Cold Fusion
Cold Fusion is a term used for controlled nuclear transformations taking place outside of fusion reactors. Such processes are rare and not useful for producing noteworthy amounts of energy or relevant fusion products. It is known since 1978 that muons can trigger such fusion processes. But the amount of energy generated remains insufficient to enable a chain reaction. Theoretical considerations to muon-catalysed fusion processes were already done in the 1940s by F. C. Frank and Andrej Sacharov.[1]
Muon-catalysed fusion has no practical appliance.
Fleischmann and Pons 1989
In 1989, researchers Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons claimed to have accomplished cold fusion through an electrochemical process and received wide press coverage which led to a popularization of the term. Hopes for a sensational new energy source were fuelled. The Fleischmann-Pons-experiment showed a small energy release but could not be replicated. Even the authors later were unable to reproduce their experiment successfully. In this experiment hydrogen should have been fused through electrolysis of an electrolyte at the surface of two palladium electrodes. Basically, this should have produced energy from water.[2]
Rossi-Energy-Catalyzer / Piantelli-Focardi-Rossi-Experiments
The Focardi-Rossi Energy-Catalyzer is an alleged compact fusion reactor based on an assumed Cold Fusion technology which is planned to be brought to market by the Italian company EON Srl 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 kW. According to Italian inventors Sergio Focardi and Andrea Rossi, cold fusion 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. So far, attempts to replicate the experiment independently failed. The latest (partially public) presentations took place from mid-January to end of March 2011.
Aqua Flame
Aqua Flame is a fusion project of the German company Purratio AG. Since Purratio refers to deuterium and palladium, it seems to be an application of the failed experiments of Fleischmann and Pons (1989).
Further Methods
Further methods are:
- Pyrofusion (without practical relevance)
- Sonofusion (or Bubble fusion, obviously data falsification)
Biological Transmutation
Biological Transmutation is hypothetically defined as a nuclear transmutation occurring in a living organism. There is no proof for the existence of such transformations.
References
- ↑ Muon-catalyzed fusion in Wikipedia
- ↑ Browne, M. (May 3, 1989), "Physicists Debunk Claim Of a New Kind of Fusion", New York Times, accessed 2011-05-10