Phenomenon · phenomenon:pressure-retarded-osmosis

Pressure-retarded osmosis

Fresh water permeates a semipermeable membrane into pressurised seawater; the extra volume at pressure is expanded through a turbine. Osmotic pressure becomes hydraulic pressure.

Electrochemistryfirst reported 1975also: PRO, osmotic power, salinity-gradient power

Atlas record: 6 claims reference this phenomenon — 5 established and 1 demonstrated.

Explorerelations · matrix context · routes · sources · cite

conditions: aqueous medium required · selective membrane required

6claims7enumerated routes1routes with complete-composition evidence1candidate routes not searched3cited sources

Relations

drives · 2

Salinity gradient—drives→Pressure-retarded osmosisestablished

a semipermeable membrane with fresh water on one side and seawater pressurised below its osmotic pressure on the other

Osmotic pressure difference—drives→Pressure-retarded osmosisestablished

produces · 1

Pressure-retarded osmosis—produces→Hydraulic pressureestablished

member of · 1

Pressure-retarded osmosis—member of→Osmotic / salinity-gradientestablished

implemented by · 1

Pressure-retarded osmosis—implemented by→Pressure-retarded osmosis plantdemonstrated

bounded by · 1

Pressure-retarded osmosis—bounded by→Free energy of mixingestablished

Matrix context

D = disequilibrium row · C = coupling family column. A cell reads the state of the atlas for that pair.

D.04 × C.22 · Salinity gradient × Osmotic / salinity-gradient · Established D.18 × C.22 · Osmotic pressure difference × Osmotic / salinity-gradient · Established

family: Osmotic / salinity-gradient (C.22)

Enumerated routes through this · 7

Pressure-retarded osmosis plant7/7 est · demonstrated
Salinity gradient → Pressure-retarded osmosis → Hydraulic pressure → Aerodynamic and hydrodynamic lift → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work5/5 est · extends a recorded pathway
Osmotic pressure difference → Pressure-retarded osmosis → Hydraulic pressure → Aerodynamic and hydrodynamic lift → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work5/5 est · extends a recorded pathway
Concentration gradient → Osmosis → Osmotic pressure difference → Pressure-retarded osmosis → Hydraulic pressure → Aerodynamic and hydrodynamic lift → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work7/7 est · candidate
Salinity gradient → Pressure-retarded osmosis → Hydraulic pressure → Aerodynamic and hydrodynamic lift → Mechanical motion → Electromagnetic induction → Charge carriers → Electrical work7/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
Osmotic pressure difference → Pressure-retarded osmosis → Hydraulic pressure → Aerodynamic and hydrodynamic lift → Mechanical motion → Electromagnetic induction → Charge carriers → Electrical work7/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
Osmotic pressure difference → Pressure-retarded osmosis → Hydraulic pressure → Aerodynamic and hydrodynamic lift → Mechanical motion → Rotating-machine generator action → Charge carriers → Electrical work7/7 est · extends a recorded pathway

Cited sources · 3

[1]
S. Loeb. Osmotic power plants (1975)
Science 189, 654–655 · doi:10.1126/science.189.4203.654 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
[2]
B. E. Logan, M. Elimelech. Membrane-based processes for sustainable power generation using water (2012)
Nature 488, 313–319 · doi:10.1038/nature11477 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
[3]
J. W. Post, et al.. Salinity-gradient power: Evaluation of pressure-retarded osmosis and reverse electrodialysis (2007)
Journal of Membrane Science 288, 218–230 · doi:10.1016/j.memsci.2006.11.018 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record

Cite this entity

Physical Transformation Atlas (2026). entity phenomenon:pressure-retarded-osmosis: Pressure-retarded osmosis. Dataset revision rbfbfcbb70e57 (hash of the canonical data). https://physical-transformation-atlas.wldud5192.workers.dev/phenomenon/pressure-retarded-osmosis

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