• Proceedings of the Korea Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry Conference
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• 2006.06b
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• pp.465-469
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• 2006

Pre-treatment methods to determine various heavy metal contents in packaging papers were investigated by ICP-ES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometry) analysis. Pre-treatment methods utilized in this study include dry ashing and decomposition methods ($HNO_{3-}HClO_{4-}HF,\;HNO_{3},\;and\;H_{2}SO_{4-}HNO_{3}$). They were compared with the conventional extraction (water) and migration (3% acetic acid) methods. The five representative heavy metals (Cd, As, Pb, Cr and Hg) were analyzed. For Cd, Hg, and As, the results were below detection limit of the instrument. In case of Cr and Pb, the migration test is considered to be a better method compared to the extraction test, but all pretreated methods showed much higher detection efficiency than the extraction or migration test. However, the detection ratio between the migration test and decomposition methods was different. Among all decomposition methods, the nitric acid - perchloric acid - hydrofluoric acid treatment brought a slightly higher detection value than others, but there was no significant difference among them except sulfuric acid - nitric acid method. Concerning Pb, the sulfuric acid - nitric acid method showed a low detection efficiency compared to other decomposition methods. The sulfuric acid - nitric acid method is, thus, not considered to be a suitable analysis method for Pb in packaging papers.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2008

CuFeOx/$Al_2O_3$ catalysts are developed for the use in sulfuric acid decomposition which is a subcycle in thermochemical iodine-sulfur cycle to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Both Cu and Fe components are co-precipitated with Al component to enhance distribution of active components. Developed catalysts are improved in the capability of sulfuric acid decomposition and endurance under highly acidic environment compared to commercial catalysts such as Pt/$Al_2O_3$ and $2CuO{\cdot}Cr_2O_3$. Developed CuFeAlOx catalysts exhibited higher sulfuric acid decomposition ability than $2CuO{\cdot}Cr_2O_3$ and longer endurance trends than Pt/$Al_2O_3$ maintaining comparable performance, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.831-840
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• 2009

In order to evaluate the start-up behavior and to identify, through abnormal operation occurrences, the transient behaviors of the Sulfur Iodine(SI) process, which is a nuclear hydrogen process that is coupled to a Very High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (VHTR) through an Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX), a dynamic simulation of the process is necessary. Perturbation of the flow rate or temperature in the inlet streams may result in various transient states. An understanding of the dynamic behavior due to these factors is able to support the conceptual design of the secondary helium loop system associated with a hydrogen production plant. Based on the mass and energy balance sheets of an electrodialysis-embedded SI process equivalent to a 200 $MW_{th}$ VHTR and a considerable thermal pathway between the SI process and the VHTR system, a dynamic simulation of the SI process was carried out for a sulfuric acid decomposition process (Second Section) that is composed of a sulfuric acid vaporizer, a sulfuric acid decomposer, and a sulfur trioxide decomposer. The dynamic behaviors of these integrated reactors according to several anticipated scenarios are evaluated and the dominant and mild factors are observed. As for the results of the simulation, all the reactors in the sulfuric acid decomposition process approach a steady state at the same time. Temperature control of the inlet helium is strictly required rather than the flow rate control of the inlet helium to keep the steady state condition in the Second Section. On the other hand, it was revealed that the changes of the inlet helium operation conditions make a great impact on the performances of $SO_3$ and $H_2SO_4$ decomposers, but no effect on the performance of the $H_2SO_4$ vaporizer.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.363-372
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• 2014

In this study, we proposed a newly designed sulfuric acid transfer system for the sulfur-iodine (SI) thermochemical cycle. The proposed sulfuric acid transfer system was evaluated using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis for investigating thermodynamic/hydrodynamic characteristics and material properties. This analysis was conducted to obtain reliable continuous operation parameters; in particular, a thermal analysis was performed on the bellows box and bellows at amplitudes and various frequencies (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 Hz). However, the high temperatures and strongly corrosive operating conditions of the current sulfuric acid system present challenges with respect to the structural materials of the transfer system. To resolve this issue, we designed a novel transfer system using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, $Teflon^{(R)}$) as a bellows material for the transfer of sulfuric acid. We also carried out a CFD analysis of the design. The CFD results indicated that the maximum applicable temperature of PTFE is about 533 K ($260^{\circ}C$), even though its melting point is around 600 K. This result implies that the PTFE is a potential material for the sulfuric acid transfer system. The CFD simulations also confirmed that the sulfuric acid transfer system was designed properly for this particular investigation.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.136-140
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• 1979

The purpose of this investigation was to study the sulfuric acid digestion of monazite sand, and to prepare rare-earths-thorium containing material from the resulting solution which would be suitable for further preparation of thorium and rare earth elements by ion-exchange. Digestion of crude monazite sand was treated in $95{\%}C$ sulfuric acid for 2.0 hours at 150∼$250^{\circ}C$. The acid to sand weight ratio were 1 : 1.9∼2.8. Optimum condition was 95% sulfuric acid for 2.0 hours at $200{\pm}5^{\circ}C$. Within this conditions monazite sand was decomposed up to 99%.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2011

Sulfur-Iodine (SI) cycle, which thermochemically splits water to hydrogen and oxygen through three stages of Bunsen reaction, HI decomposition, and $H_2SO_4$ decomposition, seems a promising process to produce hydrogen massively. Among them, the decomposition of $H_2SO_4$ ($H_2SO_4=H_2O+SO_2+1/2O_2$) requires high temperature heat over $800^{\circ}C$ such as the heat from concentrated solar energy or a very high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor. Because of harsh reaction conditions of high temperature and pressure with extremely corrosive reactants and products, there have been scarce and limited number of data reported on the pressurized $H_2SO_4$ decomposition. This work focuses whether the $H_2SO_4$ decomposition can occur at high pressure in a noble-metal reactor, which possibly resists corrosive acidic chemicals and possesses catalytic activity for the reaction. Decomposition reactions were conducted in a Pt-lined tubular reactor without any other catalytic species at conditions of $800^{\circ}C$ to $900^{\circ}C$ and 0 bar (ambient pressure) to 10 bar with 95 wt% $H_2SO_4$. The Pt-lined reactor was found to endure the corrosive pressurized condition, and its inner surface successfully carried out a catalytic role in decomposing $H_2SO_4$ to $SO_2$ and $O_2$. This preliminary result has proposed the availability of noble metal-lined reactors for the high temperature, high pressure sulfuric acid decomposition.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.45-51
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• 2007

This study was carried out to investigate various heavy metal contents in packaging papers by pre-treatments for ICP-ES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometry) analysis. Pre-treatment methods of heavy metals in this study include extraction, migration and decomposition methods (dry ashing, $HNO_3-HClO_4-HF,\;HNO_3,\;and\;H_2SO_4-HNO_3$). Test results were compared with conventional extraction (water) and migration (3% acetic acid) methods. The five representative heavy metals (Cd, As, Pb, Cr and Hg) were analyzed. For Cd, Hg, and As, the results were below detection limit of the instrumental technique. It was considered that the migration test was a better method compared to extraction test, but all the decomposition methods showed much higher detection values than the extraction or migration test. In case of recycled corrugated containers, 3% acetic acid solution extracted about 25% of chromium and 30% of lead compared to the content by decomposition methods. Among all decomposition methods, the nitric acid - perchloric acid - hydrofluoric acid treatment brought a slightly higher detection value than others, but there was no significant difference among them except sulfuric acid - nitric acid method.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.18 no.2E
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• pp.97-102
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• 2006

In this study, the effect of supplementary materials(GGBS, PFA, SF) on sulfuric acid corrosion resistance was assessed by measuring the compressive strength, corroded depth and weight change at 7, 28, 56, 91, 180 and 250 days of immersion in sulfuric acid solution with the pH of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0. Then, it was found that an increase in the duration of immersion and a decrease in the pH, as expected, resulted in a more severe corrosion irrespective of binders: increased corroded depth and weight change, and lowered the compressive strength. 60% GGBS mortar specimen was the most resistant to acid corrosion in terms of the corroded depth, weight change and compressive strength, due to the latent hydraulic characteristics and lower portion of calcium hydroxide. The order of resistance to acid was 60% GGBS>20% PFA>10% SF>OPC. In a microscopic examination, it was found that acid corrosion of cement matrix produced gypsum, as a result of decomposition of hydration products, which may loose the structure of cement matrix, thereby leading to a remarkable decrease of concrete properties.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.401-410
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• 2011

We assayed the effects of simulated acid rain on the mass loss, $CO_2$ evolution, dehydrogenase activity, and microbial biomass-C of decomposing Sorbus alnifolia leaf litter at the microcosm. The dilute sulfuric acid solution composed the simulated acid rain, and the microcosm decomposition experiment was performed at 23$^{\circ}C$ and 40% humidity. During the early decomposition stage, decomposition rate of S. alnifolia leaf litter, and microbial biomass, $CO_2$ evolution and dehydrogenase activity were inhibited at a lower pH; however, during the late decomposition stage, these characteristics were not affected by pH level. The fungal component of the microbial community was conspicuous at lower pH levels and at the late decomposition stage. Conversely, the bacterial community was most evident during the initial decomposition phase and was especially dominant at higher pH levels. These changes in microbial community structure resulting from changes in microcosm acidity suggest that pH is an important aspect in the maintenance of the decomposition process. Litter decomposition exhibited a positive, linear relationship with both microbial respiration and microbial biomass. Fungal biomass exhibited a significant, positive relationship with $CO_2$ evolution from the decaying litter. Acid rain had a significant effect on microbial biomass and microbial community structure according to acid tolerance of each microbial species. Fungal biomass and decomposition activities were not only more important at a low pH than at a high pH but also fungal activity, such as $CO_2$ evolution, was closely related with litter decomposition rate.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

Methods of producing hydrogen include steam reforming, electrochemical decomposition of water, and the SI process. Among these methods, the Sulfur iodine process is one of the most promising processes for hydrogen production. The thermochemical sulfur-iodine (SI) process uses heat from a high-temperature-gas nuclear reactor to produce $H_2$ gas; this process is known for its production of clean energy as it does not emit $CO_2$ from water. But the SI-process takes place in an extremely corrosive environment for the materials. To endure SI environments, the materials for the SI environment will have to have strong corrosion resistance. This work studies the corrosion resistances of the Fe-Si, Ni-Ti and Ni Alloys, which are tested in SI-process environments. Among the SI-process environments, the conditions of boiling sulfuric acid and decomposed sulfuric acid are selected in this study. Before testing in boiling sulfuric acid environments, the specimens of Fe-4.5Si, Fe-6Si, Ni-4.5Si, Ni-Ti-Si-Nb and Ni-Ti-Si-Nb-B are previously given heat treatment at $1000^{\circ}C$ for 48 hrs. The reason for this heat treatment is that those specimens have a passive film on the surface. The specimens are immersed for 3~14 days in 98wt% boiling sulfuric acid. Corrosion rates are measured by using the weight change after immersion. The corrosion rates of the Fe-6Si and Ni-Ti-Si-Nb-B are found to decrease as the time passes. The corrosion rates of Fe-6si and Ni-Ti-Si-Nb-B are measured at 0.056 mm/yr and 0.16 mm/yr, respectively. Hastelloy-X, Alloy 617, Alloy 800H and Haynes 230 are tested in the decomposed sulfuric acid for one day. Alloy 800H was found to show the best corrosion resistance among the materials. The corrosion rate of Alloy 800H is measured at -0.35 mm/yr. In these results, the corrosion resistance of materials depends on the stability of the oxide film formed on the surface. After testing in boiling sulfuric acid and in decomposed sulfuric acid environments, the surfaces and compositions of specimens are analyzed by SEM and EDX.