A new concept for an osmotic energy converter

Abstract
SUMMARY A new concept for an osmosis power generation system is presented. While the power production of a conventional system is based on continuous, increasing volumetric #ow of solution directed to a turbine, the new concept is based on the pressurizing of #uids by osmosis. Two di!erent new concepts were studied. In the "rst case, the osmotic module consists of the osmotic membranes, fresh water and solution. In the second case, gas is included in the solution part of the module. Consequently, the new system without gas was found to result in more than 2.5 times higher power values than the conventional concept. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.