University of Nottingham Malaysia
News and Events
     
  

Chemical engineering academics highly commended in IChemE Global Awards 2018

Yi Jing's photo thumbnail

Academics from University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Centre of Sustainable Palm Oil Research (CESPOR) received the Biotechnology Award under the highly commended category at the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Global Awards 2018 on 1 November 2018, for their work on a new bioreactor for biogas production from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME).

Associate Professor Dr Chan Yi Jing and Professor Ir Dr Denny Ng was jointly commended with former academic staff of UNM Ir Dr Chong Mei Fong. They collaborated to scale up a high-rate bioreactor namely Integrated Anaerobic-Aerobic Bioreactor (IAAB), which is a novel technology proven to improve the treatment efficiency of the palm oil mill effluent (POME).

CESPOR was established by in UNM to promote research collaboration between industry and academic in 2008. From the prevention of Ganoderma disease, which causes the plant to decay, to improving technologies in converting palm-based biomass into biofertiliser, fibre mat, palm pellets, dried long fibre and biochar as well as conversion of POME into biogas as power.

The entry for the Biotechnology Award was submitted under University of Nottingham Malaysia Research Centre (CESPOR), combining industry partners; Havys Oil Mill, Eureka Synergy and Nottingham Green Technologies, Malaysia.

According to CESPOR Founding Director Professor Denny Ng: “Our hard work for the past two years has paid off as we are able to transform the research into a commercial system, which can convert all POME from palm oil mill into bioenergy and clean water.”

Dr Chan who respresented UNM at the IChemE Global Awards 2018 said: “I am delighted to see that my lab scale IAAB developed during my PhD studies is developed into pre-commercialised scale and now it is recognised globally. I would like to express my gratitude to the Dean of Faculty of Science and Engineering Professor Andy Chan and the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Head Professor Law Chung Lim, who have given their tremendous support from the beginning of this project.

About the awards

The IChemE Global awards was held on 1 November in Manchester, UK and featured more than 100 entries from around the world. The IChemE Awards held in partnership with Johnson Matthey celebrates excellence, innovation and achievement in the chemical, biochemical and process industries.

About CESPOR

CESPOR is an interdiscplinary research centre of the University of Nottingham Malaysia, which promotes sustainable development for the palm oil industry. CESPOR has successfully secured more than RM5 million in research grants from the goverment and industry to support its research activities.

-ends-

(Article image caption: Dr Chan Yi Jing at the The IChemE Global Awards)

For media enquiries please contact, Josephine Dionisappu, PR & Communications Manager on Josephine.dionisappu@nottingham.edu.my.

The University of Nottingham is a research-intensive university with a proud heritage, consistently ranked among the world's top 100. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our 44,000 students - Nottingham was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in the 2017 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, was awarded gold in the TEF 2017 and features in the top 20 of all three major UK rankings. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement. We are ranked eighth for research power in the UK according to REF 2014. We have six beacons of research excellence helping to transform lives and change the world; we are also a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally.

Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news...

Posted on 13th December 2018

University of Nottingham Malaysia

Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Malaysia

telephone: +6 (03) 8924 8000
fax: +6 (03) 8924 8001

Make an enquiry