Student Engineers Solve a Manufacturing Challenge

At Birk, continuous improvement is part of everything we do. When increasing production demands created new challenges in our manufacturing process, we saw an opportunity to collaborate with the next generation of engineers through a University of Connecticut School of Engineering senior design project. 

A team of senior UConn engineering students, Andrew Lefers, Eric Brown, and Kristi Lee, under the guidance of faculty advisor Professor Jason Lee and Senior Design Program leader Vito Moreno, partnered with Birk to develop a Closed-Loop Water Cooling System for one of our manufacturing operations.

In our production process, heated presses operating at temperatures up to 600°F must be cooled between manufacturing cycles. Historically, cooling was accomplished by running city water through water-cooled platens and then discharging that water to the drain. As production volumes increased and a second shift was added, water consumption grew significantly. In addition to the environmental impact, daily water usage is regulated by local authorities, making efficient water management increasingly important. Mineral buildup from the water also occasionally caused clogging within the cooling system, creating maintenance challenges and downtime. 

The UCONN student engineering team began by visiting our facility to study the process firsthand, analyze the existing system, and understand the operational requirements. After evaluating the challenges, they designed a closed-loop solution that captures, cools, filters, and reuses the cooling water rather than sending it directly to the drain. 

Their proposed system incorporates a 50-ton glycol chiller, shell-and-tube heat exchanger, holding tanks, and a filtration skid equipped with an ion exchange water softener. Together, these components allow water to be continuously recycled while minimizing mineral buildup that can lead to clogged cooling passages. 

The result is a solution that supports increased manufacturing capacity while significantly reducing water consumption. By reusing cooling water, Birk can operate more efficiently, improve compliance with local water usage requirements, and reduce environmental impact. The filtration and water treatment components also help improve system reliability and help reduce maintenance upkeep and equipment downtime. 

We are incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication of Andrew, Eric, Kristi, and Professor Lee throughout this project. Their technical expertise, creativity, and professionalism resulted in a practical solution that delivers both operational and environmental benefits.

Partnerships like this demonstrate the value of connecting industry with academia and utilizing local talent and resources. By providing students with real-world engineering challenges, innovative solutions can emerge while helping prepare future engineers for successful careers. 

To learn more about this project, view the full project summary here.