An Engineering Solution for Carbon Sequestration

Planetary Technologies is a company dedicated to combating climate change through ocean-based carbon dioxide removal. Their primary focus is on Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE), a process that mimics and accelerates the natural carbon cycle. Planetary Technologies aims to safely add alkalinity to seawater, removing carbon dioxide and reducing ocean acidity.

The company collaborates with scientific institutions, regulators, and local communities to develop sustainable carbon removal methods, emphasizing safety, transparency, and environmental responsibility in their operations. As a leading carbon capture company in Canada, they provide innovative carbon sequestration engineering solutions for carbon capture.

The planet is warming, and oceans are becoming more acidic. Scientists at Planetary Technologies developed a theory that ocean water can act as a carbon sink by leveraging alkalinity to neutralize acidity and capture atmospheric greenhouse gases.

After extensive peer-reviewed research, the team was ready to test their Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) process in a real-world setting. Tufts Cove in Halifax Harbour was selected as one of the pilot locations. Their idea: use the outflow from the power station to deliver the alkalinity solution, essentially using waste infrastructure as the delivery mechanism.

But theory alone wasn’t enough. To succeed, the process needed precise, monitored, and scalable delivery. Enginuity was brought in to design and build a containerized system for accurate chemical dosing and monitoring, leading to a working prototype for carbon capture testing.

In order to dispense the solution in a quantifiable and measurable amount, the system would require 4 key features:

• Automated pump control and feedback
• Interface with multiple data feeds to regulate the optimal dosing rate
• Be modular and adaptable to different ocean outfall sites
• All components would have to fit in a 40ft ISO container

Enginuity designed a two-phase engineering solution.

Phase One included building the full Containerized Dosing Array: a control center, deployable mixing tank, transfer and dosing pumps, an agitation system, and a spill containment module.

Phase Two focused on automation and system integration. This included remote sensors, electrical subsystems, comms/internet, additional I/O, battery backup, and a fully featured HMI dashboard for real-time visibility. A safety-driven power interruption system and alerting functionality completed the control system.

Throughout both phases, Enginuity’s ability to tightly integrate process engineering, automation controls, and rugged equipment design was key to success.

The comprehensive design and build of the tool called SAM (Site Automation and Monitoring) resulted in a system that could be recreated or even transported and installed in other test locations globally, thus expanding the reach and efficacy of Planetary’s technology and one day, scaling to commercial opportunities.

Yet most importantly, this project allowed Planetary Technologies to prove the science behind OAE, propelling the burgeoning company to the forefront of the carbon capture & sequestration landscape. Their system is a highly scalable, cost-effective negative emissions technology that permanently captures carbon from the air and safely stores it within ocean chemistry.

This approach mitigates the most severe effects of climate change through carbon removal while delivering value-added carbon-negative or carbon-neutral products to industries.

The leadership displayed by Planetary in developing the process, and the collaborative effort made with Enginuity, displays a partnership that delivers a climate solution that not only permanently removes carbon dioxide from our atmosphere, but also inspires others in their own environmental pursuits.