Notice: Date changed to Monday 26 September 2022 from 09:00 to 16:00 MYT. Public will join the webinar online. Only the speakers and exclusively invited individuals will attend the physical session at Bangi Resort Hotel, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.

Overview

IChemE's Palm Oil Processing Special Interest Group (POPSIG) is pleased to organise a seminar that provides students a platform to present their research and design projects about the technological advancement for the palm oil industry. The presenters are the recipients of the 2021 POPSIG Student Research Project Bursary, 2022 POPSIG Final Year Design Award and 2022 POPSIG Student Research Project Bursary.

Highlights

Speakers

Brenda Lim Ai-Lian, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia

Brenda obtained Bachelor (Honours) in Chemical Engineering and Master in Engineering Science from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. During her Bachelor degree studies, Brenda’s final year project involved turning waste into wealth. From then, she has developed keen interest in research as well as to improve the environment by turning biomass wastes into something useful. In 2018, she had completed her internship in Turcomp BMB Sdn Bhd in the sales team. Brenda decided to pursue her masters which involved utilizing oil palm empty fruit bunch into carbon material for energy storage systems. Her research study had successfully synthesised carbon material with satisfying results. Brenda is currently a Process Engineer at ExxonMobil.

Jocelyn Lim Jean Yi, Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia

Jocelyn Lim is a fourth-year student in Bachelor of Chemical Engineering with Honours at Xiamen University Malaysia. She was one of the recipients of IChemE POPSIG Student Research Project Bursary in 2021. Her research project was on the design of TiO2/Ti3C2 MXene aerogel composite to treat palm oil mill effluent.

Jonathan Cheng Lin Yang, Research Centre for Sustainable Technologies, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, Malaysia

Jonathan obtained his Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) (Honours) in 2019. He received the Dean List award in 2019. He is currently pursuing his Masters in Engineering (Research) at Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak. In 2018, he joined Sar–Alam Indah Sdn Bhd (Kuching) in the operation process department which involves septic sludge treatment process, process optimization, lab analysis and environmental analysis. Jonathan’s current project aims to study the pyrolysis of lignin extracted from EFB using sucrose-malic acid-water LTTM via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and kinetic modelling as lignin is normally treated as unwanted waste through pre-treatment processes. Jonathan is also the secretary for the Postgraduate Research Society (PGRS) since 2021.

Melvin Wee Xin Jie, Department of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University Malaysia

Melvin obtained his Bachelor degree of Engineering in Chemical Engineering from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak. He joined LONGi as a process engineer from 2019 to 2020, before joining Curtin as a PhD candidate in Curtin University Malaysia the same year. He is a recipient of the Curtin Malaysia Postgraduate Research Stipend (CMPRS) for his postgraduate research. His research is focusing on the co-pyrolysis of oil palm biomass (empty fruit bunch) with disposable face mask wastes for the production of bio-oil.

Abdulqader Mohammed Alawi Bin Sahl, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, Malaysia

Abdulqader obtained Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Malaysia. He is a Swinburne Emerging Leader chemical engineering graduate. Abdulqader obtained 7 Dean’s List Award and 10 Unit Top Scorer Awards throughout his degree. He also obtained the best research paper award at the Swinburne Engineering Final Year Research Project Conference 2022 and two awards at the 32^nd Symposium of Malaysian Chemical Engineers (SOMChE). Currently, he is a research assistant on a joint-industrial project with eight months of prior research experience in the process simulation of natural gas sweetening. He also presented in three conferences and published one paper with two journal papers currently under review. He is a committee member at IChemE National Early Careers Committee and was the past President and Event Coordinator at SUTS IChemE Student Chapter.

Thuppahimudalige Chandeepa Lakshith Fernando, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, Malaysia

Chandeepa obtained Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Malaysia. He completed his 1^st year studies at Australian National College. Chandeepa obtained multiple top scorer and Dean List awards from 2019 to 2022. At the beginning of 2022, he joined Al Turki Enterprises as an intern. He was included in various projects that included generating Process Flow Diagrams and its optimisation – in crude oil extraction sites in Oman. Chandeepa did his final year research project about in-vessel composting utilizing fixed temperature reactors. His research compared the differences between fixed and self-regulating reactors and found out that Monod order was the most suitable mathematical order for simulating fixed temperature reactors.

Bong Zhang Ying, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, Malaysia

Zhang Ying obtained Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Malaysia in July 2022. She will beginher study for Master of OSH at UNIMAS in October 2022. She was the vice treasurer and vice secretary at IChemE Swinburne in 2020 and 2021, respectively. She completed her internship at TSG Green Sdn. Bhd., an RT- Paulownia lab that produces RT-Paulownia clones by cultivating tissue cultures. She was also involved in the R&D of RT-Paulownia during her internship. Her final year research project focused on the study of promoters to enhance carbon capture in the AWL process. Zhang Ying also participated in National Chemical Engineering Symposium (NACES) 2021, BoChES 2021, and RCEUC 2022.

Tharindu Dayan Buddhika Siyambalapitiya, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus​, Malaysia

Tharindu obtained Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Malaysia. Tharindu obtained Dean’s List in 2018 and 2019, along with Top Scorer achievements for several units. He was the co-author for a published a conference paper in process optimization. His final year research project was about the characterization and kinetic studies of the decomposition of oil palm empty fruit bunches derived lignin via green solvent extraction approach. His research focused on identify the vast advantages that are incorporated in using pre-treatment such as low transition temperature mixtures (LTTMs) which was a much eco-friendly approach to conventional treatment methods. Tharindu has also received the Swinburne Emerging Leader Award for skills demonstrated in multiple other areas.

Osob Abdullahi Mohamud, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, Malaysia

Osob obtained Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Malaysia.

Shaffaf Thajudheen, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, Malaysia

Shaffaf obtained Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Malaysia. In 2021, He joined Metito as an intern at the Department of Chemicals. He involved in the operations, assisting the lead project engineer and supervising the overall production line. Shaffaf’s final year research was a case study on the energy-intensified extractive distillation process for binary separation of an azeotropic mixture.

Yeow Teck Ann, Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia

Teck Ann is currently a third-year student in Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical Engineering at Xiamen University Malaysia. He is the holder of Dean’s List Award and IOI Group’s Scholarship. Alongside academics, Teck Ann has been given the privileged through Research Student Assistantship to be involved in several research projects in Dr Tan Jian Ping’s research group. Gradually, he has developed strong interest in discovering new biochemical processes. In addition to that, Teck Ann has been active in the students’ activities. He is the vice president of the school’s environmental club, an executive committee at XMUM IChemE Student Chapter and a director at Young Malaysian Engineers. Through his tenure in these student bodies, he has organised several major events successfully.

Lai Jia Yen, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, Malaysia

Jia Yen is a PhD student in Chemical Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus. She is currently Yayasan Sarawak Tun Taib Scholarship holder, of which the scholarship provides financial support to her study. She obtained her Bachelor of Chemical Engineering in Curtin University, Malaysia in 2015 and Master of Engineering (by research) in Swinburne in 2018. Her Master research project was about surfactant template recycling for continuous mesoporous MCM-41 material synthesis. The surfactant template found to recycle up to 8 cycles to synthesize MCM-41. In 2012, she joined Shin Yang Plywood Sdn Bhd in Miri, Sarawak as an intern in R&D department in paper tape product processing and overall sizing and costing for product delivery. She joined BEM in February 2022.

Ng Wai Lun, School of Computing Science and Engineering, Faculty of Innovation and Technology, Taylor's University, Malaysia

Wai Lun is currently a PhD candidate at Taylor's University, Malaysia, researching on resource recovery from glycerin pitch. He graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Taylor’s University in 2020 and obtained the Dean List and Book Prize awards for all eight semesters. In 2019, he interned at BASF Petronas and was involved in troubleshooting a compressor breakdown and teaching how to size a control valve. For his final year group project, Wai Lun designed a steam reformer that earned his team the first place in the engineering fair. Wai Lun’s final year research project was about condenser water treatment technologies in proving the validity of a building criteria published by Green Building Index (GBI).

Moderator

Lam Hon Loong, Professor in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Director in the Centre of Excellent for Green Technology, University of Nottingham Malaysia

Professor Dr Lam received his first PhD in Chemical Engineering, 2010 from University of Maribor, Slovenia and the second PhD in Information Technology, 2011 from University of Pannonia, Hungary. Professor Lam's research focused on Computer Aided Chemical Engineering such as Process Integration, biomass utilisation and green supply chain synthesis. His work is highly recognised and being invited for book chapters, plenary session and keynote presentation at international level. He appointed as Editor for international journals, namely ENERGY (Elsevier), Energy, Sustainability and Society (Elsevier), Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy (Springer), Process Integration and Optimisation for Sustainability (Springer).

The material presented in this webinar has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenters' own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Palm Oil Processing Special Interest Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

Time

09:00–16:00 MYT.

Programme

• 08:30—09:00 
  Registration
  
  
• 09:00—09:10 
  Welcoming remark
  
  
• 09:10—09:20 
  Welcoming speech
  Professor Ir Dr Chong Mei Fong, Chair of POPSIG
  
  
• 09:20—09:30 
  Keynote speech
  YBrs Dr Ruslan Abdullah, Director, Science, Environment and Sustainability, Malaysian Palm Oil Council

Session 1: Research Seminar (2021 Recipients)

• 09:30—09:45 
  Paper 1: Synthesis of Carbon Nanoparticles from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch as Electro-catalyst for Energy Storage
  Brenda Lim Ai-Lian, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
  
  
• 09:45—10:00 
  Paper 2: Palm Oil Mill Effluent Waste Treatment using TiO2/Ti3C2Tx MXene Composite Aerogel via Photocatalytic Degradation Process
  Jocelyn Lim Jean Yi, Xiamen University Malaysia
  
  
• 10:00—10:15
  Paper 3: Thermogravimetric Analysis and Combined Kinetic Study on the Pyrolysis of Empty Fruit Bunches Lignin Extracted using Sucrose-malic Acid-water Low Transition Temperature Mixture
  Jonathan Cheng Lin Yang, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus
  
  
• 10:15—10:30 
  Paper 4: The Potentials of Co-pyrolysis of Empty Fruit Bunch and Disposable Face Mask Wastes
  Melvin Wee Xin Jie, Curtin University Malaysia
  
  
• 10:30—10:45 
  Coffee/tea break
  
  
• 10:45—11:45 
  Discussion forum chaired by Professor Lam Hon Loong
  Panel consists of Brenda Lim Ai-Lian, Jocelyn Lim Jean Yi, Jonathan Cheng Lin Yang, Melvin Wee Xin Jie
  
  
• 11:45—11:55 
  Prize-giving ceremony for 2021 POPSIG Student Research Project Bursary
  Desmet Ballestra (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd & Malaysian Oleochemical Manufacturers Group (MOMG)
  
  
• 11:55—12:00 
  Group photo session
  
  
• 12:00—13:00 
  Lunch

Session 2: Design Showcase (2022 Recipients)

• 13:00—13:15 
  Speech
  Khoo Kiak Kern, Managing Director of Desmet Ballestra (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
  
  
• 13:15—13:30 
  Paper 5: Sustainable Production of Palm Oil-derived Biodiesel
  Abdulqader Mohammed Alawi Bin Sahl, Thuppahimudalige Chandeepa Lakshith Fernando, Bong Zhang Ying, Tharindu Dayan Buddhika Siyambalapitiya, Osob Abdullahi Mohamud, Shaffaf Thajudheen (Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus)
  
  
• 13:30—13:45
  Question-and-answer session moderator by Professor Lam Hon Loong
  
  
• 13:45—14:00 
  Prize-giving ceremony for 2022 POPSIG Best Final Year Design Award
  Desmet Ballestra (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

Session 3: Research Showcase (2022 Recipients)

• 14:00—14:20 
  Paper 6: Valorisation of Blended Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) Sediment and Oil Palm Frond (OPF) as the Substrate for Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL)
  Yeow Teck Ann, Xiamen University Malaysia
  
  
• 14:20—14:40 
  Paper 7: CO₂ Adsorption Study of Concurrent Activated and Modified Palm Kernel Shell Derived Activated Carbon
  Lai Jia Yen, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus
  
  
• 14:40—15:00 
  Paper 8: Potential of Glycerin Pitch (GP) in Mixed Culture Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Production: Component Characterizations and Organic Loading Rate Optimization
  Ng Wai Lun, Taylor's University, Malaysia
  
  
• 15:00—15:15 
  Discussion session
  
  
• 15:15—15:30 
  Prize-giving ceremony for 2022 Student Research Project Bursary
  Malaysian Palm Oil Council
  
  
• 15:30—15:35 
  Closing ceremony
  
  
• 15:35—16:00
  Networking & coffee break & adjourn

Information links

• View the brochure here >>
• View the posters here >>
• View the slides here >>

Acknowledgement

POPSIG gratefully appreciates the support provided by

• Desmet Ballestra (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and Malaysian Oleochemical Manufacturers Group (MOMG) to 2021 POPSIG Student Research Project Bursary
• Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) to 2022 POPSIG Student Research Project Bursary
• Desmet Ballestra (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd to 2022 POPSIG Best Final Year Design

Software

The presentation will be delivered via Zoom.

You are advised to join the webinar at least ten minutes before the scheduled start time, to allow for your computer to connect.

Disclaimer: IChemE will not be storing or controlling any data linked to this event.