At the Singapore International Water Week, Aquaporin Asia and Berghof Membranes announced the joint development of the tubular-based Aquaporin-Inside™. The goal is energy-neutral and robust filtration based on the principle of forwards osmosis.

In this technology, the natural osmotic pressure gradient of a salt solution acts as the “draw” in the filtration process. The filtration requires minimal pumping and no external energy input at all. Forward osmosis makes energy-neutral wastewater purification possible. This game-changing innovation will allow end users to further lower the costs of industrial wastewater treatment – the best possible solution for sustainable industrial growth.

The successful partnership started when Aquaporin Asia and Berghof Membranes decided to initiate an R&D collaboration in 2014. Starting November 3, 2014, Aquaporin Asia commenced a three-year research and development project (1301-IRIS-02) titled: “Aquaporin-based biomimetic forward osmosis membranes: from lab scale production of membranes to pilot production and industrial test bedding of membrane modules”. The end goal of the project is to demonstrate the cost-saving potential. This involves collaboration with numerous external industrial players, including Berghof Membranes.

Berghof Membranes develops membrane systems for filtering and separating process streams and wastewater effluents. Like Aquaporin Asia, the company has an office in Singapore to support customers in the Asia-Pacific region. The forward osmosis research and development project is funded by the Singapore National Research Foundation with the equivalent of 1.6 million euros and administered by the Public Utilities Board (PUB).