TOP, UNDIP Vocational Graduates Obtain 6 Patents, 4 Intellectual Property Rights, Capstone Design for Pre-Design of Soda Ash Factory

The perseverance and high fighting spirit of the students can actually achieve extraordinary achievements and the innovations produced can be solutions to problems faced by society. As done by a student of the Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology Study Program (TRKI) Vocational Undip, namely Hanif Wening Nissa Aulia. This 2020 student who is usually called Wening has completed her TRKI applied bachelor’s degree on time by pocketing 6 Patents and 4 IPRs. Wening said that thanks to the patience and direction of the Supervisors, such as Dr. Eng. Vita Paramita, S.T, MM. M.Eng and Mohamad Endy Julianto, she was finally able to achieve 4 IPRs and 6 Patents. The IPRs include: no EC002023126219 (Spicy, Savory and Addictive Snacks–Maqaroni Seblak MS Premium), no EC002023126217 (RISAYO Healthy Snacks-Risol Vegetable Mayo, Delicious and Nutritious), no EC00202347568 (Distillation 2), and no EC00202371752 (Pervaporation Scheme 2). Simple patents that have been registered with the title of invention “Enzymatic Extraction Process of Bay Leaf Phytochemical Compounds Using Immobilized Rumen Isolates” (Patent no. S00202309590), “Natural Air Freshener Gel Formula with Bergamot and Cananga Aroma Based on Carrageenan and Glucomannan” (Patent no. S00202403234), “Hair Mask Formula from Sunflower Seed Oil (Helianthus annuus)” (Patent no. S00202403230), “Hydrogel Adsorbent Preparation Method from Vanillin Modified Chitosan” (Patent no. S00202403233), “Coprecipitation Method of Modified Magnetite Biosorbent from Papaya Seeds (Carica Papaya L.)” (Patent no. S00202403247), and “Natural Gel Serum Formula from Binahong Leaves (Anredera cordifolia)” (Patent no S00202403234), explained Wening.

Wening who already has 16 certificates such as Awarness ISO 9001; ISO 14001; ISO 45001, Internal Auditor ISO 9001; ISO 14001; ISO 45001, Job Safety Analysis (JSA), HIRADC and other certificates said that the Capstone Design in the form of a preliminary design for a soda ash factory has been guided by Mrs. Anggun Puspitarini Siswanto, S.T., Ph.D. Soda ash or sodium carbonate is neutral sodium from carbonic acid which has an important role as a raw material in various industries such as the glass industry, detergent industry. Domestic demand for soda ash is very high and will continue to increase which is marked by the import of soda ash with an amount reaching 800,000 tons/year.

This is because there is no soda ash factory in the country. Therefore, the soda ash factory with a capacity of 150,000 tons/year is planned to meet domestic soda ash needs. The raw material for NaOH comes from PT. Asahimas Chemical and CO₂ gas from PT. Samator Gas Cilegon. This factory will be established in the Cilegon Industrial Area, Banten, explained Wening. Wening said that the production process for the soda ash factory uses carbonation because it has low operating conditions, the by-product produced is water, so the impact on the environment is lower. The reaction of the soda ash production process occurs exothermically in the absorber with operating conditions of a temperature of 70 C and a pressure of 1 atm. The bottom product of the absorber is a solution of Na₂CO₃ and water which will then be evaporated and crystallized in a crystallizer evaporator. The soda ash crystals that are formed will be separated from the mother liquor with a centrifuge. The soda ash crystals are dried in a rotary dryer at a size of 100 mesh with a ball mill and vibrating screen, then the soda ash crystals are stored in product storage. The process support unit consists of a water supply and processing unit, a compressed air supply unit, steam and electricity. In addition, it is equipped with a waste processing unit, a water and air pollution control unit and an analysis laboratory, said Wening. Wening also added that the company form of this factory is a Limited Liability Company (PT) with 312 employees with 233 process employees to operate the factory for 24 hours/day in 330 days/year. The employee work system is based on the division according to working hours consisting of shift employees and non-shift employees.

The results of the economic analysis obtained that this soda ash factory requires a fixed capital investment of USD 55,601,613.51 with a working capital investment of USD 33,315,804.92. This soda ash factory obtains a POS (profit on sales) before tax and after tax of 34.07% and 15.28%. ROI (return on investment) before tax and after tax of 34.07% and 25.55%. BEP and SDP are 48.16% and 29.90% respectively. IRR is 13.89%. Based on the economic analysis, a soda ash plant with a capacity of 150,000 tons/year is feasible to be established and has good business opportunities, Wening concluded.