PURPOSE: - A fresh water stream holding a variety of suspended colloids, the six heaviest of which having some portion present as ORMUS, is fed into a simple pipeline system designed to recover most of the ORMUS. Various common features of this circuit are examined for their influence on ORMUS recovery. There is no attempt here to describe a "best" way. Future planned experiments will shed more light in that direction. Presently, the focus is on the general principles that lead to effective gathering while performing the primary pipeline function of moving water from A to B.

THEORY: - It is possible to gather the major portion of ORMUS in a natural fresh water stream by capturing most of its flow during annual 'lowest flow' conditions and maintaining that system capacity throughout the entire year. Simple,cheap,plastic pipe and barrels can be arranged to collect most of the passing ORMUS.

DESCRIPTION: - This seasonal stream drains an area on the topo map dotted with old mines. Such streams can have high heavy metal content and drinking the water can be hazardous to health. For the purpose of ORMUS recovery; however, these are the most logical candidates. Since high concentrations of ORMUS often accompany high concentrations of these same elements as metals; it is prudent to know which is which and how to effectively separate one from the other before experimenting with personal use of any products from such streams. For the presence of ORMUS elements, Del's stream would be considered "well above average", but not nearly of commercial grade, quality, or quantity.

The stream enters Del's land through a county road dept. culvert. If the system intake was upstream of the culvert; much of the dissolved zinc and iron could be avoided. The galvanic metal transport caused by some earlier user welding a steel slick-plate and screen arrangement to the end of the culvert; has provided some very convenient corrosion holes/classifying screen through which the stream enters Del's all plastic system. A diagonally cut 55 gallon barrel, with 2 inch Sched 40 PVC pipe out the bung hole to the first Sediment Trap [ST] acts as a 'funnel to overflow tank' entry gate. The capacity of this first section is much greater than the maximum flow possible in the pipeline [approx. 10 Gpm] because at no time do we want air entering the main line, and we also expect to capture a significant portion of the ORMUS present  in the overflow water.

.

Sediment Trap #1 is an open-top 55 gallon plastic barrel with a 3/4 inch drain pipe out the side approx. 4 inches above the bottom. The 2 inch PVC pipe from the culvert [approx. 60 ft.] feeds into a 4 inch free standing PVC pipe in the center of the barrel which introduces the water directly to the bottom of the barrel. The 3/4 inch drain leads to a 3/4 inch PVC ball valve, then to a 1 inch poly pipe for approx. 100 feet. Then the line expands to 11/4 inch diameter for the next 1,000 feet. In the last 3 pipe sections before Sediment Trap #2 the 11/4 inch polypipe expands to 11/2 inch poly[10 ft]; then 11/2 inch PVC[10 ft]; then 2 inch Sched 40 PVC [30 ft] to end of pipeline.

The total system length is close to 1200 feet with 70 feet of drop. The flow is controlled by the 3/4 inch PVC ball valve within a foot of the pipeline inlet. Although present line capacity is about 10 Gpm; recent stream flows have dropped as low as 1 Gpm; and peak stream flows [late Winter-early Spring] exceed 1,000 Gpm. The graduation of orifice diameters ensures that nothing will lodge in the line to block flow and creates a strong suction vortex commencing at the ball valve.

The last 50 feet of expanded diameter pipe is at the lowest elevation in the system and the last 30 feet are sloping gently upward. Anything settling out of suspension due to line influences will begin collecting here first. The accumulation of sediment within the line is intentional, because the sediment acts as a resin-type collector for ORMUS. In theory, the pipeline will always be exerting its constant influence relative to flow rates, but as sediment accumulates over time; its trapping influence on ORMUS in suspension should grow.

Sediment Trap #2 sits at the end of the pipeline. It is a 55 gallon barrel with open top similar to ST #1, but without the lower drain. The line water is fed to a 4 inch free standing PVC pipe in the center of the barrel which introduces the flow to the bottom of the barrel. This barrel overflows into a 6 foot diameter, 2 foot deep, fiberglass settling pool. As a permanent circuit, this would constitute the end point. It is expected that as sediment accumulates in the system; ORMUS recovery rates will rise to the point where additional gathering units will be superfluous. Until then, a barrel trap [similar to ST #2] will catch the pool overflow for an example of a simple, inexpensive, yet effective stand alone ORMUS trap.

MATERIALS: - These circuit parts were all salvaged from previous spring water systems. Any leaching of materials into the water occurred long ago leaving the contact surfaces pacified.

CAPACITY CONSIDERATIONS: - The best time of year to gather ORMUS from fresh water in North America is usually fall and early winter, because the subsurface [50-100 feet] temperatures are highest [peaking in late December to mid-January] and the rain dilution is low. I have seen peak element concentrations in late January when the rains were late; but usually you will want to collect the sediments before the big rains begin. The first objective of an ORMUS gathering system is to corral as much of the richest flow as possible.

For Del's stream this is a problem due to the wide variation in possible flow rates during the August to January period. During drought years the stream can dry up before entering his land and then, a week later; it may rain for seven days straight. Since the ORMUS drops from suspension onto the fluffy light floc composed mostly of calcium carbonate which has precipitated from solution; we don't want a flood of dilute rain water flushing out months of ORMUS build up.

The line capacity must be restricted so that, even in sping flood conditions, the precipitated ORMUS in the system is not in jeopardy. Because the pipeline is the place where most of the ORMUS drops; we want the system to always flow at near capacity rates in order to optimize the recovery features of the line. Also, we don't want air entering, because it either 'locks' or severely restricts flow and because the essential 'friction factor' is diminished.

Although it may seem as though restricting line capacity to 10 Gpm when peak stream flows are above 1,000 Gpm will only allow 1% of the carried ORMUS into the pipeline; there are a few tricks [to be discussed in future Field Reports] which allow us to gather a much larger portion. Having just postulated that the ORMUS recovered will be among the visible, calcium carbonates; I must quickly caution that THESE PRECIPITATES SHOULD NOT BE INGESTED!! Gathering is only the first of many steps necessary to make an ingestable ORMUS. At this precipitate stage, there is a minute fraction of ORMUS attached to a large particle containing almost every other element present in the stream in the metallic [cationic] state AND every other organism as well.

THE WATER: - When gathering ORMUS from fresh waters; it helps to have a clear idea of the constituents and how they respond. In general, there will be a wide range of elements present, some of which may be toxic in concentrated amounts. The highest proportion of ORMUS is always associated with the heaviest element. The precious metal elements [PMEs] are the most highly valued ORMUS elements. CAUTION - If osmium is present; do not use this water at all! Osmium tetroxide, the gaseous derivative, is highly toxic. Concentrations in the air as low as 1 ppm [part per million] can cause lung congestion and skin or eye damage.

  In Del's stream water there is platinum, iridium, and silver. In the heavier than precious category,there is bismuth [most is anionic/ORMUS] and an almost undetectable amount of polonium [nearly all as ORMUS]. Just because an element is reported in a conventional assay, does not automatically mean the ORMUS form of that element is also present. In Del's stream the heaviest 6 elements [tellurium, barium, iridium, platinum, bismuth, and polonium] each have a portion present in the nonmetallic ORMUS state. The heaviest having the highest percentage in the m-state. The elements lighter than tellurium have zero presence in the ORMUS state. In order to illustrate what happens to the lighter metallics; we will monitor the carbon, aluminum,calcium and iron.

OBSERVATIONS: - Del's new system [ST#3 not yet installed] began continous operation on Sept. 7/02. Flow first stabilized at 3 Gpm and dropped to less than 1 Gpm during annual 'lowest flow' conditions. The ball valve restrictor was used to maintain a full line [no air] until flows returned above 4 Gpm by Sept. 25th. As temperatures have dropped significantly and the trees require less water now; it is likely the stream flow will continue higher.

The values reported below come from a sampling taken by Del and I at approx 2:00 PM Thurs. Sept. 26th. At that time the flow was close to 5 Gpm. The method used to determine specific elements and their relative values is dowsing backed up by 17 years of hands-on lab and field production experience with the waters of this geologic district. While some may question the method; they should know that relative comparisons between water samples are among the simplest things to dowse. As time passes during this series of Field Reports using the same circuit; Del will post a series of photos that show each step taken to arrive at a final product which will be an ORMUS concentrate that all forum followers will recognize. Anyone wishing their own samples should contact Del [dwutzke@c-zone.net].
 
 With the pressurized intake and telescoping of diameters over 70 feet of elevation drop; the pipeline develops a strong suction vortex which flings the heaviest elements [centrifugal force] into friction contact with the inner pipe surface creating heat and negative electrostatic charge. This charge is observed accumulating around the heaviest colloids. The heaviest elements gain the most charge and also drop from suspension quickest. As the negative charge builds; the water becomes more alkaline. Ph is observed as 6.777 on entering the 4 inch stand pipe at ST#1 and as 6.815 on leaving the line at ST#2. The rising Ph causes a slight precipitation [less than 5% of the light elements up to 18% of the polonium] of the dissolved metals.

  It is clear from the readings between ST#1 drain and ST#2 inlet; that all of the colloids gain most of their charge in the pipeline section of the circuit with the heaviest accumulating the charge first until it obtains a surfeit, then the lighter anions in succession. On my scale, the charge accumulation appears to slow as it passes 7.0 with an outside limit of 8.0. Polonium reaches maximum charge of 7.67, bismuth-7.24, platinum-7.17, iridium-5.25, barium-4.08, and tellurium-0.82. As the anionic colloids reach a maximum charge they appear to become fully monoatomic and no longer share any electrons.

At this point they drop from suspension. By the time they reach the lip of the settling pool; all of the anionic polonium, bismuth, and platinum have dropped from suspension, 96.4% of the iridium, 90.7% of the barium, and 72.7% of the tellurium.

The bulk of the metallic precipitate is comprised of calcium and carbon with minor amounts of all the other solution elements mixed in. These metallic salts are well mixed with the ORMUS and outnumber them by more than 25 to 1.

 

 CONCLUSION: - At the flow rate of 4.5 Gpm; Del's circuit has  trapped almost all of the ORMUS passing through it. As the months of more rain diluted flows arrive; we will take periodic samples to assess the system's relative effectiveness at higher pipeline flow rates. By this time next year we should have enough data, both dowsed and tangible, to assess the overall performance of this simple, inexpensive ORMUS collection circuit. The relatively minor roles of ST#1,2,and3 at current rates will be more significant as the stream's flow rises. They will be discussed in more detail in future Field Reports when other trap designs are evaluated.

  If the out of pocket cost of your collection system is less than $20.00 as was Del's; and if you can gather ORMUS from a similarly endowed gravity flow source; you too may be in a position to begin making some comptitively priced manna about this time next year.

  In HIS light,

  Doug Schmitt, Bsc; P Eng; MBA.