On the importance of selectivity and support layer compaction in pressure retarded osmosis

In this work, we use a modified thin film composite RO membrane to examine the impacts of selectivity and compaction on performance pressure retarded osmosis. membranes are promising platforms study PRO because they tolerant typical pressures well characterized for permeance selectivity. Their availability across range (from nanofiltration seawater RO) also allows us systematically investigate impact power density under real conditions. Parallel modeling efforts found that experimentally measured densities these were less than 50% predicted ideal values due compaction. Interestingly, highest membranes, which corresponded least permeable, exhibited densities.