NANOPHLOW · Project

Nano-Channel Technology to Extract Energy from Salt Water and Improve Desalination

energyPrototypeTRL 3Thin data (2/5)

Imagine water flowing through channels a thousand times thinner than a human hair. At that tiny scale, water behaves completely differently — temperature differences and salt concentration differences can actually push fluids around without any pump. NANOPHLOW figured out the science behind these effects and showed they could be used for three things: generating electricity where river water meets the sea, filtering salt from seawater far more efficiently, and separating proteins for medical diagnostics. Think of it as discovering a new kind of engine that runs on salt gradients instead of fuel.

By the numbers

EUR 3,299,670

EU funding for phoretic flow research

consortium partners across the project

countries represented (ES, FR, NL, UK)

SMEs involved in the consortium

project deliverables produced

25%

industry ratio in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Current desalination and water filtration systems consume enormous amounts of energy because they rely on brute-force pressure to push water through membranes. Meanwhile, the vast energy potential where rivers meet the sea (osmotic power) remains essentially untapped because existing technologies cannot efficiently harvest salinity gradients. Both problems stem from the same gap: we lack efficient ways to control fluid flow at the nanoscale.

The solution

What was built

The project produced 11 deliverables focused on understanding and harnessing phoretic flows in nano-channels. The key demo deliverable documented measurements of phoretic properties of Abeta peptide suspensions, establishing how gradient-driven transport works at the molecular level for protein separation applications.

Audience

Who needs this

Desalination membrane manufacturers looking for next-generation filtration technologyBlue energy startups developing osmotic power plants at river-sea interfacesClinical diagnostics companies needing ultra-sensitive protein separation instrumentsWater technology companies seeking low-energy filtration solutionsPharmaceutical companies requiring precise nanoscale molecular separation

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Water desalination

enterprise

Target: Desalination plant operators and membrane technology manufacturers

If you are a desalination company struggling with high energy costs and membrane fouling — this project developed nano-channel flow technology that uses concentration gradients to drive filtration without conventional pumps. The research targeted ultra-filtration and desalination as core applications, with an 8-partner consortium across 4 countries working on proof-of-principle demonstrations. The technology aims to surpass the efficiency limits of current membrane-based desalination.

Renewable energy

any

Target: Blue energy developers and osmotic power technology companies

If you are an energy company exploring untapped renewable sources — this project investigated how to harvest electricity from salinity gradients where fresh water meets salt water, known as 'blue energy.' With EUR 3,299,670 in EU funding and 2 industrial partners on the team, NANOPHLOW built the scientific foundation for osmotic energy devices using nano-scale phoretic flows. The research addresses the fundamental barriers that have kept osmotic energy from commercial viability.

Biotech and diagnostics

mid-size

Target: Protein analysis instrument manufacturers and clinical diagnostics companies

If you are a diagnostics company needing better protein separation for disease detection — this project demonstrated phoretic behavior of Abeta peptide suspensions, directly relevant to Alzheimer's biomarker analysis. The team developed methods to use thermal and concentration gradients in nano-channels to separate proteins with higher sensitivity than current techniques. With 5 university partners contributing fundamental research, the science is validated but still early-stage.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would this technology cost to implement?

No pricing data is available — this was a fundamental research project (FET Open) with EUR 3,299,670 in EU funding. The technology is pre-commercial, so cost projections for industrial deployment have not yet been established. Any company interested would need to co-develop the technology further.

Can this scale to industrial production?

The project objective explicitly mentions a path from 'proofs-of-principle' to 'pilot plants' and then 'full scale applications.' However, based on available project data, the work focused on laboratory-scale science and measurements rather than pilot-scale demonstrations. Significant engineering work remains before industrial deployment.

What is the IP situation and how can I license this?

The project was coordinated by Universitat de Barcelona with 8 partners across 4 countries. IP would be shared among consortium members according to their grant agreement. Companies interested in licensing should contact the coordinator through university technology transfer offices.

How does this compare to existing desalination and energy technologies?

The project objective states that this approach 'will surpass the intrinsic limitations of current technologies' and that the efficiency improvement 'will be a game changer.' However, these are research ambitions — the project itself acknowledges the work is 'truly high-risk, high-yield,' meaning outcomes are uncertain.

What was actually demonstrated during the project?

The project produced 11 deliverables including measurements of phoretic properties of Abeta peptide suspensions. This demo deliverable describes experiments and results on how peptide particles move under gradient forces. Based on available data, the work remained at the fundamental research and proof-of-concept level.

Is regulatory approval needed?

For desalination and energy applications, standard industrial and environmental permits would apply. For protein separation devices used in diagnostics, medical device regulations (EU MDR) would be required. Since the technology is pre-commercial, regulatory strategy has not yet been defined.

Who were the industrial partners?

The consortium included 2 SMEs and 2 industry partners out of 8 total partners across Spain, France, the Netherlands, and the UK. The project also planned to engage additional industrial partners through a dedicated Knowledge Transfer Facilitator role.

Consortium

Who built it

The NANOPHLOW consortium brings together 8 partners from 4 countries (Spain, France, Netherlands, UK), led by Universitat de Barcelona. The team is research-heavy with 5 universities and 1 research organization, reflecting the fundamental nature of the work. The 2 industry partners (both SMEs) represent a 25% industry ratio — enough to signal commercial awareness but not strong industrial pull. The inclusion of a dedicated Knowledge Transfer Facilitator role shows intent to bridge the gap between lab results and real-world applications. For a business considering this technology, the consortium is best viewed as a source of deep scientific expertise rather than a near-term product development partner.

UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONACoordinator · ES
THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGEparticipant · UK
FLUIDIC ANALYTICS LIMITEDparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITE PARIS-SACLAYthirdparty · FR
UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHTparticipant · NL
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
SORBONNE UNIVERSITEthirdparty · FR

How to reach the team

Universitat de Barcelona (Spain) — reach out through their technology transfer office or faculty of physics

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing nano-channel technology for desalination or blue energy? SciTransfer can connect you with the NANOPHLOW research team and help evaluate commercial fit.

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