CALGARY, AB (January 30, 2024) Kinitics Automation (“Kinitics”) has successfully demonstrated its innovative electric valve actuator at the University of Calgary, the laboratory host site for the NGIF Emission Testing Centre (ETC) program.
Kinitics, a Vancouver-based company, developed the Electric Valve Actuator (KVA), designed to replace methane-venting pneumatic actuators. This solution has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating a source of methane released during venting from natural gas-driven pneumatic actuators, which are widely used across the natural gas value chain.
Image: Kinitics Electric Valve Actuator, designed to replace the commonly used methane-venting pneumatic actuators in natural gas wells.
The project was designed to evaluate the actuator’s positional performance at a variety of temperatures. The actuator was found to be highly accurate, reaching the target positions within 0.1% at all tested temperatures, and was able to respond to motion commands of 0.25% – the smallest commanded value. A differential pressure test was also performed, which demonstrated the actuator could maintain a closed valve state with a 4000kPa(g) differential pressure present across the valve. The test program revealed the electric valve actuator to meet or exceed the performance of traditional pneumatic actuators.
“The Emissions Testing Centre program is a plug-and-play testing platform for cleantech startups to validate their emissions reduction solutions in both a simulated laboratory and live operating test environment,” said John Adams, President and CEO of NGIF Accelerator. “Together with our partners, Natural Resources Canada, Perpetual Energy, Tourmaline, and the University of Calgary, we have created an unprecedented opportunity with this program to enable substantial reductions in methane emissions.” Adams closed with, “Kinitics utilized our program to generate shareable results for future customers and investors.”
“The ETC program facilitated our need to conduct comprehensive testing of the KVA in a simulated environment. This allowed us to place equipment in the University of Calgary laboratory for testing, resulting in the collection of crucial data. As a result, we were able to instill confidence in our customer base to carry the products forward into relevant industrial environments that we have since deployed into,” said Dean Pick, President and CEO of Kinitics Automation.
“It is great to see the NGIF ETC supporting Kinitics Automation’s solution. When we created the NGIF ETC, it was our vision to provide an avenue for Canada’s natural gas industry to assess cleantech solutions, access data, and inform efforts around emissions management. I am glad to see our vision in action,” said Timothy M. Egan, President and CEO of the Canadian Gas Association and Chair of NGIF Capital Corporation, which operates the NGIF Emissions Testing Centre.
The public-facing reports about this ETC program user are accessible via www.cerinprojects.ca. The website houses all the reports of technology testing through the Emissions Testing Centre program and is maintained by the CERIN program.
About NGIF Emissions Testing Centre Program
The ETC Program is a collaborative industry, government, and academia initiative headed by the NGIF Accelerator, providing startups with a dedicated space to develop, test, and field-validate technologies to measure, monitor, and reduce methane emissions. The program is unique by providing technology innovators with free-to-test access to support a rapid scale-up of technologies from concept to commercial-ready deployment. The ETC lab at the University of Calgary provides capabilities to test and de-risk technologies in a controlled environment, complemented by live field trials at the West Wolf Lake Gas Plant (jointly owned by Tourmaline Oil Corp. and Perpetual Energy) along with other Tourmaline assets.
About NGIF Accelerator
NGIF Accelerator is the not-for-profit arm of NGIF Capital and operates all technology and innovation programs. The NGIF Accelerator mandate is to de-risk and accelerate technology development by supporting startups through their pilot projects, field trials, and industry validation. It will coordinate with federal and provincial governments to co-fund projects to advance market commercialization. NGIF Accelerator currently operates the Industry Grants program and the Emissions Testing Centre program.
About Kinitics Automation
Kinitics Automation is a Vancouver-based company with roots in the automotive and power-generation industries. Kinitics is a leading company in developing motion control products using shape memory alloy (SMA) materials. Kinitics manufactures its line of Linear Actuators and Piston Pumps based on the company’s Bundled Wire technology. To learn more about Kinitics and its valve actuator, please visit www.kiniticsautomation.com
About Canadian Gas Association
The Canadian Gas Association (CGA) is the voice of Canada’s gaseous energy delivery industry, including natural gas, renewable natural gas (RNG), and hydrogen. CGA membership includes energy distribution and transmission companies, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers of goods and services to the industry.
Fund Information:
John Adams
President and CEO, NGIF Accelerator
President and CEO, NGIF Capital Corporation
(613)-748-0057
jadams@ngif.ca
Media Information:
Dini Philip
Communications Coordinator, NGIF Capital Corporation
(403)-389-2090
dphilip@ngif.ca
