Cold Fusion From Italy Updated

Prof. Giuseppe Levi and Dr. David Bianchini, of Bologna University have issued their preliminary reports about the Rossi/Focardi January 14th and 16th cold fusion experiment in a pdf running 12 pages. The report describes the heat production during the preliminary tests on the Rossi “Ni-H” reactor.

While ‘cold fusion’ works for a headline as an attention getter, or detriment or descriptor, the Rossi/Focardi device seems described better as a Low Energy Nuclear Reaction.  The principles prefer “energy catalyzer” for their discussion.  Whichever description works best, the Bologna pdf offers some interesting information.

To start with Bianchini’s radiation examination and report turned up, well.  Nothing of note.

Levi’s heat production report offers a good photograph and block diagram of the device.  From the narrative and the block diagram one can discern what is happening.  It seems the reactor contains the specially prepared nickel and is flooded with hydrogen gas with some heat input delivered with electric resistance heating at about 1100 watts to start and reducing to about 400 watts when the reaction initiates.  A flow of water is introduced and rises in temperature to just over boiling producing a steam source.

The discussion offers that Levi inspected the device looking for electrical, water and hydrogen connections.  He found a 220V 50Hz EU standard line feeding to the control box that connected with five wires to the reactor, a water inlet line and water / steam outlet line, and the hydrogen connection.  Levi even elevated the control box to examine its weightiness.

The measurements included watts at the 220V line, ambient air temperature, water temperature, and steam temperature.  The second test included a dry steam measure.  Values for the hydrogen rely on tank weights before and after.  Water flux was set and measured by collecting and then weighing an amount of water in a container in a given time.

A paraphrased edited quote from the University of Bologna scientist runs:

After approx 30 minutes a kink can be observed in the yellow line (A line recording the steam output temperature). Because input power (1120 W also checked via a clamp amperometer) was not modified (see fig. 5 later) this change of slope testifies that the reactor was ignited. After a startup period approx 20 minutes long a second kink appears where the reactor power was almost constant taking the water to ≈75°C.  A second kink is found when the reactor fully ignites raising the measured temperature to 101.6 +/-0.1°C and transforming the water into steam. At this point we can try a simple calculus in order to evaluate the power produced. In order to raise the temperature of 168 g of water by 1°C, ≈ 168*4.185 = 703 J are needed.  The water inlet temperature was 15°C so the ∆T was 85°C. We have 703*85=59755 J.  To this energy one must add the evaporation heat ≈2272 J/g * 168=381696 J. Total energy in 45 sec is 59755+381696=441451 J, and power is 441451/45=9810 W.

Prof. Levi concludes (edited):

The amount of power and energy produced during both tests is indeed impressive and, together with the self-sustaining state reached during [Test 1] could be an indication that the system is working as a new type of energy source.  The short duration of the tests suggests that it’s important to make more long and complete experiments. An appropriate scientific program will be drawn up.

Looks rather good, doesn’t it?  But its not hot steam at just over 100º C leading to some thought on how harvesting might be done.

Another resource is Jed Rothwell’s technical brief from last week that offers an easily understood English look at the demonstration.

Are there great gaping holes in the demo?  Just one – the potential for an energy source in the control box, suggesting now too late that the box construction might have been better done with transparent materials.  That would cancel the allegation that a battery or capacitor source was used to make up the needed power.

Without making a hard conclusion, the Rossi/Focardi appears to work.  There will be a need for more disclosure to enable repeatable study.  But, Rossi understands that the hard proof will be the sales or leasing of units in operation and has written in a forum saying, “Our judge is the market. In this field the phase of the competition in the field of theories, hypothesis, conjectures etc etc is over. The competition is in the market. If somebody has a valid technology, he has not to convince people by chattering, he has to make a reactor that work and go to sell it, as we are doing.”

If you need cheap heat, can stand the early commercial uncertainty and don’t really mind the explanation is scientifically and proprietarily incomplete, you might want to get an email off.  No law says you have to wait, at least not yet.

Rossi directed commercial inquiries to info(at)leonardocorp1996.com

Read more at New Energy And Fuel