Australian Institute of Marine Science Tropical Oceans Simulator – SeaSim

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) is a leading force in the world of environmental research. Specialising in the reef environment, the institute has one of the most robust coral identification libraries on the planet.

The institute’s new aquarium facility, the National Sea Simulator (SeaSim), located on the coast south of Townsville, had a ready-made source of marine water. However, the requirement for finely controlled environmental parameters created a significant design challenge and made the design of this facility and its seawater management one of the most complex in the world.

The design developed by Oceanis allows researchers to manipulate various environmental factors in a highly controlled environment.  And it allows them to undertake this work on a large scale, all the while using the locally available seawater.

To achieve a successful outcome, Oceanis undertook a lengthy analysis of water quality issues prior to beginning design.  The intricate design created a capability to provide 3 million litres of filtered seawater per daywhen at full capacity, 3.65 million litre bulk seawater storage in lagoons and tank farms, almost 30 km of plumbing, over 40 pumps, more than 30 seawater processing tanks, and multiple streams of highly accurate temperature controlled supply seawater.

Oceanis designed the entire seawater infrastructure including intake systems, membrane treatment systems, raw water systems, salinity correction, seawater storage, water disinfection and discharge, laboratory gas systems and various high accuracy thermal control systems for water streams of varying quality and composition. 

Systems for localised treatment were designed for high accuracy control of parameters such as temperature, pH and water composition, including sedimentation experiments.

Designed to encourage scientific collaboration, the facility is helping Australia realise the potential benefits of a rapidly emerging ‘blue’ economy.

The legendary naturalist, Sir David Attenborough has recently teamed up with AIMS in an exciting new public engagement platform featuring AIMS’ National Sea Simulator, a further endorsement of the exceptional water treatment systems created for the facility.