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Vinny Gupta wins international prize for fire suppression research
Gupta formally received the medal at the 41st International Symposium on Combustion in Kyoto, Japan, held last month.
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Bhavana P - Sat, 08, Aug 2026
- 16:44 EDT
- 33
Vinny Gupta / University of Waterloo
The Combustion Institute has awarded Indian-origin researcher Vinny Gupta the Silver Combustion Medal for research demonstrating how chemical additives can enhance water mist fire suppression.
Gupta, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo and director of Waterloo’s Fire Research Laboratory, was recognized for the paper Joint OH-PLIF and Mie scattering imaging of enhanced water mist suppression of buoyant fires.
The paper was presented at the International Symposium on Combustion in Milan in 2024 and was selected by a committee from more than 1,000 papers considered across the international combustion research community.
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The research examined how water mist droplets interact with large turbulent fires using high-speed laser diagnostic techniques. The team found that adding small amounts of alkali metal salts to water mist can improve fire suppression by acting as chemical inhibitors that interfere with the combustion process.
Traditional water mist systems primarily suppress fires through cooling. Gupta’s research showed that chemical additives can enhance suppression beyond the effects of water alone.
"Our experiments allowed us to visualize both the physical and chemical processes occurring inside the flame at very high speeds. That level of detail helps us understand why certain suppression strategies are more effective and how they can be optimized,” Gupta said in a statement.
The findings could have applications in settings where rapid and efficient fire suppression is important, including industrial facilities, transportation systems and other high-risk environments.
"This recognition reflects the strength of the collaboration and the importance of fundamental research in addressing real-world problems. Ultimately, our goal is to develop knowledge that leads to safer and more effective fire protection technologies,” Gupta said, commenting on the recognition.
The research team also included Tony Xiao of FM, and Matthew J. Dunn and Assaad R. Masri of The University of Sydney.
The Silver Combustion Medal, first awarded in 1958, is presented every two years to authors of a distinguished paper demonstrating exceptional quality, achievement and significance in advancing combustion science. Gupta formally received the medal at the 41st International Symposium on Combustion in Kyoto, Japan, held last month.
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