Desalination by the forward osmosis: Advancement and challenges

Forward osmosis (FO) has become a promising membrane technology for desalination and water treatment due to its simplicity, low energy consumption, and low fouling tendency compared to pressure-driven membrane processes. Therefore, the advancement in FO process modelling was one of the main objectives of this paper. On the other hand, the membrane characteristics and draw solute type represent the main FO process factors determining its tech-nical performance and economical perspectives. Thus, this review mainly highlights the commercially available FO membrane characteristics and the development of lab-scale fabricated membranes based on cellulose triacetate and thin-film nanocomposite membranes. These membranes were discussed by considering their fabrication and modifica-tion techniques. Additionally, the novelty of different draw agents and their effects on FO performance have been an-alyzed in this study. Moreover, the review touched upon different pilot-scale studies on the FO process. Finally, this paper has stated the overall FO process advances along with its drawbacks. This review is anticipated to benefit the research and desalination scientific community by having an overview of the major FO components that require additional attention and development.

Automated summary

This paper focuses on the prospects of forward osmosis (FO) membrane technology in desalination and water treatment. The simplicity, low energy consumption, and low fouling tendency of FO make it a promising alternative to pressure-driven membrane processes. The main objectives of this paper are to advance the modeling of the FO process and highlight the factors that determine its technical performance and economical perspectives, such as membrane characteristics and draw solute type. The commercially available FO membrane characteristics and the development of lab-scale fabricated membranes based on cellulose triacetate and thin-film nanocomposite membranes are discussed, along with their fabrication and modification techniques. The effects of different draw agents on FO performance and pilot-scale studies on the FO process are also analyzed. The paper concludes by stating the overall advances and drawbacks of the FO process, providing an overview of the major FO components that require additional attention and development for the benefit of the research and desalination scientific community.