• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.231-232
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• 2007

In this paper, a fault diagnosis and control integrated system (FDCIS) was developed to control the thermoelectric (TE) power in the SP-100 space reactor. The objectives of the proposed model predictive control were to minimize both the difference between the predicted TE power and the desired power, and the variation of control drum angle that adjusts the control reactivity. Also, the objectives were subject to maximum and minimum control drum angle and maximum drum angle variation speed. A genetic algorithm was used to optimize the model predictive controller. The model predictive controller was integrated with a fault detection and diagnostics algorithm so that the controller can work properly even under input and output measurement faults. With the presence of faults, the control law was reconfigured using online estimates of the measurements. Simulation results of the proposed controller showed that the TE generator power level controlled by the proposed controller could track the target power level effectively even under measurement faults, satisfying all control constraints.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1042-1047
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• 2007

A micro cyclone combustor was developed to be used as a heat source of thermoelectric power generator (TPG). The cyclone combustor was designed so that fuel and air were supplied to the combustion chamber separately. The mixing and flow characteristics in the combustor were investigated numerically. The global equivalence ratio ($\Phi$), defined using the fuel and air flow rates, was introduced to examine the flow features of the combustor. The mixing of fuel and air inside the combustor could be well understood using the fuel concentration distribution. It was found that the weak recirculating zone was formed upper the fuel-supplying tube in case of ${\Phi}$<1.0. In addition, it was found that small regions that have a negative axial velocity exist near the fuel injection ports. It is assumed that these negative axial velocity regions can stabilize a flame inside the micro cyclone combustor.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.269-276
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• 2006

This paper represents development of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and usage as a dew point sensor. The temperature of a quartz resonator was controlled precisely from $20^{\circ}C$ to $-30^{\circ}C$ with the ramping rate of $0.1^{\circ}C/s$ by using a custom-made crystal holder housing the quartz resonator associated with a thermoelectric cooler (Peltier cooler), which results in the working range from $15.2^{\circ}C$ to $-24.0^{\circ}C$ based on an accurate holder temperature compensation and temperature effect compensation process. The developed QCM dew point sensor and analysis techniques show very good sensing characteristics at measurement of moist air with the relative humidity from 10 %R.H. to 90 %R.H. generated by a divided-type humidity generator and the dew point temperatures were determined with an accuracy of less than ${\pm}0.18^{\circ}C$, which also showed good agreement with reference values in their error range.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.63-74
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• 2007

In this paper, a reconfigurable controller consisting of a normal controller and a standby controller is designed to control the thermoelectric (TE) power in the SP-100 space reactor. The normal controller uses a model predictive control (MPC) method where the future TE power is predicted by using support vector regression. A genetic algorithm that can effectively accomplish multiple objectives is used to optimize the normal controller. The performance of the normal controller depends on the capability of predicting the future TE power. Therefore, if the prediction performance is degraded, the proportional-integral (PI) controller of the standby controller begins to work instead of the normal controller. Performance deterioration is detected by a sequential probability ratio test (SPRT). A lumped parameter simulation model of the SP-100 nuclear space reactor is used to verify the proposed reconfigurable controller. The results of numerical simulations to assess the performance of the proposed controller show that the TE generator power level controlled by the proposed reconfigurable controller could track the target power level effectively, satisfying all control constraints. Furthermore, the normal controller is automatically switched to the standby controller when the performance of the normal controller degrades.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.842-845
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• 2018

In this paper, we propose low-power operational methods for thermal-energy-harvesting sensor circuits. Here, the amount of harvested current has been measured as low as 8uA. However the DC power consumption of the sensor circuit is known to consume much larger than 8uA. Thus, We propose the hardware-based power gating and software-based active/sleep timing control schemes, respectively, for controlling the power consumption of sensor circuit. In the hardware-based power gating scheme, if the ratio of Toff/Ton is larger than 22, the sensor can consume less than 8uA. For the software-based active/sleep control scheme, if the ratio of Tslp/Tact is larger than 3, we can suppress the current consumption below 8uA. The hardware-based and software-based schemes proposed in this paper would be helpful in various applications of energy-harvesting sensor circuits, where the power consumption is limited by an amount of harvested energy.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.569-575
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• 2020

Recently, research on renewable energy technologies has come into the spotlight due to rising concerns over the depletion of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. Demand for portable electronic and wearable devices is increasing, and electronic devices are becoming smaller. Energy harvesting is a technology for overcoming limitations such as battery size and usage time. In this paper, the V-I characteristic curve and internal resistance of thermal electric devices were analyzed, and MPPT control methods were compared. The Perturbation and Observation (P&O) control method is economically inefficient because two sensors are required to measure the voltage and current of a Thermoelectric Generator(TEG). Therefore, this paper proposes a new MPPT control method that tracks MPP using only one sensor for the regulation of the output voltage. The proposed MPPT control method uses the relationship between the output voltage of the load and the duty ratio. Control is done by periodically sampling the output voltage of the DC-DC converter to increase or decrease the duty ratio to find the optimal duty ratio and maintain the MPP. A DC-DC converter was designed using a cascaded boost-buck converter, which has a two-switch topology. The proposed MPPT control method was verified by simulations using PSIM, and the results show that a voltage, current, and power of V=4.2 V, I=2.5 A, and P=10.5 W were obtained at the MPP from the V-I characteristic curve of the TEG.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.165-170
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• 2016

The XLPE(or CV) cables installed to deliver high electric power from generator at the power station have operating for the last 40 years in Korea. In 6-8 years from the time of initial operation, the cables in operation start a deteriorating process, depending on the installation and usage conditions. Some cables, even before 6-8 years from the installation, can cause accidents due to the faulty construction or other inadequate environments. In order to prevent cable accident in advance, the regular auditing of power cables are required. For a systematic realization of surveillance and prevention of accidents, we have invented a measuring device. In this paper, we present the device installed at Korean Western Power Co. Ltd., in order to detect the deterioration status of insulation resistances of dielectrics in the cables. We present that the measured results by the device we developed show the deteriorating processes in the cables in operation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2020

Small nuclear reactor features higher power capacity, longer operation life than conventional power sources. It could be an ideal alternative of existing power source applied for special equipment for terrestrial or underwater missions. In this paper, a 25kWe heat pipe cooled reactor power source applied for multiple use is preliminary designed. Based on the design, a thermal-hydraulic analysis code for heat pipe cooled reactor is developed to analyze steady and transient performance of the designed nuclear reactor. For reactor design, UN fuel with 65% enrichment and potassium heat pipes are adopted in the reactor core. Tungsten and LiH are adopted as radiation shield on both sides of the reactor core. The reactor is controlled by 6 control drums with B₄C neutron absorbers. Thermoelectric generator (TEG) converts fission heat into electricity. Cooling water removes waste heat out of the reactor. The thermal-hydraulic characteristics of heat pipes are simulated using thermal resistance network method. Thermal parameters of steady and transient conditions, such as the temperature distribution of every key components are obtained. Then the postulated reactor accidents for heat pipe cooled reactor, including power variation, single heat pipe failure and cooling channel blockage, are analyzed and evaluated. Results show that all the designed parameters satisfy the safety requirements. This work could provide reference to the design and application of the heat pipe cooled nuclear power source.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.577-580
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• 2014

In this paper an auto-switching dual-input energy harvesting circuit is proposed. Since the maximum power points of a thermoelectric generator(TEG) output and a vibration device(PEG) output is 1/2 of their open-circuit voltage, an identical MPPT controller can be used for both energy sources. The proposed circuit monitors the outputs of the TEG and PEG, and chooses the energy source generating a higher output using an auto-switching controller, and then harvests the maximum power from the selected device using a MPPT controller. The harvested energy is boosted through a charge pump and stored in a storage capacitor. The stored energy is provided to a load through a PMU(Power Management Unit). The proposed circuit is designed in a $0.35{\mu}m$ CMOS process and its functionality has been verified through extensive simulations. The designed chip occupies $1.4mm{\times}1.2mm$ including pads.