Magellen Engineering
Developing a remote-controlled drilling robot, uDesign Solutions helped defuse potentially explosive gas canisters that had been buried on Victoria Island for over 100 years.
In the summer of 2018, three large, severely corroded scuba tanks were unexpectedly discovered on Victoria Island in downtown Ottawa. These tanks were revealed to be the long-buried gas canisters from inventor Thomas Leopold “Carbide” Willson’s failed experiment over a century ago. Magellen Engineering, specializing in nuclear and chemical weapons, enlisted uDesign Solutions to create a remote-controlled drilling robot for a unique mission. Chris Falconi, the director of uDesign Solutions, shared this remarkable product development project on CBC.
The canisters concealed mysterious, potentially explosive gases, making their decommissioning a high-risk endeavor. To mitigate the risk, a secure bunker was meticulously constructed, fortified with sandbags and a specialized air filtration system. Since most of the canister taps had rusted away, traditional draining methods were ineffective. Here, the remote-controlled robot played a pivotal role.
To neutralize the canisters, the robot methodically released the gases inside. The process involved securing the canister to the ground and attaching the drilling robot via a magnet. A small hole was drilled to safely drain the unknown gas mixture. After adequate time had passed, an individual in protective gear verified the status and employed a larger drill bit to ensure complete gas removal, ensuring safe transportation and disposal.
This mission, which commenced in the challenging cold of February, required the product development team to engineer devices capable of functioning in extreme conditions. Moreover, the task of decommissioning potentially explosive gas canisters in downtown Ottawa demanded exceptional caution. While eight canisters have been safely decommissioned, the drilling robot’s mission remains ongoing, with 200 to 300 more canisters awaiting defusing. The comprehensive land cleanup is anticipated to conclude by summer 2019.
