U.S. Will Give Cold Fusion Second Look, After 15 Years

NY Times ^ | March 25, 2004 | KENNETH CHANG

[nuconvert]

"...surprised if CF can be proved."

If not this time around, they'll try again.

[NicknamedBob]

"...support the renewed interest in cold fusion..."

It's interesting that so many people want to assume the negative about cold fusion. Pons and Fleishmann's early experiment probably produced results precisely because of its crudity.
I am not sure why they chose palladium, but it is known that many rare earth metals have an affinity for hydrogen, as in metal hydrides that soak up hydrogen like a sponge absorbing water.
The research needs to combine finding the appropriate metals, or alloys, which have the right surface adsorption (ADSORPTION) characteristics, and combine that with the proper use of ultrasound or other physical force, as well as electrical current, in the presence of the proper ratio of hydrogen, deuterium, and perhaps tritium. Those are a lot of variables. I think it is understandable that it has not been figured out yet, considering the opposition to funding studies.
When you study the manner in which chemical processes transmit nerve impulses in biological tissue, or how plants use photochemical processes to convert light into chemical energy, you might conclude that there could be no use for such convoluted and intricate processes, but we do find them useful nonetheless.

[edwin hubble]

"Wait a minute...if you need a bucket of deuterium to make this work, doesn't this put us back to square one? "

Deuterium is found naturally in all of Earth's water, including that in our own bodies.
Heavy water can now be separated easily. 20 gallons of water contains about half an ounce of heavy water.

[edwin hubble]

"does anyone remember Snake Plissken in Escape from New York? "

Cold fusion also found its way into the movie plot of the romantic comedy, "IQ" with Meg Ryan and Walter Matthau.

[Robert_Paulson2]

Or do your colleagues know something we don't?

---

I am trying to imagine what military equipment would NOT be affected by breakthroughs in this field. If the DOE wants to relook at it. Nasa, the Airforce and the US Army all have an interest.

Imagine a tank that could run for three months straight without refueling. Or a power pac for a plasma cannon, on a space station... in orbit.

If I had a couple extra grand right now, on this news, I might consider investing it where it might do me some good, say 18 mos from now.

[endthematrix]

You're right on with biodiesel! Spread the word. I've come across MANY people who are interested, they just don't know any info about it. I'm waiting for Daimler-Chrysler to field a good TD in the US. Maybe the Jeep Rescue?

[delacoert]

Heavy water can now be separated easily.

When you quoted Oberon and refuted his observation, you left out the most important point with your ellipses, i.e., you'd have to make enough energy out of the process to make it worth your bucket of deuterium.

The commercial viability of an energy source always comes down to exactly this point. Although I think continuing research ought to be funded, the question is absolutely warranted, and your statement, "easily separated" doesn't even try to answer it.

Technologically "easy" deuterium production methods involve distillation and electrolysis, both of which are energy intensive, requiring gigajoules per liter. The other more efficient production methods aren't so easy. The present cost of deuterium oxide is about $300/liter. I don't know where the break even point lies, but the answer is important and future research will provide the answers.

[edwin hubble]

"The present cost of deuterium oxide is about $300/liter. I don't know where the break even point lies, but the answer is important and future research will provide the answers."

OK, Here we go:

Deuteron Fusion can go to either:

Helium 3 and a neutron
2H + 2H 3He + n (Q = 3.3 MeV)
or
Tritium and a proton
2H + 2H 3H + p (Q = 4.0 MeV)

Now, the former is more likely, but taking the average of the two, 3.65 MeV:

5.58e-13 Joules per deuteron
1.63e-16 Watt-hrs per deuteron
1.63e-19 KW-hrs per deuteron
9.79e4 KW-hrs per mole
1.47e5 KW-hrs per oz heavy water
1.17e4 $ / oz heavy water @ $0.08 per KW-Hr.

or $11,170. per oz of heavy water

I may be off by an order of magnitude (if I entered something wrong),
But break-even may be a possibility at current cost of $300 per liter = ~ $8. per oz. heavy water.

[edwin hubble]

Of course, the above post says nothing whatever about whether cold fusion phenomena exist or not.

Or the the engineering involved in turning the fusion energy into something usable.

[delacoert]

$11,170. per oz of heavy water
...
~ $8. per oz. heavy water.

Those numbers are sorta favorable. lol

[Tailback]

The turbodiesel gets great milage and power' but is very dirty.

If the greenie weenies would allow some new refineries to be built in this country for a change, Diesel with fewer impurities could be sold.