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2 <br /> • <br /> i . achieved by forcing the flow of ground water to <br /> d ainage wells by the application of a direct current <br /> b- tween electrodes inserted in the ground. Electro- <br /> o-mosis dewatering is confined to fine grained soils , <br /> s ch as silts and clays . <br /> The book, Applied Clay Minerology (1962) by Ralph E . <br /> Grim, then Research Professor of Geology of the University <br /> of Illinois , noted that the water in clay soils "is present <br /> in two states : (1) oriented water surrounding the clay <br /> miner: 1 particles , and (2) non-oriented liquid in the <br /> inter.titial pores . <br /> A 1960 translation from the Russian literature by <br /> the I linois Geological Society quotes B.A. Nikolaer' s paper <br /> on "P. enomena Originating in Ground While Sinking Piles by <br /> Elect o-osmosis . " The author says , "Most clayey soils are <br /> comply electrical systems . " He and other authors note that <br /> the s ' rface of fine soils commonly carry a negative charge . <br /> Surro nding the particle surface there is commonly found a <br /> very hin layer of bound water with a positive charge . <br /> Application to the soil of a direct current electrical <br /> potential causes the positively charged , electrically bound <br /> water to be released and drawn through the pores and <br /> capil aries to the cathode . That process produces the <br /> commo ly achieved soil stabilization by electro-osmosis and <br /> also roduces the desired effect for sewage electro-osmesis . <br /> Nikolaer also said that besides electro-osmosis , <br /> direc current produces hydrolysis of water and other <br /> physi o chemical processes . Gaseous hydrogen (H.)) is evolved <br /> at th cathode. (This is regularly observed at the cathode <br /> vents of sewage electro-osmosis systems . ) He further said, <br /> "At t e anode, oxygen is evolved by hydrolysis . " (This <br /> may p rtly explain why when electro-osmosis is used to <br /> corre t an existing system which failed, the black sulphur <br /> slime,'observed when the failed system is first examined, <br /> quick y disappears . ) It is assumed that the oxygen released <br /> at th anode travels with the water and helps oxidize the <br /> anaer bic (without oxygen) microbiological slimes. <br /> Pre-Treatment <br /> As with all satisfactory soil absorption systems , <br /> electbo-osmosis systems include a means for removing <br /> subst-ntial amounts of the suspended and settleable solids <br /> from .he waste . For economy, simplicity and efficiency , <br /> this ' s usually a septic tank . <br />