BHGI Completes Buoy Design for NYPA

Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) was contracted by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to provide naval architecture and marine engineering services to review and analyze a Canadian Coast Guard buoy for required internal ballast and mooring in order to secure the buoy moorings in tailrace waters.

NYPA’s fast water warning buoys had reached the end of their life cycle. BHGI conducted a site visit at the Moses-Saunders Power Dam in Massena, NY. The purpose of the visit was to inspect the tailrace buoys currently installed downstream of the dam and to discuss possible new designs developments with NYPA’s engineers. BHGI, assisted NYPA personnel, inspected all of the buoys currently installed while gathering data in field conditions and buoy performance. 

BHGI produced a new tailrace buoy design, incorporating details of the Canadian Coast Guard buoy desired by NYPA. The new buoy also includes reoriented battery boxes for ease of maintenance; ballast compartments for adjustable trim; a taller tower to fit a larger, more visible warning sign and light; and an enhanced mooring system to assure secure placement and allow the buoy to self-deploy with only existing NYPA small boat support. Computational Fluid Dynamics analyses was conducted on the new design to confirm the desired performance once deployed.