Aqua Membranes manufactures reverse osmosis membrane elements that incorporate a proprietary printed spacer directly on the membrane surface, removing the conventional mesh feed channel. This design cuts hydraulic resistance by up to 30%, reducing pump energy consumption and fouling, and can be retrofitted as a drop‑in replacement in existing brackish‑water RO systems for utilities, wastewater reuse, food‑and‑beverage, and mining operations.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Industrial reverse osmosis (RO) systems rely on traditional mesh feed channels that create high pressure drops, increase energy consumption, and accelerate membrane fouling. These inefficiencies raise operating costs and limit throughput for utilities, wastewater reuse facilities, and process industries.
Solution
Aqua Membranes manufactures RO membrane elements in which the feed spacer is printed directly onto the membrane surface using a proprietary large‑scale additive printing process. By eliminating the conventional mesh channel, the printed spacer reduces hydraulic resistance, lowering pump energy requirements and extending membrane life through decreased fouling. The precision‑printed geometry provides consistent flow distribution, enabling higher permeate flux and greater system productivity without expanding the plant footprint. Aqua Membranes supplies these elements as drop‑in replacements for standard RO modules, allowing operators to retrofit existing installations with minimal downtime. An online ROI calculator quantifies expected energy savings and maintenance reductions, supporting faster project approvals. The technology is offered for brackish‑water RO applications across power generation, wastewater reuse, food‑and‑beverage processing, and mining operations.
Target Audience
Primary customers are water‑treatment engineers and procurement teams at power and boiler utilities, wastewater reuse plants, food‑and‑beverage manufacturers, and mining operations seeking to improve RO efficiency and lower operating expenses.
Features
- Proprietary Printed Spacer Technology® that applies the spacer pattern directly onto the membrane surface via high‑resolution additive printing
- Elimination of mesh feed channels, resulting in up to 30 % lower pressure drop and corresponding energy savings
- Uniform flow distribution that reduces fouling rates and extends membrane service life beyond typical industry averages
- Compatibility with standard RO housing and pressure vessels for seamless retrofitting of existing systems
- Scalable production of two optimized membrane models tailored for brackish‑water treatment in diverse industrial sectors
- Integrated ROI Clarity Calculator that models energy, water, and maintenance cost reductions for specific plant configurations
- Compliance with industry standards for material durability, chemical resistance, and performance certification