• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.700-707
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• 2013

Experimental analyses on a supersonic plasma wind tunnel of CBNU (Chonbuk National University) were carried out. In these experiments, a segmented arc heater was employed as a plasma source and operated at the gas flow rates of 16.3 g/s and the total currents of 300 A. The input power reached ~350 kW with the torch efficiency of 51.4 %, which is defined as the ratio of total exit enthalpy to the input power. The pressure of plasma gas in the arc heater was measured up to 4 bar while it was down to ~45 mbar in a vacuum chamber through a Laval nozzle. During this conversion process, the generated supersonic plasma was expected to have a total enthalpy of ~11 MJ/kg from the measured input power and torch efficiency. In addition to the measurement of total enthalpy, a cone type probe was inserted into the supersonic plasma flow in order to estimate the angle between shock layer and surface of the probe. From these measurements, the temperature and the Mach number of the supersonic plasma were predicted as ~2,950 K and ~3.7, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.179-179
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• 2016

A radio-frequency (RF) Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) torch system was used for boron-nitride nano-tube (BNNT) synthesis. Because of electrodeless plasma generation, no electrode pollution and effective heating transfer during nano-material synthesis can be realized. For stable plasma generation, argon and nitrogen gases were injected with 60 kW grid power in the difference pressure from 200 Torr to 630 Torr. Varying hydrogen gas flow rate from 0 to 20 slpm, the electrical and optical plasma properties were investigated. Through the spectroscopic analysis of atomic argon line, hydrogen line and nitrogen molecular band, we investigated the plasma electron excitation temperature, gas temperature and electron density. Based on the plasma characterization, we performed the synthesis of BNNT by inserting 0.5~1 um hexagonal-boron nitride (h-BN) powder into the plasma. We analysis the structure characterization of BNNT by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), also grasp the ingredient of BNNT by EELS (Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy) and Raman spectroscopy. We treated bundles of BNNT with the atmospheric pressure plasma, so that we grow the surface morphology in the water attachment of BNNT. We reduce the advancing contact angle to purity bundles of BNNT.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.115-124
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• 2018

Thermal protection materials (TPMs) are very crucial for the survival of any re-entry space vehicles. One of the systems used for rigorous validation of TPMs is an enhanced Huel type segmented arc-heated plasma wind tunnel. A 0.4 MW class arc-heated plasma wind tunnel has been constructed at Chonbuk National University which is capable of producing high enthalpy supersonic flow. In this paper we have studied the characteristics of plasma flow according to power and mass flow parameters.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.417-420
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• 2010

The high enthalpy plasma research center in Chonbuk national university is under construction with the support of the ministry of the education, science and technology as a fundamental research project The project periods are five year and started at July, 1, 2009. The total project budget is about 39,300 million Won. Four types of plasma equipment will be installed in this research center during the project periods. The equipments are 1 set of 0.4 MW class enhanced Huels type plasma equipment, 1 set of 2.4MW class enhanced Huels type plasma equipment, 1 set of 60Kw RF plasma equipment and 1s set of 200 kW RF plasma equipment.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.9-20
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• 2012

A brief review on the thermal plasma synthesis of nano-sized powders is presented according to the application materials, such as, metals, ceramics, glasses, carbonaceous materials and other functional composites, such as, supported metal catalyst and core-shell structured nano materials. As widely adopted plasma sources available for thermal plasma synthesis of nanosized powders, three kinds of plasma torches, such as transferred and non-transferred DC and RF plasma torches, are introduced with the main features of each torch system. In the basis of the described torch features and the properties of suggested materials, application results including synthesis mechanism are reviewed in this paper.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.401-409
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• 2013

Numerical analysis on RF (Radio-Frequency) thermal plasma treatment of micro-sized Ni metal was carried out to understand the synthesis mechanism of nano-sized Ni powder by RF thermal plasma. For this purpose, the behaviors of Ni metal particles injected into RF plasma torch were investigated according to their diameters ($1{\sim}100{\mu}m$), RF input power (6 ~ 12 kW) and the flow rates of carrier gases (2 and 5 slpm). From the numerical results, it is predicted firstly that the velocities of carrier gases need to be minimized because the strong injection of carrier gas can cool down the central column of RF thermal plasma significantly, which is used as a main path for RF thermal plasma treatment of micro-sized Ni metal. In addition, the residence time of the injected particles in the high temperature region of RF thermal plasma is found to be also reduced in proportion to the flow rate of the carrier gas In spite of these effects of carrier gas velocities, however, calculation results show that a Ni metal particle even with the diameter of $100{\mu}m$ can be completely evaporated at relatively low power level of 10 kW during its flight of RF thermal plasma torch (< 10 ms) due to the relatively low melting point and high thermal conductivity. Based on these observations, nano-sized Ni metal powders are expected to be produced efficiently by a simple treatment of micro-sized Ni metal using RF thermal plasmas.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.764-767
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• 2010

The high enthalpy plasma research center in Chonbuk national university is under construction for MW class plasma wind tunnel. Four types of plasma equipment will be installed in the research center. The equipments are 1set of 0.4 MW class enhanced Huels type plasma equipment, 1 set of 2.4 MW class enhanced Huels type plasma equipment, 1 set of 60 kW RF plasma equipment and 1 set of 200 kW RF plasma equipment. And electrical, water and gas utilities to assistant plasma equipments are under construction. The research center consists of experiment building, research building, power supply building, air supply building, cooling tower foundation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2019

A primary investigation on the underexpanded flow generated in a 0.4 MW class high enthalpy supersonic arc-heated plasma wind tunnel is conducted experimentally. The diameter and the position of the Mach disk from the nozzle exit is measured for overall pressure ratios ranging from 200 to 30. The empirical correlations for Mach disk diameter and position are determined which show very good agreement with experimental results.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.694-696
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• 2011

The high enthalpy plasma research center in Chonbuk national university is under construction for four types of plasma equipments. The equipments are 1set of 0.4 MW class enhanced Huels type plasma equipment, 1 set of 2.4 MW class enhanced Huels type plasma quipment, 1 set of 60 kW RF plasma equipment and 1 set of 200 kW RF plasma equipment. 60kW RF plasma system is R&D and pilot scale production equipment of nano powder synthesis and plasma spray coating. 200kW RF plasma system is mass production equipment with high power capacity of nano powder synthesis. 0.4MW plasma system can be applied to the ground test facility for material testing under re-entry conditions for space vehicles.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.781-783
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• 2010

Chonbuk national university High-enthalpy plasma research center is under construction for 60kW and 200kw ICP(RF) Plasma system as Advance Material R&D and production equipment. The 60kW & 200kW ICP(RF) plasma systems will contribute to promote Korea's material industrial development and Thermal plasma technology.