The company developed filter less air purification technology for small and large spaces using Ansys' best-in-class simulation solutions. To help mitigate the worldwide problem of air pollution, Praan designed the MK One and MK Two for large spaces. The advanced air purification technologies — designed with Ansys Fluent computational fluid dynamics — capture polluted air, separate microscopic particulate matter (particle pollution) into a collection chamber and release cleaner air back into the atmosphere. Additionally, Praan offsets any carbon dioxide emitted during manufacturing through afforestation or direct air capture methods, making all their products net-zero.
Company Description
US and India-based technology startup Praan, Inc. (Praan) developed its latest filter less air purification technology. The company's advanced technology includes filter less purifiers for indoor air in large spaces with near-zero maintenance costs, and an advanced tablet-based activated carbon filter.
Business Challenges
The Praan team faced a pressing challenge in meeting the urgent demand for clean air solutions while maintaining product quality. The traditional approach of relying on functional prototyping and testing posed significant financial and temporal obstacles, potentially costing tens of millions of dollars and extensive time. A particularly critical project underscored this challenge: designing an air purification system for a school environment affected by adverse weather conditions, rendering the school non-operational. This circumstance increased the need for a swift and effective solution to restore a healthy indoor environment conducive to learning and well-being.
Engineering Solution
- Praan utilized Ansys simulation through the Ansys Startup Program to develop filter less, large-space air purifiers that ensure near-zero cost of maintenance and provide affordable clean air. By harnessing Ansys Fluent computational fluid dynamics, Praan swiftly developed its MK One, MK Two, and HIVE products, revolutionizing the air purification experience for large and small paces alike.
- Through Ansys simulation, Praan achieved development speeds of 36X faster than traditional development methods. This accelerated pace eliminated the need for multiple, expensive physical prototypes and time to market.
- Praan leveraged Ansys simulation to develop the HIVE air purifier for smaller spaces. The HIVE features an advanced tablet-based activated carbon filter and a recyclable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, promoting complete reuse without generating unsustainable waste.
- Ansys Simulations empowered Praan to streamline engineering decisions for the HIVE, identifying optimal fan specifications in just two weeks - a process that typically would have taken four months using conventional approaches.
Benefits
Incorporating Ansys simulation into their development process proved invaluable for Praan yielding substantial benefits - reducing the development time of functional prototypes from four and a half years to 45 days. This transformation not only saved tens of millions of dollars but also circumvented the logistical challenges of constructing large-scale physical prototypes. Ansys simulation enabled them to expedite innovation cycles, enhance design precision, and achieve cost-effective outcomes that would have been otherwise impractical to attain through traditional means alone.
"Ansys and CADFEM serve as partners and support system for Praan as it continues to embark on more and more ambitious technological projects every day. With Ansys simulation, our team has significantly reduced the development time of functional prototypes from four and a half years to 45 days and saved tens of millions of dollars. With support from Ansys Elite Channel Partner CADFEM India, Ansys solutions helped Praan develop the purifiers up to 36X faster than traditional development methods, eliminating the need for multiple, expensive physical prototypes. Furthermore, CADFEM India team has been incredibly forthcoming in helping us find new talent during the talent bubble on 2022