The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre congratulates final-year students Koh Hau Sern, Loh Hoi Xin, Fang Xiao, and Huang Jun from Chemical Engineering (CME) programme for being awarded First Place in the IEM Integrated Design Project Short Video Competition. 

The four-member team was supervised by Dr. Yee Kian Fei, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yong Wai Fen and Asst. Prof. Dr. Fu Jile.

The short video on the Production of Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) was extracted from the completed CME Capstone Project in the final year of study. PTA is an essential precursor to one of the most widely used thermoplastics. However, the decrease in profit margin due to the expansion of existing production and the increase in raw materials cost contributed to the current issues in production. Hence, the process operating parameters should be optimized to maximize the profit potential and the purification process should be simplified to reduce the overall costs. The chemical reaction, market outlook, and application of PTA were introduced in the video. Besides, the overview of the production process, the material of construction, process control and instrumentation applied, previous accidents analysis coupled with HAZOP study (hazard and operability study), an overview of waste management strategy, process economics, and other special traits of the project including the application of pinch technology, energy, and utility management were included as well.

This competition is organized by the Engineering Education Technical Division and the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, aiming to encourage all Malaysian Engineering / Engineering Technology undergraduate students to participate in the category of Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical and Civil, based on the completed Capstone / Integrated Design Project in 2022. The submitted videos were viewed and judged by experienced capstone/ project coordinators and industrial engineers.

For more information: https://www.myiem.org.my/default.aspx