Pumped seawater supply, filtration, temperature control and compliant discharge for marine research laboratories, aquaria and species-cultivation facilities — engineered from open-ocean and industrial intakes right down to small, building-integrated systems.
A marine research facility depends critically on the quality and reliability of its seawater. The organisms being studied — seagrass, larvae, shellfish, finfish or whole reef micro-ecosystems — are sensitive to turbidity, temperature swings, dissolved-gas changes, residual chlorine and pathogen carry-over. Reynolds & Bauhm designs the complete chain from the shoreline to the tank and back to sea: a screened, low-velocity intake that protects marine life, duty/standby pumping, multi-stage filtration and disinfection, temperature and oxygen control, gravity distribution to the research tanks, and a consented discharge. We build these at industrial scale for desalination and power plants — and scale the same engineering down to a single research building.
Six coordinated sub-systems, each specified to the facility’s flow, water quality and the species being held.
A subsurface (beach-well / infiltration gallery) or screened open intake with a through-screen velocity ≤0.15 m/s to protect larvae and fish, minimising impingement and entrainment.
Intake OptionsDuty/standby seawater pumps in corrosion-resistant materials (super-duplex, titanium, GRP-lined), sized for peak demand with VSD control and an N+1 philosophy for continuity of supply.
Media, screen and fine cartridge filtration with UV (and optional ozone) to strip sediment, plankton, larvae and pathogens before water reaches the tanks.
Filtration TrainTitanium plate heat-exchangers and chillers/heaters hold tank temperature to within tight tolerances regardless of seasonal sea-temperature swing.
A gravity header tank gives surge-free, pulsation-free supply to each tank or raceway, with flow-balancing and independent isolation per experiment.
Compliant return to sea — de-chlorination, solids removal and thermal/quality control — with the design documentation to support an abstraction and discharge consent.
ConsentingThe right choice depends on the species, the available intake quality and the discharge consent.
Fresh seawater is drawn, treated, passed once through the tanks and returned to sea. Simple, mimics natural conditions and avoids accumulation — ideal where the intake is clean and a discharge consent is available. Higher pumping and heating/cooling load.
Seawater is re-used through biological filtration, foam fractionation, UV and re-oxygenation, with a small make-up bleed. Cuts intake, heating and discharge volumes by 90–99%, gives tight environmental control, and suits sensitive or quarantined stock. More plant, more monitoring.
Life-Support SystemsIndicative values for a small building-integrated facility — refined to your species and tank schedule.
| Parameter | Typical research-scale basis | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Intake flow | 1–50 m³/h | Sized on tank volumes × turnover, plus standby |
| Through-screen velocity | ≤ 0.15 m/s | Protects larvae/fish (impingement & entrainment) |
| Tank turnover | 1–6 exchanges/hour | Maintains DO, removes metabolites |
| Fine filtration | 10–50 µm (down to 1 µm for larvae work) | Removes sediment, plankton, larvae |
| Disinfection | UV 40–100 mJ/cm² (± ozone) | Pathogen/biosecurity control |
| Temperature control | ± 0.5–1.0 °C | Species health & experiment repeatability |
| Wetted materials | Super-duplex, titanium, GRP, HDPE, PVC-U | Chloride corrosion & non-toxicity to stock |
We routinely engineer seawater intakes for desalination and power stations, so the hydraulic, corrosion and biofouling fundamentals are well-proven — we simply right-size them. For an MEP consultant or architect, we work as the specialist behind your scheme: concept and feasibility, intake siting and screening, pump and filtration specification, P&IDs and equipment schedules, and the supporting calculations for environmental consent. The deliverable can be a design package for your tender, a packaged/skid-mounted plant, or a full turnkey supply.
Send us the tank schedule, target species and site — we’ll advise on intake type, flows, filtration and discharge, and prepare a specification your scheme can build from.
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