PURCON2011 Supply and Installation of Aquarium for Testing and Commissioning Seagliders - AWARD

The UEA's Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences within the School of Environmental Sciences owns and operates a number of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV's), known as Seagliders. The University of East Anglia is the only University within the UK which operates these specialised vehicles. UEA Seagliders have been actively used for scientific research projects and campaigns over the last 12 years. They provide a valuable source of income to UEA and enhance the UEA reputation for research. The aquarium is imperative to the continuation of these objectives.

In order to test and commission the Seagliders prior to dispatching on Oceanic missions, there is a requirement to submerge them into a seawater based medium (sodium chloride solution) to carry out tests, ballast and observe operation. In order to achieve this, the department has a large aquarium (3m x 2m x2.25m, ~15,000l). The salinity (density) of the water is manually adjusted by the users to match that of the sea/ocean where the Seaglider will be deployed. The facility on the UEA campus which currently houses the Seagliders is due to re-locate within the campus. As part of this re-location, there is an opportunity to improve the facility by providing a larger aquarium than the current version. Please Note: installation and commissioning dates will need to be agreed with the Principal Contractor, who is yet to be appointed.