The demand for automated diagnostic facilities has increased due to the rise in high-risk infectious diseases. However, small and medium-sized centers struggle to implement full automation because of limited resources. An integrated molecular diagnostics automation system addresses this issue by integrating small-scale automated facilities for each diagnostic process. Nonetheless, determining the optimal number of facilities and human resources remains challenging. This study proposes a methodology combining discrete event simulation and a genetic algorithm to optimize job-shop facility layout in the integrated molecular diagnostics automation system. A discrete event simulation model incorporates the number of facilities, processing times, and batch sizes for each step of the molecular diagnostics process. Genetic algorithm operations, such as tournament, crossover, and mutation, are applied to derive the optimal strategy for facility layout. The proposed methodology derives optimal facility layouts for various scenarios, minimizing costs while achieving the target production volume. This methodology can serve as a decision support tool when introducing job-shop production in the integrated molecular diagnostics automation system

Microalgae are efficient fatty acid producers owing to their high photosynthetic activities. They can act as sources of biofuel, feed, and various bioactive compounds. This study aimed to determine optimal culture conditions, including culture medium, temperature, and light intensity, to enhance the biomass and fatty acid content of the indigenous freshwater microalga, Tetradesmus obliquus. Evaluation using a high-throughput photobioreactor revealed that the optimal culture temperature and light intensity were 25°C and 300 μmol m-2 s-1, respectively. Additionally, we optimized components (N, P, and Mg) of the BG-11 medium to enhance the microalgal biomass. Modified BG-11 medium increased the T. obliquus biomass by 37% compared to the standard BG-11 medium. Subsequently, the culture medium was replaced with N- and P-depleted media to determine the abiotic stress factor that could increase the cellular fatty acid content. Notably, fatty acid content was significantly increased from 8.5% up to 14.6% on day 7 of culture in N-deficient (N-P+ and N-P-) media. Sequential optimization effectively increased the biomass by 83% and fatty acid content by >76% in T. obliquus. Our optimization method can be used to enhance the biomass and fatty acid contents of various other microalgae.

한국형 포장설계법(KPRP)은 한국의 기후, 교통, 재료 조건을 반영하여 개발된 포장설계법으로, 성능 기반 분석과 역학적-경험적 원 리를 결합하여 국내 도로포장의 내구성과 효율성 향상에 기여해왔다. KPRP는 지역별 환경 데이터, 교통 하중, 재료 특성을 고려하 여 최적의 포장 구조를 설계하며, 2011년 개발 이후 도로포장의 수명 연장과 경제성 향상을 이루어냈다. 그러나 KPRP에 적용되는 기후 및 교통 데이터는 2000년대 초반의 자료를 기반으로 하고 있어, 현재 기준으로 약 10년 이상의 차이가 존재한다. 이에 따라 최 신 데이터를 반영하여 포장설계를 개선할 필요성이 제기되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 최근 10년간의 최신 기후 데이터를 활용하여 줄눈 콘크리트 포장(JCP)의 콘크리트 슬래브 컬링 시간을 계산하고, 이를 기반으로 온도응력 및 교통응력의 산정 방식을 현 시점에 맞게 개선하고자 한다. 또한, 2023년 도로포장관리시스템(PMS) 데이 터를 이용하여 한국도로공사가 관리하는 모든 고속국도 중 JCP가 적용된 구간을 대상으로 표면 균열(SD), 설계 차로별 AADT, 관 리구간별 도로 연장, 차로 폭 등의 데이터를 분석하였다. 이를 통해 각 도로의 피로균열율을 산정하고, 고속국도를 대상으로 줄눈 콘 크리트 포장의 전이함수를 개선하여 보다 정밀한 설계를 가능하게 하고자 한다. 본 연구는 최신 기후 및 교통 데이터를 반영한 KPRP 기반 줄눈 콘크리트 포장설계의 실현에 기여할 것으로 기대된다.

본 연구에서는 침지형 평판 분리막 생물반응기에 대해 막간차압(TMP)을 효과적으로 제어 가능하는 사인파형 투 과유속 연속운전(SFCO) 모드를 개발하였다. SFCO 모드의 분리 성능을 평가하기 위해 분리막 생물반응기(MBR)의 표준 작 동 방식인 여과/이완(F/R) 모드와 비교, 평가하였다. 공칭 기공 크기가 0.15 μm인 두 개의 동일한 평판형 정밀여과막 모듈을 활성 슬러지 용액에 침지하여 사인파 유형, 투과유속 및 운전시간에 따른 TMP 변화를 측정하였다. 결과적으로 SFCO 모드는 F/R 모드에 비해 낮은 TMP를 유지하여 분리막 오염을 줄이는 데 효과가 있음을 확인하였다. 특히 사인파형의 최대 투과유속 이 15~20 L/m2·h 범위에서 막오염을 최소화하는 데 효과적이었으며, 이는 기존 MBR의 투과유속 운전 범위로서 그 응용이 기대된다.

Due to the special nature of the rotary type dust remover operating close to a river, more than 80% of the parts that make up the device are made of stainless steel. Stainless steel material is applied to the parts. In addition, sufficient rigidity is required, so the dimensions of the members that affect rigidity, including thickness, are applied excessively, resulting in a large weight. As a result, resistance increases during operation, lowering operating efficiency, and production and maintenance are costly and time-consuming, and maintainability is poor. In particular, when the rake blade is damaged, drainage by the pump cannot be smoothly achieved due to inoperability or performance degradation due to interference with other parts, which can cause serious damage to life and property due to flooding. Accordingly, in this study, a carbon material rake was developed to replace the existing stainless steel rake, and research was conducted to improve and optimize the problems of the existing rake.

Carbon neutrality by 2050 was declared and are focusing on developing innovative energy technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Active investment and research are underway in the full-cycle development of hydrogen energy technologies, including hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and utilization, which is gaining attention as a promising future eco-friendly energy source. The storage density of liquid hydrogen is 70.79kg/m3, which is higher than the 41kg/m3 of compressed hydrogen at 700bar, making it more suitable for large-scale storage. To store hydrogen at 20K, insulation technologies such as vacuum insulation, powder insulation, or multi-layer insulation (MLI) are typically required. Consequently, there is active research being conducted on the design of insulation systems and materials. However, research on the design for improving the structural integrity of the supports between the inner and outer tanks remains insufficient. n this study, topology optimization was performed for the support design of a liquid hydrogen storage tank using commercial finite element analysis (FEA) software. The structural safety was validated through structural analysis of a simplified self-designed model.

This study analyzes the aerodynamic and structural characteristics of an H-Darrieus vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) under varying inlet velocities using transient analysis. The k-ε turbulence model and six-DOF were applied to simulate urban environments in the flow analysis, while the structural analysis considered blade momentum of inertia and RPM conditions. The numerical results showed that the drag and lift forces increased by 60% and 53% respectively from the nominal wind speed to the cut-off wind speed conditions. Structural analysis indicated that the maximum Von-Mises stress in the blade did not exceed the yield strength of 69 MPa of PC-ABS, ensuring structural stability. However, the connecting rod exceeded the yield strength of SPCC 270 MPa, suggesting potential failure due to repeated rotational loads. This study confirms that materials with a yield strength of more than 1,100 MPa required for connecting rods to ensure reliable operation at high wind speed. These findings provide important insights for the design of robust VAWTs suitable for extreme environments.

최근 농촌 인구 감소와 고령화로 노동력 부족 현상이 심화 되면서 농민들이 인력을 확보하는 데 어려움을 겪고 있다. 기 존의 노지 벼 육묘는 많은 공간과 노동력을 요구하며, 어린 묘 의 품질 관리가 어려운 문제가 있다. 본 연구에서는 컨테이너 형 수직농장을 활용하여 벼 육묘일수를 줄이고, 광 및 양액의 처리에 따른 생육 효과를 확인하였다. ‘고시히카리’와 ‘참드 림’ 두 품종의 벼를 지하수와 희석된 양액을 사용하여 각각 160와 355μmol·m-2·s-1의 광도에서 10일간 컨테이너형 수직 농장에서 재배하였다. 벼 육묘 결과, 모든 품종에서 10일 만에 이앙 가능한 초장을 확보할 수 있었으며, 양액을 처리하지 않 는 저광도에서 경제적 운영이 가능함을 확인하였다. 뿐만 아 니라 육묘된 벼는 순화과정에 문제가 없고, 본답 정식 이후에 도 기존 노지육묘와 생산성이 유사한 것을 확인하였다. 경제 성 분석을 통해 육묘판 생산 시 컨테이너형 수직농장 2동 이상 있을 경우 기존 노지육묘보다 비용 절감이 있음을 확인하였 다. 따라서 컨테이너형 수직농장을 활용한 벼 육묘는 비용 절 감과 노동력 부족 문제 해결에 기여할 수 있는 효과적인 대안 이 될 것으로 기대된다.

Efficient and safe maritime navigation in complex and congested coastal regions requires advanced route optimization methods that surpass the limitations of traditional shortest-path algorithms. This study applies Deep Q-Network (DQN) and Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms to generate and refine optimal ship routes in East Asian waters, focusing on passages from Shanghai to Busan and Ulsan to Daesan. Operating within a grid-based representation of the marine environment and considering constraints such as restricted areas and Traffic Separation Schemes (TSS), both DQN and PPO learn policies prioritizing safety and operational efficiency. Comparative analyses with actual vessel routes demonstrate that RL-based methods yield shorter and safer paths. Among these methods, PPO outperforms DQN, providing more stable and coherent routes. Post-processing with the Douglas-Peucker (DP) algorithm further simplifies the paths for practical navigational use. The findings underscore the potential of RL in enhancing navigational safety, reducing travel distance, and advancing autonomous ship navigation technologies.