Bandung: Dr.Eng. Ir. Firman Bagja Juangsa, S.T., M.Eng., a faculty member of the Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (FTMD) at ITB, embarked on an official trip to undertake a collaborative international research program in Japan. This official trip has been organized as part of the International Research Program for the years 2022–2023, funded by the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) at ITB.

The primary objective of this official trip is to engage in collaborative research with the University of Tokyo on the ‘Hydrodynamics Analysis on Three-Reactor Chemical Looping for Biomass-Based Hydrogen Production Process.’ This research project is undertaken to support collaborative research between Japan and Indonesia as part of the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) program. The SATREPS program is a multi-year research collaboration lasting for five years, involving several research institutions and universities, including the RIKEN Institute of Japan, the University of Tokyo in Japan, Padjajaran University (UNPAD), the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Gadjah Mada University (UGM), and the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB).

In addition to focusing on research, this official trip allowed Dr. Firman to meet with two FTMD students currently undergoing exchange programs at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. One of them is a student from the 2019 cohort of the Mechanical Engineering program, currently participating in an exchange student program with a research focus on ‘Carbon Capture Using Mineralization’ under the guidance of Professor Nozaki. This research is integrated with the topic of their bachelor’s thesis, co-supervised by Dr. Firman and Professor Nozaki.

Dr. Firman also met with several professors at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, including Professor Tomohiro Nozaki, who is also his advisor in the Master’s and Ph.D. programs. During this meeting, opportunities for deeper collaboration were discussed, such as guest lectures, cross-country research initiatives, and other potential avenues to strengthen the research collaboration between FTMD ITB and prestigious universities in Japan.

The subsequent visit was to Teikyo University, allowing Dr. Firman to meet with Professor Ueda and exchange information regarding research activities at FTMD ITB and Teikyo University, as well as exploring possibilities for student exchange collaborations for FTMD students. Professor Ueda is currently conducting research in the field of hydrogen combustion for furnaces and boilers. This meeting has opened up prospects for further collaboration in developing hydrogen combustion technology.

In addition to universities, Dr. Firman also visited several industries. The long-term research collaboration between LPPM ITB and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in the field of ammonia combination combustion was also one of the highlights of this official trip. During the visit to the MHI Takasago Plant in Himeji Prefecture, Japan, Dr. Firman saw the complete facilities for hydrogen production, storage, and use in the Hydrogen Park and discussed the joint research on ammonia hydrogen combustion currently being conducted with MHI.

Another industry visited during the trip was IHI (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industry). During the visit, Dr. Firman discussed research on non-carbon fuels, particularly in ammonia combustion, as an alternative to coal (cofiring). Additionally, discussions included the longstanding collaboration on IHI internships, which has been ongoing for over ten years. This visit contributes to developing environmentally friendly fuel combustion technology at FTMD ITB in collaboration with the industry.

During the last visit to Toshiba Energy System, Dr. Firman explored the potential for research collaboration on the “Flexible Coal Power Plant” as an energy buffer to utilize renewable energy sources. This visit also provided important direction for establishing cooperation with power plants in Indonesia to obtain actual operational data.

Dr. Eng. Ir. Firman Bagja Juangsa, S.T., M.Eng.’s official trip to Japan aims to strengthen research collaboration with various institutions in Japan, including universities and industries. This research collaboration is expected to significantly contribute to developing sustainable and environmentally friendly technology for both countries.

Credit: Vanela Kusuma Amalia