July 29th, 2025
Saltworks Technologies (“Saltworks”) announces the official launch of FusionRO, a next-generation membrane brine concentrator combining industrialized, ultra-high pressure reverse osmosis with ‘tight’ nanofiltration technology (UHP RO/NF).
FusionRO achieves brine concentrations exceeding 220,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS as NaCl), offering over 50% capital and operating cost savings compared to evaporators.
FusionRO is a form of low salinity rejection reverse osmosis (LSRRO). Unlike other systems employing lower pressures, FusionRO utilizes 1800 psi (120 bar) driving pressure and cuts mechanical complexity in half while achieving similar brine concentrations. Rather than four stages and four sets of pumps and pressure control, FusionRO uses only two: one RO and one NF stage.
As a more compact technology with fewer moving parts, FusionRO is a powerful solution for minimizing brine volumes, increasing freshwater recovery, and reducing the cost and footprint of downstream thermal treatment.
This launch marks the replacement of the term OARO (osmotically assisted reverse osmosis) in Saltworks’ portfolio. OARO is broadly used by industry to describe emerging membrane technologies that reduce osmotic pressure using saline permeates. FusionRO does not employ a draw solution but instead uses commercially proven third–party tight NF technology to produce a mid-stage saline permeate.
This NF technology is based on mass–industrialized thin-film acetate spiral wound membrane architecture, which dominates over 95% market share in common seawater desalination and seawater NF large scale applications.
By using less machinery and industrialized third–party membranes from professional RO and NF membrane manufacturers, rather than chemically modified RO membranes or hollow–fibre cellulose acetate membranes, FusionRO greatly reduces complexity and end–user technology risk, while providing future security for quality and cost-effective replacement elements.
“FusionRO is a full-scale solution that is already delivering results in lithium and produced water applications,” said Benjamin Sparrow, Saltworks’ CEO. “It is built on industry workhorses—RO and NF—enhanced with Saltworks’ advanced controls, ultra-high-pressure engineering, and self-cleaning automation. We’ve created a smarter, simpler, and more economical way to push membrane technology further—helping clients recover more water, reduce costs, and de-risk their operations.”
Built on Saltworks’ modular Uni-RO platform, FusionRO shares standardized repeatable building blocks common in the company’s XtremeRO and XtremeUF products. Uni-RO building blocks vary in pressure rating and membrane type but share the same repeatable module design. This simplifies scaled deployment while delivering economies of scale and scope with battle–tested reliability, operation, and maintenance.
FusionRO can also be packaged into the company’s end-to-end systems for minimal liquid discharge (MLD) and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) applications. The system is now available for deployment in lithium, manufacturing, power, battery production, semiconductor, and other high-recovery industrial applications.
Contact our expert engineers today to explore how Saltworks’ FusionRO can support your brine reduction goals.
Saltworks Technologies is a leader in the development and delivery of solutions for industrial wastewater treatment and lithium refining. By working with customers to understand their unique challenges and focusing on continuous innovation, Saltworks’ solutions provide best-in-class performance and reliability. From its headquarters in Richmond, BC, Canada, Saltworks’ team designs, builds, and operates full-scale plants, and offers comprehensive onsite and offsite testing services with its fleet of mobile pilots.
Our innovative brine management solutions maximize freshwater recovery and minimize waste products, reducing disposal costs. We optimize costs with the correct blend of membrane and evaporator crystallizer solutions.
Our XtremeRO and FusionRO provide industry-leading recovery and reliablity. Concentrate brine, reduce discharge volumes, recover freshwater and more.
XtremeUF ceramic and polymeric ultrafiltration removes oils, grease, precipitated by-products, particulate, microbes, and suspended solids.
Saltworks Technologies is pleased to announce an award of a 600 GPM advanced hydrofluoric acid wastewater (HFW) treatment plant for a prominent U.S. semiconductor manufacturer.