Pressure retarded osmosis has the potential to produce renewable energy from natural salinity gradients. This work presents the fabrication of thin-film composite membranes customized for high performance in pressure retarded osmosis. We also present the development of a theoretical model to predict the water flux in pressure retarded osmosis, from which we can predict the power density that ca...

In power generating terms, a pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) energy generating plant, on a river entering a sea or ocean, is equivalent to a hydroelectric dam with a height of about 60 meters. Therefore, PRO can add significantly to existing renewable power generation capacity if economical constrains of the method are resolved. PRO energy generation relies on a semipermeable membrane that is p...

An excessive amount of renewable energy could be possibly produced when solutions dissimilar salinities are combined simultaneously in a semipermeable membrane. The aforestated harnessing for transformation into power achieved through the pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) process. PRO system utilizes membrane separating low concentration solution from pressurized-high concentrated solution. This ...

Seawater desalination plants discharge brine which is at higher salt concentration than the supplied seawater feed. Diluting this brine by mixing it with the lower concentration feed (seawater) will reduce the environmental hazards associated with the high salt concentration of the disposed brine. Energy can be generated from the dilution process in which two streams of different salt concentra...

Pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) is a promising technology that harvests salinity gradient energy. Even though PRO has great power-generating potential, its commercialization currently facing many challenges. In this regard, review highlights the discrepancies between reported power density obtained by lab-scale systems, as well numerical investigations, and significantly low values pilot plants...

Reverse osmosis (RO) membranes have been widely applied in seawater desalination (SWRO) and wastewater reclamation as the main desalination technology since 2000. SWRO plants face challenges to reduce energy consumption and brine disposal to lessen marine pollution. To tackle these challenges, a SWRO-PRO (Pressure Retarded Osmosis) System was proposed in the “Mega-ton Water System” project unde...

Pressure retarded osmosis has the potential to utilize the free energy of mixing when fresh river water flows into the sea for clean and renewable power generation. Here, we present a systematic investigation of the performance limiting phenomena in pressure retarded osmosis--external concentration polarization, internal concentration polarization, and reverse draw salt flux--and offer insights...