OSMOTIC POWER GENERATION

Energy consumption is an important aspect in our day to day life. Energy consumption rate is
increasing very rapidly every day. If this continues as such then the world will one-day face shortage
of energy. So its time to look for more sources of energy rather than the non-renewable sources of
energy and reduce the rate of consumption of non-renewable energy. There are many forms of
renewable energy sources in the world. The abundant renewable energies include solar energy, tidal
energy, wind energy, Geo thermal energy etc. One of the most recent power generation techniques is
osmotic power generation.
Osmotic power or salinity gradient power is the energy available from the difference in the
salt concentration between seawater and river water. Salinity gradient power is a specific renewable
energy alternative that creates renewable and sustainable power by using naturally occurring
processes.

PRINCIPLE
The basic principle involved in osmotic power generation is OSMOSIS. Osmosis is the
movement of solvent molecules through a selectively permeable membrane into a region of higher
solute concentration, aiming to equalize the solute concentrations on the two sides. It may also be
used to describe a physical process in which any solvent moves, without input of energy, across a
semi permeable membrane (permeable to the solvent, but not the solute) separating two solutions of
different concentrations.
Salinity gradient energy is based on using the resources of osmotic pressure difference
between fresh water and sea water. All energy that is proposed to use salinity gradient technology
relies on the evaporation to separate water from salt. Osmotic pressure is the "chemical potential of
concentrated and dilute solutions of salt". When looking at relations between high osmotic pressure
and low, solutions with higher concentrations of salt have higher pressure.

Fig 1 Osmosis

METHODS

Two practical methods for osmotic power generation are reverse electro dialysis (RED) and pressureretarded osmosis. (PRO).
Reversed electro dialysis
A method being developed and studied is reversed electro dialysis or reverse dialysis, which
is essentially the creation of a salt battery. This method was described by Weinstein and Leitz as an
array of alternating anion and cation exchange membranes can be used to generate electric power
from the free energy of river and sea water.
The technology related to this type of power is still in its infant stages, even though the
principle was discovered in the 1950s. Standards and a complete understanding of all the ways
salinity gradients can be utilized are important goals to strive for in order make this clean energy
source more viable in the future

Pressure-retarded osmosis
One method to utilize salinity gradient energy is called pressure-retarded osmosis. In this method,
seawater is pumped into a pressure chamber that is at a pressure lower than the difference between the
pressures of saline water and fresh water. Freshwater is also pumped into the pressure chamber
through a membrane, which increase both the volume and pressure of the chamber. As the pressure
differences are compensated, a turbine is spun creating energy. This method is being specifically
studied by the Norwegian utility Statkraft, which has calculated that up to 25 TWh/yr would be
available from this process in Norway.

COMPONENT
The pre-treatment equipments

SEA WATER PRETREATMENT

FRESH WATER PRETREATMENT

The incoming fresh water and sea water are purified by using these equipments before being fed into
the plant.
Membrane Modules: Thin membranes rolled membranes for osmosis

MEMBRANE MODULE

The membranes employed are mainly of two types of:

(i) Cellulose acetate membrane
A cellulose acetate membrane was prepared as following: the casting solution is cast on a glass plate
and immersed in ice cold water after solvent evaporation. After solidification the membrane is
annealed between 80 and 95C. A typical casting solution, according to a GKSS patent, consists out
of cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, dioxane, acetone, acetic acid and methanol. This
composition was kept, but due to changing the casting parameters, both in the lab and in pilot scale,
the performance was improved. Casting parameters like casting speed, changes in the temperature of
the coagulation bath and also the changes of the support material led to the improved performance.
Starting with a membrane performance of approximately 0.5 W/m2, this type of membrane was
improved to a performance of close to 1.3 W/m2.
(ii) TFC membrane

TFC membranes are made by the interfacial polymerisation of trimesoylchloride and m-phenylene
diamine. Starting with a membrane performance of approximately 0.1 W/m2, this type of membrane
was improved to a performance of close to 3.5 W/m2.
Turbine for power generation

TURBINE

Pressure Exchangers and booster pumps to provide inlet seawater with sufficient pressure

PRESSURE EXCHANGER

WORKING
In the PRO process, water with no or low salt gradient is fed into the plant and filtered before
entering the membrane modules using the pre-treatment equipments. Membrane modules could
contain spiral wound or hollow fibre membranes. In the module, 8090% of the water with low salt
gradient is transferred by osmosis across the membrane into the pressurised salty water. The osmotic
process increases the volumetric flow of high pressure water and is the key energy transfer in the
power production process. This requires membranes with particularly
high water flux and excellent salt retention properties.

The illustration in figure shows salty water pumped from the sea and filtered before it is pressurised
and fed into the membrane module. In the module it is diluted by the water received from the less
salty side of the membrane. The volumetric feed of salty water is about twice that of the fresh water.
The diluted and now brackish water from the membrane module is split in two flows. While
1/3 of the brackish water is fed though the turbine to generate power, 2/3 is returned and energy is
recycled in the pressure exchanger to add pressure to the feed of salty water. Optimal operating
pressures are in the range of 1115 bars, equivalent to a water head of 100145 metres in a
hydropower plant, enabling the generation of 1 MW per m3 s fresh water. The fresh water feed
operates at ambient pressure.
Pre-treatment of the water will be necessary depending on the water qualities. In Norwegian
water treatment plants, mechanical filtration down to 50 m, in combination with a standard cleaning
and maintenance cycle has been enough to sustain the membrane performance for 710 years.

INFLUENCING FACTORS
The membrane system is the heart of the osmotic power generation process

Ideal FO membrane system

High water flux
Sufficient salt rejection
Limited fouling
Scalable for mass production
To be fit in modules
Reasonable cheap

The volume of water entering: The more water that enters the system, the more power can be
produced.
Salinity gradient: The higher the gradient between salinity in the fresh- and saltwater, the
more pressure will build up in the system.
Purity of water: It is important that the fresh water and sea water is as clean as possible.
Substances in the water may get captured within the membranes support structure or on the
membrane surfaces, which will reduce the flow through the membrane causing reduction in
power output. This phenomenon, which is called fouling, is linked to the design of the system,
to the characteristics of the membrane, and to the membrane element.

Flow losses: Flow losses should be minimum

MERITS

Eco Friendly since there is no emission of harmful gases and no disposal of chemicals.
Can be build anywhere where fresh water flows to saline water.
High potential.
Abundant since water is used for power generation.

DEMERITS

High cost of membrane

Maintenance cost is higher

Discharge of brackish water into the marine environment may alter the environment and
result in changes for animals and plants living in the local location.

CONCLUSION
Osmotic power plants can be constructed anywhere freshwater flows out into the sea, provided that
the salt concentration is sufficiently high. Unlike solar power and wind power, osmotic power plants
are not affected by fluctuations in the weather and will produce continuous and predictable electricity.
Most river outlets around the world represent a potential location for a plant, even though some rivers
need more cleaning of the water than others.

GREEN TECHNOLOGY ASSIGNMENT

Best/promising Renewable energy technology

according that might take us to next century.

OSMOTIC POWER TECHNOLOGY

JISHNU SINGH
1RV13ME048

SUBMITTED TO
DR. RAJALAKSHMI
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING