Posted on 07/02/2013 8:41:18 AM PDT by Wonder Warthog
Abstract-Third Party Report
An experimental investigation of possible anomalous heat production in a special type of reactor tube named E-Cat HT is carried out. The reactor tube is charged with a small amount of hydrogen loaded nickel powder plus some additives. The reaction is primarily initiated by heat from resistor coils inside the reactor tube. Measurement of the produced heat was performed with high-resolution thermal imaging cameras, recording data every second from the hot reactor tube. The measurements of electrical power input were performed with a large bandwidth three-phase power analyzer. Data were collected in two experimental runs lasting 96 and 116 hours, respectively. An anomalous heat production was indicated in both experiments. The 116-hour experiment also included a calibration of the experimental set-up without the active charge present in the E-Cat HT. In this case, no extra heat was generated beyond the expected heat from the electric input. Computed volumetric and gravimetric energy densities were found to be far above those of any known chemical source. Even by the most conservative assumptions as to the errors in the measurements, the result is still one order of magnitude greater than conventional energy sources.
In a recent report titled "Indications of anomalous heat energy production in a reactor device containing hydrogen loaded nickel powder" [arXiv:1305.3913], G. Levi and co-workers put forth several claims concerning the operations and performance of the so-called E-Cat of Andrea Rossi. We note first of all that the circumstances and people involved in the test make if far from being an independent one. We examine the claims put forth by the authors and note that in many cases they are not supported by the facts given in the report. The authors seem to jump to conclusions fitting pre-conceived ideas where alternative explanations are possible. In general we find that much attention is drawn to trivialities while important pieces of information and investigation are lacking and seem not to have been conducted or considered. These are characteristics more typically found in pseudo-scientific texts and have no place in a technical/scientific report on this level. We also note that the proposed claims would require new physics in not only one but several areas. Besides a cold-fusion like process without production of any radiation also extreme new material properties would be needed to explain what rather seems to be a problem of correct measurement. Therefore, it is clear to us that a truly independent and scientific investigation of the so called E-Cat device, convincingly demonstrating an "anomalous heat energy production" has not been presented in the arXiv report and is thus, to-date, still lacking.
I know this would look better with some breaks, but this is how the Abstracts are formatted at arXiv. I thought it best to stick with the original (lack of) formatting.
Third Party Report:
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1305/1305.3913.pdf
Critique of Third Party Report:
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1306/1306.6364.pdf
This version of the third party report includes additional details about how various measurements were made that were not available in the version of the thread that got dropped.
Where their is anomalous heat, there is fusion.
The resulting HEAT is an order of magnitude greater? Are they saying that this is neither cold nor fusion?
Thanks for the report, WW.
It appears that this technology is getting closer and closer to being proven, which portends enormous, game changing impacts on the lives of everyone.
It’s a bright ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark period of time.
Oh no, not this crap again. Is that you again, Kevmo?
Can a hobbyist build a safe demonstrator of this effect?
Well, it is certainly "cold" by comparison with a tokamak. And the authors are pretty careful not to speculate on what the ultimate source of the energy is, other than "not chemical".
There are several trying that I know of, and probably MANY others, some with fairly sophisticated approaches. GREAT care wrt safety is needed. Some of the materials can be quite toxic.
No, I’m “the other one”.
Has any analysis of the 'end products' been performed? Is the nickle catalyst present in the original quantity? Did the amount of hydrogen present change?
Did the heat output during a run remain constant or did it change over time?
Regards,
GtG
Gaseous anomalies in the Neutral Zone?............
Not necessarily. The best theories as to how the Rossi and Fleichman-Pons experiments/devices produce anomalous heat involve not fusion, but transmutation of the metal into another metal: the metal isn’t catalyzing fusion, it’s what’s undergoing a nuclear reaction. (In the case of Rossi, nickel is transmuted into copper, releasing energy.)
It is a nuclear “effect” done at low (compared to the Sun) temps (several hundred plus degrees). There are theories as to what is happening, although nobody is sure.
IMO it seems similar to knowing how to create fire without knowing exactly what is happening. There now seems to be too much evidence that something (causing transmutations & heat) is happening, with too many people putting their reputations on the line for this to be a complete hoax. Investors aren’t welcome. Some say it stinks of fraud but I don’t see it. The main issue seems to be that Rossi can’t get a patent for it as anything “cold fusion” related can’t receive one (in USA). His goal is to get the product to market and let the scientists try and argue that it doesn’t work, only once it gets a patent (hence the secrecy of the device internals).
...interesting to watch though :)
As far as I’m concerned, if it’s a product that can create energy without any sort of regular use of fuel, it’s a groundbreaking product. It certainly is interesting.
“Investors aren’t welcome.” - FL
I believe they are trying to sell distribution rights for ecat devices. Which is pretty clever, since they avoid SEC/securities fraud this way.
This "may" no longer be the case. George Miley (another CF/LENR researcher) has recently been granted a patent that is LENR related. Although this may have been due to using "sneaky" enough verbiage to "slip through" the USPTO system. There have been a couple of others, I think, one (at least) to NASA. Not enough cases yet to see if the USPTO has actually changed its position on the subject.
For the palladium-deuterium system, yes, including a heat and mass balance. For nickel-hydrogen, I don't know of any that will stand up to scrutiny.
"Did the heat output during a run remain constant or did it change over time?"
Constantly changing, but in an obviously controlled fashion. This seems to be the big problem with Ni-H. Once you get it going, it wants to "run away".
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