Spherical ADCP Buoys & Flotation (Syntactic)
For Subsurface Oceanographic Moorings
Mooring Systems, Inc. manufactures spherical shaped subsurface buoyancy for ADCP buoy applications with integral stainless steel instrument mounting frames, or with single strength members for use as primary or back-up mooring flotation.
Above: 47" dual LR 75kHz
Above: 35" float during recovery
Spherical buoys with internally mounted instruments will greatly reduce current drag and improve mooring performance.
ADCP transducers and other sensors can be better directed up to the surface when mounted inside the well of syntactic buoys.
Above: 35" floats
Above: 35" AWAC buoy
Using a fewer number of floats by increasing the diameter of the float will also greatly reduce horizontal drag.
The cross sectional area affected by ocean currents is smaller when using fewer larger floats with equal buoyancy to that of many small floats.
Above: Battery housing "bottom"
Above: Transducer "top"
Example:
- 35" diameter float rated for 1000m and buoyancy of 450 lbs. is equal in buoyancy to (8) 17" diameter floats. As you can see, (1) 35" float will have far less drag than (8) 17" floats.
Spherical ADCP Buoy Specifications:
| Model | SB-30 | SB-35 | SB-47 | SB-65 |
| Diameter | 30" (76 cm) | 35" (90 cm) | 47" (120 cm) | 65" (165 cm) |
| Depth | 300 m | 300 m | 300 m | 300 m |
| Buoyancy | 255 lbs. (117 kg) | 436 lbs. (199 kg) | 1148 lbs. (525 kg) | 3200 lbs. (1450 kg) |
| Depth | 1000 m | 1000 m | 1000 m | 1000 m |
| Buoyancy | 223 lbs. (102 kg) | 381 lbs. (174 kg) | 1004 lbs. (459 kg) | 2800 lbs. (1270 kg) |
| Depth | 1500 m | 1500 m | 1500 m | 1500 m |
| Buoyancy | 197 lbs. (90 kg) | 338 lbs. (154 kg) | 890 lbs. (407 kg) | 2500 lbs. (1134 kg) |
| Depth | 2000 m | 2000 m | 2000 m | 2000 m |
| Buoyancy | 166 lbs. (76 kg) | 283 lbs. (129 kg) | 740 lbs. (341 kg) | 2100 lbs. (950 kg) |
Spherical Float Specifications:
| Model | SF-30 | SF-35 | SF-47 | SF-65 |
| Depth | 300 m | 300 m | 300 m | 300 m |
| Buoyancy | 327 lbs. (149 kg) | 520 lbs. (238 kg) | 1258 lbs. (575 kg) | 3200 lbs. (1450 kg) |
| Depth | 1000 m | 1000 m | 1000 m | 1000 m |
| Buoyancy | 286 lbs. (131 kg) | 455 lbs. (208 kg) | 1101 lbs. (503 kg) | 2800 lbs. (1270 kg) |
| Depth | 1500 m | 1500 m | 1500 m | 1500 m |
| Buoyancy | 253 lbs. (116 kg) | 403 lbs. (184 kg) | 975 lbs. (446 kg) | 2500 lbs. (1134 kg) |
| Depth | 2000 m | 2000 m | 2000 m | 2000 m |
| Buoyancy | 213 lbs. (97 kg) | 338 lbs. (154 kg) | 818 lbs. (374 kg) | 2100 lbs. (950 kg) |
| Depth | 3000 m | 3000 m | 3000 m | 3000 m |
| Buoyancy | 180 lbs. (82 kg) | 286 lbs. (131 kg) | 622 lbs. (284 kg) | 1800 lbs. (815 kg) |
Above: 65" ADCP buoys
Above: 47" ADCP buoys & frames
- Features:
- Syntactic Composite Buoyancy Material
- Standard & Custom Instrument Frame Designs
- Unobstructed Transducer Beams (Doppler Profilers)
- High Strength, 5,000 & 10,000 lbs. (2,273 kg & 4,545 kg)
- Integral Pressure Case Clamping Bands
- Type 316 Stainless Steel Frame Construction
- Corrosion Resistant with Isolation Bushings & Anodes
- Electro-Polished Stainless
- Single Strength Members in Stainless or Galvanized Steel
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Above: 47" dual LR 75kHz
Above: 35" float during recovery
Above: 35" floats
Above: 35" AWAC buoy
Above Left: Battery housing "bottom"
Above Right: Transducer "top"
Above Left: 65" ADCP buoys
Above Right: 47" ADCP buoys & frames
Ellipsoid-Shaped Low Drag Buoys (Syntactic)
For Subsurface Oceanographic Moorings
Mooring Systems, Inc. manufactures an ellipsoid-shaped subsurface buoy that provides a lower drag coefficient than traditional shaped spherical buoys.
Above: Ellipsoid float
Above: Ellipsoid-shaped buoy
The ellipsoid buoy improves mooring performance by reducing lay down caused by water currents.
Ellipsoid shapes are more predictable and have lower risk than other non-spherical buoyancy modules.
Above: Plastic floats 300m depth
Above: Syntactic foam to 3km depth
Configurations are offered with single strength members as general mooring flotation, or with integral stainless steel instrument frames.
Above: Ellipsoid ADCP buoy (shown with Workhorse ADCP)
Mounting for Aquadopp, AWAC, RDCP, ADP
During mooring recovery operations, ellipsoid-shaped buoys provide excellent vertical position of beacons unlike spherical buoys with unbalanced instrument payloads that roll in ocean waves.
- Features:
- Syntactic Foam for Deep Water
- Internal Plastic Floats for Shallow Water
- Standard and Custom Instrument Frame Designs
- Unobstructed Beams (Doppler Profilers)
- High Strength, 5k & 10k lbs. (2.3 kg & 4.5 kg)
- Type 316 Stainless Steel Frame Construction
- Electro-Polished, Isolation Bushings
- Galvanized or SS Single Strength Members
Ellipsoid-Shaped Buoy Specifications:
| Model | EB-33-P5 | EB-33 | EB-46 | EB-58 |
| Material | (5) Internal Plastic Floats | Syntactic Foam | Syntactic Foam | Syntactic Foam |
| 300m | 80 lbs. (36 kg) | 200 lbs. (90 kg) | 630 lbs. (285 kg) | 1155 lbs. (524 kg) |
| 1000m | - | 160 lbs. (72 kg) | 550 lbs. (250 kg) | 1000 lbs. (453 kg) |
| 1500m | - | 150 lbs. (68 kg) | 480 lbs. (217 kg) | 925 lbs. (420 kg) |
| 2000m | - | 120 lbs. (54 kg) | 400 lbs. (181 kg) | 800 lbs. (362 kg) |
| 3000m | - | 100 lbs. (45 kg) | 330 lbs. (150 kg) | 600 lbs. (273 kg) |
Ellipsoid-Shaped Float Specifications:
| Model | EF-33-P6 | EF-33 | EF-46 | EF-58 |
| Material | (6) Internal Plastic Floats | Syntactic Foam | Syntactic Foam | Syntactic Foam |
| 300m | 110 lbs. (50 kg) | 240 lbs. (108 kg) | 700 lbs. (317 kg) | 1200 lbs. (544 kg) |
| 1000m | - | 195 lbs. (88 kg) | 600 lbs. (272 kg) | 1100 lbs. (498 kg) |
| 1500m | - | 170 lbs. (77 kg) | 530 lbs. (240 kg) | 970 lbs. (441 kg) |
| 2000m | - | 150 lbs. (68 kg) | 450 lbs. (204 kg) | 790 lbs. (358 kg) |
| 3000m | - | 125 lbs. (56 kg) | 380 lbs. (172 kg) | 640 lbs. (291 kg) |
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Above: Ellipsoid float
Above: Ellipsoid-shaped buoy
Above Left: Plastic floats 300m depth
Above Right: Syntactic foam to 3km depth
Above: Ellipsoid ADCP buoy (shown with Workhorse ADCP)
Mounting for Aquadopp, AWAC, RDCP, ADP
Plastic Subsurface Floats
Mooring Buoyancy
Mooring Systems, Inc. utilizes plastic commercial fishing floats for use in a variety of instrument mooring applications.
Above: Double (14") float configuration
Buoyancy: 75 lbs. (34 kg)
Above: Plastic floats packaged with optional yellow paint
Configurations include; subsurface mooring flotation, instrument frame buoyancy, and pop-up recovery buoys for bottom mounts.
The basic configuration of placing floats in series on a single strength member provides an inexpensive buoyancy alternative in relatively shallow water applications.
Galvanized steel strength members and shackle attachment eyes provide 5,000 pounds of strength.
Neoprene washers are used to protect the plastic when secured tightly on the steel rod. Floats are available in single double or triple assemblies.
Our trawl resistant Bottom Mounts (TRBM) have used these floats for over a decade as pop-up recovery buoys when used in conjunction with acoustic releases and recovery line canisters.
Float Specifications:
| Float Diameter | 11" (280 mm) | 14" (360 mm) |
| Buoyancy | 19 lbs. (8.8 kg) | 39 lbs. (17.6 kg) |
| Depth Rating | 400 m | 800 m |
| Weight (Air) | 5 lbs. (2.4 kg) | 15.7 lbs. (7.1 kg) |
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Above: Double (14") float configuration
Buoyancy: 75 lbs. (34 kg)
Above: Plastic floats packaged with optional yellow paint
Steel Subsurface Floats
Mooring Systems, Inc. manufactures steel flotation spheres for use as in shallow water oceanographic mooring applications.
Above: SSF-30 shipment for Arctic moorings
Above: Subsurface float product shipments at our Cataumet, MA facility
Steel spheres have been in use for over 30 years and continue to provide benefits to oceanographers and marine engineers for long term deployment of instrumentation and sample collection apparatus.
Improve Mooring Performance
Steel floats are larger in volume than alternative plastic and glass floats, providing greater buoyancy per float.
This advantage translates to better mooring performance as fewer floats for the same given buoyancy will result in lower drag.
- Features:
- Internal Steel Strength Member
- Two Mooring Attachment Points
- Lifting Point with Large Ring for Easy Pick-Up
- Zinc Anodes for Corrosion Protection
- Sandblasted Prior to Applying Coating
- Coated with Zinc Rich Primer
- Top Coated with Marine Epoxy Paint
Steel Flotation Sphere Specifications:
| Model | SSF-30 | SSF-37 |
| Size | 30" (76 cm) | 37" (94 cm) |
| Buoyancy | 370 lbs. (168 kg) | 700 lbs. (317 kg) |
| Depth Rating | 1,250 ft. (380 m) | 1,250 ft. (380 m) |
| Weight (Air) | 165 lbs. (75 kg) | 302 lbs. (137 kg) |
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Above: SSF-30 shipment for Arctic moorings
Above: Subsurface float product shipments at our Cataumet, MA facility