Learn How Forward Osmosis Works

Here's the easy explanation:  Imagine how a plant pulls water from the earth.  There are no tiny pumps working inside the plant.  Instead the plant is full of a sugary solution that is called sap.  This sugary solution naturally attracts water; water that is in the earth.  The water is attracted towards the sap and is filtered by the root of the plant.  Only water and nutrients are allowed through the plants natural filter, the root.  When the water combines with the sap it produces a life giving formula for the plant to survive.

This exact principle is what powers all of our products.  Now for the more scientific explanation...

Our products employ a proprietary membrane filter that is hydrophilic (attracts water), allowing water to pass through, yet blocking very small contaminants due to the tight construction of the membrane.  It is perfect for use in emergency desalination and water filtration situations.

Water is driven across the membrane, not by hydraulic pressure, but by osmotic pressure created by a standard sport drink syrup on the clean side of the membrane.

Because our products use osmotic pressure (forward osmosis) instead of hydraulic pressure (reverse osmosis), our products do not have the clogging or fouling problems inherent to reverse osmosis filtration systems.   Even highly turbid water, such as those found in the foulest ditch, will not clog our products (tested to 800 ntu).

Whereas conventional hand pump systems only filter to the 0.1 Micron level, the our products are two hundred times more accurate filtering at the .0005 Micron level (5 Angstroms).  Because our membrane is so tight, our products offer fluid purity on par with even complicated and very expensive reverse osmosis systems.

Other advantages include:

• No power or energy input required - silent operation

• No foul tasting chemicals or contact time requirements

• Unlike reverse osmosis pumps there are no complicated mechanical parts to break and no expensive filters to maintain.

• Very safe and highest purity levels available in point-of-use filtration

Developed in concert with the US Department of Defense, our filters have undergone extensive testing in independent laboratories and by the U.S. military.  The nominal pore size of the forward osmosis membrane is 3-5 angstroms. The size of bacteria range from 2,000 to over 500,000 angstroms. The smallest viruses are 50 to 1,000 angstroms.  To put this in perspective, if our membrane's pore is compared to the size of a dime then the smallest bacteria would be larger than a two-car garage.

With over fifteen years of research, scientists have developed the world's first commercially viable forward osmosis membrane for emergency desalination and water filtration.  This membrane is used by NASA, the US Department of Defense, the United States Coast Guard and is now available to the public for use in emergency desalination situations.

Only one filter technology can reliably and safely filter the muddy or cloudy contaminated water frequently found in remote areas or during disaster scenarios. If you need to be prepared to filter the widest range of water sources – clear, muddy, brackish or ocean water – forward osmosis is the ideal solution.

Forward osmosis products out-perform the competition in these situations, because unlike other filter or purification technologies, they are virtually unaffected by the presence of mud or other suspended solids in the contaminated source water. Using an advanced membrane filter, our systems offer the highest purity available from any personal water filter. Yet because they operate passively without pressure, they do not clog, allowing virtually any water source to be used to provide clean, safe drink.