Ammonia Membrane Stripping Technology

Turn Ammonia Waste into Green Value.

Recover ammonia from wastewater as fertilizer without the massive footprint or air pollution of conventional stripping towers.

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The "Dirty Secret" of Conventional Stripping

Conventional ammonia stripping towers are massive, energy-hungry structures that often trade water pollution for air pollution.

The Problem: Conventional towers strip ammonia gas directly into the air. Even with secondary scrubbers, they struggle to meet strict air quality limits (100 µg/m³ annually).

Regulatory authorities now demand continuous online stack monitoring because ammonia odor is detectable at just 5-17 ppm. This adds massive complexity and cost to "simple" stripping towers.

Regulatory Risk

"Ammonia release to the environment... causes additional environmental issues with respect to regulatory compliance for air quality."

The Amo-Loc Advantage

Zero Air Emissions

Ammonia passes through a gas-permeable membrane directly into an acid trap. No exhaust stack, no air scrubbing, no smell.

Resource Recovery

Converts waste ammonia into Ammonium Sulphate ((NH4)2SO4), a valuable commercial fertilizer.

Compact Footprint

Modular hollow-fiber cartridges replace massive packed towers. Fits easily into existing plant layouts.

Technical Comparison

Why Membrane Contactors Win

For ammonia concentrations between 10 to 100 mg/L (and up to 2500+ ppm), Amo-Loc offers superior removal efficiency and operational simplicity.

Packed Tower vs. Amo-Loc Membrane System

Feature	Conventional Stripping	Amo-Loc Membrane
Removal Efficiency	Typically ~75% (single stage)	Up to 98%
Air Pollution	Release of Ammonia gas; requires secondary scrubber.	Zero emissions (Closed Loop).
Footprint	Large towers + blowers + scrubbers.	Compact modular skids.
Carryover Risk	High risk of mist/cyanide carryover.	Minimal (Gas-permeable barrier).
Temperature Sensitivity	Fails in freezing conditions; requires heated air.	Effective with standard liquid temp control.

The Membrane Stripping Process

The Amo-Loc process leverages the chemical equilibrium between Ammonium (NH4+) and Ammonia gas (NH3).

pH Adjustment: Wastewater pH is raised (typically 10.5–11.5) and temperature increased to shift equilibrium toward gaseous Ammonia (NH3).
Membrane Transfer: The water flows over the outside of hydrophobic hollow fibers. NH3 gas diffuses through the dry membrane pores.
Acid Capture: An acidic solution (typically Sulfuric Acid) flows inside the fibers. It instantly reacts with the incoming NH3 gas.
Product Generation: The reaction traps the ammonia as Ammonium Sulphate ((NH4)2SO4), a concentrated salt solution ready for use as fertilizer.