• Title/Summary/Keyword: operations efficiency

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Performance assessment of an urban stormwater infiltration trench considering facility maintenance (침투도랑 유지관리를 통한 도시 강우유출수 처리 성능 평가)

  • Reyes, N.J. D.G.;Geronimo, F.K.F.;Choi, H.S.;Kim, L.H.
    • Journal of Wetlands Research
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    • v.20 no.4
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    • pp.424-431
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    • 2018
  • Stormwater runoff containing considerable amounts of pollutants such as particulates, organics, nutrients, and heavy metals contaminate natural bodies of water. At present, best management practices (BMP) intended to reduce the volume and treat pollutants from stormwater runoff were devised to serve as cost-effective measures of stormwater management. However, improper design and lack of proper maintenance can lead to degradation of the facility, making it unable to perform its intended function. This study evaluated an infiltration trench (IT) that went through a series of maintenance operations. 41 monitored rainfall events from 2009 to 2016 were used to evaluate the pollutant removal capabilities of the IT. Assessment of the water quality and hydrological data revealed that the inflow volume was the most relative factor affecting the unit pollutant loads (UPL) entering the facility. Seasonal variations also affected the pollutant removal capabilities of the IT. During the summer season, the increased rainfall depths and runoff volumes diminished the pollutant removal efficiency (RE) of the facility due to increased volumes that washed off larger pollutant loads and caused the IT to overflow. Moreover, the system also exhibited reduced pollutant RE for the winter season due to frozen media layers and chemical-related mechanisms impacted by the low winter temperature. Maintenance operations also posed considerable effects of the performance of the IT. During the first two years of operation, the IT exhibited a decrease in pollutant RE due to aging and lack of proper maintenance. However, some events also showed reduced pollutant RE succeeding the maintenance as a result of disturbed sediments that were not removed from the geotextile. Ultimately, the presented effects of maintenance operations in relation to the pollutant RE of the system may lead to the optimization of maintenance schedules and procedures for BMP of same structure.

A Model to Measure the Success of a Web-based Information System at a Government Agency - the Chungwadae Case (공공기관 업무관리시스템 성과평가 모형 개발에 관한 연구: 청와대 업무관리시스템(e지원시스템)을 중심으로)

  • Bae, Lee-Chul;Hong, Il-Yoo
    • Asia pacific journal of information systems
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.97-115
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    • 2008
  • Introduction The e-government is concerned with using Internet and Web technologies to exchange information and services with citizens, businesses and other related organizations, and it centers on three functions, namely informational, interactive, and transactional [UN, 2001]. Many developed countries like the U.S. have been actively involved in e-government projects, since they enable both more effective public services for citizens and more efficient internal operations. Korea is among these leading countries that are planning to leverage computer and communication technologies to provide for integration of work processes and information as well as convenient access to information and services. For this reason, evaluating e-government projects is becoming a crucial issue for both researchers and policy-makers. However, most research to date has primarily focused on a model of success of an e-government system designed for citizens, overlooking internal systems specifically created for employees working in a public organization. This paper is intended to propose a model to measure the success of a Web-based information system designed for use by internal users at Chungwadae, the executive branch of Korea's central government. The paper is also aimed at applying the model to the assessment of the present system being used at Chungwadae in comparison with the preceding system. Evaluating an e-Government System The most widely cited model of information systems success today is that of DeLone and McLean[1992, 2003, 2004]. The original model states that the success of an information system can be measured using six dimensions, including system quality, information quality, use, user satisfaction, individual impact, and organizational impact. Although the ultimate success of an information system may be reflected in the impact that the system has upon individuals as well as an organization, aspects of using the system such as system use and user satisfaction can play an important role in determining the system success, because the system would be a sheer failure if users don't like and use the system. As a response to criticisms given by numerous researchers, the authors adapted their model to fit the emerging Web-based environment. The revised model[DeLone and McLean, 2003] they offered included an additional quality dimension, namely service quality, and combined individual and organizational impacts into net benefits which can also influence user satisfaction. The e-government system success model can be built around this updated model. Our model incorporates information quality, system quality, and service quality as in the DeLone and McLean model. However, the 'system use' dimension has been replaced by perceived usefulness, as suggested by Seddon[1998]. In addition, because the e-government systems that this paper focuses on are internal public systems used in government agencies, the 'net benefits' dimension has been replaced by perceived work efficiency. Based on the proposed model, a total of nine hypotheses have been formulated which we tested using an empirical analysis. Methods A questionnaire form has been created with items that are designed to examine the relationships among the variables in the model. The questionnaire has been handed over, in person, to 65 members of Chungwadae staff who are now actively using the E-Support System, the present information system created to support internal work at Chungwadae. We made arrangements to meet with each individual who agreed to participate in our survey, and helped to fill out the survey form with explanations. Of the 65 copies that were delivered, only 33 were returned, and 30 responses of these have been adopted for our analysis, since three were not valid. The extremely small sample size was due to the limited number of staff members who had adequate experience required of this study. Results We gathered data from the questionnaire survey and analyzed them using a regression analysis to test the hypotheses. As shown in the table below, the results indicated that all three dimensions of an information system’s quality are positively related to user satisfaction. However, information quality and system quality were found to be positively related to perceived usefulness, while service quality was not. In addition, perceived usefulness is not positively related to user satisfaction, implying that a user may find a system useful, but may not be satisfied with it. Finally, user satisfaction and perceived usefulness both are positively related to perceived work efficiency. This suggests that workers' positive experience with the system is important to guarantee favorable work efficiency. Conclusions We conclude that the proposed model proved useful in measuring the success of an internal information system used by a government agency. To demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the model in the paper, we applied the model to the assessment of the present internal system used at Chungwadae in comparison with the preceding system. The results showed that the present system outperforms the preceding one in a statistically significant way. Future research will have to focus on applying the model to Korea's governmental agencies other than Chungwadae and examine whether it proves applicable in different types of governmental organizations.

A Contemplation on Measures to Advance Logistics Centers (물류센터 선진화를 위한 발전 방안에 대한 소고)

  • Sun, Il-Suck;Lee, Won-Dong
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.17-27
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    • 2011
  • As the world becomes more globalized, business competition becomes fiercer, while consumers' needs for less expensive quality products are on the increase. Business operations make an effort to secure a competitive edge in costs and services, and the logistics industry, that is, the industry operating the storing and transporting of goods, once thought to be an expense, begins to be considered as the third cash cow, a source of new income. Logistics centers are central to storage, loading and unloading of deliveries, packaging operations, and dispensing goods' information. As hubs for various deliveries, they also serve as a core infrastructure to smoothly coordinate manufacturing and selling, using varied information and operation systems. Logistics centers are increasingly on the rise as centers of business supply activities, growing beyond their previous role of primarily storing goods. They are no longer just facilities; they have become logistics strongholds that encompass various features from demand forecast to the regulation of supply, manufacturing, and sales by realizing SCM, taking into account marketability and the operation of service and products. However, despite these changes in logistics operations, some centers have been unable to shed their past roles as warehouses. For the continuous development of logistics centers, various measures would be needed, including a revision of current supporting policies, formulating effective management plans, and establishing systematic standards for founding, managing, and controlling logistics centers. To this end, the research explored previous studies on the use and effectiveness of logistics centers. From a theoretical perspective, an evaluation of the overall introduction, purposes, and transitions in the use of logistics centers found issues to ponder and suggested measures to promote and further advance logistics centers. First, a fact-finding survey to establish demand forecast and standardization is needed. As logistics newspapers predicted that after 2012 supply would exceed demand, causing rents to fall, the business environment for logistics centers has faltered. However, since there is a shortage of fact-finding surveys regarding actual demand for domestic logistic centers, it is hard to predict what the future holds for this industry. Accordingly, the first priority should be to get to the essence of the current market situation by conducting accurate domestic and international fact-finding surveys. Based on those, management and evaluation indicators should be developed to build the foundation for the consistent advancement of logistics centers. Second, many policies for logistics centers should be revised or developed. Above all, a guideline for fair trade between a shipper and a commercial logistics center should be enacted. Since there are no standards for fair trade between them, rampant unfair trades according to market practices have brought chaos to market orders, and now the logistics industry is confronting its own difficulties. Therefore, unfair trade cases that currently plague logistics centers should be gathered by the industry and fair trade guidelines should be established and implemented. In addition, restrictive employment regulations for foreign workers should be eased, and logistics centers should be charged industry rates for the use of electricity. Third, various measures should be taken to improve the management environment. First, we need to find out how to activate value-added logistics. Because the traditional purpose of logistics centers was storage and loading/unloading of goods, their profitability had a limit, and the need arose to find a new angle to create a value added service. Logistic centers have been perceived as support for a company's storage, manufacturing, and sales needs, not as creators of profits. The center's role in the company's economics has been lowering costs. However, as the logistics' management environment spiraled, along with its storage purpose, developing a new feature of profit creation should be a desirable goal, and to achieve that, value added logistics should be promoted. Logistics centers can also be improved through cost estimation. In the meantime, they have achieved some strides in facility development but have still fallen behind in others, particularly in management functioning. Lax management has been rampant because the industry has not developed a concept of cost estimation. The centers have since made an effort toward unification, standardization, and informatization while realizing cost reductions by establishing systems for effective management, but it has been hard to produce profits. Thus, there is an urgent need to estimate costs by determining a basic cost range for each division of work at logistics centers. This undertaking can be the first step to improving the ineffective aspects of how they operate. Ongoing research and constant efforts have been made to improve the level of effectiveness in the manufacturing industry, but studies on resource management in logistics centers are hardly enough. Thus, a plan to calculate the optimal level of resources necessary to operate a logistics center should be developed and implemented in management behavior, for example, by standardizing the hours of operation. If logistics centers, shippers, related trade groups, academic figures, and other experts could launch a committee to work with the government and maintain an ongoing relationship, the constraint and cooperation among members would help lead to coherent development plans for logistics centers. If the government continues its efforts to provide financial support, nurture professional workers, and maintain safety management, we can anticipate the continuous advancement of logistics centers.

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Performance analysis of Frequent Itemset Mining Technique based on Transaction Weight Constraints (트랜잭션 가중치 기반의 빈발 아이템셋 마이닝 기법의 성능분석)

  • Yun, Unil;Pyun, Gwangbum
    • Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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    • v.16 no.1
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    • pp.67-74
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    • 2015
  • In recent years, frequent itemset mining for considering the importance of each item has been intensively studied as one of important issues in the data mining field. According to strategies utilizing the item importance, itemset mining approaches for discovering itemsets based on the item importance are classified as follows: weighted frequent itemset mining, frequent itemset mining using transactional weights, and utility itemset mining. In this paper, we perform empirical analysis with respect to frequent itemset mining algorithms based on transactional weights. The mining algorithms compute transactional weights by utilizing the weight for each item in large databases. In addition, these algorithms discover weighted frequent itemsets on the basis of the item frequency and weight of each transaction. Consequently, we can see the importance of a certain transaction through the database analysis because the weight for the transaction has higher value if it contains many items with high values. We not only analyze the advantages and disadvantages but also compare the performance of the most famous algorithms in the frequent itemset mining field based on the transactional weights. As a representative of the frequent itemset mining using transactional weights, WIS introduces the concept and strategies of transactional weights. In addition, there are various other state-of-the-art algorithms, WIT-FWIs, WIT-FWIs-MODIFY, and WIT-FWIs-DIFF, for extracting itemsets with the weight information. To efficiently conduct processes for mining weighted frequent itemsets, three algorithms use the special Lattice-like data structure, called WIT-tree. The algorithms do not need to an additional database scanning operation after the construction of WIT-tree is finished since each node of WIT-tree has item information such as item and transaction IDs. In particular, the traditional algorithms conduct a number of database scanning operations to mine weighted itemsets, whereas the algorithms based on WIT-tree solve the overhead problem that can occur in the mining processes by reading databases only one time. Additionally, the algorithms use the technique for generating each new itemset of length N+1 on the basis of two different itemsets of length N. To discover new weighted itemsets, WIT-FWIs performs the itemset combination processes by using the information of transactions that contain all the itemsets. WIT-FWIs-MODIFY has a unique feature decreasing operations for calculating the frequency of the new itemset. WIT-FWIs-DIFF utilizes a technique using the difference of two itemsets. To compare and analyze the performance of the algorithms in various environments, we use real datasets of two types (i.e., dense and sparse) in terms of the runtime and maximum memory usage. Moreover, a scalability test is conducted to evaluate the stability for each algorithm when the size of a database is changed. As a result, WIT-FWIs and WIT-FWIs-MODIFY show the best performance in the dense dataset, and in sparse dataset, WIT-FWI-DIFF has mining efficiency better than the other algorithms. Compared to the algorithms using WIT-tree, WIS based on the Apriori technique has the worst efficiency because it requires a large number of computations more than the others on average.

A Study on the Effect of On-Dock System in Container Terminals - Focusing on GwangYang Port - (컨테이너터미널에서 On-Dock 시스템 효과분석에 관한 연구 - 광양항을 중심으로 -)

  • Cha, Sang-Hyun;Noh, Chang-Kyun
    • Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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    • v.39 no.1
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    • pp.45-53
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    • 2015
  • These days Container Terminals are focusing on increasing the quantity of containers and shipping lines choose Terminals by referring to the key elements of a terminal to perform the overall operation the fastest such as the location of the terminal, discharging ability, keeping environment, and other elements related to shipping in general. Container terminal is able to offer On-Dock service has become an important factor for shipping lines to choose that terminal. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for On-Dock system work algorithm, the algorithm Empty container exports, Full Container algorithm and The aim of our study focus on both container's gate out time and search for the effective terminal operation which is using the general On-Dock system through several algorithm like container batch priority, gate in and out job priority and empty container yard equipment allocation rule based on the automatic allocation method and manual allocation scheme for container. Gathering these information, it gives the priority and yard location of gate-out containers to control. That is, by selecting an optimum algorithm container, container terminals Empty reduces the container taken out time, it is possible to minimize unnecessary re-handling of the yard container can be enhanced with respect to the efficiency of the equipment. Operations and operating results of the Non On-Dock and On-Dock system is operated by the out work operations (scenarios) forms that are operating in the real Gwangyang Container Terminal derived results. Gwangyang Container terminal and apply the On-Dock system, Non On-Dock can be taken out this time, about 5 minutes more quickly when applying the system. when managing export orders for berths where On-Dock service is needed, ball containers are allocated and for import cargoes, D/O is managed and after carryout, return management, container damage, cleaning, fixing and controlling services are supported hence the berth service can be strengthened and container terminal business can grow.

Intents of Acquisitions in Information Technology Industrie (정보기술 산업에서의 인수 유형별 인수 의도 분석)

  • Cho, Wooje;Chang, Young Bong;Kwon, Youngok
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.22 no.4
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    • pp.123-138
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    • 2016
  • This study investigates intents of acquisitions in information technology industries. Mergers and acquisitions are a strategic decision at corporate-level and have been an important tool for a firm to grow. Plenty of firms in information technology industries have acquired startups to increase production efficiency, expand customer base, or improve quality over the last decades. For example, Google has made about 200 acquisitions since 2001, Cisco has acquired about 210 firms since 1993, Oracle has made about 125 acquisitions since 1994, and Microsoft has acquired about 200 firms since 1987. Although there have been many existing papers that theoretically study intents or motivations of acquisitions, there are limited papers that empirically investigate them mainly because it is challenging to measure and quantify intents of M&As. This study examines the intent of acquisitions by measuring specific intents for M&A transactions. Using our measures of acquisition intents, we compare the intents by four acquisition types: (1) the acquisition where a hardware firm acquires a hardware firm, (2) the acquisition where a hardware firm acquires a software/IT service firm, (3) the acquisition where a software/IT service firm acquires a hardware firm, and (4) the acquisition where a software /IT service firm acquires a software/IT service firm. We presume that there are difference in reasons why a hardware firm acquires another hardware firm, why a hardware firm acquires a software firm, why a software/IT service firm acquires a hardware firm, and why a software/IT service firm acquires another software/IT service firm. Using data of the M&As in US IT industries, we identified major intents of the M&As. The acquisition intents are identified based on the press release of M&A announcements and measured with four categories. First, an acquirer may have intents of cost saving in operations by sharing common resources between the acquirer and the target. The cost saving can accrue from economies of scope and scale. Second, an acquirer may have intents of product enhancement/development. Knowledge and skills transferred from the target may enable the acquirer to enhance the product quality or to expand product lines. Third, an acquirer may have intents of gain additional customer base to expand the market, to penetrate the market, or to enter a foreign market. Fourth, a firm may acquire a target with intents of expanding customer channels. By complementing existing channel to the customer, the firm can increase its revenue. Our results show that acquirers have had intents of cost saving more in acquisitions between hardware companies than in acquisitions between software companies. Hardware firms are more likely to acquire with intents of product enhancement or development than software firms. Overall, the intent of product enhancement/development is the most frequent intent in all of the four acquisition types, and the intent of customer base expansion is the second. We also analyze our data with the classification of production-side intents and customer-side intents, which is based on activities of the value chain of a firm. Intents of cost saving operations and those of product enhancement/development can be viewed as production-side intents and intents of customer base expansion and those of expanding customer channels can be viewed as customer-side intents. Our analysis shows that the ratio between the number of customer-side intents and that of production-side intents is higher in acquisitions where a software firm is an acquirer than in the acquisitions where a hardware firm is an acquirer. This study can contribute to IS literature. First, this study provides insights in understanding M&As in IT industries by answering for question of why an IT firm intends to another IT firm. Second, this study also provides distribution of acquisition intents for acquisition types.

A Study on Design and Operational Factors of Rice Whitening Systems Consisting of Abrasive and Frictional Whiteners -Operational Criteria- (조합식(組合式) 정백(精白)시스템의 설계(設計) 및 작동인자(作動因子)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究)(II) -작동기준(作動基準) 설정(設定)-)

  • Noh, S.H.;Koh, H.K.;Lee, J.W.;Park, S.J.
    • Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.28-37
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    • 1987
  • Operation of rice whiteners has been depending on operator's experience only and very limitted data are available for operational criteria of rice whiteners in Korea. With developments of new rice varieties and with a tendency of automation of machine operations for precision control, operational criteria depending on physical characteristics of rice grains arc required for an improvement of milled rice recovery and the performance of rice whitening systems. An experimental study was conducted to identify operational criteria of a rice whitening system consisted with an abrasive-aerated whitener developed newly and a frictional-aerated whitener being used commercially. Further, comparisons were made between the performance of the rice whitening system adopted for this study and a commercial system used in small scale milling plants. Results of this study are summarized as follows: 1. Total number of passes necessary for the final white rice in the combined whitening system depended exclusively on the counter pressure level of the frictional whitener successive to the abrasive whitener. 2. The counter pressure required for whitening Japonica type rice variety (Akibare) was higher by about 1.6 times than that for Japonica type (Pung-san), when other conditions were kept at the same. 3. Radial pressure in the whitening chamber of the frictional whitener should be maintained between 1.5 to $2.1kg/cm^2$ for the completion of whitening within 5 to 3 passes regardless of rice varieties. Hence, it was found that the radial pressure in the whitening chamber could be used as an operational criteria to control the counter pressure level. 4. The following regression equation was found between radial pressure($R_p$) in whitening chamber and electric power consumption of the whitening system: $$EPC=-0.545\;R^2_p+1.277\;R_p+0.874[KWH/100kg]$$ 5. The following multiple regression equation was found among radial pressure ($R_p$), counter pressure ($C_p$), and bioyield point ($B_i$), length (L) and width (W) of brown rice. $$R_p/(B_i/W^2)=0.547\{C_p/(B_i/W^2)\}^{0.365}(L/W)^{0.120}(R^2=0.9897)$$ 6. The milled rice recovery and machine efficiency (kg/KWH) from the combined whitening system were higher by about 2.0% point and by 15 to 27% point than those from the conventional system, respectively.

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Experimental Feasibility Study on Low-Temperature Differential Stirling Engines with Water Spray Heat Transfer (스프레이 열전달을 이용한 저온도차 스털링 엔진의 실험적 개념 연구)

  • Jang, Seon-Jun;Lee, Yoon-Pyo;Sim, Kyuho
    • Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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    • v.38 no.6
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    • pp.475-482
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    • 2014
  • This paper presents the results of an experimental feasibility study on low-temperature differential Stirling engines with water spray heat transfer. The water spray enhances the efficiency of the heat transfer from heat sources to the engine and reduces the performance degeneration due to the dead volumes of conventional heat exchangers. A test Stirling engine was developed and an experiment was conducted to determine the characteristics for the initial start-up, steady-state operation, and power output for various flow rates and temperatures of hot supply water. The test results showed that larger flow rates led to reductions in the minimum working temperature of the hot water at start-up. During a series of steady-state operations, higher flow rates and temperatures increased the working speed. Furthermore, the work per cycle and power output were also increased. Eventually, the test Stirling engine had a power level of 0.05 W. Based on this, further research will be conducted to obtain a higher power output and investigate various applications.

Design of a Web-based Java Applet for Conceptual Learning in Digital Logic Circuits and its Student Satisfaction Survey (디지털 논리회로의 개념학습을 위한 웹기반 교육용 자바 애플릿의 설계와 만족도 조사)

  • Kim, Dong-Sik;Choi, Kwan-Sun;Lee, Sun-Heum;Chung, Hye-Kyung
    • Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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    • v.16 no.4
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    • pp.61-70
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    • 2015
  • This paper presents a web-based Java applet for understanding the concepts in digital logic circuits and student satisfaction survey was carried out in order to show its educational validity. Through our educational Java applet, the learners will be capable of learning the concepts and principles related to digital logic circuit experiments and how to operate virtual experimental equipments and virtual bread board. The proposed educational Java applet is composed of five important components: Principle Classroom to explain the concepts and principles for digital logic circuit operations, Simulation Classroom to provide a web-based simulator to the learners, Virtual Experiment Classroom to provide interactive Java applet about the syllabus of off-line laboratory class, Assessment Classroom, and Management System. With the aid of the Management System every classroom is organically tied together collaborating to achieve maximum learning efficiency. Finally, we have obtained several affirmative effects such as high learning standard, reducing the total experimental hours and the damage rate for experimental equipments.

R&D Trends and Technology Development Plan on Portable Fuel Cell for Future Soldier System (미래병사체계를 위한 휴대형 연료전지 기술개발 동향 및 발전방안)

  • Lee, Yu Hwa
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.21 no.6
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    • pp.618-624
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    • 2020
  • A portable power supply system for soldiers must be able to supply electric energy corresponding to the power consumption of combat support troops, and have a carrying load in a range that does not impair the combatant's ability to execute operations. In particular, as the total required power of combat equipment increases with the advances in the future soldier system, a portable, lightweight power supply system with high efficiency is essential. A fuel cell has a high energy-to-weight density compared to lithium batteries, which are used mainly as a military power source system. Therefore, it is capable of miniaturization and lightweight, making active R&D to a portable power supply system. In this paper, the characteristics of the fuel cell applied as a portable power supply system, and the R&D trends of domestic and foreign military portable fuel cell systems were investigated. The current status of domestic technology compared to the level of foreign development was analyzed. In addition, future technology development plans are presented based on the consideration factors when developing a portable fuel cell (power supply stability, portability, and cost reduction) so that it can be used when establishing a plan on the development of a portable fuel cell system for the future soldier system.