By Mats Lewan
Published
May 2011 08:58
http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/energi_miljo/energi/article3166552.ece
Ny Teknik recently
participated in two new tests of the Italian
'energy catalyzer', providing more accurate
measurements to reduce possible error
sources.
The new tests with the energy
catalyzer, which seems to generate heat by an
unknown nuclear reaction, took place in Bologna on
19 and 28 April, 2011. As in previous tests
the objective was to measure the net energy that
the device generates as accurately as
possible.
The results of
the two tests showed a developed net
power of between 2.3 and 2.6 kilowatts - of the
order of a large stove plate. Input electric power
was in the order of 300 watts.
As previously, the power output was
calculated from the amount of water boiled into
steam, and thus depends on the water flow. At the
two new tests the water flow was set at a slightly
lower rate than in previous tests. The device used
was the smaller version of the energy catalyzer,
which was first shown at a test March
29, 2011.
The tests lasted for two and three
hours respectively and the total net energy
developed was calculated to be 5.6 and 6.9 kWh
(see report for April 19
and April
28).
As Professor Sven Kullander and
Associate Professor Hanno Essén noted previously,
the energy released is greater than can be
generated by a chemical reaction in the reactor,
which has an estimated volume of 50 cubic
centimeters.
At this point precise measurement is
crucial if credibility in the process under study
is to be established.
Hundreds of thousands of readers have
now followed our reporting on the energy
catalyzer, and in thousands of comments readers
have discussed among other things possible sources
of error in previous tests.
In the new
tests, Ny Teknik aimed to reduce
measurement uncertainty in three ways:
1. The ammeter used to measure the
input current, from which the total p
ower consumption is
calculated, were calibrated by us against other
instruments.
2. Total water-flow input was
measured by weighing.
3. By calibrating the
temperature-sensor probe in boiling water, we have
as far as possible ensured that there is only
vapor at the outlet of the energy catalyzer.
The last point has been discussed
intensively. To assess developed energy, it's
essential that all the water flowing into the
energy catalyzer evaporates, given that the phase
change - evaporating water into steam - requires
much more energy than mere heating.
Shortly before
the test on April 28, we calibrated the
probe by immersing it in a pot with boiling water,
and the measured value was then 99.6 degrees
centigrade.
The probe, which sits just below the
outlet of the energy catalyzer, later during the
test showed temperatures of about 100.5 degrees
centigrade.
Therefore it cannot reasonably be in
contact with water, thus there should be only
water vapor (steam) at the outlet. Alternatively,
the probe is subjected to other heating, but
probably not electrical as the temperature curve
during start-up is quite uneven.
During the April 28 test, we also
checked the steam flow through the outlet hose
regularly. Some steam was reasonably being
condensed back into water in the three-meter-long
tube that was exposed to air and was thus at a
slightly lower temperature, and a small amount of
water was observed coming out of the hose.
The amount of water coming out before
boiling was clearly larger, and this was initially
measured.
We also
controlled all other equipment and
checked that there were no hidden connections from
the floor or walls.
To safely exclude the transfer of
external wireless energy, we measured
electromagnetic fields from 5 Hz to 3 GHz. No
increase could be noted except for a slight
increase at the power-grid frequency of 50 Hz,
close to the electrical resistor positioned around
the reactor.
In the first test on April 19, the
national Italian television channel RAI was
present and its reportage will be broadcast on the
channel RAI News (link to the reportage here -
version in English here)
Thursday, May 5th at 20:35.
In the second test on April 28 only
Ny Teknik, the inventor Andrea Rossi, and a
colleague of his were present.
MORE FACTS
The energy
catalyzer was demonstrated publicly for
first time on the 14th January 2011. According to
its inventor Andrea Rossi it has a closed reactor
of steel that is loaded with nickel powder plus
secret catalysts and pressurized with
hydrogen.
It's 'ignited' by heating from two
electrical resistances. In a copper tube around
the reactor, water heated by the reactor is
flowing.
The heat is generated from an unknown
reaction, according to Rossi himself, and according to
Professor Sven Kullander and Associate Professor
Hanno Essén probably a nuclear reaction.
The concept of cold fusion has been
mentioned and would refer to a nuclear reaction
between hydrogen and nickel, producing copper.
Another term is LENR - Low Energy Nuclear
Reaction.
Many physicists are very skeptical.
Partly because fusion of nuclei, which with their
positive charges repel each other (the Coulomb
barrier), requires hundreds of millions of degrees
according to current knowledge, and partly because
fusion should produce very high levels of gamma
radiation.
The debate has
gained new momentum after Professor Sven
Kullander and Associate Professor Hanno Essén
participated in a test on 29 March and found that
the measured values can only be explained by a
nuclear reaction, while an isotopic analysis
of the used nickel powder raised questions.
Among the most critical is Peter
Ekström, lecturer at the Department of Nuclear
Physics at Lund University in Sweden. After a thorough
discussion he concludes: 'I am convinced that
the whole story is one big scam, and that it will
be revealed in less than one year.'
Slightly more cautious in his
skepticism, Kjell
Aleklett, physics professor at Uppsala
University in Sweden, summarizes his
discussion: 'I myself have nothing against to
reveal a scam, or join in and verify something
that no one could imagine. Both extremes belong to
that which makes life as a researcher incredibly
interesting.'
An intense debate is also being held
on the Wikipedia discussion
page related to the article
'Energy catalyzer', and in many other
forums.
However, to date no one have been
able to explain the measured values that Ny Teknik
now has been able to confirm.
The inventor Andrea Rossi is planning
an installation of 300 energy catalyzers at a
total of one megawatt in Greece in October
2011.
On
March 29, 2011, a test of a smaller Rossi device
was performed. It was attended by two new
observers: Hanno Essén, associate professor of
theoretical physics and chairman of the Swedish
Skeptics Society, and Sven Kullander, chairman of
the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences' Energy
Committee. They agree with other independent
observers that the device must be producing a
nuclear reaction. See NyTeknik: Swedish physicists on the
E-cat: "It's a nuclear reaction."
This
test employed a new, smaller device with a 50
cm3 cell. It produced ~4.4 kW for 6
hours, or 25 kWh (90 MJ).
Essén
and Kullander wrote a report, also in NyTeknik,
Experimental test of a
mini-Rossi device at the Leonardocorp, Bologna 29
March 2011. Focardi gave a revealing radio
interview. Here is an English
translation.
NyTeknik
has published a number of articles about Rossi.
They are all listed here. The
New Energy Times is keeping a close watch
on news articles about Rossi. They have a list of articles
here.
On
April 19 and April 21, Rossi and Mats Lewan of
NyTeknik performed additional tests on the
reactors. The article about this is
here. This includes a close-up 4 minute video
of the equipment in operation. Detailed
reports about the two tests are here and here.
Here
is a fascinating interview
with Prof. Stremmenos, who is working with
Focardi and Rossi, and is a key figure in the
establishment of the Defkalion factory in
Greece.
In
May 2011, a start-up company announced it has reached an agreement with
Rossi to distribute his machines in the U.S.
The start-up was founded by former U.S. Department
of Energy officials who have been in contact with
Rossi for many years. They independently tested
his devices. They paid him a large sum of money to
license the
technology.
