SBRO
Semi-Batch REVERSE OSMOSIS
SBRO for High-Recovery Water Reuse
Gradiant’s Semi-Batch RO (SBRO) is a high-recovery reverse osmosis process that helps facilities recover more water, lower energy use, and cut brine volume, all while maintaining reliable performance on variable feedwater.
SBRO uses standard RO components in a smarter process. Instead of running continuously at high pressure with a constant reject stream, it operates in controlled semi-batch cycles. Permeate is recovered at high efficiency during production, and concentrated brine is intermittently flushed between cycles to reduce scaling, fouling, and waste.
Every SBRO system is built with SmartOps AI for adaptive control, automated optimization, and remote monitoring as conditions change.
For facilities facing water scarcity, discharge limits, variable wastewater, or rising water costs, SBRO is a smarter path to high-recovery reuse.
Benefits of SBRO
Maximize Water Recovery
SBRO achieves high recovery in a single-stage process, creating more usable water from industrial wastewater, brackish water, and challenging feed streams. Higher recovery means less brine, lower feedwater demand, and reduced discharge volumes.
Reduce Energy Consumption
Conventional RO runs at a fixed high pressure sized for worst-case osmotic conditions. SBRO ramps pressure dynamically through each semi-batch cycle to follow the feed’s osmotic profile, avoiding wasted energy. Field installations worldwide show roughly 30% lower specific energy consumption than conventional RO under comparable conditions.
Improve Fouling and Scaling Resistance
Scaling and fouling are the biggest barriers to high-recovery RO. Conventional systems keep membranes in constant contact with concentrated brine, driving mineral precipitation and foulant buildup. SBRO’s short cycles and intermittent flushing remove concentrated brine before scale can form and disrupt foulant accumulation on the membrane. Gradiant’s zero-recovery flushing adds another layer of protection, extending membrane life, reducing cleanings, and improving uptime.
Adapt to Variable Feedwater
Industrial water is rarely consistent. Quality, flow, temperature, and contaminant loads shift over time, and conventional RO struggles with anything but steady state. SBRO uses adaptive controls to respond in real time, making it well suited to industrial wastewater reuse, process water recovery, and brackish water treatment.
Gradiant’s Semi-Batch RO (SBRO)
SBRO runs in semi-batch cycles. During production, feedwater enters and permeate is recovered at 100% recovery, with pressure ramping up as the feed concentrates. A flushing cycle then purges concentrated brine, cutting brine volume and preventing scale and fouling. Zero recovery flushing can be used to counter fouling or off-spec permeate, maximizing membrane performance in poor feedwater.
Designed for Industrial
Water Challenges
SBRO is built to recover more water from difficult streams while cutting cost, risk, and environmental impact.
Industrielle Abwässer
Reuse
Recover water for process, utility, or other non-potable use.
Semiconductor Water
Reclamation
Handle variable, complex fab wastewater to support reuse, capacity growth, and site resilience
Brackish Water
Treatment
Improve recovery while reducing brine and energy use
Process Water
Recovery
Deliver high-quality water for operations with shifting feed quality
Minimum &
Kein Flüssigkeitsaustritt
Pair SBRO with CFRO to boost recovery and lighten the load on downstream MLD/ZLD systems
SBRO installation for a LSR application with a leading U.S. semiconductor manufacturer
SBRO installation for a high fouling and scaling application for an industrial manufacturing site in Malaysia