HEN Technologies, a California-based fire suppression company founded in 2020, is using Ansys simulation software to study how firefighting systems can reduce water use without compromising spray reach and coverage in wildfire conditions. Through the Ansys Startup Program, with support from Rand Simulation, the company uses Ansys Fluent and Ansys CFX to model how nozzle geometry, pressure, droplet formation, airflow, and wind affect suppression performance.
Its development process combines computational fluid dynamics, design-of-experiments analysis, 3D-printed prototypes, and physical testing to evaluate design changes and refine nozzle performance. The work is centered on a key engineering question: determining the minimum amount of water required for effective fire suppression in increasingly resource-constrained environments. Beyond firefighting, the company is also assessing related spray technologies for applications including aircraft de-icing and dust control in mining operations.
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