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Research Team of Professor Song Sun-ju (School of Material Science and Engineering) Developed GHG Reduction Power Generation Technology

작성자대외협력과 작성일2021.02.03 15:16 조회188

A research team led by Professor Song Sun-ju (School of Material Science and Engineering) developed a new ceramic oxygen separator-based hybrid source technology for pure oxygen production that can reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.

The cooperative research team which consists of Professor Joo Jong-hoon (Chungbuk National University) and Professor Lee Dong-hwa (POSTECH) developed technologies for high-efficiency and eco-friendly thermal power generation using pure oxygen such as the coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) and pure oxygen combustion (oxyfuel) as alternatives to the limitations of coal-fired power plants that cause environmental problems due to greenhouse gas emissions

The IGCC is a next-generation coal power generation technology that can reduces carbon dioxide emissions by converting coal into gas and then purifying it to generate electricity by rotating gas and steam turbines. In addition, pure oxygen combustion technology can contribute to greenhouse gas reduction because carbon dioxide is separated by burning coal with only oxygen instead of air.

The ceramic oxygen separation membrane uses an oxide material that transmits oxygen ions at a temperature of 700°C or higher compared to oxygen production technology through deep cooling, which requires high energy costs, large-scale equipment, and a certain level of oxygen in the air (79% nitrogen, 21% oxygen). It is an innovative alternative that can selectively separate oxygen. 

The research team combined the two methods of oxygen and pure oxygen production using a vacuum (3-terminal method) and pure oxygen production using carbon dioxide (4-terminal method), which are traditionally used separately to achieve a new concept. In particular, they are trying to secure core material technology, such as identifying the mechanism of permeation behavior of ceramic-based oxygen separation membranes through basic research on the source.

This technology was published last year in the cover paper of the famous material science journal, Journal of Materials Chemistry A (citation index 10.733), published by the Royal Chemical Society of England. It also was published in the Journal of Membrane Science (top 2.29% journal). In addition, a patent for this new hybrid oxygen separation membrane system has been applied for.

This research was conducted as part of the basic research project governed by the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). In addition, Bae Ho-han (Doctoral Program in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering), a participating researcher of the research team, was selected as an excellent researcher in the basic research project and received an award last year.