New Forward Osmosis Plant Set to Offer an Alternative Method to Thermal Evaporation for the Concentration of Liquids

MTL continues to invest in novel and innovative technologies with the purchase of a new Forward Osmosis (FO) plant. FO has been viewed with increasing interest due to a multitude of potential advantages that the technology offers.

Ederna has developed the evapEOs® process, an alternative to thermal evaporation for the concentration of liquids. FO is a feasible technology of high potential for dairy sector to improve the efficiency of concentrating protein concentrates prior to spray drying.

Forward Osmosis

The Forward Osmosis (FO) technique uses a highly selective semi-permeable membrane that allows only water to transfer from the product to a draw solution (also called osmotic agent) due to a difference in osmotic pressure between the compartments on each side of the membrane. Only water can transfer across the membrane; the other compounds remain in the product.

This concentration is performed at ambient temperature and pressure. Therefore, the product is concentrated under mild operating conditions and without direct contact with the draw solution. After flowing to the membrane module the draw solution is regenerated continuously by thermal evaporation.

Operating in FO mode results in less fouling and exhibits higher fouling reversibility which enables higher levels of concentration.

The Manufacturer

Ederna is a French company which has patented the next generation of cold concentration technology. Ederna, because of its position of pioneer in the development of the evapEO process, is a high potential new technology company that is continuously developing and looking for financial and technology alliances.

Ederna currently owns 4 patents, with others in the pipeline, and is actively carrying out research for further developments of evapEOs process.

Capability

• Process Development: ederna provides micro-pilot trials ( at ederna laboratory/rental of micro-pilot plant) to evaluate evapEOs process with the product.

• Operation under License: If the pilot trials are relevant, the customer can order industrial units for his application and design a clean and competitive brand new process.

• Screening of selected membranes, draw solutions, temperatures of the process.

Potential advantages

• High levels of concentration (up to 65% TSS), depending on product
• Alternative to thermal evaporation
• Compatible with other membrane technologies
• Performed at ambient temperatures
• High recovery achievable,
• Significant financial savings
• Preservation of product quality
• Low fouling