Water Has Always Been Pushed.
Now It Is Drawn.
We use unused low-temperature waste heat (~55 °C) to drive a forward osmosis process built on solid thermoresponsive hydrogels. Turning heat that would otherwise be wasted into clean process water.
The Principle: Moving from Electricity to Waste Heat
Instead of high-pressure pumps or energy-intensive thermal evaporators, HydroDefine shifts the primary energy source to unutilized industrial waste heat. Pumps and controls still require electricity.
The dry gel, before the cycle
The same gel, swollen with water
After heat input, the deswollen gel
1. Solid Hydrogel Draw Agent
An immobilized, solid thermoresponsive hydrogel draws clean water out of a contaminated stream through a semipermeable forward osmosis (FO) membrane, with minimal back-diffusion.
2. Low-Temperature Release (~55 °C)
When heated using site-available waste heat at ~55 °C, the hydrogel deswells and releases the purified water. The gel then restarts the cycle continuously.
3. A New Commercial Class
To the best of our knowledge, HydroDefine is developing the first commercial FO system with a solid hydrogel draw agent, bridging the economic gap between RO and costly evaporation.
Strategic Fit & Position
Bridging the gap where Reverse Osmosis reaches its limits and Thermal Evaporators become economically unviable.
Electricity Intensive
Requires massive hydraulic pressure (and electrical power). Highly prone to organic and chemical membrane fouling on complex industrial wastewater streams.
Driven by Waste Heat
Uses on-site waste heat at ~55 °C. Operates at ambient osmotic pressure with solid hydrogels, reducing fouling and electrical demand.
High Energy & CAPEX
Effective but extremely expensive to build and operate. Demands steam or high-temperature heat, making treatment of low-salinity streams unfeasible.
Target Application Archetypes
HydroDefine fits where two conditions meet: unused waste heat on site, and electricity that is expensive or capacity-limited. It is not a general replacement for reverse osmosis.
Process & Rinse Water Recovery
Recycling high-volume, low-salinity rinse streams directly at the point of origin. Slashing raw water consumption and wastewater discharge volumes across manufacturing sectors.
Thermal Waste Heat Utilization
Putting unused low-temperature waste heat (~55 °C) from cooling loops, condensers, or process exhausts to work as the driving force for water recovery.
Fouling-Prone Dilute Effluents
A target case for HydroDefine: complex wastewater with high organic or biological load, where standard high-pressure RO membranes struggle with severe scaling or rapid fouling.
Power-Constrained Operations
Continuous water treatment for sites facing strict electrical capacity caps or high peak-power tariffs, by shifting the main energy draw to waste heat.
Five People. A New Class of Water Treatment.
Spin-off team from Physical Chemistry of Polymers at JGU Mainz. From molecular idea to industrial reality.
Martin Wermuth
Designated CEO
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Seiffert
Designated CTO / JGU Chair
Sebastian Seitel
Hydrogel Development
Dr. Anupam Das
Membrane Development
Christian Freiberger
Hardware & Industrialization
Get in Touch
Interested in learning more about our technology or exploring potential collaboration opportunities? Reach out to us directly.
Contact UsEmail: martin.wermuth@hydrodefine.de