Reynolds & Bauhm provides engineering consultancy for UK university research projects. Scale-up feasibility, material selection for novel chemistries, and regulatory compliance for research equipment.
University research produces the treatment breakthroughs of the next decade. But moving from peer-reviewed theory to installed pilot or demonstration plant requires practical engineering judgement that only comes from building and commissioning real equipment in real plants.
Our consultancy service gives your research team direct access to chemical engineers, process designers, and fabrication specialists who understand both the theoretical rigour of academic research and the practical constraints of equipment manufacture. We help you avoid scale-up surprises, material incompatibilities, and regulatory obstacles before they become publication delays.
We assess your bench-scale results against manufacturable geometry, practical flow rates, and achievable tolerances. Identifying the dimensionless groups that must be preserved and those that can be relaxed.
Evaluating material compatibility, corrosion rates, and degradation mechanisms for chemicals and conditions outside standard design databases. Supporting your risk assessment and ethics submission.
Guidance on Pressure Equipment Regulations, COSHH assessments, CE marking, and university health and safety requirements for non-standard research equipment.
Four consultancy pathways that help your research move smoothly from hypothesis to working equipment.
A structured technical review of your bench-scale or modelling results, identifying the critical parameters that must be preserved at pilot and demonstration scale. We calculate expected performance degradation, propose compensating design measures, and flag the scale-up risks that peer reviewers will ask about.
For novel chemistries, extreme pH ranges, or emerging contaminants, we review published corrosion data, recommend appropriate material selections, and propose protective measures. Full documentation for your safety office and grant reporting requirements.
Practical guidance on hydraulic design, mixing intensity, aeration efficiency, and separation geometry based on your target performance metrics. We help you identify the process variables that will give the strongest experimental results with the most robust statistical significance.
Technical writing support for research grant applications, equipment procurement justifications, and ethics committee submissions. Including cost breakdowns, risk assessments, and environmental impact statements prepared by qualified engineers.
The engineering parameters that must be preserved — and those that can be relaxed — when moving from laboratory to pilot to full scale.
| Group | Symbol | Relevance | Preserve? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reynolds number | Re = ρuL/μ | Flow regime, mixing | Yes — turbulent regime essential |
| Damköhler number | Da = kτ | Reaction vs residence time | Yes — maintain conversion |
| Sherwood number | Sh = kL/D | Mass transfer coefficient | Yes — for diffusion-limited steps |
| Power number | Np = P/(ρn³D⁵) | Impeller power draw | Yes — for geometric similarity |
| Froude number | Fr = u²/gL | Gravity wave effects | Sometimes — surface aeration only |
| Weber number | We = ρu²L/σ | Droplet/bubble formation | Sometimes — atomisation, DAF |
Key principle: If the dominant mechanism is reaction kinetics (Da ≫ 1), maintain HRT and temperature. If mass transfer dominates (Sh-controlled), maintain specific interfacial area a (m²/m³) and turbulence intensity ε (W/kg).
Mixing time θm ∝ T^(2/3) / Np^(1/3) for geometrically similar vessels. A 10× scale-up in volume increases mixing time by 10^(2/9) ≈ 1.3× if tip speed is held constant — often acceptable.
Surface-to-volume ratio falls as 1/L. Exothermic reactions that are thermally stable at lab scale may runaway at pilot scale. Jacketed vessels or internal coils required if ΔT_ad > 50 K.
kLa typically decreases with scale at constant power/volume. Compensate by increasing ε (W/m³) 20–40% above lab value, or switch to finer bubble diffusers.
Peclet number Pe = uL/D_axial. Pe increases with scale, shifting reactor behaviour toward plug-flow. Pilot designs often include baffles or staged CSTRs to match lab RTD.
A focused technical meeting or written review on a specific scale-up, materials, or design question. Delivered within five working days of receiving your research summary and questions.
Ongoing consultancy through the duration of your research project. Regular design reviews, progress assessments, and problem-solving support as your experimental programme develops.
Deep collaboration including joint publication, shared IP arrangements, and co-supervision of postgraduate research. We contribute industrial relevance and fabrication expertise to strengthen your funding applications.
Typical pilot-scale units we design, fabricate, and commission for university research programmes.
Working volume 5–50 L. Jacketed 316L SS vessel with variable-speed agitator (0–600 rpm), temperature control (5–95 °C), and pH/ORP feedback dosing. RTD tracer ports for residence time studies.
Submerged hollow-fibre or flat-sheet membrane module (0.5–2 m²) in 20–100 L aeration basin. Permeate pump with flux control (10–40 LMH), back-pulse cleaning, and TMP logging. COD, NH₃-N, and turbidity online.
UV-H₂O₂ or photo-Fenton reactor with medium-pressure UV lamp (1–5 kW), quartz sleeve cooling, hydrogen peroxide dosing pump, and online TOC analyser. Batch or continuous operation modes.
Compact DAF cell (1–10 L/min) with pressurisation vessel (3–6 barg), adjustable recycle ratio (10–50%), and lamella settler option. Coagulant/flocculant dosing with jar-test correlation.
This treatment stage is engineered to achieve specific contaminant removal targets while providing stable, predictable performance across variable inlet conditions. Design parameters are calculated from wastewater characterisation data, regulatory requirements, and site-specific constraints including footprint, energy availability, and operator capability.
Design validated by CFD modelling and pilot testing to confirm performance guarantees.
Equipment selected for 20-year design life with minimal wearing parts and easy access.
Automated dosing and feedback control minimise reagent consumption and sludge production.
Online monitoring and data logging demonstrate continuous consent compliance.
| Design Flow | 10 – 5,000 m³/h (application specific) |
| Inlet Variability | Designed for 1:3 peak-to-average flow ratio |
| Removal Efficiency | 85 – 99% depending on target contaminant |
| Hydraulic Retention | Calculated from kinetic constants and safety factors |
| Power Consumption | 0.5 – 5.0 kWh/100 m³ (process dependent) |
| Chemical Dose | Auto-controlled based on online analysers |
| Sludge Production | 0.2 – 1.5 kg DS/kg contaminant removed |
| Materials | SS304, SS316L, or carbon steel with coating |
No treatment stage operates in isolation. This process is designed to receive conditioned influent from upstream stages and deliver effluent quality suitable for downstream processes. Hydraulic and organic loading rates are balanced across the complete treatment train to prevent bottlenecking and ensure overall plant efficiency. Our engineers model the complete flowsheet to optimise Capital expenditure and Operating expenditure across the plant lifecycle.
Screening, equalisation, and pre-treatment protect this stage from damage and overload.
Effluent quality ensures downstream biology, filtration, or disinfection performs optimally.
Reject streams, filtrate, and centrate are routed back to appropriate upstream points.
Evaluate laboratory discoveries for industrial scale-up potential. We assess reaction kinetics, mass transfer limitations, and economic viability within 4 weeks.
Translate bench-scale parameters into pilot plant P&IDs with full instrumentation, safety systems, and data acquisition for robust experimental validation.
Guide research equipment through PUWER, CE marking, and ATEX compliance. Our chartered engineers sign off hazard and risk assessments for university installations.
Support patent filing with engineering evidence, techno-economic analyses, and investor-ready documentation for spin-out ventures and licensing deals.
Our engineers co-author peer-reviewed papers with university partners, bringing industrial validation to laboratory discoveries. Recent collaborations have produced publications in Water Research, Chemical Engineering Journal, and Environmental Science & Technology on topics including advanced oxidation processes, membrane bioreactor fouling control, and novel coagulant chemistry.
Beyond publication, we ensure research outcomes reach industrial application. Our consultancy includes scale-up engineering, vendor engagement, and trial management with industrial partners who ultimately license or adopt the technology.
Initial consultation to understand research objectives, constraints, and timeline. We review laboratory data, publications, and preliminary results.
Formal proposal with deliverables, milestones, and fees. Clear intellectual property terms agreed with university contracts office.
Detailed technical evaluation including process modelling, material selection, and regulatory pathway assessment.
Engineering drawings, P&IDs, hazard assessments, and equipment specifications delivered in university format.
Tender documentation, vendor evaluation, and factory acceptance testing on behalf of the research team.
On-site commissioning, operator training, and ongoing technical support for the research programme lifecycle.
Contact our engineering team to discuss your research project. We will review your objectives, identify the practical engineering questions that need answering, and propose a consultancy scope that supports your publication timeline.
Our expertise spans multiple industries with sector-specific water treatment solutions.