Focardi-Rossi Energy-Catalyzer

Article is in translation and unfinished

Andrea Rossi and Sergio Focardi (picture "La Repubblica")

The Rossi Focardi Energy Amplifier (also E-Cat or Rossi Energy Catalyzer or just Rossi energy amplifier) is allegedly a small fusion reactor assumed to be based on Cold Fusion. The Italian company EON srl claims to bring it to market in 2011. It is claimed to produce more than 10 kW thermal energy while needing just a couple of 100 Watts of electrical energy to power it. According to the Italian inventors, the professor emeritus in physics Sergio Focardi and the alleged engineer Andrea Rossi cold fusion of hydrogen and nickel to copper is happening in the reactor. As a side-effect of the reaction ionizing radiation should be emitted, but independent measurement during the experiments disproved that. Attempts to replicate the experiment independently failed so far. The last public presentation was mid-January 2011.

The true inventor of the principle was the Italian biophysicist Francesco Piantelli in 1989, who filed a patent application on it in 2010. Rossi, who himself tries to patent his invention, 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."

Purported functional principle

Andrea Rossi and the reactor (demonstration january 14, 2011, Source: Curiosity-Blog)

All currently known information about the "Rossi Focardi Energy Amplifier" come from the inventors, a patent application by Rossi, YouTube videos and statements from a couple of physicists which tried to replicate the principle. There is no noteworthy reception from the international physics community so far and an attempt of the inventors to publish an article about their device in a renowned professional journal failed. Only single physicists reacted with blog entries and comments (e.g.: [5]). As of March 2011 no impeccable scientific publication is known. Focardi and Rossi spread their claims through their own "online newspaper" "Journal of Nuclear Physics", basically an Internet blog and the Italian newspaper "Il Cimento". "Journal of Nuclear Physics" was the title of a Russian professional journal, which has been discontinued. The involved company EON srl has not published any information. Physicist Focardi disclosed on inquiry, that the newspaper "Journal of Nuclear Physics" was founded since the attempt to publish in an accredited journal had failed.

According to available and partly contradicting information from the inventors Focardi and Rossi the small reactor makes exothermal fusion possible. They claim that that they were able to "produce" 130 kW thermal energy in an extreme case and needed just 80 to 1.250 Watt to "heat up" and for the operation of the electronic controller.

The process was unfolded only in part, even though a patent application was filed (not approved currently), involves that nickel and hydrogen are transformed to copper which creates heat and ionizing radiation. In the patent application is more precise and states that the stable nickel isotope 62Ni28 (which makes about 3,6% of normal nickel) reacts with hydrogen and is transformed into the stable copper isotope 62Cu29. The copper that is created through this process is said to consist of two stable copper isotopes with an isotope proportion that is different from natural copper. Such a fusion would need very high temperatures and strong gamma radiation from the destruction of positrons and electrons would be emitted.

Nickel rods are claimed to have been used at first, but in the last experiments nickel powder was used (particle sizes are said to be in the nm-range, in the patent application 10 µm are given). Rossi mentions the company "Gerli Metalli" from Milan as supplier.Further catalysts in addition to those specified in the patent application are said to be used. Unconfirmed rumours in the Internet name "Raney-Nickel" since two fires in the laboratory of Rossi had "Raney-Nickel" as cause. It has been denied that nickel oxide, which reacts with hydrogen creating water and heat (NiO2 + H2 --> Ni + H20) is used.

Through heating the reactor with electricity to 180-400 Grad Celsius protons from hydrogen gas are said to enter the nickel atoms which leads to a nuclear reaction if the pressure on the gas is increased in periodical, pulsed, powerful step. Hydrogen is said to be used up and some helium is created. The used nickel rod is said to have tiny craters after a reaction. According to the patent application the electrical pre-heating of the the reactor is automatically turned off by a temperature control device when operating temperature is reached. Further electrical energy (20 to 80 W) is only necessary to supply the controlling electronic. Rumours in the Internet that cannot be confirmed believe that high voltage or magnetic fields of 360 kV to overcome the Coulomb barrier might be in use. But use of such high voltage is not possible in such a small device due to spark generation.

The inventors claim that the so called "fusion" also generates weak gamma and neutron radiation. Radiation is said to be β+-radiation with positrons (known from potassium 40-decay). They also claim that they don't know the functional principle. A response in their blog speculates about similarities between the Rossi Focardi Energy Amplifier and the Hydrino theorie of the american physician and electro engineer Randell Mills who claims to work with hydrogen and nickel too. Supporters of "cold fusion" theories often claim that so called Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR) are happening. The term LENR is not used in professional journals and such fusion processes were not observed till now.

Other guesses from the Internet believe that it is just a chemical reaction, which is unknown to the inventors and normally used to extract nickel from ore. The Sherritt-Gordon process" is accompanied by heat, but a normal chemical reaction. That copper can be detected after the reaction can be explained since Nickel is usually impure and usually contains some copper.

Application and success claims

Input and output of the reactor according to the inventors

Focardi and Rossi claim that they have achieved increasing heat output of their device over the years. They state that one nickel rod is sufficient for 6 months. Rossi reports in his patent application that he heats the rooms of his company with the reactor and has saved in the last 6 months more than 90% of his electrical bill.:

A practical embodiment of the inventive apparatus, installed on October 16, 2007, is at present perfectly operating 24 hours per day, and provides an amount of heat sufficient to heat the factory of the Company EON of via Carlo Ragazzi 18, at Bondeno (Province of Ferrara)."

A "kW-module" allegedly runs in a "Leonardo facility" in New Hampshire (USA) since 2008, where Rossi is currently employed.

Nickel consumption and Costs

According to Rossi 100 gramm nickel powder are consumed over a period of 6 months at 10 kW (therm.) output. The costs for the "fuel" would amount to 2 Euro. An E-cat should cost about 2.000 Euro per kW output (a 10 kW-model thus 20.000 Euro).

History

In 1989 cold fusion received wide media attention due to the claims of Fleischmann and Pons and their failed experiments. In the same year the Italian biophysicist Francesco Piantelli(University Siena) believes to have incidentally observed strong heat emission with temperatures above 1.450° C during an experiment with organic material which came into contact with nickel and hydrogen, which he could not explain. The incident was topic in several Italian daily papers. In 1995 Piantelli received a "Truffle Prize" for his observation during a "Workshop on Anomalies in Hydrogen / Deuterium Loaded Metals".

The physicist Sergie Focardi from the University of Bologna heard about that and teamed up with Piantelli to investigate the phenomenon. After a couple of years they had build a nickel hydrogen rector and announced in february 1994 in a press conference their reactor as a principle for "Reazioni Nucleari a Bassa Energia" (LENR, "Low Energy Nuclear Reactions"), carefully avoiding the term "cold fusion". In the daily newspaper an article was published and as before, in 1989, no scientific paper was published. A thermical engine output of 40-50 Watt was claimed. A nickel rod which was surface treated and "degassed" was said to be enclosed with hydrogen in the reactor.

Presentation on 14. January 2011

Video of an experiment taking several minutes during a public presentation on 14. January 2011 (Source: Curiosity-Blog)

Andrea Rossi and Sergio Focardi gave a press conference on January 14th, 2011 which was not only attended by the Italian public television broadcaster RAI (RAI 3) and several journalists but also by several physicists from universities. In a nearby room the function of the reactor was shown for a couple of minutes. The inventors wrote about it in their blog, and published three Youtube videos in Italian [6], [7], [8].

During the pressconference they stated that the heat input was 600 Watt and the estimated output 12.000 Watt (12 kW). The produced heat was calculated from the heated water: 292 gramm water per minute were heated from 20 degree to 101 degrees(dry vapor) and evaporated. The attending physicists were allowed to do some measurements. They were disappointed in regard to a spectral analysis of the gamma radiation which was denied because of secrecy reasons. In a detailed report from independent physicists from the university of Bologna was stated, that no gamma radiation could be measured, even though two holes were made into the device for measurement purposes. From the report:

no gamma radiation above the background level in the energy region Eγ > 200 keV has been observed, neither in single counting, not in coincidence;
regardless of the internal details of the reaction chamber, shieldings and other industrial secrets, the γ rates measured with the NaI counters seem not compatible with the rates deduced or expected assuming that the energy production was due to nuclear fusion or decay reactions, as suggested in [1].

The observers were allowed to weigh the hydrogen gas container before and after the experiment (Weight: 18,6 Kg). Even considering possible errors in measurement (still attached duct tapes) the hydrogen usage was estimated at less than one gramm, not enough to make conventional hydrogen combustion plausible. Link to the report: [9] The estimation of the reactor output through the amount of evaporated water was criticized afterwards, calculations were made based on dry vapor without taking possible condensate water into account. The alleged water throughput of 292 ml/min was doubted, since the alleged supply pump has only about half the necessary flow rate.

Undocumented experiment on February 10, 2011

On February 10, 2011 a further "internal test", which was attended by the allegedly "independent" physics instructor Guiseppe Levi from the university of Bologna, was made with the "E-Cat" in Bologna. Several websites purport that the test was instead on February 18, 2011. According to Guiseppe Levis description, which was published in a Swedish online article with the title "Cold Fusion: 18 hour test excludes combustion", the device was connected through a hose with a regular water tap to cool the "reactor". Tap water was said to flow through the device with about 1 liter per second and be heated by 5 degree. The test was run for 18 hours apiece, a water meter quantified the flow and was checked by video through the night. The "reactor" was allegedly heated up for 10 minutes with 1.250 Watt and afterwards only the controlling device was supplied with 80 Watt. This would imply a constant thermal output of 15-20 Kilowatt. According to Levy 0,4 gramm hydrogen were used in those 18 hours. Levi is cited in the same source that he excludes "chemical energy" as heat source now:

...Now that I have seen the device work for so many hours, in my view all chemical energy sources are excluded...

A claimed accumulated thermal energy output was calculated by supporters of "Cold Fusion" (LENR Low Energy Nuclear Reactions - CANR Chemically Assisted Nuclear Reactions) as 270-288 kWh (about one GJ), which would correspond to about 26 liters heating oil. Assuming an average output of 17 kW (the electrical input energy for pre-heating and control can be neglected) over 18 hours gives actually about 300 kWh. The fuel value of 1 liter oil is about 10 kWh, which gives a heating oil amount of 30 liters to produce the same thermal output.

For comparison, the heating value of common energy sources. Because of smoke, exhaust fumes and toxicity(beryllium) they are not feasible. The volume of the external control unit is said to be about 60 liter but contains according to Levi just electronics. The reaction chamber has about 1 liter volume and shielding is said to be 2 cm lead with a weight of 30 kg.

• Beryllium – combustion with oxygen: 125 MJ/l (very toxic)
• Bor: 1385 MJ/l
• Aluminum 845 MJ/l (burns only in powder form, which implies lesser heating value per volume)
• Graphit: 735 MJ/ll

Attempts to replicate the experiments

A group led by Antonino Zichichi tried 1996 without success to repeat the experiment at CERN in Geneva. They mentioned an observable increase in temperature, but that did not correspond to an increase in heat production:

The authors state, "We have found the [Piantelli-Focardi group’s] results to be consistent with our observations; namely we measured higher temperatures for the same input power when hydrogen is absorbed during a heating cycle. Nevertheless this temperature rise does not appear to correspond to an increase in heat production. We have added a temperature sensor to the container of the experiment. The temperature of the container follows the same temperature with input power curve irrespective of whether there is an anomalous absorption of hydrogen or not; therefore we have no evidence that this temperature increase corresponds to another source of heat. In conclusion, we have observed all the effects discovered by Focardi et al., but our results imply that there is no production of power associated with the absorption of hydrogen by nickel."

In 1998/1999 a further try to replicate the tests was made by the scientists Luigi Nosenzo and Luigi Cattaneo in Pavia (Italy).Over the course of several months no fusion reaction or energy production could be observed.

Inventor Andrea Rossi

Rossi CV on his website (March 4, 2011)

Reimbursement-offer of the Diploma mill "Kensington University Inc." to its customers

The "Rossi-Energy Amplifier" is not the first invention of Andrea Rossi. He had tried in the 1970s and 1980s to win hydrocarbons from waste to no avail. That led to several law suits and criminal cases with prison sentences against the "Sheik of Brianza" (Sceicco della Brianza, sheik because he claimed to win oil from industrial waste, Brianza is an area north of Milan). The law suits were als known as "Petroldragon-affair" after Rossis company "Petroldragon". Rossi was convicted for trading and disposing large amounts of toxic waste no according to regulations. According to Rossi an ecological conversion technology was suppressed. He was also accused of tax fraud. He migrated to USA afterwards. Current company shares (EON srl) are handled by his wife Maddalena Pascucci.

In a Curriculum Vitae containing his work history which is available on his website (see picture on the right from March 4, 2011) Rossi states that he graduated in Philosophy at the University of Milan and names as a second "Laurea" title (common term for a doctors degree at an Italian University) in "Ingegneria Chimca" (chemical engineering) at a californian "Kensington University Inc.". This company was officially registered in Hawaii, but operated from Glendale in California and was a well known Diploma mill till it was shut down by the law. The company was sentenced to restitute all former customers (see picture to the left) after it had been reported by a consumer protection organisation.

EON srl, Leonardo Corporation and Defkalion Green Technologies

The company EON srl(apparently owned by Rossi), which is often mentioned related to the topic, has locations in Bondeno and in Rome. In Bodeno an "E-cat" device is said to have heated the accommodations basically for free. Rossi also claims to have also heated the water at his private address with the E-cat.

The undisclosed non-Italian investors and the inventors plan to offer working reactors for industrial purposes in 2011. An official permission from 2006 is known which allows the Italian company EON srl to operate a biodiesel plant with an output of 1 Megawatt (MW) in Bodena. According to the inventors it is planned to build a plant with 120 combined energy amplifier reactors which should produce the same amount of energy, 1000 kW (1 MW), in Greek or USA. Construction should be completed in October 2011, ordering party is a Greek company "Defkalion Green Technologies S.A.".

A Leonardo Corporation is located in Bedford, New Hampshire where Rossi is employed. The email address of the company is identical with the email address of EON srl in Italy. This company and the Greek Defkalion are supposed to build the "reactors". Currently the Leonardo Corporation offers electric generators fueled by vegetable oils (turbo charged and intercooled). The company claims a high efficiency due to its patented "EON" technology, which recovers thermal loses.

A small company in Athens named "Defkalion Energy" or "Defkalion Green Technologies S.A." of a Symeon Tsalikoglou will produce the energy catalysators according to Rossi. Whereas the website of EON srl is "under construction" for months now, the page of Defkalion offers now a contact address in Athens. Domain owner is Andreas Meintanis from GR-19200 Elefsina.

Whereas the Leonardo Corp. will handle business in USA, it is apparently planned that Defkalion will have the sales rights for the rest of the world, but at least Europe.

Rossi states that he has spent 500.000 Euro for tests with more than 1.000 E-cat reactors, financed amongst others with earning from his previous company Petroldragon. Till now, no customer had done any advance payments, Rossi would earn revenue or license fees only when sales starts. Part of the revenue would be donated to children suffering from cancer.

Patents and patent applications

Drawing from patent application WO 2009/125444 von Rossi

Rossi has applied for a patent for the method. The European Patent Office as an International Searching Authority of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) had denied the application. It criticized that the invention is not presented in comprehensive terms and that it is not evident that energy should be created through the described reaction of nickel and hydrogen. To cite from the report:

As the invention seems, at least at first, to offend against the generally accepted laws of physics and established theories, the disclosure should be detailed enough to prove to a skilled person conversant with mainstream science and technology that the invention is indeed feasible. [...] In the present case, the invention does not provide experimental evidence (nor any firm theoretical basis) which would enable the skilled person to assess the viability of the invention. The description is essentially based on general statement and speculations which are not apt to provide a clear and exhaustive technical teaching.

Literature

• Giuseppe Levi: "Report on heat production during preliminary tests on the Rossi “Ni-H” reactor", Univ. Bologna, Jan. 2011 (auch: [10])
• "Italian scientists claim to have demonstrated cold fusion", Physorg, 20.1.2011
• "Il ritorno della fusione fredda", Artikel in der Zeitschrift "Query", 31.1.2011
• "Il ritorno della fusione fredda: ci risponde Levi", Artikel in der Zeitschrift "Query", 2.2.2011
• Focardi S., Habel R., and Piantelli F., "Anomalous Heat Production in Ni-H Systems," Nuovo Cimento, Vol. 107A, p. 163-167, (1994)
• Notoya, R. et al., "Tritium Generation and Large Excess Heat Evolution by Electrolysis in Light and Heavy Water-Potassium Carbonate Solutions With Nickel Electrodes," Fusion Technology, Vol. 26, p. 179, (Sept. 1994)
• Cerron-Zeballos, E., Crotty, I., Hatzifotiadou, D., Lamas Valverde, J., Williams, M.C.S., and Zibichi, A., "Investigation of Anomalous Heat Production in Ni-H Systems," Nuovo Cimento, Vol. 109A, p. 1645-1654, (1996)
• Mengoli, G., Bernardini, M., Manducchi, C., and Zannoni, G., "Anomalous Heat Effects Correlated With Electrochemical Hydriding of Nickel," Il Nuovo Cimento, Vol. 20 D, p. 331-352, (1998)
• Battaglia, A., Daddi, L., Focardi, S., Gabbani, V., Montalbano, V., Piantelli, F., Sona, P.G., and nesi, S., "Neutron Emission in Ni-H Systems," Nuovo Cimento, Vol. 112 A p. 921-931, (Sept. 1999)
• 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
• Cerron-Zeballos, E., Crotty, I., Hatzifotiadou, D., Lamas Valverde, J., Williams, M.C.S., and Zichichi, A., "Investigation of Anomalous Heat Production in Ni-H Systems". Nuovo Cimento, Vol. 109A, p. 1645-1654, (1996).
• Adalberto Piazzoli. "Fusione Fredda? Una ricerca italiana". CICAP - Scienza & Paranormale N. 78 (Mai 2008)

News

• Franco, Foresta Martin, "Siena scopre l' energia pulita Fusione fredda all' italiana?," Corriere Della Sera, 19. Februar 1994
• Ilaria Venturi: Fusione nucleare a freddo - "A Bologna ci siamo riusciti", Artikel in "La Repubblica" (Bologna-Lokalausgabe) vom 14.1.2011. [11]

Weblinks

• Internetseite von Andrea Rossi
• "Journal of Nuclear Physics". Der Titel suggeriert eine physikalische Zeitschrift, tatsächlich handelt es sich um eine von Focardi und Rossi betriebene, Blog-ähnliche Internetseite, deren Beiträge aber angeblich einen Peer Review durchlaufen und von "mindestens einem" Physikprofessor begutachtet würden.
• http://www.eonsrl.com (aktuell ohne Inhalt)
• http://pages.csam.montclair.edu/~kowalski/cf/388amplifier.html
• http://www.newenergytimes.com/v2/news/2008/NET29-8dd54geg.shtml