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BOOM CONFIGURATION TESTS FOR CALM-WATER, MEDIUM-CURRENT OIL SPILL DIVERSION
Citation:
Breslin, M. BOOM CONFIGURATION TESTS FOR CALM-WATER, MEDIUM-CURRENT OIL SPILL DIVERSION. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/2-78/186.
Description:
The purpose of this test program was to determine the effects of boom angle, length, and rigging configuration on diversion of oil floating on moving streams. The B.F. Goodrich Seaboom was chosen for the program because of its availability, durability, and stability. It was rigged in different diversionary modes and towed into an oil slick at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Oil & Hazardous Materials Simulated Environmental Test Tank (OHMSETT) facility at various speeds, until critical stability speed was attained. Boom performance was recorded on photographs, video tapes, and observer notes. Results were evaluated in terms of the percentage of oil lost beneath the boom and away from the rear of the boom. A 'nozzle-shaped' boom configuration achieved the best diversion at tow speeds examined above 1.0 m/s. Different exits from the nozzle configuration were investigated to find which one released the oil with the least amount of entrainment and spreading. A straight exit with tapered ends worked best. Tests were conducted in accordance with a test matrix developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.