Jeonnam National University Professor Song Seon-ju's Research Team Develops Greenhouse Gas Reduction Power Generation Technology

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] Professor Song Seon-ju's research team at Chonnam National University has attracted attention by developing a "new concept ceramic oxygen separation membrane-based hybrid pure oxygen production core technology" that can reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.

According to Chonnam National University on the 14th, Professor Song Seon-ju (Department of Materials Science and Engineering) and his research team (Professor Joo Jong-hoon of Chungbuk National University, Professor Lee Dong-hwa of Pohang University of Science and Technology) proposed technologies related to high-efficiency and eco-friendly thermal power generation using pure oxygen, such as Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) and Oxyfuel combustion, as alternatives to coal-fired power generation that causes environmental problems due to greenhouse gas emissions.

Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle converts coal into gas, refines it, and generates electricity by driving gas turbines and steam turbines.

This is also a next-generation coal power technology that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

In addition, oxyfuel combustion technology burns coal using only oxygen instead of air, allowing carbon dioxide to be separated and emitted, thereby contributing to greenhouse gas reduction.

The ceramic oxygen separation membrane is a revolutionary alternative that selectively separates only oxygen from air (79% nitrogen, 21% oxygen) using oxide materials that transport oxygen ions at temperatures above 700℃, compared to oxygen production technology through cryogenic methods that require high energy costs and large-scale facilities.

However, oxygen membrane technology has independently used pure oxygen production methods using vacuum (three-terminal method) or carbon dioxide (four-terminal method).

Professor Song’s research team combined these two methods to propose a new concept pure oxygen production method. In particular, through fundamental research, they are striving to secure core material technologies, such as elucidating the permeation behavior mechanism of ceramic-based oxygen separation membranes.

This technology was published as a cover paper in the renowned materials science journal "Journal of Materials Chemistry A" (impact factor 10.733) published by the Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK last year, and also in the journal "Journal of Membrane Science" (top 2.29%).

A patent application has been filed for the new concept hybrid oxygen separation membrane system.

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