(from left) M Aldi Nugroho and Yoga Bekti Susanto showing the technology design to spread the design

ITS Campus, ITS News – The increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaust gas in the atmosphere is caused by industrialization, which causes global warming. Seeing this problem, two students of the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) presented a solution to optimize carbon dioxide gas by designing an inorganic membrane technology in the form of TiO2 and Zeolite.

M Aldi Nugroho and Yoga Bekti Susanto are students of the ITS Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology Department, ITS Vocational Faculty, batch 2020. They succeeded in optimizing carbon dioxide gas emissions in industrial steam reforming to reduce carbon dioxide gas emissions in the earth’s atmosphere.

As the team leader, M Aldi Nugroho or commonly called Aldi explained that this inorganic membrane technology could absorb carbon dioxide gas in the petrochemical industry with higher effectiveness than existing conventional technologies. “This technology also produces soda ash (Na2CO3) products which have many benefits in the industrial sector,” said the student from Kediri.

Aldi continued, in applying the technology, carbon dioxide gas from the steam reformer will flow to the TiO2 membrane to absorb carbon dioxide gas using NaOH solution. The reason for choosing the TiO2 membrane is because TiO2 has good hydrophilic properties and has large pores. “So that this membrane can minimize blockage,” he explained.

Flowchart of inorganic membrane technology process to reduce carbon dioxide emissions made by ITS students

The student born on July 18, 2001, continued, the remaining carbon dioxide gas that has not been adequately absorbed in the previous process will be automatically reabsorbed through the zeolite membrane. “This membrane was chosen because it has uniform pores and high selectivity,” he added.

So, continued Aldi, the results of the outlet in the previous process will make carbon dioxide gas cleaner. The carbon dioxide gas that has been absorbed with NaOH solvent will then be accommodated in a carbon dioxide storage tank and absorbent (a liquid that can dissolve the material to be drunk on its surface).

This alumnus of SMKN 1 Kediri explained that the design of the membrane technology he made had several innovative advantages ranging from low prices, did not require a large space in its use, needed low energy, and had an absorption efficiency of carbon dioxide gas around 80 – 85 percent.

With sweet fruit, the team of Dr. Afan Hamzah ST’s guidance has succeeded in being the best in the RESPONS 2021 Scientific Writing Competition held by PT Petro Oxo Nusantara last Sunday. In this competition, Aldi and Yoga succeeded in eliminating 183 other national papers.

Aldi hopes that the idea they have initiated for a month can be realized in Indonesia, especially in the industrialization area. “Hopefully, this membrane technology can be applied in the petrochemical industry to reduce CO2 gas emissions,” he said hopefully. (ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Mukhammad Akbar Makhbubi