This report will briefly focus on the function of the Mobil Production Unit, MPU. The implementation of the Jefferson City EM Waste Treatment Research Project required the development of various logistical, technical and engineering components. The MPU was designed and constructed to produce the 7,000 gallons, 28 tons, of high quality of EM inoculant needed weekly regardless of weather conditions or outside temperatures.
In Missouri the seasonal temperatures can vary from the high 90’s F, near 37 C, to lows of around 0 F, - 17 C. The goal was to build a sheltered production system that would require the minimal weekly labor without the additional budget cost of automated systems. The final system design consists of many manually operated values and pumps. The efficiency of the MPU has greatly reduced our past production labor requirements.
The MPU was constructed inside an older recycled 48-foot, 14.6 meter, insulated semi trailer at the SCD shop in Columbia. A transport truck was hired to move the MPU to Jefferson City. This semi-trailer is a very cost effective structure that also allows for quick relocation of the production facility to project sights. (It should be noted that the MPU is not intended to transport inoculant in the productions tanks.)
Once the MPU was set up in Jefferson City and molasses was delivered, then production began and EM ceramic powder was added. [top]
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A combination of seven 550 gallon, 2 ton, tanks and one 1500 gallon, 6 ton, tank were used. The larger tank can be seen at the end. These tanks have been custom fitted with two sets of top inlet pipes and valves and two sets of bottom outlet pipes and valves. The tanks were secured to platforms that permit the bottom drainage necessary for tank cleaning. Larger access lids were installed in the smaller tanks to give ease of access for cleaning and maintenance. The room is kept warm, about 95F/35C, by the heat given off from the hot water. Dr. Higa correctly called this an EM sauna.
At the heart of the MPU is the mixing area where molasses is mixed with hot water and then pumped to the desired culturing tank. The premixing of molasses with hot water insures an even mixing of the molasses with the hot water in the culturing tanks. Once mixed a system of valves, pipes and a pump is used to add the mix to the desired culturing tank.
Outside of the MPU are two portable inline hot water heaters that provide hot water for production. Currently the only major constraint on the time required for preparing the culture is the rate in which hot water is delivered. However, this is minor constrain compared to the many labor saving features that the MPU provides us with. It takes about one hour to prepare for production a 550 gallon, 2 ton, tank. The convenient remote controllers for the hot water heaters permits a quick and easy adjustment in water temperature.
Each water heater is plumbed to a separately line. This allows for two different temperatures of water to be directed to two different locations as needed.
This large gear pump efficiently moves molasses. Then once the molasses is mixed with hot water the smaller transfer pump, to the right, is used to move the solution through a series of pipes and valves to the desired tank. Liquids can be moved between tanks or pumped to tanks outside of the MPU as needed. Hot and cold water lines come in through copper tubing. EM ceramics are used to structure the water used to culture the EM inoculant mixtures.
In addition to the internal production abilities of the MPU, additional external culturing tanks can be supplied. It is easy to pump the mixed culturing materials through a hose to tanks outside the MPU. We have even utilized the delivery truck to transport this special mixture of culturing ingredients to culturing tanks several miles away. The MPU has provided many timesaving benefits for us.
The capacity of this MPU is over 5,000 gallons, 20 tons, when all tanks are in use. Currently we are utilizing an extension method that allows for two production runs per week to achieve the 7,000 gallon, 28 ton, weekly. By using additional tanks outside, one weekly production run was over 12,500 gallons, 50 tons, of inoculant.
