A study was conducted to evaluate the proper particle cleaned air changes per hour (PCH) in apartment buildings and school classrooms. The concept of PCH was newly introduced. The PCH can be expressed as the clean air delivery rate (CADR) per space volume. The PCH includes the filtering effect with air changes per hour (ACH). A method for calculating the proper PCH was theoretically proposed and experimentally verified. The proper PCH to effectively control ultrafine particles in apartments and school classrooms was found to be 4.0/h and 4.2/h, respectively. In general, air cleaners and mechanical ventilation devices are often used together in apartments and school classrooms. In such cases, it is important to consider the proper PCH of each device and control it for energy-efficient operation. In addition, in times of concern for infection such as COVID-19, it will be necessary to operate the PCH at 6.0/h or more to minimize the probability of infection.

Activated carbon has broad application prospects for treating pollutants due to its easy availability, low cost and good adsorption. In our work, nano-activated carbons (NAC) with abundant functional groups are obtained by the oxidation modification of HNO3, ( NH4)2S2O8, and KMnO4, which are used to construct the particle electrodes to degrade NDEA in a continuous flow electrochemical reactor, and the influence of relevant factors on the performance of NDEA removal is discussed. The experimental data show that the optimal degradation efficiency is 42.55% at the conditions of 3 mL/min influent water flow, 0.21 M electrolyte concentration, 10 mA/cm2 current density, and 10 μg/mL initial NDEA concentration. The degradation of NDEA conforms to a quasi second order kinetic equation. The electrocatalytic mechanism of NAC electrodes for removing NDEA is firstly discussed. The effects of different free radicals on the degradation of NDEA are also demonstrated through free radical quenching experiments, indicating that the degradation of NDEA is dominated by ⋅OH. The degradation pathway of NDEA and final products are obtained using GC–MS. NAC particle electrodes as the cheap and efficient electrocatalyst in continuous flow electrochemical reactor system provide a greener solution for the removal of disinfection by-products from drinking water.

In this study, we report significant improvements in lithium-ion battery anodes cost and performance, by fabricating nano porous silicon (Si) particles from Si wafer sludge using the metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) process. To solve the problem of volume expansion of Si during alloying/de-alloying with lithium ions, a layer was formed through nitric acid treatment, and Ag particles were removed at the same time. This layer acts as a core-shell structure that suppresses Si volume expansion. Additionally, the specific surface area of Si increased by controlling the etching time, which corresponds to the volume expansion of Si, showing a synergistic effect with the core-shell. This development not only contributes to the development of high-capacity anode materials, but also highlights the possibility of reducing manufacturing costs by utilizing waste Si wafer sludge. In addition, this method enhances the capacity retention rate of lithium-ion batteries by up to 38 %, marking a significant step forward in performance improvements.

The Earth’s radiation belts, which extend from near the Earth to approximately geosynchronous orbit, contain highly energetic particles that actively interact with various plasma waves. This study reviews two numerical approaches to studying waveparticle interactions in the Earth’s radiation belts and discusses their respective advantages and limitations. The first approach involves diffusion simulations based on quasi-linear theory, which is well-suited for describing the collective dynamics of many particles from a statistical perspective. The second approach, test particle simulation, focuses on the detailed motion of individual particles, revealing nonlinear phenomena such as phase trapping and bunching. Both methods allow for the derivation of diffusion coefficients, which quantify the timescale of wave-particle interactions and help explain how particles either precipitate into the atmosphere or accelerate to higher energies in the Earth’s radiation belts. Additionally, these methodologies can be adapted to study the dynamics of planetary radiation belts, such as those around Jupiter and Saturn, by adjusting for the specific environmental parameters of each planet.

During the formation of large-scale structures in the universe, weak internal shocks are induced within the hot intracluster medium (ICM), while strong accretion shocks arise in the warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM) within filaments, and the warm-cold gas in voids surrounding galaxy clusters. These cosmological shocks are thought to accelerate cosmic ray (CR) protons and electrons via diffusive shock acceleration (DSA). Recent advances in particle-in-cell and hybrid simulations have provided deeper insights into the kinetic plasma processes that govern microinstabilities and particle acceleration in collisionless shocks in weakly magnetized astrophysical plasma. In this study, we adopt a thermal-leakage type injection model and DSA power-law distribution functions in the test-particle regime. The CR proton spectrum directly connects to the Maxwellian distribution of protons at the injection momentum pinj = Qppth,p. On the other hand, the CR electron spectrum extends down to pmin = Qepth,e and is linked to the Maxwellian distribution of electrons. Here, pth,p and pth,e, are the proton and electron thermal momenta, respectively. Moreover, we propose that the postshock gas temperature and the injection parameters, Qp and Qe are self-regulated to maintain the test-particle condition, as the thermal energy is gradually transferred to the CR energy. Under these constraints, we estimate the self-regulated values of the temperature reduction factor, RT , and the proton injection parameter, Qp, along with the resulting CR efficiencies, ηp and ηe. We then provide analytical fitting functions for these parameters as functions of the shock Mach number, Ms. These fitting formulas may serve as valuable tools for quantitatively assessing the impact of CR protons and electrons, as well as the resulting nonthermal emissions in galaxy clusters and cosmic filaments.

Geopolymer, also known as alkali aluminum silicate, is used as a substitute for Portland cement, and it is also used as a binder because of its good adhesive properties and heat resistance. Since Davidovits developed Geopolymer matrix composites (GMCs) based on the binder properties of geopolymer, they have been utilized as flame exhaust ducts and aircraft fire protection materials. Geopolymer structures are formed through hydrolysis and dehydration reactions, and their physical properties can be influenced by reaction conditions such as concentration, reaction time, and temperature. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of silica size and aging time on the mechanical properties of composites. Commercial water glass and kaolin were used to synthesize geopolymers, and two types of silica powder were added to increase the silicon content. Using carbon fiber mats, a fiber-reinforced composite material was fabricated using the hand lay-up method. Spectroscopy was used to confirm polymerization, aging effects, and heat treatment, and composite materials were used to measure flexural strength. As a result, it was confirmed that the longer time aging and use of nano-sized silica particles were helpful in improving the mechanical properties of the geopolymer matrix composite.

OWEC(Overtopping Wave Energy Converter)는 월파된 파도를 이용한 파력발전시스템이라한다. OWEC의 성능 및 안전성은 파고, 주기 등 파도의 특성에 의해 영향을 받는다. 따라서 해역 특성에 따른 OWEC의 최적 형상과 구조안전성에 관한 연구가 필요하다. 본 연구 에서는 울릉읍 연안 해양 환경 데이터를 이용하였으며, SPH(Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics) 입자법 해석을 통해 기존 케이슨 하부 구조에 변화를 준 모델 4개를 비교하여 월파 효율을 분석하였다. 그 결과, 하부 구조의 변경 및 경량화가 가능함을 확인하였다. 최적화 해석을 통 해 설계 하중에 내하력을 가지는 하부 구조인 새로운 트러스형 구조를 제안하였다. 이후 부재 직경 및 두께를 설계변수로 하는 사례 연구 를 통해 허용응력조건 하에서 구조 안전성의 확보를 확인하였다. 주기적인 파랑 하중을 받기 때문에 제안하는 구조의 고유 진동수와 해 당 해역의 파주기를 비교하였으며, 1년 재현 주기의 파랑을 하중으로 한 조화응답해석을 수행하였다. 제안하는 하부 구조는 동일 가진력 에서 기존 설계 대비 응답의 크기가 감소하였으며, 기존 대비 32% 이상의 중량 절감을 수행하였다.

With the increasing demand for electronic products, the amount of multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) waste has also increased. Recycling technology has recently gained attention because it can simultaneously address raw material supply and waste disposal issues. However, research on recovering valuable metals from MLCCs and converting the recovered metals into high-value-added materials remains insufficient. Herein, we describe an electrospinning (E-spinning) process to recover nickel from MLCCs and modulate the morphology of the recovered nickel oxide particles. The nickel oxalate powder was recovered using organic acid leaching and precipitation. Nickel oxide nanoparticles were prepared via heat treatment and ultrasonic milling. A mixture of nickel oxide particles and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used as the E-spinning solution. A PVP/NiO nanowire composite was fabricated via Espinning, and a nickel oxide nanowire with a network structure was manufactured through calcination. The nanowire diameters and morphologies are discussed based on the nickel oxide content in the E-spinning solution.

The binary oxide adsorbent using Fe and Mn (Fe-Mn) has been prepared by precipitation method to enhance the removal of phosphate. Different amounts of chitosan, a natural organic polymer, were used during preparation of Fe-Mn as a stabilizer to protect an aggregation of Fe-Mn particles. The optimal amount of chitosan has been determined considering the separation of the Fe-Mn particles by gravity from solution and highest removal efficiency of phosphate (Fe-Mn10). The application of Fe-Mn10 increased removal efficiency at least 15% compared to bare Fe-Mn. According to the Langmuir isotherm model, the maximum uptake (qm) and affinity coefficient (b) were calculated to be 184 and 240 mg/g, and 4.28 and 7.30 L/mg for Fe-Mn and Fe-Mn10, respectively, indicating 30% and 70% increase. The effect of pH showed that the removal efficiency of phosphate was decrease with increase of pH regardless of type of adsorbent. The enhanced removal efficiency for Fe-Mn10 was maintained in entire range of pH. In the kinetics, both adsorbents obtained 70% removal efficiency within 5 min and 90% removal efficiency was achieved at 1 h. Pseudo second order (PSO) kinetic model showed higher correlation of determination (R2), suggesting chemisorption was the primary phosphate adsorption for both Fe-Mn and Fe-Mn10.

본 논문에서는 위상최적설계를 위한 입자-구조 충돌 모델을 제시한다. 위상최적설계를 위해서는 민감도 분석이 선행되어야 하며, 민감도 분석이 가능한 새로운 모델이 필요하다. 본 논문에서는 위상최적설계를 위한 민감도 분석을 수행하기 위한 입자-구조 충돌 모 델을 제시한다. 이후 이 모델을 이용하여 위상최적설계를 위한 민감도 분석을 수행한다. 제안한 모델의 정확도를 평가하기 위해 먼저 단순화된 1차원 충돌 문제에 적용한다. 이후, 이 모델을 이용하여 위상 최적화를 통해 입자의 최종 위치를 최적화하여 위상 최적화에 대한 이 모델의 적용 가능성을 확인한다. 이러한 결과는 위상 최적화에서 입자-구조 충돌을 고려하는 것이 가능하다는 것을 보여준다.

This study explores the impact of metal doping on the surface structure of spent nuclear fuels (SNFs), particularly uranium dioxide (UO2). SNFs undergo significant microstructural changes during irradiation, affecting their physical and chemical properties. Certain elements, including actinides and lanthanides, can integrate into the UO2 lattice, leading to non-stoichiometry based on their oxidation state and environmental conditions. These modifications are closely linked to phenomena like corrosion and oxidation of UO2, making it essential to thoroughly characterize SNFs influenced by specific element doping for disposal or interim storage decisions. The research employs X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy to investigate the surface structure of UO2 samples doped with elements such as Nd3+, Gd3+, Zr4+, Th4+, and ε-particles (Mo, Ru, Pd). To manufacture these samples, UO2 powders are mixed and pelletized with the respective dopant oxide powders. The resulting pellet samples are sintered under specific conditions. The XRD analysis reveals that the lattice parameters of (U,Nd)O2, (U,Gd)O2, (U,Zr)O2, and (U,Th)O2 linearly vary with increasing doping levels, suggesting the formation of solid solutions. SEM images show that the grain size decreases with higher doping levels in (U,Gd)O2, (U,Nd)O2, and (U,Zr)O2, while the change is less pronounced in (U,Th)O2. Raman spectroscopy uncovers that U0.9Gd0.1O2-x and U0.9Nd0.1O2-x exhibit defect structures related to oxygen vacancies, induced by trivalent elements replacing U4+, distorting the UO2 lattice. In contrast, U0.9Zr0.1O2 shows no oxygen vacancy-related defects but features a distinct peak, likely indicating the formation of a ZrO8-type complex within the UO2 lattice. ε-Particle doped uranium dioxide shows minimal deviations in surface properties compared to pure UO2. This structural characterization of metal-doped and ε-particle-doped UO2 enhances our understanding of spent nuclear fuel behavior, with implications for the characterization of radioactive materials. This research provides valuable insights into how specific element doping affects the properties of SNFs, which is crucial for managing and disposing of these materials safely.

Currently, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute is conducting research on the development of technology to reduce the disposal area for SF (Spent nuclear Fuel). If the main radionuclides contained in SF can be separated and recovered according to their characteristics (long half-life, high mobility and high heat load) and uranium oxide which is expected to be the final residue, can be made into solids, the burden of the permanent disposal area of the SF will be greatly reduced. The waste form that end up in the repository must be verified for ease of manufacture and stability of the block. And, in order to increase the loading efficiency, a large block manufacturing technology is needed. This study describes the background of introducing PSA (Particle Size Analyzer) which is one of the necessary equipment for manufacturing UO2 blocks using slip casting, the method of using the equipment and performance verification of the equipment using standard samples. The particle size affects the sintering quality by the way the particles rearrange themselves during sintering. Powders of small particles are generally less free flowing and more difficult to compress, they form thin pores between the particles and sinter to higher density. In contrast, larger particle has a lower sintered density. Therefore, accurate particle size measurement and the selection of a suitable particle size are important. For this purpose, a PSA was installed in nuclear cycle experiment research center. To verify the performance of the equipment, a standard sample of 1.025 μm was analyzed. We got an average particle size of 1.0293 μm and standard deviation of 0.0668 μm. This value was within the uncertainty(±0.018 μm) of the sample’s certificate. In the future, this equipment will measure the size of UO2 (depleted uranium) powder and to produce large scale uranium oxide blocks.

PURPOSES : A model for minimizing cutting loss and determining the optimum layout of blocks in pavements was developed in this study. METHODS : Based on literature review, a model which included constraints such as the amount, volume, overlap, and pattern, was developed to minimize the cutting loss in an irregular pavement shape. The Stach bond, stretcher bond, and herringbone patterns were used in this model. The harmony search and particle swarm algorithms were then used to solve this model. RESULTS : Based on the results of the model and algorithms, the harmony search algorithm yielded better results because of its fast computation time. Moreover, compared to the sample pavement area, it reduced the cutting loss by 20.91%. CONCLUSIONS : The model and algorithms successfully optimized the layout of the pavement and they have potential applications in industries, such as tiling, panels, and textiles.

새만금 호의 수질 개선을 위하여 국가에서 해수 유통을 증가시킴에 따라 해수 유통 빈도 증가로 인한 새만금 호 내 염분과 저 층수 교환 변화를 알아보기 위하여, EFDC(Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code) 모델을 이용하였다. 갑문 개폐 횟수를 하루 1회에서 2회로 증 가했을 때, 새만금 호 내부 수위는 최대 약 0.7 m 상승하였다. 염분은 서측 방조제 근방에서 2.12 psu 증가하였으며, 담수 유입 부근에서는 1.18 psu 감소하였다. 입자추적을 이용하여 저층수 교환 정도 분석한 결과, 수심 5m 이하 입자 잔류율은 Case 2(1일 2회 개방)에서 Case 1(1 일 1회 개방)에 비해 2.52% 감소한 것으로 나타났다. 이는 수문 개폐 횟수를 증가시켰을 때, 저층수 교환이 더 활발해 질 수 있다는 것을 알 수 있다. 따라서 해수 유통 증가에 따른 염분 및 저층수 교환 증가로 새만금 호의 수질 개선이 될 수 있다고 판단된다.