Prarancangan Pabrik Pembuatan Sorbitol dari Dekstrosa Monohidrat dan Gas Hidrogen Menggunakan Katalis Ruthenium Berpenyangga Silika dengan Kapasitas Produksi 14.000 Ton/Tahun

Abstract

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol commonly used as a low-calorie sweetener and additive in food and pharmaceutical products. In the context of commercial sorbitol production, catalytic hydrogenation process is preferred due to its significant advantages in terms of economics, conversion, and selectivity. The main objective of this preliminary design of a sorbitol production plant is to assess its feasibility. The plant is designed with a production capacity of 14,000 tons/year, using dextrose monohydrate and hydrogen gas as raw materials. The hydrogenation reaction is carried out at a pressure of 120 atm and a temperature of 115 ºC, using ruthenium catalyst supportted on silica in a trickle bed reactor. To fulfill market demands, sorbitol is concentrated using a short tube evaporator to obtain a 70% sorbitol solution. The plant is planned to be established in the Medan Industrial Area, North Sumatra, with a land area of 14,357 m2 and a workforce of 171 employees. The utility requirements for plant operation include medium pressure steam of 1,556.6708 kg/h, cooling water of 30,011.7837 kg/h, electricity of 350 kW, and diesel fuel of 69.5294 kg/h. The establishment and operation of this plant require an investment capital of Rp387,834,735,576 and production costs of Rp344,414,618,495. Based on the feasibility analysis, the plant has Breakeven Point (BEP) of 52.9023%, Return on Investment (ROI) after tax of 33.1688%, Payout Time (POT) after tax of 3 years, Return on Net Worth (RONW) of 58.6147%, and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 37.0390%. Based on the review and feasibility analysis conducted, the sorbitol producing plant from dextrose monohydrate and hydrogen gas using ruthenium catalyst supported on silica with production capacity of 14,000 tons/year is deemed worthy of further investigation.