AW.

Chemical Engineering · Process Design

Engineering cleaner
processes with
measurable impact.

I’m Aloka Weerasekera, a Chemical Engineering undergraduate translating process fundamentals into practical, data-backed design decisions.

Explore my work ↓Start a conversation →
Engineering Club PresidentLeadership
Research & Development InternIndustry experience
Undergraduate ResearcherAcademic research

Selected engineering work

Projects built around
real constraints.

Simulation, optimisation and sustainability translated into decisions a process team can act on.

PROJECT / 01
Aspen Plus process flowsheet for chemical looping hydrogen generation
+2.3%hydrogen production
Aspen Plus · MATLABJul — Nov 2025

Chemical Looping Hydrogen Generation

Designed an integrated CLHG process with reactor modelling, utility analysis and cost estimation, then independently validated reactor energy consumption in MATLAB.

  • 266.2 → 272.3 ktpa
  • 84.51% → 82.85% CGE trade-off
PROJECT / 02
MEA carbon dioxide absorption and solvent regeneration flowsheetTwo, three and four stage carbon dioxide compression configurations
24.4%lower compression duty
Aspen Plus · Process DesignFeb — Jun 2026

Multistage CO₂ Compression

Compared two, three and four stage configurations with intercooling and moisture knockout for delivery to urea production at 100 bar and 30°C.

  • 23.8% lower operating cost
  • 0.1427 mol% residual moisture
PROJECT / 03
Detailed process flow diagram for rice-straw bio-butanol production
45.2%freshwater reduction
PFD · Process Design · LCAFeb — Jun 2026

Rice-Straw Bio-Butanol Process & LCA

Led biomass-preparation process design and developed the PFD for a one-tonne-per-day ABE fermentation plant, including an environmental hotspot assessment.

  • 99.24 wt% butanol purity
  • 1 tonne/day plant capacity
PROJECT / 04
Close-up of the biodiesel batch reactor and separated liquid phasesBiodiesel laboratory reactor with overhead stirring and condenser
92.63%overall yield
Batch Reactor · Product AnalysisFeb — Jun 2025

Biodiesel from Palm Oil

Designed and conducted batch transesterification of palm oil, combining process planning, safe laboratory operation and product characterisation.

  • 97.83% FAME content
  • Single-pot batch process

Experience

From lab bench to
plant floor.

Hands-on exposure spanning research, manufacturing operations, equipment commissioning and process safety.

2025 — 2026

Research

Undergraduate Researcher

Catalyst Laboratory · Monash University Malaysia

Investigated phosphorus-doped photocatalysts using gas-evolution reactor testing and UV–Vis spectrophotometry. Identified a band-gap reduction from 2.632 eV to 2.480 eV.

Gas-evolution reactor testing setup used for undergraduate researchUndergraduate researchers together in the Monash University catalyst laboratory
Research reactor setup and laboratory team
2024

Industry

Research & Development Intern

Miracle Agro (Pvt) Ltd · Colombo

Developed chemical-handling SOPs, supported facility commissioning and agitator installation, and inspected process equipment for leaks and corrosion.

Aloka with colleagues inspecting equipment at the internship facilityFactory process area during commissioning work
Facility commissioning and process-equipment work

Leadership & communication

Technical thinking.
Human momentum.

As President of EAMMSS, I lead a 10-member committee and build university–industry collaborations that bring students closer to engineering practice.

PETRONASSD GUTHRIEMEASAT
Aloka compering a national industry conferenceAloka speaking at an industry workshop
Conference compering and industry speaking
30+students attending each event on average
03major industry partners engaged

“I connect the technical work with the people who can move it forward.”

Also experienced in compering national industry events.

Workshops & industry engagement

Leading technical learning beyond the classroom through industry collaboration, practical workshops and professional visits.

Students and PETRONAS engineers at an EAMMSS career and industry workshop
PETRONAS Industry WorkshopConnecting engineering students with industry professionals and career insight.
Aloka greeting a PETRONAS representative after an engineering workshop
Industry CollaborationRepresenting EAMMSS and strengthening university–industry relationships.
Participants in laboratory coats at a candle-making workshop at Monash University Malaysia
Candle-Making WorkshopHands-on chemical engineering learning in the Monash laboratory.
Aloka presenting a token of appreciation during the candle-making workshop
Workshop LeadershipCoordinating practical learning and recognising academic collaboration.
Engineering professionals gathered during an industry engagement visit
Professional Industry EngagementBuilding relationships with practising engineers and industry leaders.

Technical toolkit

Tools I use to
solve the system.

01

Process simulation

Aspen Plus · Material & energy balances · Reactor modelling · Utility analysis

02

Modelling & computation

MATLAB · Simulink · Python · COMSOL Multiphysics

03

Process development

PFD design · Process optimisation · SOP development · LCA

04

Laboratory

UV–Vis spectrophotometry · Gas-evolution reactors · Batch reactor operation

Professional development

Introduction to Greenhouse Gas Accounting

WINST Academy · in collaboration with TÜV SÜD

Expected Oct 2026

Introduction to PID Control and Tuning

Yokogawa Electric Malaysia

Expected Sep 2026