Intake and outfall systems

Surface water is commonly utilized in industrial plants, particularly as cooling water or to produce potable water. Well designed surface water intake and outfall systems are vital for industries like power stations, desalination plants, wastewater industries, and sewage systems. Besides an optimized efficiency, safety level, reliability and minimized construction costs, present day design solutions require a clear proof of minimized environmental impacts and fulfilment of environmental regulations.

Service offering

Deltares helps clients by investigating intake and outfall system designs and giving advice on intake and outfall configurations, design optimization, hydraulic efficiency, and environmental impact. We deliver customised solutions for each hydraulic system and offer a broad range of advice from quick-scan assessments to in-depth multidisciplinary studies.

Within the intake and outfall field, Deltares has more than 30 years of experience in investigating the flow of water:

• from surface water to the intake
• from the intake into the plant
• within the plant, and
• from the outfall back into the ambient surface water.

Expert teams

Our services are delivered by the best selection of specialists, chosen from our large pool of experts on hydrodynamics, coastal engineering, industrial flow technology, geo-engineering, water quality and ecology.

Numerical modelling

Deltares’ expert teams make use of in-house integrated 3D numerical models for accurate computations of ambient currents, plume dilution, heat and pollutant dispersion, recirculation, pump sumps and pipe systems. All spatial (near-, mid- and far-field) and time scales (seconds to years) can be investigated for all relevant hydraulic processes.

Physical modelling

Detailed physical modelling studies can be carried out, using our state-of-the-art facilities, which include two pump sump test units, an industrial flow laboratory, wave and flow basins, and flumes.

With our full range of capabilities and available tools, we can ensure that your question regarding intakes and outfalls in the widest sense, will receive the most appropriate and cost-effective approach available.

Our advice covers:

• Location and layout of the intake and outfall systems
• Pipelines
• Hydraulic design Marine environmental impact assessment
• Policy studies