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[[image:Rossi_Focardi.jpg|Andrea Rossi and Sergio Focardi (picture "La Repubblica")|thumb]]

[[image:Rossi_Focardi.jpg|Andrea Rossi and Sergio Focardi (picture "La Repubblica")|thumb]]

The '''Focardi Rossi Energy Amplifier''' (also ''E-Cat'' or ''Rossi Energy Catalyzer'' or just ''Rossi energy amplifier'') is an alleged compact fusion reactor based on an assumed [[Cold Fusion]] technology. Italian company EON&nbsp;srl plans to bring it to market in 2011. While allegedly using no more than several hundred Watts in electrical heating energy, it is said to emit a heat output capacity of more than 10&nbsp;kW. According to Italian inventors, Professor emeritus in physics Sergio Focardi and alleged engineer Andrea Rossi<ref>Rossi: ''I am a doctor in the Philosophy of Science and Engineering from the Universita’ Degli Studi Di Milano''</ref>, cold fusion <ref>Andrea Rossi in his patent application, Page 12: ''the reaction actually provides a true nuclear cold fusion.''</ref> of hydrogen and nickel was taking place in the reactor, leading to the formation of copper. As a side-effect of the reaction, ionizing radiation is said to be emitted, which was disproved by independent parties.<ref>http://www.psiram.com/doc/Levi%2C_Giuseppe_-_Report_on_heat_production_during_preliminary_tests_on_the_Rossi_Ni-H_reactor_%282010-2011%29.004810.pdf</ref> So far, attempts to replicate the experiment independently failed. The latest public presentation took place in mid-January 2011.

The '''Focardi-Rossi Energy-Catalyzer''' (also ''E-Cat'' or ''Rossi Energy Amplifier'' or just ''Rossi energy catalyzer'') is an alleged compact fusion reactor based on an assumed [[Cold Fusion]] technology. Italian company EON&nbsp;srl plans to bring it to market in 2011. While allegedly using no more than several hundred Watts in electrical heating energy, it is said to emit a heat output capacity of more than 10&nbsp;kW. According to Italian inventors, Professor emeritus in physics Sergio Focardi and alleged engineer Andrea Rossi<ref>Rossi: ''I am a doctor in the Philosophy of Science and Engineering from the Universita’ Degli Studi Di Milano''</ref>, cold fusion <ref>Andrea Rossi in his patent application, Page 12: ''the reaction actually provides a true nuclear cold fusion.''</ref> of hydrogen and nickel was taking place in the reactor, leading to the formation of copper. As a side-effect of the reaction, ionizing radiation is said to be emitted, which was disproved by independent parties.<ref>http://www.psiram.com/doc/Levi%2C_Giuseppe_-_Report_on_heat_production_during_preliminary_tests_on_the_Rossi_Ni-H_reactor_%282010-2011%29.004810.pdf</ref> So far, attempts to replicate the experiment independently failed. The latest public presentation took place in mid-January 2011.

The actual inventor of the principle was Italian biophysicist Francesco Piantelli in 1989 who filed a patent application on it in 2010.<ref>WO 2010058288 A1: METHOD FOR PRODUCING ENERGY AND APPARATUS THEREFOR. 2010-05-27. Erfinder: PIANTELLI SILVIA; PIANTELLI FRANCESCO</ref> Rossi, who also attempts to have his inventioned patented, does not acknowledge that:

The actual inventor of the principle was Italian biophysicist Francesco Piantelli in 1989 who filed a patent application on it in 2010.<ref>WO 2010058288 A1: METHOD FOR PRODUCING ENERGY AND APPARATUS THEREFOR. 2010-05-27. Erfinder: PIANTELLI SILVIA; PIANTELLI FRANCESCO</ref> Rossi, who also attempts to have his invention patented, does not acknowledge that:

:''"My process has nothing to do with the process of Piantelli. The proof is that I am making operating reactors, he is not."''

:''"My process has nothing to do with the process of Piantelli. The proof is that I am making operating reactors, he is not."''

==Purported functional principle==

==Purported functional principle==

[[image:FAE3.jpg|Andrea Rossi and the reactor (demonstration january 14, 2011, Source: [http://curiositybox.wordpress.com/2011/01/16/bologna-14111-cronaca-test-fusione-fredda-del-reattore-nichel-idrogeno-focardi-rossi/ Curiosity-Blog])|350px|thumb]]

[[image:FAE3.jpg|Andrea Rossi and the reactor (demonstration january 14, 2011, Source: [http://curiositybox.wordpress.com/2011/01/16/bologna-14111-cronaca-test-fusione-fredda-del-reattore-nichel-idrogeno-focardi-rossi/ Curiosity-Blog])|350px|thumb]]

All information currently available regarding the "Focardi-Rossi Energy Amplifier" come from inventors, from a patent application by Rossi, from YouTube videos, and from statements by a few physicists who tried to replicate the principle. There has been no noteworthy reception on the part of the international physics community so far and an attempt of inventors to publish an article on their device in a renowned professional journal failed. Only individual physicists reacted with blog entries and comments (e.g.: [http://pages.csam.montclair.edu/~kowalski/cf/388amplifier.html]). As of January 2011, no proper scientific publication is known.

All information currently available regarding the "Focardi-Rossi Energy Catalyzer" come from inventors, from a patent application by Rossi, from YouTube videos, and from statements by a few physicists who tried to replicate the principle. There has been no noteworthy reception on the part of the international physics community so far and an attempt of inventors to publish an article on their device in a renowned professional journal failed. Only individual physicists reacted with blog entries and comments (e.g.: [http://pages.csam.montclair.edu/~kowalski/cf/388amplifier.html]). As of January 2011, no proper scientific publication is known.

Focardi and Rossi spread their statements in their own "online periodical" titled "Journal of Nuclear Physics", basically an internet blog, and in Italian journal "Il&nbsp;Cimento". "Journal of Nuclear Physics" used to be the title of a Russian professional journal which ceased publication meanwhile. The involved company EON&nbsp;srl has not provided any information so far. On inquiry, physicist Focardi advised the "Journal of Nuclear Physics" was founded since publication in accredited journals failed.

Focardi and Rossi spread their statements in their own "online periodical" titled "Journal of Nuclear Physics", basically an internet blog, and in Italian journal "Il&nbsp;Cimento". "Journal of Nuclear Physics" used to be the title of a Russian professional journal which ceased publication meanwhile. The involved company EON&nbsp;srl has not provided any information so far. On inquiry, physicist Focardi advised the "Journal of Nuclear Physics" was founded since publication in accredited journals failed.

By adding electric heating capacity, protons from hydrogen gas are said to enter the nickel atoms at 180 to 400 degrees Celsius and lead to a nuclear reaction if pulsed pressure was increased at regular intervals. Altogether, hydrogen is said to be consumed and some helium is generated.<ref>S. Focardi, V. Gabbani, V. Montalbano, F. Piantelli, S. Veronesi. "''Large excess heat production in Ni-H systems''". Il Nuovo Cimento Vol. 111 A, N.11 pp. 1233, novembre 1998</ref> The nickel rod is said to show tiny surface craters after a reaction. According to the patent application, the electrical pre-heating will be turned off automatically by a thermostat when a certain operating temperature is achieved. Further electrical energy (20 to 80 W) was only necessary to supply control electronics. Internet rumours which cannot be verified claim that high voltage or a magnetic field of 360&nbsp;kV to overcome the [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulomb_barrier Coulomb barrier] may be applied. The application of so high a voltage is not possible within such a small device due to spark generation.

By adding electric heating capacity, protons from hydrogen gas are said to enter the nickel atoms at 180 to 400 degrees Celsius and lead to a nuclear reaction if pulsed pressure was increased at regular intervals. Altogether, hydrogen is said to be consumed and some helium is generated.<ref>S. Focardi, V. Gabbani, V. Montalbano, F. Piantelli, S. Veronesi. "''Large excess heat production in Ni-H systems''". Il Nuovo Cimento Vol. 111 A, N.11 pp. 1233, novembre 1998</ref> The nickel rod is said to show tiny surface craters after a reaction. According to the patent application, the electrical pre-heating will be turned off automatically by a thermostat when a certain operating temperature is achieved. Further electrical energy (20 to 80 W) was only necessary to supply control electronics. Internet rumours which cannot be verified claim that high voltage or a magnetic field of 360&nbsp;kV to overcome the [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulomb_barrier Coulomb barrier] may be applied. The application of so high a voltage is not possible within such a small device due to spark generation.

Inventors claim the "fusion" mentioned also generated weak gamma and neutron radiation.<ref>Battaglia, L. Daddi, S. Focardi, V. Gabbani, V. Montalbano, F. Piantelli, P.G. Sona, S. Veronesi. "''Neutron emission in Ni-H Systems''". Nuovo Cimento 112A, pp. 921, 1999.</ref> Radiation is said to be β+ corpuscular radiation with positrons (known from potassium&nbsp;40-decay). They also claim they do not know the exact functional principle. A contribution in their blog speculatively conntects the Focardi Rossi Energy Amplifier to the [[hydrino]] theorie of American physician and electrical engineer Randell Mills who claims to work with hydrogen and nickel, too. Supporters of "cold fusion" theories often claim so-called [[Low Energy Nuclear Reactions]] (LENR) were taking place. The term LENR is not known to professional journals and such fusion processes were not proven as of yet.

Inventors claim the "fusion" mentioned also generated weak gamma and neutron radiation.<ref>Battaglia, L. Daddi, S. Focardi, V. Gabbani, V. Montalbano, F. Piantelli, P.G. Sona, S. Veronesi. "''Neutron emission in Ni-H Systems''". Nuovo Cimento 112A, pp. 921, 1999.</ref> Radiation is said to be β+ corpuscular radiation with positrons (known from potassium&nbsp;40-decay). They also claim they do not know the exact functional principle. A contribution in their blog speculatively connects the Focardi Rossi Energy Amplifier to the [[hydrino]] theorie of American physician and electrical engineer Randell Mills who claims to work with hydrogen and nickel, too. Supporters of "cold fusion" theories often claim so-called [[Low Energy Nuclear Reactions]] (LENR) were taking place. The term LENR is not known to professional journals and such fusion processes were not proven as of yet.

Further internet speculations assume this was a chemical reaction which apparently remained unknown to inventors and which was usually applied in the purification of nickel  ores: the Sherritt-Gordon process"<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt_extraction_techniques#Recovery_from_nickel-cobalt_sulfide_concentrates_.28Sherritt_process.29</ref>, which is accompanied by a heat release, but is a conventional chemical reaction. The evidence of copper thus may be explained by the fact that available nickel often contains copper contaminations.

Further internet speculations assume this was a chemical reaction which apparently remained unknown to inventors and which was usually applied in the purification of nickel  ores: the Sherritt-Gordon process"<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt_extraction_techniques#Recovery_from_nickel-cobalt_sulfide_concentrates_.28Sherritt_process.29</ref>, which is accompanied by a heat release, but is a conventional chemical reaction. The evidence of copper thus may be explained by the fact that available nickel often contains copper contaminations.