Steven Krivit, editor of the New Energy Times, has another video out from his visit to Bologna. In this video Andrea Rossi calculates the energy produced by the E-Cat used in his demonstration to Mr. Krivit.
To summarize the video, Mr. Rossi calculates that the total energy produced in the E-Cat is 4906.1 watt hours per hour. The total energy consumed is 770 watt hours per hour. Thus, according to Mr. Rossi’s calculations the E-Cat used in his demonstration achieved an energy output/input ratio of approximately 6.37. In hot fusion terms the E-Cat (the one used in this particular demonstration, at least) appears to have achieved Q = 6.37.
To put this claim in perspective, the Joint European Torus (JET) magnetic confinement fusion experiment achieved Q = 0.67 in 1997, which still remains the world record for fusion power in the high-energy plasma fusion realm. Right now the focus of hot fusion research is on achieving Q = 1, with somewhat less attention being given to the practical concerns of converting useful amounts of fusion energy into electrical power. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser fusion experiment is currently expected to achieve Q = 1 next year. The only other hot fusion experiment for which such a claim is made is dark horse Lawrenceville Plasma Physics‘ Focus Fusion-1 (FF-1), which is hoped to achieve Q = 1 in a similar time frame. What is widely regarded as the safest bet for fusion power, ITER, isn’t expected to achieve Q = 1 until at least 2026, assuming the current schedule holds.
By contrast, cold fusion researchers have been claiming an energy output/input ratio of greater than 1 for years now, though not to the extent that Mr. Rossi has. Rumors are that Francesco Piantelli, a former colleague of Mr. Rossi’s partner Sergio Focardi, will be announcing a similar claim soon, but for now it looks like Mr. Rossi is in the lead. The next hurdles: the University of Bologna’s tests on the E-Cat and the Greek authorities’ tests on Defkalion Green Technologies’ Hyperion products. If Mr. Rossi’s device makes it through these tests successfully it appears the way will be open for the final test: customer opinion.
Related links
Mr. Rossi talks E-Cat. — Ruby Carat June 21, 2011
what is your take on the increasing tendency of viewing Rossi’s ecat as scam.
look for example at these interesting comments:
http://pesn.com/2011/06/25/9051857_Defkalion_Press_Conference_Reveals_E-Cat_Rollout_Plans/
That tendency has always been there. I’m not certain whether it’s increasing. I think much of that perception may be due to increasing interaction between optimists and skeptics as both groups search for information on the E-Cat online and increasingly come into contact with each other—fighting each other on their home turf, so to speak.
Regarding that interaction, in my opinion there’s a lot of talking past each other and a bit too much questioning of motives. Those who are optimistic about the E-Cat tend to assume that anyone who raises doubts about the demonstrations is convinced that the whole thing is a fraud and a scam—or worse, are jealous hot fusion scientists or shills in the pay of the oil or coal industries who want to see the E-Cat buried before it changes the world. Those who are skeptical about the E-Cat tend to assume that anyone who is optimistic about it is easily convinced that it works, and would invest in Defkalion/Ampenergo in a heartbeat—or already has.
Regarding those who say outright that the E-Cat is a scam, on the other hand, well, I think a little caution might be in order unless they have some specific knowledge of the scam that they wish to share with the rest of us. Scams happen, but they’re not the norm, so that burden of proof thing cuts both ways.
I’d say the balance of evidence at present is sufficient to ensure a lively debate until at least November. 😉
That’s my personal take, anyway. I won’t claim to speak for the rest of the Cold Fusion Now team.
Well… the problem with this video isn’t the calculations (though I didn’t check the math yet). It’s that the measurement method for making sure the output steam is dry (the water was fully vaporized) isn’t shown and isn’t likely to be reliable.
Mr. Rossi has said some strange things recently– strange to me, anyway. First he claimed that he enriches his nickel economically to increase the concentration of two isotopes. How in the world does he do this, especially economically and on an industrial production scale? Large scale isotope separation usually requires huge and extremely expensive machines in the billion dollar range such as gas or liquid diffusion (gigantic facilities) and very large arrays of very expensive fast centrifuges. The intermediate products are often highly radioactive and very toxic (for example uranium hexafluoride gas).
Then, he said that the commercial version of his E-cat, the Defkalion Hyperion product, will incorporate a self-destruct mechanism. How does that work so it’s both safe and reliable and won’t respond to false signals? I’d sure hate to be in a distant freezing mountain lodge in winter snowed in and depending on one of the devices for all my heat and have it suddenly self destruct.
Defkalion further says that all their Hyperion products will constantly monitor liquid coolant flow rate and temperature and telemeter this information over cell phone connections to a central computer for safety reasons. If anything goes wrong, they will shut the device off remotely. Is this really practical and economical? Do I really want to depend on such a long data and processing link for my E-cat or Hyperion to keep working?
Thus far, there has been no entirely independent testing of Mr. Rossi’s device. By that I mean testing done at a location which is not Mr. Rossi’s, using the investigator’s own power source for the heater and the researchers’ measuring equipment for the output power. It said that a group related to the University of Bologna will do this soon but while the contract is signed, it has been reported that the money required to start the work has not been paid. In addition the group said up to 6 months could be required to produce results.
I find that delay hard to understand because it should not take more than a couple of days to do a simple preliminary experiment which could verify that the E-cat works. It would be done by measuring the output heat with either liquid flow calorimetry or if steam was used, by condensing the steam in a water bath and measuring the temperature rise. Both methods are simple, use equipment readily found in any well equipped physics or engineering lab, are cheap, and could make good use of student volunteers. Both methods avoid the phase change issues which have plagued the current tests including the one discussed in the above video.
I wish I could find some answers to the above concerns and that I could believe what Mr. Rossi says that the E-cat can do but so far, I’m very troubled by the thought that it may not work as claimed.
I have links for all the above items but I will save space and not include them unless requested.
I am aware of almost all of the concerns you have raised, but if anyone else wishes to request your sources, go ahead.
The lack of autonomy allowed to the customer in Defkalion’s plans is what troubles me the most, especially if the E-Cat does work as claimed. That alone would create overwhelming demand to encourage competitors to produce knock-offs, legal or illegal, no matter how inexpensive the Defkalion product is. It would be like “What do you mean I can’t watch DVDs I *paid for* on my Linux computer?” all over again. I do hope it’s only a temporary policy, until Rossi’s patent application on the catalyst is published (which should be 18 months after whenever he filed it, assuming he has filed it).
Check the math if you like. I haven’t. I would suggest Mr. Rossi employ you and others like you to help design his October demonstration, but I don’t suppose he’d be very open to the suggestion, and he probably doesn’t know me from Adam anyway.
Its so childish to go on about this, just make a video of a simple HIGH VOL water test with 80 or
90* water at the outlet instead of steam ONLY?
That way you would convince the world of sceptics that the E-Cat works as claimed!
If it can`t heat water in high Vol, but only produce overunity in “steam mode” well need I say more.
Until that is provided this snake oil.
Ty.
Fortunately the only ones who have been offered this snake oil so far are private investors, and we don’t know what evidence has been provided to them that their investment is sound. The thing to watch will be what information DGT and AmpEnergo will offer to the public ahead of their product launches.