• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.11
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• pp.4837-4842
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• 2024

The stabilization technology for damaged nuclear fuels requires physically-stable pellets, so powders that are used for the process must have high sinterability. Due to safety limitations in H₂ concentration, fuel materials are reduced with high gas flow rates or for long times in cyclic oxidation and reduction process. We attempted to shorten the reaction time by shaking the powder reactor vertically. This method reduced the reaction time for the reduction process by two-thirds compared to that required in the static condition. The shaking process had a negligible effect on the quality of the powder. Therefore, this method can be applied to the reduction processes that require large volumes and long reaction times.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.275-281
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• 2007

GTL (Gas To Liquid) has the potential to be used in diesel engines as a clean alternative fuel due to advantages in emission reduction, particularly soot reduction. Since the physical properties of GTL fuel differ from those of diesel fuel to some extent, studying how this difference in characteristics of GTL and diesel fuels affects spray and combustion in diesel engines is important. In this study, visual investigation of sprays and flames from GTL and diesel fuels in a vessel simulating diesel combustion was implemented. The effects of various parameters and conditions, such as injection pressure, chamber temperature and pilot injection on liquid-phase fuel length and auto-ignition delay were investigated. It was determined that GTL has a somewhat shorter liquid-phase fuel length, which explains why there is less contact between the fuel liquid-phase and flame for GTL fuel compared to diesel fuel.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.7
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• pp.454-459
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• 2009

In order to commercialize Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC), the cathode catalyst such as Platinum supported Carbon (Pt/C) need to have a high activity of Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR). In this study, the 20% Pt/C was synthesized using the chemical reduction method while the crystallinity of Platinum (Pt) particles were controlled under heat treatment conditions. The activity of synthesized Pt catalysts was evaluated using electrochemical measurement. Compared with the $i_{ORR}$ at 0.8 V of 20% Pt/C heat-treated at $500^{\circ}C$ and the 20% Pt/C that were not heated and commercial 20% Pt/C, the $i_{ORR}$ at 0.8 V of 20% Pt/C heattreated at $500^{\circ}C$ was 9.5 and 1.7 times higher than those of the 20% Pt/C and commercial 20% Pt/C that were not heated. It was considered that the crystallinity and particle size affect the ORR activity of the Pt/C catalysts.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.2880-2886
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• 2020

A small leak occurring on the surface of a fuel rod due to damage exposes UO₂ to a steam atmosphere. During this time, fission gas trapped inside the fuel rod leaks out, and the gas leakage can be increased due to UO₂ oxidation. Numerous studies have focused on the steam oxidation and its thermodynamic calculation in UO₂. However, the thermodynamic calculation of the UO₂ oxidation in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) environment has not been studied extensively. Moreover, the kinetics of the oxidation of UO₂ pellet also has not been investigated. Therefore, in this study, the thermodynamics of UO₂ oxidation under steam injection due to a damaged fuel rod in a PWR environment is studied. In addition, the diminishing radius of the UO₂ pellet with time in the PWR environment was calculated through an experiment simulating the initial time of steam injection at the puncture.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2008

EGR(exhaust gas recirculation) is considered as a most effective method to reduce the NOx emissions. But high EGR tolerance is always pursued not only for its advantages of the pumping loss reduction and fuel economy benefit in Gasoline-Hybrid engine. However, the occurrence of excessive cyclic variation with high EGR normally prevents substantial fuel economy improvements from being achieved in practice. Therefore, the optimum EGR rate should be carefully determined in order to achieve low fuel consumption and low exhaust emission. In this study, 2 liters gasoline engine with E-EGR system was used to investigate the effects of EGR on fuel efficiency, combustion stability, engine performance and exhaust emissions. With optimal EGR rates, the fuel consumption was improved by 4%. This improvement was achieved while a reduction in NOx emissions of 75% was accomplished. Increase of EGR gas temperature causes the charge air temperature to affect the knock phenomenon and moreover, the EGR valve lift changes for the same control signal.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.542-547
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• 2007

We have determined an optimal reduction condition for NiO-based anode in single chamber solid oxide fuel cells that involve samaria-doped ceria (SDC) as an electrolyte. Optimal condition should not only induce sufficient reduction of NiO to Ni, but also prevent the reduction of SDC electrolyte in order to achieve high open circuit voltage (OCV) and power output. Thermodynamic consideration allowed us to determine the optimal anode reduction condition as $96%H_2-4%H_2O$ atmosphere at $250^{\circ}C$. This finding was in a good agreement with the experimental verifications by monitoring the conductivities of SDC and NiO under different reducing conditions.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.184-184
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• 2006

We have succeeded in the preparation of high molecular weight polybenzimidazoles by solution polycondensation of 3,3'-diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride with isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, or with their derivatives using polyphosphoric acid both as solvent and as condensing agent. Also, we modified phosphoric acid into fluoroalkyl-phosphonic acids[F-PA]. The main reasons are as follows, first of all F-PAs are stronger acids than PA and alkylphosphonic acids which should promote proton hopping and transport. In addition, F-PA has weaker adsorption onto Pt which help to prevent electrocatalyst poisoning and promote higher oxygen reduction activity. The ionic conductivity of 85%-H3PO4 doped membranes show $10^{-2}\;Scm^{-1}\;to\;3{\times}10^{-2}\;Scm^{-1}\;at\;150^{\circ}C$ MEA with 2 %-added electrolyte shows slightly higher cell voltage than the others.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.489-496
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• 2018

Fuel cells are seen as eco-friendly energy resources that convert chemical energy into electrical energy. However, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have problems such as the use of expensive platinum catalysts for the reduction of conductivity under high temperature humidification conditions. Thus, an anion exchange membrane fuel cell (AEMFC) is attracting a great attention. Anion exchange fuel cells use non - Pt catalysts and have the advantage of better efficiency because of the lower activation energy of the oxygen reduction reaction. However, there are various problems to be solved including problems such as the electrode damage and reduction of ion conductivity by being exposed to the carbon dioxide. Therefore, this mini review proposes various solutions for different problems of anion exchange fuel cells through a wide range of research papers.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2005

This article covers the theoretical ac-impedance models for the analysis of oxygen reduction on the porous cathode electrode f3r solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Firstly, ac-impedance models were explained on the basis of the mechanism of oxygen reduction, which were classified into the rate-determining steps; (i) adsorption of oxygen atom on the electrode surface, (ii) diffusion of adsorbed oxygen atom along the electrode surface towards the three-phase (electrode/electrolyte/gas) boundaries, (iii) surface diffusion of adsorbed oxygen atom m ixed with the adsorption reaction of oxygen atom on the electrode surface and (iv) diffusion of oxygen vacancy through the electrode coupled with the charge transfer reaction at the electrode/gas interface. In each section for ac-impedance model, the representative impedance plots and the interpretation of important parameters attributed to the oxygen reduction reaction were explained. Finally, we discussed in detail the applications of the proposed theoretical ac-impedance models to the real electrode of SOFC system.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.43 no.5 s.288
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• pp.265-269
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• 2006

We have deposited NiO films by RF sputtering on $Al_2O_3/SiO_2/Si$ and 100 nm-thick Gd doped $CeO_2$ covered $Al_2O_3/SiO_2/Si$ substrates at various $Ar/O_2$ ratios. The deposited films were reduced to form porous Ni thin fllms in 4% $H_2\;at\;400^{\circ}C$. For the films deposited in pure Ar, the reduction was retarded due to the thickness and the orientation of the NiO films. On the other hand, the films deposited in oxygen mixed ambient were reduced and formed porous Ni films after 20 min of reduction. We also investigated the possibility of using the films for the single chamber operation by studying the electrical property of the films in the fuel/air mixed environment. It is shown that the resistance of the Ni film increases quickly in the mixed gas environment and thus further improvements of Ni-base anodes are required for using them in the single chamber operation.