[PapaBear3625]

The mobility of Ni atoms/nuclei (condition (1)) is enhanced by the use of an electric resistance heater to maintain higher temperatures.

This part bothers me. If energy is being generated, then a heater should only be needed in the beginning, with temperature thereafter being maintained by the reaction, and kept in the desired range by controlling the flow of coolant.

I had been thinking the continued electricity was needed to maintain some sort of electric field condition.

[Wonder Warthog]

"This part bothers me. If energy is being generated, then a heater should only be needed in the beginning, with temperature thereafter being maintained by the reaction, and kept in the desired range by controlling the flow of coolant."

I think this is mostly an artifact of the relative crudity of the current reactors, and due to the low cost and simplicity of doing small-scale feedback control of electricity (heat), vs small-scale control of flow-rate. Temp controllers and RTD's are a lot cheaper and faster acting than precise flowmeters and control valves. Once you get into "industrial scale" situations, those criteria shift a bit.

"I had been thinking the continued electricity was needed to maintain some sort of electric field condition."

There are hints in some of theories and experimental work that such an effect "does" happen. But Rossi has said several times that he can run his reactors without the electricity...just that they are less stable/controllable.

And it might be possible that such an effect can be used in an E-Cat to either improve control, or boost output.

[JoeFromSidney]

I had been thinking the continued electricity was needed to maintain some sort of electric field condition.

As I read the article, the heater was needed to bring the material above the Curie temperature, destroying ferromagnetism, and allowing a couplet to be formed with no net magnetic spin.

[oneolcop]

According to what (I think) I read, the external heat helps initiate the desired reaction then further enhances the process. Strictly speaking, the heat is not necessary for continued reaction. Nevertheless, the amount of heat generated by the reaction exceeds the power used by the external heater. The coolant is water that is heated past boiling to produce steam.

Rossi has, in essence, said that the units thus far developed are rudimentary and will likely be improved as time and experimentation goes on.

[Kevmo]

It could be that the LENR reaction is still so sporadic that it cannot be counted on reliably to produce the heat.