• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2024

Methane is an abundant and renewable hydrocarbon, but it causes global warming as a greenhouse gas. Therefore, methods to convert methane into useful chemicals or energy sources are needed. Methanol is a simple and abundant chemical that can be synthesized by the partial oxidation of methane. Methanol can be used as a chemical feedstock or a transportation fuel, as well as a fuel for low-temperature fuel cells. However, the electrochemical oxidation of methanol is a complex and multi-step reaction. To understand and optimize this reaction, new electrocatalysts and reaction mechanisms are required. This review discusses the methanol oxidation reaction mechanism, recent research trends, and future research directions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.239-251
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• 2024

In this study, a hydrogen fuel cell process based on methanol was developed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Case1, the methanol fuel engine system was designed to investigate the emission of exhaust gas when methanol was supplied as fuel instead of gasoline to the engine. In Case2, a hydrogen fuel cell system was designed by adding a methanol reforming system to Case1. This hybrid system produced gray hydrogen and combined the output of the engine and fuel cell to drive the ship. However, gray hydrogen emits carbon in the process of producing hydrogen. To address this problem, a carbon capture and utilization (CCU) system was added to Case3. The CO2 of the flue gas discharged from Case2 was synthesized with gray hydrogen to produce blue methanol. The results of the case studies revealed that the optimal operating conditions were 220 ℃, 500 kPa, SCR = 1.0, and flow ratio = 0.7. The system of Case3 reduced carbon emissions by 42% compared with that Case1. Thus, the hybrid system of Case3 could considerably reduce the ship's CO2 emissions.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.15-23
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• 1997

A series of measurements and visualization to investigate the extingushiment of water sprays with pool fires is presented. Fire source is a small-scale pool burner with methanol, ethanol and gasoline. Measurements of temperature, O2, CO2, and CO concentrations along the plume centerline are carried out to observe pool structures without water sprays. Visualization by the Ar-ion laser sheet flow pattern of droplets of the sprays above the pool fires. It is observed than in the case of methanol and ethanol, water sprays continuously penetrate into the center of fuel surfaces. The gasoline pool fire allows intermittent penetration of water sprays because of pulsating characteristics of the gasoline flame. To evaluate the cooling effect of the fuel surface by the sprays, the temperature was measured at the fuel surface. As soon as the mists reach the fuel surface of methanol and ethanol, the temperatures of the fuel surface decrease rapidly below the boiling point, and then the fires are extinguished. Due to the application of mist upon the gasoline fire, though the fuel temperature decrease abruptly at the time of the injection, such a repid decrease do not continue till the extinction point.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.146-152
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• 2016

A combined system with PEMFC and reformer is introduced and optimized for the real use of this kind of system in the future. The hydrogen source to operate the PEMFC system is methanol, which needs two parts of methanol reforming reaction and preferential oxidation (PROX) for the hydrogen fuel process in the combined operation PEMFC system. With the optimized methanol steam reforming condition, we tested PROX reactions in various operation temperature from 170 to 270 ℃ to investigate CO concentration data in the reformed gases. Using these different CO concentration, PEMFC performances are achieved at the combined system. Pt/C and Ru promoted Pt/C were catalysts were used for the anode to compare the stability in CO contained gases. The alloy catalyst of PtRu/C shows higher performance and better resistance to CO than the Pt/C at even high CO amount of 200 ppm, indicating a promotion not only to the activity but also to the CO tolerance. Furthermore, in a system point of view, there is a fluctuation in the PEMFC operation due to the unstable fuel supply. Therefore, we also modified the methanol reforming by a scaled up reactor and pressurization to produce steady operation of PEMFC. The optimized system with the methanol reformer and PEMFC shows a stable performance for a long time, which is providing a valuable data for the PEMFC commercialization.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.43-50
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• 2002

In the present study, reduction of harmful exhaust gas in a diesel engine using stratified injection system of dual fuel (diesel fuel and methanol) was tried. The nozzle and fuel injection pump of conventional injection system were remodeled to inject dual fuel in order from the same injector. The quantity of each fuel was controlled by micrometers, which were mounted at rack of injection pumps. The injection ratio of dual fuel was certificated by volumetric ratio in injection quantity test. Cylinder pressure and exhaust gas were measured and analyzed under various supply condition of duel fuel. We confirmed that combustion of dual fuel was performed successful1y by using modified injection system in a D.I. diesel. Soot and NOx are simultaneously reduced by stratified injection without large deterioration of thermal efficiency, but THC and CO are relatively increased.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.3 no.1 s.9
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• pp.46-53
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• 2007

Direct Methanol Fuel Cell, DMFC is a potential power source for portable IT application. DMFC works at low temperature ($<100^{\circ}C$) without fuel processing. Methanol has high energy density, fuel economy, and easiness to handle. This paper focuses high efficient catalyst to increase utilization in the electrode, new membrane reducing methanol crossover, new material parts, and optimization of system integration. Lightweight and small-sized DMFC based on new materials, efficient stack, and improved system control will be applied to the 50W prototype system for the notebook computer.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1996.07c
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• pp.1409-1411
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• 1996

Direct Methanol Fuel Cell(DMFC) using Pt-Ru electrocatlayst and Nafion menbrane can provide high performance if operating conditions are well designed. In this study, operating temperature, pressure, and fuel flow rate were changed to obtain optimum operating conditions of DHFC single cell. Performance of DMFC were increased by the increase of operating temperature. The concentration of fuel methanol was 2.0M $CH_{3}OH$ and pressure difference of cathode and anode was 2 atm were showed maximum performance of DMFC single cell with showing the current density of 160 $mA/cm^2$ at 0.2V cell voltage.

• Journal of the korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.81-88
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• 1991

Combustion characteristic, concentration of NOx and exhaust smoke opacity was experimentally tested, according to fuel injection timing, mixing ratio of water and methanol for the driving condition of 2000 rpm of engine revolution and constant load(7.5kg/cm$^{2}$) using emulsified fuel of gas oil-water methanol. The result obtained was as following. Thermal efficiency indicated highly 0.4-2.7% for emulsified fuel then gas oil, and injection timing when maximum thermal efficiency, slicily risen then gas oil. For constant fuel injection timing ignition lag was increased, combustion duration decreased, maximum heat release rate indicated high, and concentration of NOx and exhaust smoke opacity is decreased, as function of water and methanol content y was higher.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.159-159
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• 2009

In this work, nitrogen and oxygen functionalities was introduced to the graphite nanofibers (GNFs) and their effect on electrocatalytic performance of the GNF supports for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) was invesigated. The nitrogen and oxygen groups were introduced through the urea treatments and acid treatment, respectively. And, PtRu catalysts deposited on modified GNFs were prepared by a chemical reduction method. The catalysts were characterized by means of elemental analysis, nitrogen adsorption, and X-ray photoelectron spetroscopy (XPS). The structure and morphological characteristics of the catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As a result, the Pt-Ru nanoparticles were impregnated on GNFs with good formation in 3-5 nm. And, the cyclic voltammograms for methanol oxidation revealed that the methanol oxidation peak varied depending on changes of surface functional groups. It was thus considered that the PtRu deposition was related to the reduction of PtRu and surface characteristics of the carbon supports. The changes of surface functional groups were related to PtRu reduction, significantly affect the methanol oxidation activity of anode electrocatalysts in DMFCs.

• Journal of the korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.89-94
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• 1991

In the quantitative analysis of oxygenated exhaust emissions (unburned methanol, formal- dehyde) from methanol fueled vehicles, the oxygen contained in oxygenated exhaust gases lowers the FID (Flame Ionization Detector) response factor of conventional THC analyzer and leads to erroneous HC reading. For correct measurement of various HCs including oxygenated HCs emitted from FFV(Flexible Fuel Vehicle), first of all, the measurement technique of real HC emissions should be established. GC and HPLC-DNPH measuring methods specified by the EPA are used in this paper to analyze unburned methanol and formaldehyde components in the exhaust emissions. In emission test of FFV, unburned methanol and formaldehyde are emitted mostly during cold transient period, and it is shown that formaldehyde emission level is proportional to engine displacements. In view of the HC emission level, vehicle using M85 has 40% advantage over gasoline-fueled vehicle in OMHCE and has a good potential of a low emission vehicle.