The Rankin Laboratory has been designed to be a unique teaching and research seawater laboratory. The 2,400 square foot wet laboratory can process up to 600 GPM of seawater through a high-flow pressurized distribution system.

Water can be distributed untreated, filtered to 5 microns at 180 GPM, heated to a delta T of 20 degrees C at 30 GPM or chilled to a delta T of 20 degrees C at 10 GPM. The distribution system also features a flexible design which allows for closed, semiclosed or open system flow configurations, depending upon experimental requirements.

The high flow design minimizes the accumulation of fouling organisms in the piping and is intended to reduce the maintenance requirement.  A simple but effective diffusion device has also been developed to minimize gas bubble disease which occurs during winter periods when seawater becomes super saturated with oxygen.