Kentucky awards $150,000 to develop barge monitoring technology
March 26th, 2010 - 12:48 am ICT by BNO NewsFRANKFORT, KENTUCKY (BNO NEWS) – The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development’s High-Tech Pool awarded $150,000 to Waterway Innovations for developing two monitoring systems that relay vital information to barge owners and operators, Governor Steve Beshear announced on Thursday.
“As a top coal producing state, Kentucky has long relied on river barges to move our coal to power plants. The awards will not only create new high-paying jobs, but will support the further development of advanced technologies that can help barge owners and operators ensure the continued safe and efficient river transport of coal and other valuable bulk cargo,” Governor Beshear said.
Waterway Innovations’ first monitoring system is known as BargeOptimizer. It is a solar-powered system that communicates wirelessly with battery-powered sensors located on each barge wing tank, which are air-filled tanks used to keep the barge afloat. If water ingress is detected an alarm goes on. The system is compatible with barges that transport bulk solid materials.
The DraftOptimizer features a small, hand-held unit that produces an easy-to-read display of the water line along all four sides of a barge as it is being loaded. Ultrasonic sensors installed on the barge sides measure the distance to the water surface and transmit this information wirelessly to the hand-held device.
The two systems will provide cost-saving opportunities for barge operators and owners, including more effective use of manpower, reducing insurance premiums, minimizing missed drop-offs and helping avoid barge collisions.
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Tags: barge operators, bno, bulk cargo, frankfort kentucky, high paying jobs, information wirelessly, insurance premiums, kentucky cabinet, monitoring systems, monitoring technology, power plants, river barges, river transport, solid materials, steve beshear, ultrasonic sensors, water ingress, water line, water surface, wing tank