Release apparatus 200 for receiving an ocean
alkalinity product 113-OUT from an Ocean
Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE)
system 100 (or other onshore or floating
alkalinity source), and for releasing the
alkalinity (base product, e.g., NaOH), e.g., contained in the ocean alkalinity product 113-OUT into an ocean 50 at a maximum
safe delivery rate to facilitate atmospheric CO2 reduction and mitigate
ocean acidification. Release apparatus 200 includes a diffuser 210 having
plenum chamber 212 defining one or more exit ports 214, flow control mechanism 220 that controls a delivery (volumetric flow) rate of the ocean alkalinity product 113-OUT through the exit port(s) 214 into an
outfall region 51-1R (i.e., an ocean region (volume of
seawater) surrounding the diffuser 210), sensors 230 for measuring
seawater parameters (e.g., one or more of
ionic composition [
hardness],
turbidity, pH, alkalinity, DIC, temperature,
salinity, current speed and / or direction) in the
outfall region 51-1R, and a controller 180 configured to control an operating (actuation) state of the flow control device 220 (e.g., by way of generating and transmitting a flow
control signal 183) in accordance with the measured
seawater parameters (i.e., provided by way of sensor signals 182).
Plenum chamber 212 is anchored or otherwise maintained at an
outfall location 51-1 by securing structures 217 and is maintained at a constant depth D (e.g., a meter or two) below the ocean surface 50S by floating structures 215 with the exit ports 215 aimed toward the ocean surface.