© 2011 Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

2013 UL Engineering Challenge: IIT GN Students

Pravinray D. Gandhi, PhD., P. E.

Corporate Fellow

Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

333 Pfingsten Road

Northbrook, IL 60062 USA

Create a collaborative relationship with academia

• Engage students in challenging engineering problems to create a

range of innovative solutions

• Develop awareness to build safety into design

• Communicate ideas

Objectives for the UL Engineering Challenge

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Previous Projects

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1. Fire protection infrastructure

Kitchen fire prediction and intervention

Fire incident database

2. Photovoltaic systems

Adding IIT GN on global research grid

3. Electrical vehicle research platform

• Develop India’s auto-riskha into an EV research platform

2013 UL Engineering Challenge: Drinking water

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Objective

Design and develop a drinking water station

research platform for use by local population

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Design Parameters

1. Self contained purification system to provide

drinking water to IS 10500.

2. Flexible for use as a research platform to

improve water purification technologies.

3. Powered by solar energy.

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Participation

1. The engineering challenge is open to all IIT GN

students.

2. Each team will consist of 4 members with max. 2 from

any academic year.

3. There is no limit on the number of teams that can

participate.

4. All teams must be identified and names sent to Prof.

Chinmay Ghoroi by Nov. 15, 2013.

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Phase I: Review and awareness

1. 1. Review drinking water problem in India (e.g., DRINKING WATER SUPPLY: Environmental Problems, Causes, Impacts and Remedies – Experiences from Karnataka by Puttaswamaiah S.).

2. Review literature to on drinking water standards in India and in Japan, and USA; develop a

comparison of standards.

3. Review existing designs for public drinking water dispensers in India, and provide technical

assessment (e.g., technology used, strengths, areas of improvement).

4. Develop data on the use of water using one selected location (e.g., kitchen, dormitory, etc.) on

campus .

5. Collect local water samples (min. 4) to determine chemical makeup. The samples must contain

surface and ground water sources. Document the source of water on each container. At least

sample one should be stored in (i) earthen pots, (ii) plastic bottle (e.g., PET), and (iii) metal

container (e.g., copper). Store water samples for at least 1 week and transfer to glass bottles

provided by UL and ship to UL India laboratory.

6. Develop conceptual design of drinking water station with key features, and components.

Consideration should be given to treatment of microbiological (bacteria, virus & Cyst) and

chemical (mainly TDS & Salinity) parameters.

8 Research Report due Jan 30, 2013

Phase I Review Process

• Projects reviewed by a review committee consisting of

IIT GN faculty, UL staff, and other experts.

• Award for winners (2 teams): $500 per person.

• Select top two teams for Phase II.

• Selected teams are eligible to visit UL (USA) for

exposure to water quality experts.

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Phase II

• One design for water station platform will be selected

based upon expert input.

• The two teams will be resourced to develop the water

station platform.

• The students will construct the water station platform

and pilot-test to determine water quality, operational and

maintenance issues.

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Student Mentoring and Review

IIT GN

Prof. Chinmay Ghoroi

UL

TNVV Rao

Pravinray Gandhi

External Experts

TBD

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THANK YOU.