Forward Osmosis
FORWARD OSMOSIS
Osmosis is a mechanism which occurs naturally with no external energy required. Forward Osmosis (FO) is a membrane concentration process powered by osmotic energy. FO membranes operate as osmotic pressure exchangers or chemical energy exchangers.
Water in the feed migrates across the membrane by osmosis into a draw solution. The membrane is highly selective; allowing water to pass through and rejecting (or retaining) nearly everything else.
This method concentrates the feed stream and dilutes the draw stream.This is the opposite dynamic of reverse osmosis, which requires energy (pressure) to push water across a semi-permeable membrane.