Sapwood for water filtration

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Sapwood for water filtration

Posted: 3/8/2014 5:08:19 PM EDT

Science!

It's news to me, anyway. Apologies if everyone already knew this.

From the article:

"The xylem filter could effectively filter out bacteria from water with rejection exceeding 99.9%...Flow rates of about 4 L/d were obtained through ~1 cm2 filter areas at applied pressures of about 5 psi, which is sufficient to meet the drinking water needs of one person."

Posted: 3/8/2014 5:30:59 PM EDT

[#1]

Sounds like time for some shop experimentation.

Posted: 3/8/2014 5:50:04 PM EDT

[#2]

5 psi = 12.5 feet :)

Filter clogging is the biggest problem I see.

Posted: 3/8/2014 8:16:22 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
5 psi = 12.5 feet :)

Filter clogging is the biggest problem I see.

View Quote

Hanging a bucket 20 feet up while using 2" wide food grade tubing will allow a nice large surface area, and put plenty of pressure in it. When time to refill, lower bucket and fill with more water. I have a 7 gallon bucket I'll be willing to experiment this with.

Posted: 3/10/2014 11:55:17 AM EDT

[#4]

Very cool!

Posted: 3/10/2014 12:37:49 PM EDT

[#5]

At the flow mentioned, supply tubing could be 1/4".

Why remove the bark?

Posted: 3/10/2014 12:46:33 PM EDT

[#6]

Bark is the material that protects the tree, it doesn't play a role in the movement of water and nutrients. Seems like the bark would offer more of a chance of water squeezing by instead of getting moved through the wood itself.

Posted: 3/10/2014 7:47:09 PM EDT

[#7]

Wow. Seems to be a great idea that makes instant sense. If it works, why hasn't this been in every SAS manual, survival mag and survivor man episode?

Posted: 3/10/2014 10:16:48 PM EDT

[#8]

Perhaps it just hasn't been tried. Read the whole study. It does mention trying different types of wood and the internal membrane sizes from other wood may be able to do a better / worse job.

Posted: 3/11/2014 3:52:43 AM EDT

[#9]

I wonder if it matters whether the wood is fresh or not. Either way having the tubing on hand would be easy enough. Loss of flow would indicate time to change out the filter?

Posted: 3/11/2014 9:29:43 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
I wonder if it matters whether the wood is fresh or not. Either way having the tubing on hand would be easy enough. Loss of flow would indicate time to change out the filter?

View Quote

If I read it right, the study said it had to be fresh. Once the material dried, they couldn't get the water to move through it.

Posted: 3/11/2014 5:46:22 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:

If I read it right, the study said it had to be fresh. Once the material dried, they couldn't get the water to move through it.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I wonder if it matters whether the wood is fresh or not. Either way having the tubing on hand would be easy enough. Loss of flow would indicate time to change out the filter?

If I read it right, the study said it had to be fresh. Once the material dried, they couldn't get the water to move through it.

Yes, sounded as if it has to be fresh. However once it's "wet" I wonder if some premade pieced could be cut and "perm soaked" in a film tube or such.

Posted: 3/13/2014 12:38:13 PM EDT

[#12]

Hmmm, just any type of tree???

I wonder if Cottonwood or Water willow would flow more water??? This is actually pretty darn interesting to me

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Sapwood for water filtration

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