FlumeX: A modular flume design for laboratory-based marine fluid-substrate studies

As research becomes more interdisciplinary, researchers develop new methodologies and technologies for novel experiments that bridge fields. FlumeX’s design features a standard experimental chamber that can be expanded into different configurations, allowing for cross-disciplinary experiments between the fields of fluid dynamics, chemical oceanography, and biology. An open-ended, flow-through configuration is ideal for simulating environments where water is constantly flushed, capable of simulating oceanic environments. A fully enclosed, recirculating configuration is ideal for particle image velocimetry experiments, standard for fluid dynamics. FlumeX is designed to allow for husbandry of sessile organisms, including corals, in tandem with chemical and physical measurements. FlumeX allows for flexibility in experimental design and comparable environments between recirculating and flow-through configurations. It is designed with low-cost, readily available materials, making it easy to build and produce en masse for replicate testing.