Comments on: Energy and Mobility

By: Friso van Reesema

Friso van Reesema — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:20:59 +0000

Carter, are hydraulic systems another form of energy production that may be more suitable in salt water? I heard there are a few wind generators in Liberty Park now.

By: Carter Craft

Carter Craft — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:53:35 +0000

As the urbanomnibus feature on the Floating Pool highlights, there are a lot of floating structures out there – including barges as well as the vessels underway. Every one of them has some sort of relationship to the environment. Ships that move around may be minimal, but moored barges or floating structures cast shadows that many in the regulatory community feel have very undesirable impacts. Every one of these structures — fast ferry and floating pool alike — could be outfit with monitoring technology to help us all better understand the “life beneath.”

To learn more consider attending the Hudson River Foundation’s seminar next week with a focus on floating structures and regulation: http://www.hudsonriver.org/public_programs.htm
or read about how Stevens Institute of Technology has adapted a 124 year old schooner to perform 21st century scientific observation and data collection: note-this links to a .pdf: http://www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/32/reports/docs/06/pobruno.pdf

By: Rik van Hemmen

Rik van Hemmen — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:16:42 +0000

Probably best to build the wheel as part of a barge and then to float barge and wheel to the site and tie it up. You could make a wheel that ties to an existing barge on a side, but it would probably cost the same, if not more, and would make the wheel exposed and difficult to service.

As far as the barge for the wheel is concerned, it would look like a rectangular barge with a rectangular moon pool cut into the middle that contains the wheel.

By: Keith Rodan

Keith Rodan — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:56:05 +0000

Paddle wheels do seem to be a more viable choice.

A Spudded barge? Should funding be found, the innovative John Krevy, of Pier 63 Maritime might be interested in hosting a trial installation on his 300+ foot spudded rail barge, presently at its new home at Pier 66.

Could this help make his multiuse, publicly-accessible attraction self-sustaining? As an electrical contractor, John would have an understanding about using power efficiently.

His Pier 66 barge’s amenities require electricity: a restaurant/cafe, several large vessels tied alongside, a theatrical lighting and sound system, and a below- decks shop.

How do you design and fit a 50 or 100′ experimental tide mill to the barge’s bottom? Could it be assembled and then welded underwater? What sort of environmentally-safe design could yield enough energy to supply some, most, or all of John’s power requirements?

By: Rik van Hemmen

Rik van Hemmen — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:16:26 +0000

As a Naval Architect, the semi-fixed tidal turbines on the bottom of the East River along Roosevelt Island have always left me slightly uncomfortable. They are obstructions that stick up from the bottom.

How about building recreational piers, or use spudded barges where the generators are hung underneath the pier or barge?

One could engineer a solution where the tidal generators can be hinged above the water for maintenance too.

Spudded barges are real nice since they provide a working top surface, can be moved when needed, rise with the tide, which allows them to take advantage of the more rapidly moving top surface of the river and clearly exclude other traffic from the space where the turbines are positioned.

While I have not studied the subject deeply, I am also surprised at the focus on propellers, since they are expensive and not all that great for the low current speeds. Articulated paddle wheels should be more efficient, can cover a rectangular current cross section rather than adjoining circular disks and will not impact fish or other marine life.

By: Linda Halpern Campbell

Linda Halpern Campbell — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:41:14 +0000

Excellent succinct thanks