Mechanical R&D Intern @ Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)

There was a necessity to replace the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant in the PureIt Floor Standing RO Water Purifier with environmentally-friendly Hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerant. HC being highly flammable, the other project warranted a change in many components of the device apart from the refrigeration system, to ensure that the device never catches fire. The aim of this project was to identify the changes in the refrigeration system and the device to accommodate the new refrigerant, optimize the design to minimize the changes without compromising on performance, and deliver a final prototype as a proof of principle.

The Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) mandated the phasing out of HFCs from all Unilever product by the end of 2016. The HFC refrigerant had a Global Warming Potential (a relative measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere compared to the amount of heat trapped by a similar mass of carbon dioxide) of 1430, while the HC refrigerant had a GWP of only 3. Thus, the environmental benefits of this project were huge.

I studied the device and the existing refrigeration system. Then I developed a mathematical model for the refrigeration system components and predicted the design changes in the system for accommodating the new refrigerant, based on the difference in properties of the old and the new refrigerants. During this exercise, I realized that the device was not dimensionally optimized for the existing refrigerant itself and significant improvements were possible by changing the condenser dimensions. With the proposed dimensional changes, the device with the new refrigerant showed a 30% lower cooling time. Subsequently, I also compiled a list of changes (fire-retardedness, spark-proofing etc.) required in the other device components and procured a suitable replacement for most of them.

The prototype at the end of my internship was close to be approved, with only a few additional tests required, which were to be done by the other members of my team. I was awarded Pre-Placement Interview by HUL based on the output and leadership skills displayed during the internship.

This project was my first exposure to corporate research. It was fast paced since the prototype had to be delivered in two months. The following points summarize my learnings during this project:

• Reading technical documents, like research papers, Unilever policies & guidelines, protocols,etc. quickly and taking only the relevant content for our project
• Understanding the limitations of theory & hence correlating it with expert advise & experiments
• Identifying the right source of information (Books over internet, for developing the model, experience over books for practical outlook)
• Valuing the skills and experience of the support staff & drawing from their range of networks & expanding my web of connections through them
• Communication skills, both written and verbal
• Negotiation skills