• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.30 no.2 s.245
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• pp.110-116
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• 2006

A syringe pump or a device using high electric voltage has been used for controlling flows inside a LOC (lab-on-a-chip). Compared to LOC, however, these microfluidic devices are large and heavy that they are burdensome for a portable ${\mu}-TAS$ (micro total analysis system). In this study, a new flow control technique employing pressure regulators and pressure chambers was developed. This technique utilizes compressed air to control the micro-scale flow inside a LOC, instead of a mechanical actuator or an electric power supply. The pressure regulator controls the output air pressure by adjusting the variable resistor attached. We checked the feasibility of this system by measuring the flow rate inside a capillary tube of $100{\mu}m$ diameter in the Re numbers ranged from 0.5 to 50. In addition, the performance of this flow control system was compared with that of a conventional syringe pump. The developed flow control system was found to show superior performance, compared with the syringe pump. It maintains automatically the: air pressure inside a pressure chamber whether the flow inside the capillary tube is on or off. Since the flow rate is nearly proportional to the resistance, we can control flow in multiple microchannels precisely. However, the syringe pump shows large variation of flow rate when the fluid flow is blocked in the microchannel.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Postharvest Science and Technology of Agricultural Products Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.141-141
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• 2003

신선농산물의 호홉속도를 측정하는 방법 중 하나인 개방계(open system) 호흡속도 측정시스템은 소정의 농도로 조정된 혼합기체를 측정대상시료에 흘려 보내며 측정하는 방법이다. 개방계 측정법의 장점은 혼합 기체조성 영역에서 정확한 호흡속도를 얻을 수 있으며 방치시간이 필요 없으므로 반복 측정이 용이한 것 등이다. 그러나 개방계 측정법은 공급되는 혼합기체의 농도와 유속이 일정하여야 하며 연속으로 호흡속도 측정용 챔버의 혼합기체 공급측과 배기측에서 기체시료를 수집하여 매우 미세한 기체농도의 차이를 측정할 수 있어야 하고 기체 시료 수집에 상당한 주의가 요구된다. 이러한 문제를 개선하기 위하여 개방계 호흡속도 측정 시스템을 자동화하였다. 자동화된 호흡속도 측정 시스템은 혼합기체 발생장치, 온도조절이 가능한 기체기밀용 챔버와 G.C로 구성되어 있다. 환경기체조성을 위한 혼합기체발생장치는 $N_2$, $O_2$, $CO_2$ 압축 실린더에서 공급되는 기체를 압력 조절기를 통해서 일차압력을 조정하고 정밀 압력 조절기를 이용하여 0.1~0.2 kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$의 정압을 유지시켰다. 압력이 일정해진 기체는 metering valve를 이용하여 각 기체의 유량을 소정의 비율로 제어할 수 있도록 하였으며 각각의 기체는 gas mixed cell에서 실험 농도의 환경기체조성으로 혼합되어 항온기내의 호흡속도 측정 챔버($25^{\circ}C$)로 공급될 수 있도록 하였다. 호흡속도 측정용 챔버는 개스킷이 장착된 아크릴 재질이며 온도 조절이 가능한 항온기로 구성되어 있다. 호흡속도 측정용 챔버와 G.C간의 기체흐름은 three way solenoid valve에 의하여 제어되며 전원의 on/off에 따라 공급측의 가스와 배기측의 가스가 선택적으로 G.C에 공급될 수 있도록 구성하였다. 측정 대상 챔버의 기체는 제어된 유로를 따라 multi-position valve를 통과하여 G.C에서 분석되도록 하였다. 본 연구에서 개발된 개방계 호흡속도 자동 측정 시스템의 성능 실험에서 혼합기체발생장치에서 조제된 혼합 기체의 농도를 설정치와 비교한 결과 $O_2$와 $CO_2$의 농도에서 평균오차 0.2%로 정밀한 것으로 나타났으며 호흡속도 측정용 챔버의 혼합기체 공급측과 배기측의 가스 농도를 3회 반복 측정한 결과 재현성에서는 0.1%이하의 편차로 나타났다. 개방계 호흡속도 자동 측정 시스템을 이용하여 환경기체조성하에서 토마토의 호흡속도를 측정하는 실측 실험을 수행한 결과 2$0^{\circ}C$에서 12.7~42.1mg$CO_2$/kg.hr였으며 12$^{\circ}C$에서 2.5~8.2mg$CO_2$/kg.hr로 일반적으로 보고되고 있는 토마토 호흡속도와 일치하는 결과를 나타내었다.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.228-239
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• 2013

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to develop an automated disinfectant dilution system, and an automated data management system for spraying amount for resolving uncertainty problem. Methods: Proper diluting rate was made by a controlled volume pump for liquid disinfectant and a screw conveyer pump for solid disinfectant. The water capacity of disinfecting system of 400 L was controlled by two water level sensors. The water quantity of water tank was controlled by the signals which were produced by the water level sensors. Signals were processed by Labview Programming, and ON/OFF of solenoid valve that was used for controlling water supplying to water tank, was controlled by SSR. The operating time of pumps for disinfectant was controlled quantitatively. A turbine flowmeter was used for development of automated measurement system for spraying amount of disinfectant. In order to save the flowmeter data and to control the spraying system, a multi-function data logger was used, and it was processed and saved in Excel file by a program developed in this study. Results: Labview 2010 was used for programming to control the automated measurement system for spraying amount of disinfectant. Results showed that the relationship between flowmeter value and time had a significant linear relationship such as 0.99 of $R^2$. Generally, 6.74 L/s of diluted disinfectant is sprayed for a vehicle passing through the disinfection system (about 15 seconds). Test results showed that average error between the measured spraying amount and the flowmeter data was 50 mL, and the range of error was 1.3%. Since the amount and time of spraying could be saved in real-time by using the spreadsheet files which could not be modified arbitrarily, it made possible to judge objectively whether the disinfection spraying was performed or not. Test results of spraying liquid and solid disinfectant showed that the errors between the measured discharge rate and the theoretical one were ranged within 3-4% for various dilution rates. Conclusions: The disinfection system developed would be working accurately. The automated spraying data base management system satisfied the purpose of this study. The automated dilution process system developed in this study could discharge liquid and solid disinfectant with accurate dilution rate, relatively.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2013

Maintenance of adequate soil tension or content during the period of crop growth is necessary to support optimum plant growth and yields. A better understanding of soil tension and content for precision irrigation would allow optimal soil water condition to crops and minimize the adverse effects of water stress on crop growth and development. This research reports on a comparison of soil water tension and content variations in differently textured soils over time under drip irrigation using two different water management methods, i.e. pulse time and required water irrigation methods. The pulse time-based irrigation was performed by turning the solenoid valve on and off for preset times to allow the wetting front to disperse in root zone before additional water was applied. The required water estimation method was a new water control logic designed by Rural Development Administration that applies the amount of water required based on a conversion of the measured water tension into water content. The use of the pulse time irrigation method under drip irrigation at a high tension of -20 kPa and high temperatures over $30^{\circ}C$ was not successful at maintaining moisture tensions within an appropriate range of 5 kPa because the preset irrigation times used for water control could not compensate for the change in evapotranspiration during day and night. The response time and pattern of water contents for all of the tested soils measured with capacitance-based sensor probes were faster and more direct than those of water tensions measured with porous and ceramic cup-based tensiometers when water was applied, indicating water content would be a better control variable for automatic irrigation. The required water estimation-based irrigation method provided relatively stable control of moisture tension, even though somewhat lower tension values were obtained as compared to the target tension of -20 kPa, indicating that growers could expect to be effective in controlling low tensions ranging from -10 to -20 kPa with the required water estimation system.