Multi-stage screening that protects both the marine environment and the downstream SWRO train — from coarse trash racks and travelling band screens to fine passive wedge-wire, designed for low approach velocity and reliable solids removal at full plant flow.
A desalination intake screen does two jobs at once: it keeps marine life out of the plant (an environmental and regulatory obligation) and it keeps debris, weed, shells and gelatinous organisms out of the pre-treatment and membranes (a process obligation). Get it wrong and the plant suffers blocked pre-treatment, damaged pumps and membrane fouling; get it right and every downstream stage works as designed. Reynolds & Bauhm designs the full screening chain — coarse to fine — sized for the site’s debris and biology, the SWRO flow, and the marine-life protection the consent demands.
| Stage | Typical aperture | Removes / protects against |
|---|---|---|
| Trash rack / bar screen | 20–100 mm | Large debris, timber, marine litter |
| Travelling band screen | 2–10 mm | Weed, fish, shells; continuous cleaning |
| Fine passive wedge-wire | 0.5–3 mm | Larvae, fine debris; low approach velocity |
| Drum / disc (alternative) | 1–5 mm | High-solids or high-bloom sites |
| Strainers (final) | < 0.5 mm | Polishing before pumps / pre-treatment |
A through-screen velocity ≤0.15 m/s lets fish escape and limits entrainment — the screen open area is sized from the full plant flow and this limit, with margin for partial blinding.
316(b) ProtectionAlgal blooms and jellyfish swarms can blind screens in hours. We design for peak gelatinous load with continuous cleaning and adequate redundancy.
HAB ProtectionTravelling-band spray-wash or air-burst back-flush keeps screens clear without chemicals — matched to the debris type and the duty.
Air-BurstSuper-duplex and non-metallic screen media resist chloride attack and biofouling for a long, low-maintenance life in seawater.
MaterialsDuplicated streams and standby screens let the plant keep running through cleaning, inspection or a bloom event — SWRO cannot tolerate an unplanned stop.
Clean screening protects the pumps, the DAF/media pre-treatment and ultimately SDI to the membranes — the whole train depends on it.
SDI & Pre-TreatmentTell us the plant flow, the site debris and bloom profile, and the consent requirements — we’ll design the screening chain to protect marine life and the membranes alike.
Explore closely-related topics, equipment and guides
Our expertise spans multiple industries with sector-specific water treatment solutions.
Send your influent analysis and our engineers assess your process and recommend a tailored treatment solution — free, confidential and no obligation.
Select the regulatory standard for your country — it sets which parameters we need for a compliance-aware process assessment.
Required parameters for the chosen standard are flagged on the sample form. You can still submit a partial set and we will advise what else to test.
Your sample is stored against your company so we can track the project. Provide a company name or email as a minimum.