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| University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) Industrial Engineering Student Team Designing an Eco-Friendly Exhaust. (Photo: Istimewa) |
Greenhouse gas emissions are one of the causes of uncertain problems in Indonesia. According to the statement of the Electricity Supply Business Plan, or Rencana Usaha Penyediaan Tenaga Listrik (RUPTL), owned by PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), the carbon emissions produced in 2021 are 259.1 million tons from all the use of fossil materials. If this is not handled, it is feared that there will be damage to the ozone layer, which will result in rising temperatures and climate change.
Taking the first steps of prevention, Yuan Rafika, a student of industrial engineering at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM), and her team designed innovations to reduce emissions produced by motorized vehicles. The tool is called the Exhaust Carbon Filter.
This tool is an exhaust that can filter carbon dioxide gas (CO2) and then convert it into oxygen. The compounds produced through this filtering are oxygen and organic compounds, which can be disposed of directly without polluting the environment.
"The working system is actually inspired by the photosynthesis system in plants, where CO2 with the help of water and sunlight is converted into glucose and oxygen, which are released into nature," said Rafika.
By adopting this photosynthesis system, water will react with CO2 using the help of sunlight, which is replaced by an electric system on the battery. The amount of water that can be accommodated in the exhaust is around 100 ml for a distance of one to two hours of travel. This duration will continue to be developed due to the volatile nature of water and considering the condition of the exhaust, which is easily heated.
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"Currently, the features planned for the exhaust are silencers according to the provisions of the Standard Nasional Indonesia (SNI) and a CO2 gas filter. Later, we will continue to develop this exhaust carbon filter by adding new features according to standards so that the resulting products are even more superior and have more enthusiasts," he said.
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The main target of this product is public vehicle owners in Indonesia. Rafika and his team hope that the presence of this breakthrough will be the first step for Indonesia toward better changes, especially in environmental aspects.
"Like it or not, Indonesia must move forward for better changes. One of them is by using this eco-friendly exhaust. Hopefully, when it's finished, this exhaust can be mass produced and traded for the general public," she concluded. (put/tri/wil)
