Forward Osmosis

Membracon UK
Introduction to Forward Osmosis
Forward Osmosis

Forward Osmosis (FO) is a natural membrane process found in nature

capable of extracting pure water from impure sources. Unlike Reverse
Osmosis (RO), which uses hydraulic pressure to drive water across a semi -
permeable membrane, FO uses a “draw” solution to draw water across it. FO
spontaneously draws water across a membrane whenever one solution is
higher in salt concentration or solute (draw solution) than another (feed
solution). The difference in salt concentration between solutions is known as
the osmotic gradient (Δπ) and is the free and natural energy responsible in
powering the water extraction process.
Forward Osmosis

Forward osmosis (FO) is an osmotic membrane process that uses the

natural driving force of osmotic pressure to separate water from a
solution. FO uses a semipermeable membrane to separate two solutions
with different concentrations: a feed solution and a draw solution. The
draw solution has a higher concentration of solutes than the feed solution,
which creates an osmotic pressure gradient. The water in the feed
solution moves across the membrane to the draw solution, driven by the
osmotic pressure difference.
How does Forward Osmosis work?

As water is drawn from the feed solution into the draw solution across the semi-permeable
membrane, two things occur; the feed becomes concentrated, and the draw solution
becomes diluted. The result of this is a reduction in the osmotic gradient between
solutions and in turn a reduction in the flow rate across the semi-permeable membrane
known as flux rate. For forward osmosis to operate continuously, water drawn across the
membrane into the draw solution must be removed continuously so that a maximum draw
concentration can be maintained and a maximum concentration gradient achieved.
Forward Osmosis has a number of advantages over other
desalination technologies, such as reverse osmosis (RO):

● FO does not require high pressure to operate, which

can reduce energy costs.
● FO can be used to treat a wider range of water
sources, including high-salinity wastewater.
● FO is less susceptible to fouling than RO.
Forward Osmosis is still a relatively new technology, but
it is rapidly gaining traction in a variety of applications,
including:

● Desalination of seawater and brackish water

● Wastewater treatment
● Food and beverage processing
● Pharmaceutical manufacturing
Here are some examples of how Forward Osmosis is being used in the
real world:

● A company in California is using FO to desalinate seawater and

provide drinking water for a coastal community.
● A company in China is using FO to treat wastewater from a chemical
plant.
● A company in Europe is using FO to concentrate fruit juice for a food
and beverage company.
● A company in the United States is using FO to produce purified water
for a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant.
Membracon, UK