FACILITY DESCRIPTION

FEATURES & CAPABILITIES

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OHMSETT FACILITY
NWS EARLE WATERFRONT
ROUTE 36, BUILDING R-26
LEONARDO, NJ 07737
Ph 732-866-7183

Ohmsett is located at the Naval Weapons Station Earle Waterfront in scenic Leonardo, New Jersey (approximately one hour south of New York City). Ohmsett's above ground concrete test tank is one of the largest of its kind, measuring 203 meters long by 20 meters wide by 3.4 meters deep. The tank is filled with 2.6 million gallons of crystal clear saltwater.

The Ohmsett test tank allows testing of full-scale equipment. The tank's wave generator creates realistic sea environments, while state-of-the-art data collection and video systems record test results. Our facility has proven to be ideal for testing equipment, evaluating acquisition options, and validating research findings.

Government agencies, academia, public and private companies are invited to contract the use of Ohmsett as a research center to test oil spill containment/clean-up equipment and techniques, to test new designs in response equipment, and to conduct training with actual oil spill response technologies.

Through a variety of mechanical, electrical, and chemical systems at Ohmsett,
the following test parameters can be controlled or measured:

▪ Sea state (wave height, length, and period)
▪ Tow speed
▪ Meteorological data
▪ Water temperature and salinity
▪ Volume of oil encountered and recovered by test equipment or protocol
▪ Oil-water ratios
▪ Physical characteristics of experimental oil
▪ Behavior of treated oils

Sunken Oil Floor

Herders in Broken Ice

▪ A main towing bridge capable of towing test equipment at speeds up to 6.5 knots
▪ An auxiliary bridge oil recovery system to quantify skimmer recovery rates
▪ A wave generator capable of simulating regular waves up to one meter in height,
  as well as a simulated harbor chop, FM Slides with selectable: slue rates, start and stop;
  Pierson-Moskowitz & JONSWAP spectra parameterized by wind speed & scale
▪ A movable, wave-damping artificial beach
▪ An oil distribution and recovery system that can handle heavy, viscous oils and emulsions
▪ A control tower with a fully-computerized 32-channel data collection system as well as above-and below-water video
▪ A centrifuge system to recover and recycle test oil
▪ Blending tanks with a water and oil distribution system to produce custom oil/water emulsions for testing
▪ A filtration and oil/water separator system
▪ An electrolytic chlorinator to control biological activity
▪ Permanent and mobile storage tanks that can hold over 227,000 liters of test fluids
▪ A vacuum bridge to clean the bottom of the tank
▪ Staging and shop area for special fabrication
▪ On-site Chemistry Laboratory
▪ 15,000 lb forklift

Advanced Oil Spill Response Strategies & Tactics Training

BSEE Sponsors Ice Month

Ohmsett Gazette
Hurricane Sandy
Special Edition

Clean Gulf 2012
Poster Presentation

Ohmsett Gazette
Fall/Winter Issue

BSEE Director Watson
Visits Ohmsett