Pembuatan bata ringan limbah spent bleaching earth (SBE)

RAKSI, Sunandar, Dr. Ir. P.C Sumardi, SU

2009 | Tesis | S2 Magister Sistem Teknik

Spent Bleaching Earth (SBE) adalah salah satu jenis limbah proses penyulingan minyak sawit. Perkiraan kasar menyebutkan bahwa 60 juta ton produksi minyak sawit dunia menghasilkan 600 ribu ton limbah SBE. SBE dikelola dengan cara dibakar (menggunakan incinerator) atau dibuang pada landfill. Namun, karena SBE mengandung kadar minyak yang tinggi, maka pembuangan SBE dalam bentuk landfill mengakibatkan polusi tanah dan air yang substansial. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui apakah spent bleaching earth (SBE) dapat dimanfaatkan dalam pembuatan bata ringan. Bahan baku berupa SBE diambil dari sebagian limbah pabrik PT. Sinergy Oil Nusantara Jl. Kawasan Industri Kabil Raya Batam. Sedangkan Lempung yang digunakan berasal dari Godean Kabupaten Sleman Yogyakarta. Proses pembuatan benda uji yaitu spent bleaching earth (SBE) dicampur dengan lempung dan air dengan persentase SBE 90, 80, 70, 60, dan 50% kemudian dicetak. Proses pengeringan dilakukan dengan cara mengangin-anginkan benda uji selama 5 hari dan dijemur selama 10 hari, selanjutnya dibakar pada suhu 1000oC. Bata ringan yang dihasilkan dilakukan uji kuat tekan, susut bakar, porositas, dan kuat geser. Hasil pengujian bata ringan terbaik diperoleh pada komposisi SBE 50% dengan kuat tekan sebesar 135,90 kg/cm2, susut dimensi, yaitu panjang 5,05%, lebar 2,73%, dan tebal 3,27%), susut berat sebesar 15,78%, porositas sebesar 19,37%, dan kuat geser sebesar 0,20 MPa, Pada komposisi SBE 50% menunjukkan bahwa kuat tekannya memenuhi persyaratan umum bata bangunan di Indonesia menurut SNI 03-6861.1-2002.

Spent Bleaching Earth (SBE) is one kind of waste produced from the palm oil distillation process. A rough estimation predicts that 60 million ton of world palm oil production results on six hundred thousand ton of SBE waste. SBE is processed by burning (using incinerator) or dumping in the landfill. However, since SBE contains high oil content, the dumping of SBE in the form of landfill causes substantial land and water pollution. Alternative treatment is required to reduce negative impact of SBE waste. This research aims to identify whether the spent bleaching earth (SBE) can be used in the production of light brick or not. The raw material in the form of SBE was taken from half of the factory waste from PT. Sinergy Oil Nusantara Jl. Kawasan Industri , Kabil Raya, Batam. While the clay used was taken from Godean sub-district, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta. In the production processes of specimens, spent bleaching earth (SBE) was mixed with clay and water with the SBE percentage of 90, 80, 70, 60, and 50% and then the mixture was molded. The drying process was conducted by placing the specimens in the open air for 5 days and putting it under the sunlight for 10 days. Afterward, they were burnt in the temperature of 1000oC. The specimens light brick were tested in order to obtain compressive strength, burning wastage, porosity, and shear strength. From the testing result, the best light brick was obtained in the SBE composition of 50% with the compressive strength of 135.90 kg/cm2, while the dimension wastage; length is 5.05%, the width is 2.73%, and the thickness is 3.27%). In addition, the weight wastage is 15.78%, the porosity is 19.37%, and the shear strength is 0.20 MPa. The 50% SBE composition shows that the compressive strength meets the general condition of construction brick in Indonesia according to SNI 03-6861.1-2002.

Kata Kunci : Spent bleaching earth (SBE), Bata ringan, Kuat tekan, light brick, compressive strength.