Manufacturing of Large Format Osmotic Membrane Module

Project Update

This project kicked off in May 2022. Since then, the project team has conducted initial design for manufacturing analysis, procured necessary equipment, and prepared the facility for equipment installation and commissioning.

In 2023, Porifera designed and began production of its parallel format osmotic membrane module. They successfully built multiple elements that passed internal QA/QC checks and conducted testing to understand element performance and make adjustments. Key learnings included manufacturing process improvements to ensure product integrity and quality in addition to equipment modification and optimization. After successful manufacture and testing of initial single prototype elements, Porifera proceeded to manufacture more prototypes and tested larger assemblies of elements in parallel flow conditions that mirror commercial system operation to demonstrate the processing capabilities of the product.

In 2024, Porifera completed Phase 1 Manufacturing Design and Build, which involved the design, preparation, equipment procurement, testing, and commissioning of a semi-automated manufacturing line for initial production of its PFO-200 membrane packets. They also completed specification sheets for the PFO-200 element and presented about their progress at the Membrane Technology Forum and at the EPIC Symposium. Staff continue to work on schedule on evaluating PFO-200 element performance, cleaning, and the full automation of its LRIP manufacturing line.