Characterization of pressure retarded osmosis lab-scale systems

AbstractPower generation from salinity gradient is a viable alternative to produce energy from renewable sources. Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO) is one of the technologies proposed so far for the exploitation of such energy source. In the present preliminary work, two different geometry modules were tested under atmospheric pressure (i.e. forward osmosis or depressurized-PRO conditions). The first one is a conventional planar geometry cell. The second is a customized cylindrical membrane module, able to mechanically support the osmotic membrane along with the spacers. The latter, thanks to its design, allows membranes and spacers to be easily changed for testing purposes. A novel simplified procedure is proposed and employed in the planar geometry module to characterize an asymmetric membrane commercially available (i.e. assessing the water and salt permeability coefficients and the porous structure parameter). The parameters found were employed to mathematically estimate the permeate fluxes experimental...