The Vocational School of Diponegoro University has an Eco Car Team which is engaged in energy efficient cars. The SEMAR Car team was formed in 2020 by D3 Chemical Engineering students and Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology (TRKI) Undip Vocational School
The SEMAR Car team wants to contribute more in the development of fuel efficient cars in Indonesia. This arises because of the lack of awareness of Indonesians about environmental pollution due to gas emissions from the combustion of car engines. Chem-e-Car team who succeeded in making a car prototype using chemical fuels that produce environmentally friendly exhaust gases
The SEMAR team, consisting of Yosy Hartono Wibowo, Maula Nazri Affandi, Ovika Sita Widi Astuti, Shelvin Putri Hariyatno and Jelita Mutiara Hati, attached the name SEMAR to the chemical car, inspired by a puppet with the same name and the formation of a car resembling the size of the puppet with characteristic of the large rear and the car puts a reactor at the back
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The SEMAR car is driven by the pressure generated by a chemical reaction that utilizes the decomposition reaction of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) and Potassium Pemanganate (KMnO4). The chemical reaction is carried out in a reactor that produces pressurized oxygen gas (O2) and water (H2O).
“This innovation produces a pressurized and environmentally friendly exhaust gas that can drive a prototype,” said Yosy Hartono Wibowo, SEMAR team leader. The resulting pressure will move the pneumatic cylinder which is the driving component of this SEMAR car.
In addition to being equipped with a driving component, SEMAR is equipped with a safety valve component that can release pressurized gas that exceeds the maximum limit in the reactor to a safe point to avoid system errors.
“So the advantage of this Semar car besides producing environmentally friendly emissions is that it uses less fuel but can cover longer distances,” he said.
He stated that cars have air filters with the aim of filtering exhaust gases so that the exhaust gases are clean and do not corrode other components.