PyroTech - ITEX

ITEX

International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition （ITEX） is a showcase of the region’s best inventions from Asia and Europe. More than 20 countries will take part in this exhibition every year. ITEX is an annual exhibition which features 23 invention categories related to innovation or technology which aim to make everyday life easier. One of the most prominent features at ITEX is the Invention and Design Competition where local and international Awards will be bestowed to successful inventors. A stellar line-up of 1,000 inventions by local and international inventors, research scientists, research institutions, individual inventors, young inventors and corporations will be showcased. All of the exhibitors will be putting their best foot forward to vie for investors’ attention. Those who stand out will be on their way to commercialize their inventions.

2018

Date: 10 – 12 May

Venue: KL Convention Center, Hall 2-3

Project Title: Microwave Pyrolysis – An Innovative Approach to Produce Bio-Carbon-Fiber (BCF) from Biomass Waste For Use in Energy Storage Application

Researchers: Prof. Lam Su Shiung, Elfina Azwar, Liew Rock Keey, Wan Adibah Wan Mahari, Thoo Ding Shan, Ho Yee Ling, Peter Yek Nai Yuh, Tony Liew Yuan Chin

Product Summary: Microwave pyrolysis represents a fast approach that also provides uniform, volumetric, and efficient heating to transform biomass waste into BCF. The carbon fibre is light in weight, high in carbon content, surface area, and specific capacitance, representing a promising material to store energy.

Award: GOLD Medal

Project Title: MVS – An Integrated Microwave Vacuum System for Use in Drying, Desalination, And Waste-To-Wealth Applications

Researchers: Dr. Lam Su Shiung, Liew Rock Keey, Phang Xue Yee, Han Chai Sean, Prof. Ir. Dr. Ahmad Jusoh, Prof. Wan Mohd Norsani Wan Nik, Prof. Madya Ir. Dr. Mohammad Fadhli Ahmad, Prof. Madya Dr. Mustafa Man, Dr. Poh Seng Chee, Peter Yek Nai Yuh, Mr. Tony Liew Yuan Chin, Prof. Dr. Howard Chase

Product Summary: MVS is a fast and energy-efficient system that incorporates microwave heating and vacuum condition. It provides rapid drying of crops, high recovery of freshwater and natural salt from seawater and also convert agriculture wastes into high quality activated carbon.

Award: GOLD Medal

Project Title: Pyrochar: A Desirable Biochar from Microwave Vacuum Pyrolysis of Agriculture Waste for Use in Cultivation of Mushroom and Orchid Plus Removal of Herbicide

Researchers: Dr. Lam Su Shiung, Nam Wai Lun, Su Man Huan, Lee Xie Yi, Muhammad Lukman Jaafar, Dr. Ma Nyuk Ling, Khoo Shing Ching, Ng Chia Min, Liew Rock Keey, Tony Liew Yuan Chin, Mohd Haqqi Nazilli Rosli

Product Summary: A biochar desirable for mushroom and orchid cultivation, and removal of herbicide. It is a rich carbon source favorable for photosynthesis. Its high porosity and surface area provide many sites to hold nutrient and neutralize toxic phenolic for improved plant growth, and remove herbicide.

Award: SILVER Medal

2016

Date: 12 – 14 May

Project Title: MIC-PYRO: A Microwave Pyrolyzer to Recover Diesel-like Fuel From Waste Palm Oil

Researchers: Dr. Lam Su Shiung, Wan Adibah Wan Mahari, Prof. Dr. Howard Chase

Product Summary: Mic-Pyro represents an innovative pyrolysis system that combines the use of microwave magnetron and a continuous stirred bed reactor to convert waste palm oil into an alternative fuel. A lab-scale pyrolysis prototype followed by an upgraded prototype have been developed to demonstrate its technical feasibility. The microwave pyrolyzer provides rapid heating (~16°C/min) and a localized reaction hot zone that thermally promotes extensive pyrolysis cracking of the waste oil at 550 °C, leading to increased production of a biofuel product in a process taking less than 35 min. It also creates a reducing reaction environment that prevents the formation of undesirable oxidized compounds in the biofuel. The pyrolyzer produces a 70 wt% yield of a biofuel product that is low in oxygen, free of sulphur, carboxylic acid and triglycerides, and which also contains light C10-C15 hydrocarbons and a high calorific value (46 MJ/kg) nearly comparable to diesel fuel, thus showing great potential to be used as fuel. This pyrolyzer offers an attractive alternative to transesterification that avoids the use of solvents and catalysts, and the need to remove free fatty acids and glycerol from the hydrocarbon product. The pyrolyzer operated with an electrical power input of 1.12 kW was capable of producing a biofuel with an energy content equivalent to about 3 kW, showing a positive energy ratio of 2.7 and ≥73% recovery of the energy input to the system. Our results show that Mic-Pyro has huge potential as a technically and energetically viable means that can be scaled up to a useful commercial level for the recovery of biofuels from the waste oil.

Award: GOLD Medal

Project Title: Microwave Activated Char from Biomass Waste – A Promosing Activated Carbon for Environmental and Catalytic Applications

Researchers: Dr. Lam Su Shiung, Liew Rock Keey, Mr. Tony Liew Yuan Chin, Prof. Ir. Dr. Ahmad Jusoh, Prof. Ir. Dr. Farid Nasir Ani, Prof. Dr. Howard Chase

Product Summary: Microwave Activated Char (MAC) represents a promising activated carbon produced from biomass wastes that are abundantly and readily available in Malaysia, comprising biomass residue from palm oil mill, fruit waste, and coconut husk. A char production of up to 50 wt% can be obtained using an innovative microwave pyrolysis prototype developed from our research. The MAC has a high carbon content (up to 72 wt%), showing durability in terms of high resistance to chemical reactions such as oxidation. It also shows a highly uniform porous structure with a high surface area (≥ 1000 m2/g), the majority of which is comprised of both micropores and mesopores, indicating a characteristic of good adsorption capacity and high internal porosity, thus it can be used as an adsorbent to remove pollutants from air or water streams in environmental applications (e.g. drinking water filtration, air and gas purification, waste and wastewater treatment). The MAC also shows high thermal stability where up to 72% of its mass can be retained at 900 °C under both combustion (O2) and pyrolysis (N2) environment. Combined with its high surface area and highly porous structure, MAC also represents a suitable catalyst support that can provide many spots for metals to be impregnated onto for further use as a metallic catalyst in high temperature heterogeneous catalytic applications. The production cost of MAC is estimated at RM300-500/ton, but it can be marketed as activated carbon with an estimated selling price ranging from RM1,800-10,000/ton, thus suggesting excellent potential to be developed for commercialization.

Award: GOLD Medal

Project Title: Fruit Peel Char as a Green Solid Fuel, Soil Additive, And Carbon Black

Researchers: Dr. Lam Su Shiung, Lim Xin Yi, Wong Yee Mun, Liew Rock Keey, Prof. Ir. Dr. Ahmad Jusoh

Product Summary: Fruit Peel Char (FPC) is a green product with several applications – the first being a solid fuel as an alternative source of energy, and another function as an additive to improve soil fertility, or simply used as carbon black – a pigment or reinforcement agent. It represents a versatile and sustainable product that can continually be generated from waste fruit peels – an under-explored biomass waste that is abundantly and readily available in Asia. A yield of 50 wt% is obtained from our innovative microwave pyrolysis approach. The FPC shows a high carbon content with a low content of oxygen, and interestingly sulphur is not detected in the char. In combination with a calorific value similar to coal (27 MJ/kg), FPC can be used as an alternative to coal to generate electricity. It also represents a green solid fuel since its zero sulphur content will result in no SOx emissions, and it presents no contribution of CO2 to global warming being as a char product produced from renewable biomass material (fruit peel). The FPC also has a surface area of 105 m2/g and a highly porous structure containing mesopores, thus it can provide many spots to enhance the nutrient retention period in the soil that in turn improves the soil fertility. Combined with its high carbon content, the FPS can also be used as a source of carbon black, which is commonly used as pigment and reinforcement in rubber and plastic products; the surface area of the FPC is close to those reported for carbon black (50-120 m2/kg). The production cost of FPS is estimated at RM80/ton, but it can be marketed profitably at RM200/ton as solid fuel, RM13,000/ton as soil additive, or RM3500/ton as carbon black, thus showing great promise to be developed for commercialization.

Award: BRONZE Medal