Cold Fusion Energy: What to Expect and How Close We Are

Cold Fusion Energy: What to Expect and How Close We Are by Dr. Stoyan Sarg October 30, 2013

What are the expected major advantages of the new energy of cold fusion? One, obtaining cheaper and small nuclear energy reactors; and, two, avoiding the hazardous radioactive waste. Achieving the first one without solving the second will be a problem. Presently, management of the radioactive waste from nuclear power plants is quite expensive, but it is part of the maintenance and the problem is considered solved. At least, it appears to be solved because the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe is a result of bad waste management. The new energy reactors based on cold fusion may not be available for wider distribution if they produce any radioactive waste.

The tests of E-cat HT reactors of Andrea Rossi provided in Uppsala University, Sweden, (2012-2013), and the live test of Defkalion (DGT) Hyperion reactor broadcast on July 22-23, 2013, are reliable demonstrations that cold fusion energy is real. The fuel elements in both types of reactors are nickel and hydrogen, while the technical methods and reaction environments are different. The E-cat HT (high temperature) rector is distinguished from the previous E-cat device that a high temperature metal hydride is used instead of a hydrogen gas. The hydrogen from the metal hydride is released when heated, so it can be controlled by temperature. In the first tests in Uppsala University (December, 2012), the E-cat HT delivered an average power of 2034 watts during a 96 hour test at an input power of 360 watts, so the coefficient of performance was COP = 5.6. In the second test (March, 2013) the temperature regulated E-cat HT2 operated at lower temperature with COP = 2.6 for 116 hours.

According to the published results, the energy comes from the fuel that is, incredibly, less than one gram, and the estimated energy density is well beyond all known conventional chemical sources. Despite of this success, Rossi has a problem with the certification of the small heating reactor, probably because he does not allow any radiation measurement of the fuel substance before and after the test. While the DGT method is more openly discussed, the E-cat method of Andrea Rossi includes a trade secret about the catalyst that he is not willing to disclose. The question is: Could a trade secret be an obstacle for the further scientific advancement in cold fusion? One cannot deny the contribution of Andrea Rossi, but his success would not be possible without the inherited knowledge from the prior 30 years of research in that field. In this sense, the decision of the European patent office to grant a patent about cold fusion, (EP 2,368, 252 B1) to the retired professor Francesco Piantelli is reasonable. Piantelli was the founder of Cold Fusion research in Italy just after the publication of Pons-Fleischmann experiment in 1989. His contribution is significant because he shifted the focus of the research from palladium to nickel, which subsequently led to the big success in cold fusion today.

The analysis published in General Science Journal with more details in the book Structural Physics of Nuclear Fusion with BSM-SG Atomic Models leads to the conclusion that the nuclear fusion reaction Ni + H -> Cu is feasible. It falls under the category of cold fusion, and it is the major source of the released heat. At the same time, this reaction cannot provide radioactive waste if the right nickel isotopes are used. That is the reason for my recommendation to use Ni(62) and Ni(64) isotopes. This is in full agreement with some experimental results published by Focardi and Rossi and the radiation measurements of operated E-cat reactors. My additional suggestions are to try also the reactions Cr(54) + H -> Mn(55) + 7.56 MeV and Cr(52) + H -> Mn(53), where the second one is a traceable reaction that will serve as a proof if the reaction is feasible.

The commercialization of cold fusion energy will require an extensive study on the safety of the newly discovered nuclear process. In the case of E-cat, this means an open test checking for traces of radioactive isotopes before and after the test. Even without such a test, the scientific analysis accompanied with properly designed experiments may lead to discovering the type of the catalyst that will jeopardize the trade secret embedded in E-cat. From the analysis of some LENR experiments, the Rossi method in E-cat and the DGT method in Hyperion, we concluded that the secret catalyst of Rossi could be an isotope (or set of isotopes) emitting beta particles. Why beta particles? Many beta emitting isotopes are not sources of hazardous radioactive waste because they do not decay into elements emitting hard radiation and their decay time is known. They must only trigger the suggested nuclear reactions by specific physical mechanism described in the above mentioned book. Our analysis also reveals and explains another important issue. Beta particles become self-generated by the nuclear process after the E-cat works in a nominal operational mode for some time. It is known that the E-cat reactor produces a small quantity of zinc(64). This isotope is unstable and decays into Cu(63) with emission of a beta particle. That helps the nuclear process to become self-sustainable. The beta radiation from the working reactor can be easily shielded in order not to appear outside of the reactor enclosure.

Where could these beta emitters be placed? In the E-cat HT reactors that Rossi provided for the tests at Uppsala University, the fuel substance (nickel powder, HT metal hydride and catalyst) was placed in a steel cylinder with a diameter of 3.3 cm, a wall thickness of 3 mm and a length of 33 cm. It was inside of an external cylinder with a diameter of 10 cm and length of 33 cm, with an outer shell of silicon nitride. In such arrangement, the beta particles from the catalyst and the process could not be measured outside of the E-cat HT device. After the tests, the cylinders with the fuel were cut and the fuel substance was taken by Rossi. He never allowed radiation spectral measurement of this substance. He also claimed that the fuel maintenance of the small distributed devices will be done only by his company and can be put in a small replaceable cartridge.

In the Hyperion reactor of Defkalion, the triggering of the nuclear reactions is produced by the high voltage discharge. In this case, there is no need for beta emitters, and the output energy can be controlled by adjusting the voltage. Another problem not solved yet is the minimization of the nuclear transmutation reactions providing a variety of nuclear isotopes, as some of them may have a longer radioactive decay. The Defkalion project is more openly discussed than the e-cat reactor of Andrea Rossi and the problem of unwanted radioactive waste might be solved.

In conclusion: Our expectations for cheaper and safer nuclear energy are realistic. However, more funded research is needed until the new energy source is matured for the market.

Dr. Stoyan Sarg (Sargoytchev) is a Bulgarian-born Canadian. He holds an engineering diploma and a PhD in Physics in the field of space research. From 1976 to 1990 he was involved in space projects sponsored by the program Intercosmos coordinated by the former Soviet Union. He participated also in a collaborative project with the European Space Agency. For his pioneering work he was awarded medals from Intercosmos, Russia and Bulgaria. In 1990 he was invited as a visiting scientist by Cornel University and worked at the Arecibo Observatory, P.R. on a Lidar project funded by the NSF (USA). This was the place where the first SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) program was operated before 1985 using the world’s largest radiotelescope – radar. In 1991 he immigrated to Canada, where he worked on projects coordinated by the Canadian Space Agency. Since 2002 he has been with York University, Toronto, Canada. He has over 80 scientific publications and a few patents related to ... More articles by this author

"...f this is a breakthrough then what is he waiting for? does he want to become a trillionaire very slowly?"

Dude, you obviously have a very erroneous idea of how much time it takes to bring a piece of technology to commercial fruition. Have you ever done so????

I've taken several products successfully to market reality with things nowhere nearly as complex and/or as controversial as LENR, and judging from my experience, Rossi has performed miracles thus far.

But why pick on just Rossi?? There are at least half a dozen companies working to the same end....commercialization of LENR reactors, and in my estimation, at least two of them are "neck-in-neck" to Rossi, if not actually ahead of him.

that;s what worries me about Rossi’s device
its been years now
if this is a breakthrough then what is he waiting for? does he want to become a trillionaire very slowly?

all this secrecy and only letting people test under his conditions is the part that is throwing everyone off the bandwagon on this

What Rossi sells is worthless paper representing licenses and distribution rights. He'll never sell a working cold fusion device because there isn't one. As some would say on this thread, he's performing miracles (for his own wallet).

UPDATE #2 - Stoyan Sarg comments

http://www.quantumheat.org/index.php/en/follow/follow-2/347-gamma

In my book “Structural Physics of Nuclear Fusion” I did extensive analysis of LENR experiments, Rossi method and Defkalion method. I stated clearly in my latest article in Foreign Policy Journal (with more details in my book) why must use the Ni(62) and Ni(64) isotopes. The fusion reactions with these isotopes will lead mainly to a stable copper and partly to an unstable zinc isotope. The latter will decay to a copper by beta decay. The released beta particle serves as a catalyst for these reactions. Therefore, this is the cleanest nuclear process with a known gamma radiation without alpha particles or neutrons. Low energy (X-ray) olso may exist.

Rossi uses these isotopes and for this reason no neutron radiation is measured. He also does not produce a lot of transmutations like in the case with Defkalion method. At his initial public tests with the hydrogen gas in 2011 he probably used some triggering process by applying a HV discharge. In Hyperion reactor of Defkalion HV discharge is used all the time, but Rossi needed this only at the beginning to start the process. That’s why he did this privately and the strong gamma burst that was detected in 2011 might be from this. After the initial start (and at proper temperature) the process becomes self-sustainable, because the needed beta particles are generated by the decay of zinc. I am not sure does Rossi need such start in his E-cat HT in which he uses a metal hydrate instead of a hydrogen gas.

If you not use the above mentioned isotopes you will get different nuclear transmutations with a larger spectrum of radiation and may be also neutrons. But this will not help in revealing the secret of Rossi. Until this secret is not revealed he will be much ahead of others.

This was the reason of my recommendation.

Stoyan Sarg

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