study aims to design energy supply systems from various energy sources for transportation sectors and comparatively analyze the life cycle cost of different scenario-based systems. For components of the proposed energy supply system, we consider a typical oil refinery, byproduct hydrogen system, renewable energy source (RES)-based electric generation system and existing electricity grid. We also include three types of vehicles in transportation sector such as internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV), electric vehicle (EV), fuel cell vehicle (FCV). We then develop various energy supply scenarios which consist of such components and evaluate the economic performance of different systems from the viewpoint of life cycle cost. Finally we illustrate the applicability of the proposed framework by conducting the design problem of energy supply systems of Jeju, Korea. As the results of life cycle cost analysis, EV fueled by electricity from grid is the most economically feasible. In addition, we identify key parameters to contribute the total life cycle cost such as fuel cost, vehicle cost, infra cost and maintenance cost using sensitivity analysis.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.731-744
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• 2013

Energy security is a topic of high importance to many countries throughout the world. Countries with access to vast energy supplies enjoy all of the economic and political benefits that come with controlling a highly sought after commodity. Given the desire to diversify away from fossil fuels due to rising environmental and economic concerns, there are limited technology options available for baseload electricity generation. Further complicating this issue is the desire for energy sources to be sustainable and globally scalable in addition to being economic and environmentally benign. Nuclear energy in its current form meets many but not all of these attributes. In order to address these limitations, TerraPower, LLC has developed the Traveling Wave Reactor (TWR) which is a near-term deployable and truly sustainable energy solution that is globally scalable for the indefinite future. The fast neutron spectrum allows up to a ~30-fold gain in fuel utilization efficiency when compared to conventional light water reactors utilizing enriched fuel. When compared to other fast reactors, TWRs represent the lowest cost alternative to enjoy the energy security benefits of an advanced nuclear fuel cycle without the associated proliferation concerns of chemical reprocessing. On a country level, this represents a significant savings in the energy generation infrastructure for several reasons 1) no reprocessing plants need to be built, 2) a reduced number of enrichment plants need to be built, 3) reduced waste production results in a lower repository capacity requirement and reduced waste transportation costs and 4) less uranium ore needs to be mined or purchased since natural or depleted uranium can be used directly as fuel. With advanced technological development and added cost, TWRs are also capable of reusing both their own used fuel and used fuel from LWRs, thereby eliminating the need for enrichment in the longer term and reducing the overall societal waste burden. This paper describes the origins and current status of the TWR development program at TerraPower, LLC. Some of the areas covered include the key TWR design challenges and brief descriptions of TWR-Prototype (TWR-P) reactor. Selected information on the TWR-P core designs are also provided in the areas of neutronic, thermal hydraulic and fuel performance. The TWR-P plant design is also described in such areas as; system design descriptions, mechanical design, and safety performance.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.190-190
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• 2011

In South Korea the gross generation and heated effluent of power generation plant was 259 TWh and 4.73 billion tons in 2008. And then the waste heat from power generation was 388 TWh. It shows that the efficiency of thermal power generation plant is about 40%. Therefore to reduce $CO_2$ emission from thermal power generation plant, the energy of this heated effluent must be reused to heat buildings or farm facilities. In South Korea horticultural facilities of about 25% are heated in winter season. Total area of greenhouses which are heated is about 13,000 ha. Total heat amount needed to warm greenhouse of 13,000 ha in winter season is only 3.4% of total waste heat from power generation plant. In this study a heat pump system was designed to reuse the waste heat from power generation. Especially new heat exchanger was developed to recover the thermal energy from waste water and this model considered anti-corrosion against sea water and low cost for economic feasibility. This heat recovery system was installed in mango growing greenhouse around thermal power generation plant in Seogwipo-city, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. The result of preliminary test shows that the heating cost of about 90% is saved as compared to boiler using tax free light oil as a fuel.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1993.07a
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• pp.159-162
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• 1993

A new approach using fuzzy dynamic programming is proposed for the flexible long-term generation mix under uncertain circumstances. A characteristic feature of the presented approach is that not only fuzziness in fuel and construction cost. load growth and reliability but also many constraints of generation mix can easily be taken into account by using fuzzy dynamic programming. The method can accommodate arbitrary shape of membership function as well as the operation of pump-generator. And so more realistic solution can be obtained. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by the best generation mix problem of KEPCO-system which contains nuclear, coal, LNG, oil and pump-generator hydro plant in multi-years.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.2940-2945
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• 2008

The scale of 2.4 MW MCFC was taken to construct a high-efficiency and economical power generation system without CO2 emission into the atmosphere for utilizing its exhaust gas. The conventional steam turbine power generation system (STGS) was evaluated and the net generated power (NGP) was estimated to be only 133 kW and the STGS is not economically feasible. A CO2-caputuring repowering system was proposed, where low temperature steam (LTS) produced at HRSG by using exhaust gas from MCFC is utilized as a main working fluid of a gas turbine, and the temperature of LTS was raised by combusting fuel in a combustor by using pure oxygen, not the air. It has been shown that NGP of the proposed system is 264 kW, and CO2 reduction amount is 608 t-CO2/y, compared to 306 t-CO2/y of STGS. The CO2 reduction cost was estimated to be negligible small, even when the costs of oxygen production and CO2 liquefaction facilities etc. were taken into account.