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Industrial
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Optimize your water management with the Aquaporin Inside® technology by reducing your CAPEX and OPEX with efficient solutions.
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A more sustainable approach to industrial water management

Industrial water management faces pressing problems such as water scarcity, pollution, insufficient water reuse, and high energy consumption. Around the world, governments, industries, and consumers are pushing for greener solutions that limit the use of water and energy in industrial applications and processes. From textiles to pharmaceuticals and heavy industry, our Aquaporin Inside® membranes are an efficient way to streamline your water recovery processes, improve processed water use, save energy and step up your industrial water reuse.

Whatever your industrial water challenge, our technology and expertise can help you improve water recovery rates, simplify your effluent treatment – and lower your CAPEX (capital expenses) and OPEX (operating expenses).
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Treat your process water and your wastewater

At Aquaporin we have a two-fold approach to treating industrial water; we treat our clients’ water they use in processes, and we treat our clients’ wastewater, the water discharged from process water. And we use two different treatment technologies to achieve the best results. 

For process water we use reverse osmosis and for wastewater we use forward osmosis – both membrane-based technologies.

What is the difference between forward osmosis and reverse osmosis?

If you are a water professional or system integrator you are probably familiar with reverse osmosis (RO). But how does RO relate to FO when it comes to industrial wastewater treatment? While both RO and FO are membrane-based water treatment technologies there are some significant differences between the two.

Both RO and FO are used to diffuse water from one side of a membrane to the other, filtering out dissolved solids, ions and other undesirable compounds from the effluent in the process. The main difference between the two technologies is how water is driven through the membrane.
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Improve your management of process water

Get the best-in-class process water while keeping energy consumption low

One of today’s critical challenges for industries is securing clean water in processes while balancing the energy and resource use. The Aquaporin Inside® CLEAR membrane series consists of biomimetic reverse osmosis membranes that, with their unique properties, deliver high-quality permeate while keeping energy consumption low.

They are suited for optimization of reverse osmosis systems, and is a perfect choice for those who want higher flow and lower operating pressure and carbon footprint without compromising rejection.

Aquaporin Inside® CLEAR membranes reduce energy use by 30 % in municipal wastewater treatment

An often-used solution for improving recovery rates and water quality is the reverse osmosis (RO) technology. However, it is a very energy-intensive process. As such, municipalities using RO are always looking for ways to improve the energy efficiency and productivity of the process with the purpose of protecting reclamation plants against energy price surges and sudden hikes in water demand.
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Recover resources from your wastewater and achieve zero liquid discharge with forward osmosis

Achieve zero liquid discharge wastewater treatment with forward osmosis

For many industrial wastewater treatment processes, the main objective is to achieve Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) or Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD). Forward osmosis using Aquaporin Inside® Forward Osmosis membranes are a key part of making this possible.

Extremely thin and selective, Aquaporin Inside® Forward Osmosis membranes enable good water flux even at low pressure. They also reject more compounds than any other membrane on the market – enabling you to recover water of high quality. As a result, you can reduce operational costs by maintaining high production capacity while running at lower pressures. And the lowest reverse salt flux on the market benefits the overall process costs and extends the lifetime of the membranes used in your industrial wastewater management process.
  • High selectivity enables treatment of even the most difficult process water and effluent
  • Lower fouling reduces production stops and costs related to cleaning
  • Minimal reverse flux ensures a clean concentrate, without additional treatment
  • Compact design reduces plant footprint
  • Lack of heat or hydraulic pressure results in lower energy consumption 
  • Less use of chemicals results in a greener process

What is forward osmosis? The most frequently asked questions

Forward Osmosis is increasingly being used in a range of water treatment applications, from food and beverage production to heavy industry. Forward osmosis (FO) is a water separation process which uses a semipermeable membrane and the natural energy of osmotic pressure to separate water from dissolved solutes. The osmotic pressure is used to transport water through the membrane while retaining all the dissolved solutes on the other side.

Here are answers to a few common questions about the process.
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Industrial wastewater recycling and reuse

When water is cheap and abundant, the incentive to minimize waste and maximize recycling and reuse is low. But in many areas, water is becoming an increasingly scarce and valuable resource. Across the globe, many companies are taking greater efforts to recycle and reuse their industrial wastewater, motivated by factors such as water scarcity, social license to operate, local regulation and commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This shift from linear to circular water consumption which will only grow in the coming years. Learn how you can join the water revolution and increase the reuse and recycling of your industrial wastewater.
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Understanding industrial effluent treatment

A strong understanding of the effluent treatment process is central for effective industrial wastewater management. In any industry that uses massive quantities of water as part of their processes, there is a need to process the resulting effluent to remove contaminants before discharge and disposal. Effective effluent treatment is needed to comply with environmental regulation but can also be used to recover clean water and valuable materials for reuse.
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Increase industrial water sustainability and value wastewater for its potential

> Download our brochure to learn how forward osmosis can pave the way to increased industrial water sustainability.
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industrial wastewater challenges
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Is forward osmosis right for your wastewater treatment process?
Try out our assessment tool

To give you an indication of whether FO is the right choice for your (or your client's) process, we have designed this simple online assessment. You answer a few questions and learn whether FO is right for your treatment process.
Of course, there are many variables when it comes to industrial wastewater management, so it will only serve as a guideline.

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Dive deeper into FO
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Benefits of Aquaporin's FO solutions:

Reduce your water use
Very high rejection rates significantly increase permeate water quality - for a more sustainable reuse of water and lower disposal costs. 
Treat challenging waste streams
High efficiency enables you to handle higher levels of COD (chemical oxygen demand) and TDS (total dissolved solids) than other technologies on the market.
Enjoy easy installation
Easily retrofit our membranes on existing effluent treatment processes to streamline your industrial wastewater treatment
Step up your capacity with smaller footprint
With land prices at a premium, having to devote more space for your wastewater treatment process can be a costly proposition. High flow rates enable you to process more industrial wastewater, without increasing your physical footprint.
Turn your waste into profit
Capture precious materials in your wastewater - such as nutrients, metals or Glauber's salt (sodium sulfate decahydrate) for recycling or reuse.
Meet industry requirements - and your own environmental targets
Stringent regulation on the use and reuse of water in industries is a growing trend. With our forward osmosis membranes in your industrial effluent treatment, you can minimize the steps needed to fulfill internal and external requirements.
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Industrial

CLEAR helps to cut down water recycling energy consumption by 60%

To demonstrate the effectiveness of the Aquaporin Inside® CLEAR membranes, Aquaporin partnered with a leading Japanese water group to demonstrate wastewater recycling at an ultra-low-energy level in their building water treatment facilities.  The Japanese manufacturer provides chemicals and facilities for industrial water and wastewater treatment globally. The company keeps searching for more sustainable water treatment […]
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Industrial

Aquaporin in milestone collaboration to secure clean tap water

The Danish water technology company Aquaporin has entered into a collaboration with Aqualia, the fourth largest water management company in Europe, which will promote and use Aquaporin’s biomimetic membrane elements at municipal water treatment plants to improve their efficiency and economics. Aqualia serves nearly 43.5 million people living in 17 different countries across the globe […]
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Industrial

The REWAISE project: Collaboration and innovation in Spain

At Aquaporin, we focus on providing the best service and experience when we collaborate with a partner. Therefore, Aquaporin also spends time visiting ongoing projects. This approach to business sent Aquaporin employees Jan Benecke, Head of Commercial Engineering Reverse Osmosis, and Hanh Le, Membrane Applications Engineer, from Lyngby, Denmark, to two waterworks in Berja and […]
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Read More about Industrial water

Industrial water use

While agriculture still leads global water consumption at around 70%, industrial water use accounts for almost half the total water consumption in industrialized nations.
Industrial water use

Textiles

Today, the textile industry accounts for around 20% of all global industrial water contamination. Together, we can bring that number down.

Our Aquaporin Inside® Forward Osmosis membranes enable process intensification to minimize the steps needed to achieve treatment and reuse goals in the textile industry. We’re working with customers to develop more sustainable methods of dealing with textile wastewater streams – giving them a tangible way to improve their sustainability performance and connect with today’s sustainability-focused consumers.
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Industrial water use

Automotive

The global automotive industry is a major consumer of water. An estimated 148.000 liters of water is used to produce a single car. This covers the water used for processes like surface treatment and coating, painting, washing, cooling, air-conditioning systems and boilers. Metal finishing and especially painting accounts for the most significant water consumption, including the regular cleaning of the processing equipment.

In addition to the high water consumption, automotive production generates heavily polluted wastewater which requires extensive wastewater treatment in order to meet regulatory and environmental standards.
Industrial water use

Semiconductor

With the relentless global demand for electronic devices and computer chips, the production of semiconductors continues to increase. This requires vast quantities of water which has to be exceptionally pure to avoid contamination. A typical semiconductor manufacturing facility uses 7.500 to 15.000 m3 of ultra-pure water per day.

Industrial wastewater from semiconductor manufacturing contains hazardous materials such as heavy metals and toxic solvents. The risk posed by these complex effluent streams has prompted several semiconductor manufacturers to take steps to reduce their water consumption, increase water reuse and improve wastewater treatment before discharge.
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Industrial water use

Oil & gas

Water is critical for oil and gas production. And since much of the global oil and gas production takes place in water-stressed regions like the Middle East and North Africa, energy companies are extremely motivated to become more efficient in their water consumption and reuse of water for their industrial processes. Given the severe impact oil and gas production can have on local water resources, energy companies must also take great care to ensure that their wastewater treatment, storage and disposal does not pose a risk to local communities and the environment.
Industrial water use

Carwash

The carwash industry has been increasing drastically and, in some regions, as much as 30 % during the last two decades. The increase is due to people preferring having their cars washed for them versus doing it themselves.

This, of course, has a significant impact on the processed water used and energy consumption, as carwash stations typically use RO treatment, which requires pumps, to leave the cars clean and spot-free. And during wintertime, the energy increases further due to the pressure increases on the pumps.

With Aquaporin Inside@ reverse osmosis membranes, you can achieve higher flow and lower operating pressure without compromising rejection, leaving you with a system that delivers spot-free carwash results and minimizes energy consumption.
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