• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.173-183
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• 2024

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether the methane (CH₄) to carbon dioxide (CO₂) ratio (CH₄/CO₂) and methane-related traits obtained by the sniffer method can be used as indicators for genetic selection of Holstein cows with lower CH₄ emissions. Methods: The sniffer method was used to simultaneously measure the concentrations of CH₄ and CO₂ during milking in each milking box of the automatic milking system to obtain CH₄/CO₂. Methane-related traits, which included CH₄ emissions, CH₄ per energy-corrected milk, methane conversion factor (MCF), and residual CH₄, were calculated. First, we investigated the impact of the model with and without body weight (BW) on the lactation stage and parity for predicting methane-related traits using a first on-farm dataset (Farm 1; 400 records for 74 Holstein cows). Second, we estimated the genetic parameters for CH₄/CO₂ and methane-related traits using a second on-farm dataset (Farm 2; 520 records for 182 Holstein cows). Third, we compared the repeatability and environmental effects on these traits in both farm datasets. Results: The data from Farm 1 revealed that MCF can be reliably evaluated during the lactation stage and parity, even when BW is excluded from the model. Farm 2 data revealed low heritability and moderate repeatability for CH₄/CO₂ (0.12 and 0.46, respectively) and MCF (0.13 and 0.38, respectively). In addition, the estimated genetic correlation of milk yield with CH₄/CO₂ was low (0.07) and that with MCF was moderate (-0.53). The on-farm data indicated that CH₄/CO₂ and MCF could be evaluated consistently during the lactation stage and parity with moderate repeatability on both farms. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the on-farm applicability of the sniffer method for selecting cows with low CH₄ emissions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.662-669
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• 2011

This study was conducted to biologically convert methane into methanol. Methane contained in biogas was bio-catalytically oxidized by methane monooxygenase (MMO) of methanotrophs, while methanol conversion was observed by inhibiting methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) using MDH activity inhibitors such as phosphate, NaCl, $NH_4Cl$, and EDTA. The degree of methane oxidation by methanotrophs was the most highly accomplished as 0.56 mmol for the condition at $35^{\circ}C$ and pH 7 under 0.4 (v/v%) of biogas ($CH_4$ 50%, $CO_2$ 50%) / Air ratio. By the inhibition of 40 mM of phosphate, 50 mM of NaCl, 40 mM of $NH_4Cl$ and $150{\mu}m$ of EDTA, methane oxidation rate could achieve more than 80% regardless of type of inhibitors. In the meantime, addition of 40 mM of phosphate, 100 mM of NaCl, 40 mM of $NH_4Cl$ and $50{\mu}m$ of EDTA each led to generating the highest amount of methanol, i.e, 0.71, 0.60, 0.66, and 0.66 mmol when 1.3, 0.67, 0.74, and 1.3 mmol of methane was each concurrently consumed. At that time, methanol conversion rate was 54.7, 89.9, 89.6, and 47.8% respectively, and maximum methanol production rate was $7.4{\mu}mol/mg{\cdot}h$. From this, it was decided that the methanol production could be maximized as 89.9% when MDH activity was specifically inhibited into the typical level of 35% for the inhibitor of concern.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.12a
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• pp.33-46
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• 2000

In the present study, a systematic chemical kinetic calculations were made to investigate the augmentation of NO-$NO_2$ conversion due to the addition of various hydrocarbons (methane, ethylene, ethane, propene, propane) in the nonthermal plasma treatment. It is included in the present conclusion that the reaction between hydrocarbon and oxygen radicals induced by electron collision, is believed to be a primarily process for triggering the overall NO oxidation and the eventual NOx reduction. Upon the completion of the initiating step, various radicals (OH, $NO_2$ etc.) successively produced by hydrocarbon decomposition form the primary path of NO-$NO_2$ conversion. When the initiating step is not activated, hydrocarbon consumption rate appeared to be very low, thereby the targeted level of NO conversion can only be achieved by the addition of more input energy. Present study showed ethylene and propene to have higher affinity with 0 radical under all conditions, thereby both of these hydrocarbons show very fast and efficient NO-$NO_2$ oxidation. It was also shown that propene is superior to ethylene in the aspect of NOx removal.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.05a
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• pp.178-188
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• 2000

In the present study, a systematic chemical kinetic calculations were made to investigate the augmentation of $NO-NO_{2}$ conversion due to the addition of various hydrocarbons (methane, ethylene, ethane, propene, propane) in the nonthermal plasma treatment. It is included in the present conclusion that the reaction between hydrocarbon and oxygen radicals induced by electron collision, is believed to be a primarily process for triggering the overall NO oxidation and the eventual NOx reduction. Upon the completion of the initiating step, various radicals (OH, $HO_{2}$ etc.) successively produced by hydrocarbon decomposition form the primary path of $NO-NO_{2}$ conversion. When the initiating step is not activated, hydrocarbon consumption rate appeared to be very low, thereby the targeted level of NO conversion can only be achieved by the addition of more input energy. Present study showed ethylene and propene to have higher affinity with 0 radical under all conditions, thereby both of these hydrocarbons show very fast and efficient $NO-NO_{2}$ oxidation. It was also shown that propene is superior to ethylene in the aspect of NOx removal.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.195-200
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• 2004

Carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) and methane (CH$_4$) are two major greenhouse Bases. $CO_2$is a stack gas of many industrial processes and the main product of the hydrocarbon combustion. There is recent research interest on the synthesis gas (syngas) formation from $CO_2$ and CH$_4$, via the following reaction: CH$_4$+$CO_2$longrightarrow 2H$_2$+$CO_2$, in order to reduce the greenhouse effects and to synthesize various chemicals, Preliminary experiments were conducted on the conversion of $CO_2$ and CH$_4$ to syngas by making use of a microwave plasma torch at atmospheric pressure. Conversion rates of $CO_2$and CH$_4$ to hydrogen (H$_2$), carbon monoxide (CO) and higher hydrocarbons were investigated using Gas Chromatography (GC) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). The experimental data indicate that the main products were H$_2$, CO and small amount of higher hydrocarbons, such as ethylene (C$_2$H$_4$).

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.813-818
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• 2008

Various additives were added in small amounts on Ni/YSZ anode of SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) in order to improve reactivity and to inhibit deactivation due to coke deposition during methane reforming using a low mole ratio steam ($H_2O/CH_4=1.5$) at $800^{\circ}C$. Ni/YSZ catalysts added with various perovskites did not show any improvement but exhibited a gradual decrease in the methane conversion. K-doped Ni/YSZ showed a steady increase and maintenance of the conversion up to 42 hours, after which there was an abrupt deactivation of catalyst owing to potassium loss by volatilization. Addition of 5% of $K_2Ti_2O_5$ on Ni/YSZ showed a stable maintenance of the conversion without K loss, and was able to prevent coke formation during a long time operation. Deactivation of catalyst during the reaction was mainly caused by the accumulation of graphidic carbon on the catalyst surface.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.21-28
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• 1986

Conversion of anaerobic mesophilic digestion to thermophilic range has been investigated using a synthetic sludge. When temperature was raised at a rate of 2, 1, and $0.5^{\circ}C$ per day with continuous feeding, a lower reaction rate was observed with a high rate of temperature change. Although methane fermentation ceased completely for an digesters at thermophilic temperature, acid fermentation continued. Methane fermentation was never achieved even with neutralization during 6 months of resting. The methane formers were completely inactivated by the temperature shock and accumulation of volatile acids due to continuous feeding, while the acid formers lost biological activity quickly, but gradually acclimated to a high temperature. When temperature was raised without feeding, successful thermophilic digestion was achieved with 1 day of resting at thermophilic temperature at a rate of $1^{\circ}C$ per day, and also achieved with 20 days of resting at a direct increase. Conversion to a thermophilic range is easily achieved with resting. A short period of resting is required at a low rate of temperature increase, while a long period of resting enough to balance methane formers with acid fermers makes a conversion possile when temperature is raised at a high rate. Soured thermophilic digesters were recovered after seeding of mesophilic sludges, and sludge seeding could be a good method of start-up, conversion, or recovery of a thermophilic digester. Significant amount of thermophiles seemed to be present in the mesophilic digesters.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.27-33
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• 2016

The aim of numerical study is the investigation of the solid and fluid temperatures in a reformer tube and chemical reaction characteristics of different steam-carbon ratio. We considered conjugate heat transfer contain radiation, convection and conductive heat transfers. This is because steam reforming reaction of hydrocarbon occurred high temperature conditions up to 800 K- 1000 K by using commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code (Fluent ver. 13.0). For numerical simulation, the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes, momentum and energy equation were employed. In addition, inside of reformer tube is assumed as the porous medium to consider the Nichrome-based catalyst. To analysis characteristics of tube temperature in chemical reaction, we changed steam-methane ratio(SCR) from 1 to 6. As increased SCR, the higher tube temperature and methane conversion were observed. It was obtained that the highest hydrogen production held in SCR of 5.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.94-100
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• 1998

Methane, the major constituent of natural gas, had been converted to higher hydrocarbons by a microwave plasma. The yield of C2+ product could be increased from 29.2% to 42.2% with increasing plasma power(40~120 watt) and decreasing flow rate(40~5 mL/min) of methane. With catalyst, the selectivities of ethylene and increased while yield of C2+ remaining constant. Among various catalysts, Fe catalyst showed the highest ethylene selectivity of 30%. A natural gas could produce more C2+ than a pure methane. This is due to high reactivity of ethane and propane in the natural gas.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.331-339
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biodegradability and performance of organic removal and methane production rate when treating piggery wastewater using a pilot scale two-phase anaerobic system operated up to a volumetric rate of $10m^3/day$. The pilot scale two-phase anaerobic process is consisted of a continuous-flow stirred-tank reactor (CFSTR) for the acidification phase and an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactor (UASB) for the methanogenesis. The acidogenic reactor played key roles in reducing the periodically applied shock-loading and in the acidification of the influent organics. The acidogenic CFSTR was operated at organic loading rates (OLR) between 1.8 and $14.4kgCOD/m^3{\cdot}day$, and the UASB reactor was operated between 0.5 and $5.6kgCOD/m^3{\cdot}day$. A stable maximum biogas production rate was $81m^3/day$ and the methane conversion rate of the organic matter varied from 0.30 to $0.42L\;CH_4/g\;COD_{removed}$(0.40) at hydraulic retention time (HRT) above 3.5days. The methane contents ranged from 73 to 82% during the experimental period. It is known that most of the removed organic matter was converted to methane gas, and the produced biogas might be high quality for its subsequent use.