Focardi-Rossi Energy-Catalyzer

Andrea Rossi and Sergio Focardi (Picture "La Repubblica"). A (yellow) dosimetric pump of the type "LMI P18" can be seen in the foreground (maximum flow: 12.1 l/h)

Andrea Rossi and Sergio Focardi (Picture: TV channel "Rainews24")

Planned book of a John Michell: Rossi's eCcat - Free Energy, Free Money, Free People. (Xecnet Verlag)

The Focardi-Rossi Energy-Catalyzer (also E-Cat or Rossi Energy Amplifier) is an alleged compact fusion reactor planned to be marketed in 2011. According to Italian inventors, alleged engineer (see below) Andrea Rossi and Professor emeritus in physics Sergio Focardi, cold fusion of hydrogen and nickel was taking place in the reactor which, at strong heat, led to the creation of copper. Rossi's 2011 demonstrations were criticized by various sources. Neither gamma nor neutron radiation typical for fusion processes could be measured, and there is no proof of the creation of non-natural isotope ratios in the alleged fusion products. The respective experiments which should have shown energy production through "cold fusion" suffered from several methodic shortcomings and displayed contradicting statements. Independent tests, which might have proven a fusion process according to the said principle, failed so far. Specialist literature regarding the "energy-catalyzer" is not available (as of Juli 2011).

In March 2011, a Greek business journal titled „Investor's World“ reported the concept was central to a speculative investment deal worth several hundred million Euro. Greek startup "Defkalion is currently (July 2011) offering state licenses for commercialization of the invention at a price of 40.5 million Euros per country.

Inventor Rossi, having got in conflict with the law previously, had also supplied thermoelectrical elements of an alleged miraculous efficiency which, however, displayed merely average properties when tested.

The actual inventor of the principle was Italian biophysicist Francesco Piantelli in 1989 who filed patent applications in 1995 and 2010. Rossi, who also attempts to have his invention patented, does not acknowledge priority and importance of Piantelli's patents: "My process has nothing to do with the process of Piantelli. The proof is that I am making operating reactors, he is not." Piantelli's patent expert commented in May 2011 that Rossi had no chance to have the functional principle patented since Piantelli already held a patent on it since 1995. Meanwhile, Piantelli has founded the Italian company NichEnergy S.R.L. which is developing a reactor similar to Rossi's.

Some aspects of the claimed functional principle also happen to be similar to descriptions in a patent registered by Yoshiaki Arata in Japan dated July 2005 (see below). A remote similarity to the CETI Patterson Power Cell and to the Zirconium fusion reactor of Bolotov can also be established.

Purported functional principle

Power control and main switch

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

Heating power can be selected in steps: 0...9

Several "E-cat" stripped of shielding and insulation. The heating element is clearly a "Rotfil S21" (Image: Giuseppe Levi)

Power control

Outside view of reaction chamber, lead shielding and insulation removed. Below: Outer heating resistor (here: heating sleeve 300W), above: hydrogen intake, left and right: cooling water line. Image: Giuseppe Levi

The "control box" with 12 phase fired controllers of the type "VL676" from company GSEI in Genoa (Genova) (Image: S.B. Krivit)

Hydrogen pressure indicator

Typical heating sleeve

Typical elements of the "Ultramax cartridge heater" (company Rotfil)(Image: [13])

Claims of cheap nickel isotope enrichment as part of the invention (Screenshot: Blog "Journal of nuclear physics", April 11, 2011)

All data currently available regarding the "Focardi-Rossi Energy Catalyzer" come from inventors and their internet blog, from a patent application submitted by Rossi, from YouTube videos, and from statements of the few physicists who tried to replicate the principle. There has been no noteworthy reception on the part of the international physics community so far. An attempt of inventors to publish an article on their device in a renowned professional journal failed. Only individual physicists reacted with public blog entries and comments (e.g.: [18][19][20]). The most renowned person having commented the energy catalyzer so far is English Nobel Prize winner Brian Josephson. Josephson has been known for a supporter of so called "cold fusion" for years. As of January 2011, no proper scientific publication is known. Focardi and Rossi publish statements in their own "online periodical" titled "Journal of Nuclear Physics", basically an internet blog, and in Italian journal "Il Cimento". Upon inquiry, physicist Focardi advised the "Journal of Nuclear Physics" was founded by Rossi since publication in accredited journals failed. Focardi stated that "arXiv.org" was the journal which rejected them: A. Carnera, S. Focardi, A. Rossi, to be published on Arxiv..

Rossi's company EON Srl and "Leonardocorp." did not provide further information so far.

According to – partly contradictory - information available from inventors Focardi and Rossi, the small reactor allegedly enables exothermal fusion. They claim they managed to "produce" 130 kW thermal energy in an extreme case, and needed just 80 to 1,250 Watts to "pre-heat" respectively to operate the electronic control system.

The process - disclosed only partially, although a patent application was filed (not approved as of April 2011) - involves nickel and hydrogen gas transformed to copper in the presence of an unknown catalyst under emission of heat and ionizing radiation. The fusion process is said to happen in a stainless steel reactor vessel which is placed inside of a copper pipe through which cooling water flows. The patent application claims the stable nickel isotope 62Ni28 (which makes about 3.6% of natural nickel) reacted with hydrogen and was transformed into the stable copper isotope 62Cu29. In his blog, Rossi claims he uses nickel isotope enrichment to get the desired amount of nickel isotopes. To be more precise, he claims to use an unexplained process to achieve enrichment with isotope Ni58. The costs are said to be just 10% of the overall costs for nickel powder. Actual isotope enrichment is a very expensive process. Rossi, on the other hand, specified the costs for six months of operation as only a few Euros (see below). The copper thus generated is said to contain two stable copper isotopes, with an isotope proportion different from the one in natural copper. An independent analysis in Sweden did not find an isotope ratio different from the natural one. Such a fusion would require very high temperatures and should result in the emission of strong gamma radiation from the destruction of positrons and electrons.

While nickel rods were used initially, recent experiments used nickel powder (particle size is said to be in the nm-range, the patent application mentions 10 µm). Rossi mentions "Gerli Metalli" company from Milan as their supplier. Furthermore, unknown catalysts, not specified even in the patent application, are said to be employed. Nickel oxide - which reacts with hydrogen creating water and heat (NiO2 + H2 --> Ni + H20) – allegedly was not used. According to the patent application, an inner water circuit (with a boric acid solution) is placed inside of the reactor, heat is transferred to an external water circuit by a heat exchanger.

By heating with electrical energy, protons from hydrogen gas are said to enter the nickel atoms at 180-400 degrees Celsius and lead to a nuclear reaction if pressure was increased strongly at regular intervals. Altogether, hydrogen is said to be consumed and some helium is generated. 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. The modules controlling the heating resistors are 12 phase fired controllers of the type VL676 from company GSEI in Genoa (Genova) They can be, depending on type, regulated by 10 or 20 A in 20 half-steps (0..9) and have a consumption of 2 watts (in sum 24 W) from a 24 V voltage source. Internet rumours which cannot be verified claim that high voltage or a magnetic field of 360 kV to overcome the Coulomb barrier might be applied. The application of so high a voltage is not possible within such a small device due to spark generation.

Inventors also claim the mentioned "fusion" generates weak gamma and neutron radiation. Radiation is said to be β+ corpuscular radiation with positrons (known from potassium 40-decay). They also claim they do not know the exact functional principle. The actual reaction chamber is estimated at a volume of about one litre and shielded by a layer of 2 cms of lead. In their patent application, inventors claim:

The above mentioned coatings are so designed as to restrain all radiation emitted by the exothermal reaction and transform said radiation into thermal energy.

A contribution in their blog speculatively connects the Focardi Rossi Energy Amplifier to the hydrino theory of American physician and electrical engineer Randell Mills who claims to work with hydrogen and nickel, too. Mills is said 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 have not been proven as of yet.

Further internet speculations assume this was a normal chemical reaction which apparently remained unknown to inventors and which was usually applied in the purification of nickel ores: the "Sherritt-Gordon process", 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.

Looking for possible heat sources, [absorption] of hydrogen in nickel in a chemical reaction comes to mind. Hydrogen gas can enter into nickel (and other metals). Extraction on the other hand leads to cooling.

The energy catalyzer and the Widom Larson theory

In 2011, cold fusion supporters repeatedly voiced speculations that the functional principle of Rossi's energy catalyzer was connected to a theory which is not recognized by scientific physics, the Widom Larson theory, in which the Coulomb barrier played no role. On inquiry, Andrea Rossi explained this theory was not necessary to explain the functional principle. The theory was formulated in 2005 by Allan Widom and Lewis Larsen and published in "Eur. Phys. J. C" (Full Text). According to this theory, the "cold fusion" processes discussed are not actual fusion but interactions in which weak nuclear force plays a role. This theory claims electrons and protons were able to transform to „ultra low momentum“ neutrons and one neutrino (e- + p ->n + neutrino). The Ultra Low Momentum Neutrons are said to bond to adjacent nuclei after a short time. The Widom Larson theory should avoid the problem of the "Three Miracles of Cold Fusion" of Huizenga - 1993 (the lack of measurable neutron radiation, avoidance of the Coulomb barrier, and the lack of high-energy gamma rays) due to purported compliance with established physical laws. Reactions involving the weak interaction are mediated by W bosons which could be demonstrated experimentally in 1983 with the particle accelerator (CERN). W-bosons have roughly 80 times the mass of protons and a very short range.

The mysterious catalyst

Inventors claim the high thermal output of the energy catalyzers is the result of a special catalyst whose composition is kept secret. In scientific nuclear physics, contrary to classic physics, the use of a catalyst in fusion processes is unknown.

Unverifiable internet rumours speculate it might be "Raney-Nickel" since two fires in Rossi's laboratories were caused by "Raney-Nickel". Upon inquiry, Rossi stated that no Raney-Nickel was used. Focardi stated he was not aware of the composition of the catalyst himself, since only Rossi knew it. In a radio interview dated March 6, 2011, Focardi offered some speculations about the compound. He believes it was a chemical compound, not an element. It was not uranium. The obvious purpose of the substance was to catalyse the transformation of heated hydrogen gas (H2) into atomic hydrogen (a discussion of possible catalysts for this purpose can be found in a paper by Romanowski from 1999). To complicate the identification of the catalyst, observers were prohibited to do a spectral analysis of possible gamma radiation, since it might allow the identification of elements of the compound.

Deactivation

In his report on the experiment dated March 29, 2011, Professor Sven Kullander wrote the reaction was stopped by switching off the heater and increasing the cooling water flow to a maximum of 30 litres per hour. This contradicts previous claims that the heater would be turned off when operating temperature was achieved. The red wire in the picture to the right (cm 31 - 34) apparently is the heater supply. With a cable this thick it is possible to power the heater with 220 volt/10 amp from a regular wall outlet, which could provide 2,200 Watts and explain the generation of steam.

Prof. Kullander also writes the heater acts as „safety“: "At the end of the horizontal section there is an auxiliary electric heater to initialize the burning and also to act as a safety if the heat evolution should get out of control." Quite apparently, a heater cannot act as a safeguard for a heat generating process.

The self-destruction mechanism

According to Rossi, future commercial „energy catalyzers“ will include a self-destruction mechanism. Any attempts to inspect the secret operating mechanism and internal components of reactors thus were prevented.

Claims on practical application and success

Input and output of the reactor according to inventors

According to Focardi and Rossi, they achieved increasing heat quantities with their device over the years. They claim one nickel rod was sufficient for six months of operations. Rossi, in his patent specification, anecdotally reports he was heating his company's bureaus with this reactor which resulted in some 90% savings regarding electricity bills over a period of six months:

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 his "Leonardo facility" in New Hampshire (USA) since 2008.

Details regarding nickel consumption and costs

According to Rossi, 100 grammes of nickel powder were consumed over a period of six months at 10 kW (therm.) output. The cost for the "fuel" thus amounted to 2 Euro. An E-cat will cost about 2,000 Euro per kW output (a 10 kW-model thus will amount to 20,000 Euro). In the North American radio chat show "Coast to Coast AM", known for propagating conspiracy theories, Rossi said in March 2011 his planned 1 MW small power station will cost 2 million Dollars, while his 10 kW E-Cat later will cost a mere 5,000 Dollars. According to Greek journal "Investor's World" of March 2011, future "E-cat" devices will produce electrical energy through an "inverter". Customers were to face an annual cost of 1,300 Euros for the production of a 24/7 output of 20 kW (not specified whether thermal or electric). "Defkalion Green Technologies" plans to request inclusion into the "renewable energy" programme by RAE (Regulatory Authority for Energy).

History

First experiments with an „ECat“ predecessor by EON in Bondeno(Ferrara). See „reactor“ on the right, cooled in a bucket of water. (Picture: S. Focardi, May 2011 [14])

"Anomalies" when adding hydrogen to nickel have been reported since 1936. 1989 was marked by wide media attention to cold fusion as a result of claims regarding failed experiments by Fleischmann and Pons. In the same year, Italian biophysicist Francesco Piantelli (formerly University of Siena) believed to have incidentally observed a strong heat emission with temperatures above 1,450° C during an experiment with organic material which came into contact with nickel and hydrogen (nickel is used in industry as a catalyst for fat hardening with hydrogen), which he was not able to explain. The incident was reported by several Italian daily papers. In 1995, Piantelli received a "Truffle Prize" for his observations during a "Workshop on Anomalies in Hydrogen / Deuterium Loaded Metals". Various workgroups have done experiments with electrolysis and with nickel and hydrogen since then.

Piantelli founded a private organisation called I.M.O. (Centro Interuniversitario interdipartimentale per lo studio delle interazioni biofisiche e biochimiche tra molecole e organismi) after he left Siena University. He developed a method called SQME (Sequenze di Campi Magnetici ed Elettrici - Sequence of magnetic and electric fields) there which, applied to cancer patients, allegedly raised body temperature by four degrees and thus worked as a hypothermic treatment. Specialist literature on this issue does not happen to be known.

Physicist Sergio Focardi from Bologna University heard about Piantelli's observations of temperature increase with nickel-hydrogen reactions and teamed up with him to research the phenomenon. After several years they had built a nickel hydrogen rector and, in a press conference in February 1994, announced their reactor as a principle for "Reazioni Nucleari a Bassa Energia" (LENR, "Low Energy Nuclear Reactions"), avoiding the term "cold fusion", however. Once more articles were published in the daily press and as before in 1989, there were no academic publications. An output of 40-50 thermal Watts was claimed. A nickel rod with a pre-treated surface which had been "degassed" for several hours was said to be enclosed in the reactor surrounded by hydrogen. Italian industry looked into the matter and tried to exploit the Piantelli principle commercially. However, all attempts to put it to industrial application failed. Companies involved were TESCA Syndicate (companies Bulla, Bergomi, Foglia, Italkero and Ecosystem), FIAT AVIO SpA corporation and PROVITA s.r.l.

In 2007 Andrea Rossi is said to have offered Sergio Focardi a contract as a consultant, which led to cooperation.

Experiment on December 16, 2010

A test of the E-cat reactor was done on December 16, 2010 (apparently in Bologna), but so far no details are known.

Presentation on January 14, 2011

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

Temperature curve, with two periods (17 minutes) during which 100°C were reached (reconstructed from video)

Reconstructed superposition of temperature and heating curve. The time difference between the two curves is to be noted, it is a result of a simplification which equates the start of heating with the start of the temperature rise. (an improved diagram is in progress)

Screenshot from a video of the experiment used to estimate its duration

Diagram showing the timeline of electrical heating input during the experiment

Comparison of the shown probe to a HP474AC probe (Image: www.physicsforums.com)

Specifications of pump used "LMI P18" (Image: www.physicsforums.com)

Andrea Rossi and Sergio Focardi gave a press conference on January 14, 2011 which was not only attended by Italian public television station RAI (RAI 3) and numerous journalists, but also by several physicists employed at universities. Admission was restricted to invited guests. The presentation was done in rooms rented from the company "GM System" in an industrial area of Bologna and not in rooms of Bologna University, as is claimed on various websites. GM Systems has further business ties to Rossi. During this press conference, the function of the reactor was demonstrated for about an hour (55 minutes) in an adjoining room. An analysis of recorded measurement data which can be seen on the screen of a notebook in a Youtube-video for a couple of seconds allow to estimate a period of 15 to 20&nbspminutes(probably 17  minutes), during which a water temperature of 100 degrees or more was achieved. (see picture). The data visible on the notebook were omitted from the report on the experiment (according to physicist Levi, they were "lost"). Later, in June 2011, it became known that the date were not actually "lost", Levi was willing to send them to the visiting reporter Steven Krivit. The report also mentions a period of 40 minutes, obviously referring to the entire period including heating up. To calculate the heat output, inadvertent or deliberately incorrect data of water throughput were included, which was in truth less than half of the said amount. The inventors reported the experiment in their blog, and published three Youtube videos in Italian language [21], [22], [23].

During the press conference they mentioned a heat input of 600 Watts, at a calculated output of 12,000 Watts (12 kW). However, according to a report published (G. Levi), actual supplied power was 1,022 Watt on average. A further analysis of the data published showed a result of 1,073 Watt. Power used was between 400 and 1,500 W. The inventors calculated their estimate of generated heat from the heated water: 292 grammes of water per minute were heated from 20 °C to 101 °C (allegedly dry vapour) and evaporated. The attending physicists were allowed to take some measurements. They were disappointed, however, as a spectral analysis of the gamma radiation was denied for secrecy reasons. A detailed report submitted by independent physicists from Bologna University stated that no gamma radiation was detected, although the device was supplied with two openings for measurement purposes. Excerpt 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].

Observers were allowed to weigh the hydrogen gas container before and after the experiment (weight: 13,66 kgs). Even considering possible errors in measurement (duct tape still attached), hydrogen usage was estimated at less than one gramme. Not enough to make conventional hydrogen combustion plausible. Link to the report: [24]

Alternative calculation explaining the reported values without cold fusion(Source: unknown author "Ascoli65" from Italian forum EnergeticAmbiente.it)

Inconsistencies: Several incomprehensible pieces of information were provided shortly after the experiment. Even weeks later, Rossi's team did not react with a correction. Not only was the duration of the experiment shorter than claimed before at 17 minutes (during which temperature was close to or above 100 degrees), but there is also reason to doubt further claims of inventors and operators of the experiment. The estimate of energy by evaporation of water(phase change) was criticized at "www.physicsforums.com" in retrospect, as respective calculations were made assuming dry vapour without fractions of condensed water, which was not proven. The probe shown in the video can only measure the heat but not relative humidity of the steam. A combined probe of the type HP474AC (Delta Ohm) was claimed to have been used, but the video shows a different probe which looks like an SPC C45 0500 BEX - probe. An HP474AC probe is not visible in any video. The claimed water throughput of 292 ml/min. (= 17.5 liter/h) was doubted too, since the pump used had only half of this capacity according to specification. A pump of the type "LMI P18" had been used, as was confirmed in May 2011 by the Swedish reporter Mats Lewan. Several previous inquiries about the type of pump were not answered by Andrea Rossi.. The manufacturer specifies a maximal flow of 12.1 l/h for the LMI P18. Other models (A/B/C) of LMI pumps can be ruled out, as they definitely look different. Water throughput of these programmable peristaltic pumps can be regulated. The number of strokes per minute and the pumped volume can be regulated separately. The maximal number of strokes is 100 per minute. At 100 strokes/min, maximum throughput will be achieved. In one of the YouTube videos of the presentation on January 14, 2011, pump strokes are clearly audible for 30 seconds. Counting them, 29 or 30  strokes in those thirty seconds can be established. The pump was regulated to 59 to 60 strokes/minute, which corresponds to 60% of maximal flow rate. The heat output calculated by the team is thus 240% higher than the output actually possible using the pump shown in the video, and therefore certainly wrong. These faulty specifications on the average power (1,073 W instead of 600 W) result in an additional grave error of 78%. Assuming just a few percent of condensed water in the vapour would allow to explain the steam generation just by electrical heating. The report on the experiment states that the hydrogen cylinder employed was weighed before and after the test to establish the amount of hydrogen used with a margin of less than a gramme. Regarding the weight of the pressure cylinder, different data are given, but it is said to have been 13.66 kg. Available scales for the given range (for 20/30/60 kg) allow to read weight in steps of 0.1 gramme, but their precision is far less. Possible scales just offer a precision of 0.2 to 0.4 gram.

Undocumented experiment on February 10/11, 2011

On February 10 or 11, 2011, a further "internal test" of the „E-Cat“ was carried out in Bologna, attended by allegedly "independent" physics lecturer Guiseppe Levi from Bologna University. Several internet sources claim the test instead happened on February 18, 2011. Sole witness was physicist Levi, head of a physics faculty research group which received financial grants for their support in the project. Levi was also responsible for the poor quality report regarding the test in January. According to Guiseppe Levi's description, published in a Swedish online article titled "Cold Fusion: 18 hour test excludes combustion", a hose connected the device to a water tap this time in order to cool the "reactor". Tap water was said to have flown through the device at about 1 liter per second and was warmed by 5 degrees (to 15-20 degrees). Obviously this test was done to counter the criticism of test conditions in January. The test was said to have run continuously for 18 hours, a water meter quantified the flow, and the test was monitored by video during the night (this video was never released). The "reactor" was allegedly heated up for ten minutes with 1,250 Watts initially and subsequently only a control unit was supplied with 80 Watts, while an alleged constant thermal performance of 15-20 Kilowatt was established. According to Levi, 0.4 grammes of hydrogen were used in those 18 hours. The same source quotes Levi with the remark he now excluded "chemical energy sources" as heat source:

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

The alleged heat output was calculated by supporters of Cold Fusion (LENR Low Energy Nuclear Reactions - CANR Chemically Assisted Nuclear Reactions) at 270-288 kWh (about one GJ), which was compared to the energy of 26 litres of heating oil. Assuming an average output of 17 kW (the input of electrical energy for pre-heating and control may be neglected) over 18 hours actually renders about 300 kWh, arithmetically speaking. The fuel value of 1 litre of oil is at about 10 kWh so that in terms of figures, an amount of 30 litres may be calculated to produce the same heat quantity.

Since the volume of the visible devices can be estimated, interested parties in the internet (Usenet) tried to find candidates for a known chemical reaction which could be done in the given volume and produce enough heat while disregarding problems like smoke emission, toxicity, costs, and controllability. While a normal chemical reaction can indeed not be ruled out for the first demonstration in January, a replacement candidate for the alleged 18 hour experiment in February could not be found. The volume of the external control unit is said to be about 60 litres, but contained only electronics according to Levi. He estimated the actual reaction chamber at a volume of about 1 litre. The shielding is said to be a layer of 2 cms of lead with an overall weight of 30 kgs.

The placement of the probe, supposed to measure water temperatures during the test, was also criticized. The probe was inserted from outside the "reactor" and might have come into contact with an inner heating resistor which would have rendered an assessment of heat output impossible. Further criticism was targeted at the start temperature which might even have been below the (unknown) room temperature, which even more complicates the interpretation of the data.

Experiment on March 29, 2011

(with claimed working conditions)

Comparison of different heating curves

A six-hours' presentation was performed in Bologna on March 29, 2011, attended by the invited Swedish physicists Sven Kullander and Hanno Essén. Both had traveled from Sweden at the invitation of Rossi, travel expenses were paid by Rossi. Due to "stability reasons", a smaller "energy catalyzer" with lesser output was used, and is said to have yielded 25 kWh within 6 hours with a thermal output of 4.4 kW. The same pump as in January, the LMII P18, was used in this presentation, but this time the capacity was compatible with the maximum flow capacity specified by manufacturers and therefore probable. Water throughput was stated at 6.27 kg/h (104 ml/min). As in the experiment in January, water was evaporated, but without measuring relative humidity of the vapour, errors in measurement of up to 600% may occur. It is also impossible to establish in retrospect whether the water was evaporated completely, since the warm water drain was placed next to the steam port. The assembly was filled with 50 grammes of nickel powder. Initially, hydrogen gas was pumped into the device at 25 bar but without previously pumping air out. Quote: The air of atmospheric pressure remained in the container as a small impurity. (Note: If oxygen from the air stayed inside - as claimed -, water could have formed, since nickel powder acts as a catalyst). Heating was done at 300 Watt. During the presentation, insulation and lead shielding were removed from some E-cats displayed, but not from the E-cat used. Attending Giuseppe Levi made photos which were published in Italian and Swedish blogs. The Swedish observers wrote a report also published in internet blogs. In their report, they excluded a conventional chemical reaction:

Any chemical process should be ruled out for producing 25 kWh from whatever is in a 50 cubic centimeter container. The only alternative explanation is that there is some kind of a nuclear process that gives rise to the measured energy production.

Observers invited were allowed to examine two material samples in advance: the nickel powder and "spent" nickel powder from an experiment which previously had been run for 2 and a half months. Rossi delivered the samples during a visit to Sweden. According to an analysis performed at the Ångström Laboratory (Ångströmlaboratoriet) of Uppsala University, the used sample contained 10% copper and 11% iron. Surprisingly, the isotope ratio of nickel and copper (isotope 63 and isotope 65) was equal to the natural isotopic composition.

Both measurements show that the pure nickel powder contains mainly nickel, and the used powder is different in that several elements are present, mainly 10 percent copper and 11 percent iron. The isotopic analysis through ICP-MS doesn’t show any deviation from the natural isotopic composition of nickel and copper.

The ratios specified were: Cu-63 70%, Cu-65 30%. Professor Sven Kullander commented such a result as extremely unlikely:

If this reaction chain would be true even though none of the responses that I mention can be made with the knowledge we have today, then isotopic distribution Cu-63/Cu-65 be greater than 80/20, probably closer to 99/01.

The natural isotope ratio of 63Cu to 65Cu is 2.24 (69.17% to 30.83%). Focardi had previously claimed the copper isotope ratio would be reduced to 1.6 by "fusion". While there are further copper isotopes, these are unstable and are not found in nature (69,17 + 30,83 = 100).

It is not only statistically (almost) impossible that, after an alleged fusion reaction with copper as a fusion product, a "used" sample will show the same isotope ratio as found in nature. Further considerations on sample analysis expose insurmountable obstacles to the possibility of fusion:
In theory, the stable copper isotopes 63Cu and 65Cu might be a result of fusion of hydrogen and nickel isotopes 62Ni and 64Ni (add one proton each). But according to the Swedish Institute having analysed the samples, the unused nickel sample only contained 4.5% in sum of these stable nickel isotopes. Assuming all nickel 62 and nickel 64 atoms had been fused (which is unlikely) with a proton (hydrogen nucleus), the amount of copper would not amount to even 10% of the resulting mass. Even an alternative reaction chain with unstable isotopes is impossible based on the measured isotope ratios and the absence of radiation. It would be possible to assume nickel 58 as a starting isotope which would become copper 59 and decay to nickel 59 which in turn would become copper 60 and decay to nickel 60 which would fuse to copper 61, decay to nickel 61 and fuse to copper 62 and decay to nickel 62. In the end stable copper 63 would be formed. But this would necessitate a completely different copper isotope ratio then found in the analysis.

Experiments in April 2011

Temperature graph and alleged working conditions of the test on April 19

Two heating resistors switched on (9/3)

Temperature graph and alleged working conditions of the test on April 28

Possible concealed adjustment of heating by Rossi during the experiment

On April 19 and April 28, the E-Cat was presented to Swedish journalist Mats Lewan (Nyteknik journal). To measure the energy produced, water was heated and, at an input of just 300 Watts, allegedly several litres of water evaporated. Rossi estimated the heating output at more than 2 kW. A regular publication of the results did not happen. Lewan, thrilled by the invention, published details only on a few websites ([25] [26]). A short video of the experiment on April 28, 2011 is available. The dosimetric pump LMI P18 was used once more. Water throughput was specified with 63-69 ml/min this time, a value which is possible according to manufacturers' specifications. Stroke frequency was 32/min. With a stroke-volume of 2 ml (maximum), the throughput is 64 ml/min, a value which corresponds exactly to the values established by other measurements during the experiment. The weight of the pumped water was measured several times as it flowed through the device within a determinated period of time. Since the supplied electrical heating power of 315 Watt was just measured once at startup with a pliers ammeter it remains unclear whether the heating input was constant. When journalist Lewan went into an adjoining room and did a pan shot with his video camera, Rossi was seen tampering with the heating regulation. It is therefore unclear whether the input remained constant during the experiment. The American journalist Krivit created a video at the end of July 2011, that comments on cuts from the video by Mats Lewan: [27]

A further experiment allegedly planned for April 21, 2011, allowing Swedish scientists Sven Kullander and Hanno Essén of Uppsala University to test the E-Cat, was later denied by Rossi.

Presentation on June 14, 2011

Experiments on June 14, 2011 (image: blog of Daniele Passerini)

Current measurement: 3,5 A (805 W). (image: blog of Daniele Passerini)

Steven B. Krivit (left) and Andrea Rossi (image: blog of Daniele Passerini)

Pump settings on June 14, 2011 (image: blog of Daniele Passerini)

Datasheet of the pump model (LMI [15])

Steam outlet to drain (Picture: S.B. Krivit)

White Steam against a dark backround at hose outlet (Picture: S.B. Krivit)

Cooling water temperature curve

On June 14, 2011 a further demonstration of four E-cat devices took place in Bologna. The U.S. publisher of "New Energy Times", Steven B. Krivit was invited. Krivit and other visitors were allowed to take pictures and could follow the measurements during the presentation. As before, the actual reactor was not allowed to be inspected. Krivit conducted several video interviews with Andrea Rossi, Sergio Focardi and the physicist Guiseppe Levi.

According to information from an Italian blog the ECat was connected by two power cables to a control unit. The power taken from the mains supply was 805 Watt (230 V / 3.5 A). According to Rossi, heating power was just 748 W, but he falsely assumes a voltage of 220 V (220 x 3,4 A = 748 W). Voltage in Italy is 230 V for 10 years now. A voltage of more than 230 V was measured in the showrooms several times. Rossi specified the entire heating output of the reactor at 5 kW, which would correspond to an "energy efficiency" of 6.7 times the input.

At an ambient temperature of 31.8 degrees Celsius water with a temperature of 26.5 degrees using the already known pump from LMI had been heated to 100,1 degrees and all water was evaporated. The same improbable value for water flow of 7 kg/h(117 gr/min, 1.94 gr/s) is claimed by Rossi once more. Watching a video taken by observer Steven Krivit however, shows that pump frequency was about 20-24 strokes/min. Thus water flow had to be below 48 grams per minute (or 0.8g/s, 2.88 kg/h). In a picture taken by observer Passerini a pumping rate of 40 is visible (80 ml/min, 1.33 ml/s, 4.8 l/h). It remains unclear however, whether the picture was taken during the experiment. The temperature curve of the cooling water cannot be brought into a meaningful relationship to the claimed flow rate of 7kg/h: Cooling water comes from a water canister with an about 25 cm long temperature sensor plugged in from the top. When the water is pumped away, the probe gets out of the water and takes up air temperature quickly. A screenshot of the temperature curve on the notebook shows that quite a lot of water was drained during the first half of the day, so that the probe hang in the air soon. In the afternoon water flow as throttled apparently. For at least three hours the probe was in water(about 12:00 to 15:00). This means that in these three hours at most 9 liters of water (calculated from the dimensions of the canister and the length of the probe) were drained, which would be about 3 liters per hour and correspond to the calculated value from the audible stroke frequency of the pump. To get to 7 liters/h someone would have had to secretly pour 4 liters of water with 26.5 degrees into the canister. Adding colder tap water would have shown in the temperature curve.

Krivit published a disappointing preliminary report three days later. According to his preliminary report the steam outlet was not visible and ended directly in a drain. Only when a black hose was removed from the drain (Rossi was careful to lift the hose to let any water in the hose run down the drain) "white steam" could be seen exiting the hose. 100 % dry steam is invisible, white steam is a sign for condensed for condensed water droplets.

According to the summary by Krivit the scientific details provided by the E-Cat trio have been highly deficient and have not enabled the public to make an objective evaluation. The report from Essen/Kullander too had ..significant weakness in its presentation of data and calculations and is highly constrained by the methodology dictated and instrumentation provided by the E-Cat trio. According to Krivit he is not sure if Levi did understand the potential impact of confirmation of dry vapour. Krivit advised Levi to rework his controversial report from January 21, 2011 and asked for original raw data measured by chemist Galantini of the experiment on January 14, 2011, that is claimed to confirm dry vapour in that experiment. A fierce dispute broke out between Krivit and Levi to these data. Levi is said to have agreed to send him the "Galantini Data". The "Galantini data" are, however, just a set of emails from a chemist who is claimed to have done measurements. It is apparent from the emails that the commisioned chemist Gilberto Galantini used an unsuitable meter for the problem at hand. Galantini measured relative humidity of allegedly 100.1 degrees Celsius hot steam with a probe(HP474AC) to determine the relative humidity in the air. The real question however deals with the distinction between water vapor and dry vapor.

Swedish physicist Peter Ekström of Lund University presented calculations based on Krivits video and came to a devastatingly negative result which can be read on the internet. According to his calculations a powerful jet of steam should have left the hose but that did not happen.

After the publication of the report by Krivit inventor Andrea Rossi responded very irritated and obviously angry on the visitor invited by him, the "Clown" Krivit, whom he also called a "snake". Accordingly, the vistior had "understood nothing" and had written a "ridiculous" report. He also accused him to have been "sent by someone that wants to dwarf our work". Furthermore, he had tried to blackmail physicist Levi who has already given this to his attorney:

..Probably this journalist has been sent by someone that wants to dwarf our work. He also tried to blackmail prof. Levi, and Levi already has given to his attorney due. information..

Physicists Levi responded with an open letter in bumpy English to Krivit, in which he accused him of having not understood his explanations. Also Krivit had not understood, that the water content in the steam was measured as a ration of the masses involved.

Presentation on Juli 8,2011

On Juli 8th a vistior named Julian Brown could see for a brief time a working reactor in Bologna. He reported about it in a blog called "ecatnews" and stated that Rossi was assuming a cooling water flow of 15 liters per hour. He saw, however, the already known pump of the company LMI and estimated a cooling water flow of only 3 liters/h himself.

Attempts to replicate the experiments

• In 1996, a group led by Antonino Zichichi in vain attempted to repeat the pre-Rossi Piantelli-experiment (identical in principle, except for the secret catalyst) at CERN in Geneva for one year. Authors mention established increases in temperature which, however, did not correspond to an increase in energy release:

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 attempt to replicate the tests of the principle was carried out by scientists Luigi Nosenzo and Luigi Cattaneo in Pavia (Italy). Again, no fusion reaction or release of energy could be established over the course of several months.

• In May 2011, US physicist Brian Ahern reported tests with a finely ground zirconium-nickel-copper alloy to which he added hydrogen gas after heating it to 500 degrees. A small rise in heat in addition to the supplied electrical heating power was observed and estimated at about 5-10 watts. A publication of the experiment is not known. Ahern's claims were only published in various blogs. Ahern has been known for a long-standing supporter of "cold fusion" which he attempts to use with a company he founded, Vibronic Energy Technologies Corp.

Inventor Andrea Rossi

Andrea Rossi at Petroldragon lawsuit (Source: newspaper L'Unita")

Reimbursement offer of diploma mill "Kensington University Inc." to its customers

Rossi CV on his website (March 4, 2011)

View of a Petroldragon compound (Source: newspaper L'Unita")

Andrea Rossi in front of Petroldragon reactor (Source: newspaper L'Unita")

Petrol Dragon premises at Airuno with tanks for used oil (Image: merate online [16])

Italian inventor Andrea Rossi was born on June 3, 1950 in Milano. In a curriculum vitae presenting his occupational history on his website (see picture on the right dated March 4, 2011), Rossi specifies he graduated in philosophy at the University of Milan and mentions a second "Laurea" title (common term for a final degree at an Italian university with an obligatory doctorate) in "Ingegneria Chimica" (chemical engineering) at a Californian "Kensington University Inc.". This company was officially registered in Hawaii, but operated from Glendale in California and was a wellknown diploma mill until it was shut down on court orders.. The company was sentenced to restitute all former customers (see picture to the left) after it had been reported to the law by a consumer protection organisation.

In March 2011, Andrea Rossi was confronted by a journalist who accused him of holding an engineering title from a diploma mill. Rossi replied this was an honorary title awarded to him for an earlier patent regarding bio fuel. He claimed he did not know anything about the company "Kensington University Inc.". He explained he had a regular title, Dottore Magistrale in Filosofia, of Università degli Studi di Milano from December 10, 1975

The "Rossi Energy Amplifier" is not the first invention made by Andrea Rossi. During the 1970ies and 1980ies, he tried to produce hydrocarbons from waste to no avail. This resulted in several law suits and criminal cases with prison sentences against the "Sheik of Brianza" (Sceicco della Brianza, sheik because he claimed to produce oil from industrial waste. Brianza is a region north of Milan). The law suits were also known as "Petroldragon affair", since Rossi's company was named "Petroldragon". Italian Wikipedia has an article on the affair: Petroldragon. Rossi was convicted because he did not dispose of large amounts (58,000 tons) of toxic waste in accordance with regulations, and for trafficking waste materials. According to an article in Italian newspaper "Corriere della Sera" of April 6, 1995, Rossi and one Michele Pizzato were arrested twice. As a member of a "gang" and "criminal organisation" he is said to have smuggled two tons of gold in a money laundering operation. Newspaper articles from that time (in Italian):

Rossi, however, perceived this as a repression of his allegedly ecological conversion technology. He migrated to USA after a series of criminal proceedings. Current business interests (EON srl and EFA srl) are handled by his wife Maddalena Pascucci.

EON Srl and Leonardo Corporation

Apartment-house at the address of "Leonardo Corp." (1331, Lincoln rd Miami Beach, App. 505). Image: Google street view

Registration of "Leonardo Corp." in Miami Beach

Registration page 2

The company EON Srl (owned by Rossi), which is often mentioned in connection with the subject, is registered both in Bondeno and in Rome . The Bodeno location is said to have been heated by an "E-cat" device virtually for free for a long time. Rossi further claims he is also producing hot water in his home with an E-cat. There is no independent evidence for both claims.

In the course of 2011, inventors and undisclosed non-Italian investors (allegedly Greek) plan to offer ready-made reactors for industrial application under the marketing name "Hyperion" (not to confuse with a concept for small fission reactors of the same name in the USA). There is an official permission dating from 2006 which enables Italian EON Srl to operate a small power plant, fuelled by bio diesel, producing electric power up to 1 megawatt in the town of Bondero. Inventors also claim to currently work on a small power plant which combines 120 interconnected energy-amplifier reactors of equal electric power of 1,000 kWs either in Greece or in USA, which is supposed to be finished by October 2011 and will cost 2 million dollar. Greek company „Defkalion Green Technologies S.A.“ is mentioned as manufacterers.

There is a Leonardo Corporation located in Bedford, New Hampshire, USA owned by Rossi which is listed as contact address for EON. Their e-mail address is identical with that of EON Srl in Italy. The phone number is a collective number applying to several companies located at the same address which is a so called "business park". This company and Greek Defkalion are supposed to build the future "reactors". It currently offers electric generators fuelled by bio diesel (with turbo chargers and intercooling). The company claims a high degree of efficiency due to its patented "EON" technology which was able to recover incurred thermal losses.

Leonardo Corp. is registered in Miami (Florida), too, in an appartment in a block situated in a residential area. The telephone number (603) 4875192, however, belongs to an extension in New Hampshire. It is somewhat hard to imagine that production of a Rossi Energy Catalyzer was possible at any of these addresses, let alone building a 1 MW power plant.

In June 2011, U.S. attorney David Niebauer from San Francisco added an entry to his blog, reporting he had met with Rossi. Rossi explained he was still looking for a partner to realize a 1 MW small power plant in the United States. He claimed to have offered a demonstration to NASA, but only if they agree to purchase an operating plant once his device obtained the expected efficiency.

EFA srl

Italian company EFA srl, based in Bologna, is a company of limited liability and run by Rossi's wife Maddalena Pascucci who holds 70% of its shares. A minority stake is held by a business consultant by the name of Giuliano Guandalini who had previous business connections to Rossi. EFA also owns distribution rights for Europe and is a contractual partner both for Bologna University (as of June 2011, the contract was not signed) and Defkalion.

The same premises housing EFA – Via Marsili 4, Bologna – are also residence of a company Systems GM 2000th (Giuliano Guandalini) owning the rooms in which Rossi happens to conduct his experiments.

Leonardo Technologies Inc.

Thermoelectric miracle device of LTI

Leonardo Technologies Inc. (LTI) is another company registered in USA co-founded by Rossi. However, he sold it at the end of the 1990s. LTI in Manchester (NH/USA) tried to develop thermoelectric modules with miraculous degrees of efficiency. Such elements work due to thermoelectric effects (see also thermoelectric cooling, enabling them to convert temperature differences to electrical voltage. Voltage is very low but through serial circuits higher voltage can be achieved. Efficiency is known to be very low. It ranges between 2 and 4 percent and useful applications are limited to special needs ("plutonium cells", satellite supply without sun collectors). Such converters would be of commercial interest only if efficiencies beyond 15% were achieved. LIT claimed it was able to realize thermoelectric modules (TE-devices) with a 20% efficiency. They further claimed they were able to build big converters with a capacity of several kilowatts. A collaboration with the university of New Hampshire was agreed upon. A device with 1 A and 100 volt (100 watt) was presented. Rossi later continued his research in Italy. The American Department of Defense showed some interest, had the company CTC (in Johnstown, PA) test several devices of LIT and released a test protocol. The modules did not prove to be very reliable Out of 27 devices, only eight worked at all. Instead of 800 to 1,000 watt claimed, they only produced 1  Watt of power. Further problems were thermal expansion and contact issues. Other modules sent later did not produce more power than regular devices commercially available.

AmpEnergo

Coldstream Park Office Park (Image: NAI Norwood Group, Bedford NH [17])

US startup company AmpEnergo Inc., founded on April 20, 2009 in Bedford, New Hampshire (Website: [28]) signed a contract with inventor Andrea Rossi in March 2011. While "Leonardo Corp." is to build the energy catalyzers, marketing is planned to be done through AmpEnergo. According to Swedish journal Nyteknik, Rossi received a fincancial grant from this company. According to information from the press, AmpEnergo is currently looking for inventors. The address of AmpEnergo is "Coldstream Park Office Park" owned by real estate company NAI Norwood. According to owners, the building is heated with an electrically operated heat pump. The address is identical with that of real estate company NAI Norwood Group and of Norwood Management Karl Norwood Inc., owned by real estate agent Karl Norwood. and also of Leonardo Corp. and Leonardo Technologies Inc. owned by Andrea Rossi. The phone numbers of all those companies are identical too ( (603) 668 7000). Despite having been founded in 2009 already , no phone number is known for AmpEnergo Inc. The company is not registered in any phone book or yellow pages in the USA. (as of May 2011)

Defkalion Green Technologies

Defkalion Management

Alexandros Xanthoulis (born 1954), vice president. Xanthoulis also represents Cypriot PRAXEN Defkalion Green Technologies Ltd.

David Christian Aurel (born 1969), Managing Director. Aurel is also CEO of Invest Bank Montenegro

Inventor Rossi with Hauard Chen of "China Research Center for Public Policy"

Citation: The science behind the Ecat increases the probability of particles overcoming the electrostatic potential Coulom barriers in order to penetrate the nucleus by the quantum mechanical tunneling effect, yielding in an exothermic reaction between Hydrigen and Nickel. By decreasing the surface upon which a given amount of pressure is exerted, the odds for the tunneling effect to occur are increased, allowing für higher penetrability of the Coulomb barrier. (Website Defkalion 24.06.2011)

There is a small startup company in Athens named "Defkalion Energy" resp. "Defkalion Green Technologies S.A." (named after Deucalion,k son of Prometheus in Greek mythology), owned by various investors who, according to Rossi, will produce some of the energy catalyzers. The owners of Defkalion are unknown, but are accordng to Defkalion mostly Greeks with current residence in Canada (64% shareholders) and from Middle Eastern countries Defkalion's major shareholder is a PRAXEN Ltd. based in Limassol (Cyprus).

Cyprus-based PRAXEN Ltd., connected to Defkalion vice-president Alexandros Xanthoulis, is in a position to keep its shareholders anonymous according to Cypriot law. Andrea Rossi's wife Maddalena Pascucci seems to focus on controlling the commercial aspects of the business in energy catalyzers. She is a director of Italian EFA srl which has business connections to PRAXEN Defkalion Green Technologies Ltd.

While Rossi's "Leonardo Corp." will handle business in USA, Greek company Defkalion is said to hold the license for sales in Greece and the Balkans and will probably also be in charge of worldwide business(except USA). According to Greek journal "Investor's World", premises of a former factory in the town of Xanthi have been bought, on which a 1 MW-small power station equipped with Rossi's energy catalyzers is supposed to be built; these premises will manufacture energy catalyzers in future. A total of three plants is to be built in Xanthi. The same source claims that Defkalion must be regarded a "200 million Euro investment". Half of the investment money (about 100 millions) is said to go to inventor Rossi later. According to Rossi he will start with the production of his E-cat devices, even if the filed patent won't be granted. He also wants to continue production even if competitors understand his invention through reverse-engeneering. According to press information, Defkalion intends to begin producing E-cats in 2012, at an annual production of 300,000 devices. During the first year, however, only 40,000 units were to be produced. Between 125 and 200 new jobs were to be created in Xanthi. It was claimed in June 2011 that the investment sum was 300-400 million euro.

The business model of Defkalion allows long-time leasing of "E-Cat" devices to private clients. A 10 kW or 20 kW facility (information is ambiguous) is said to cost 1,300 Euro per year, including operational costs and "fuel replacement", handled by manufacturers through replacing the device.

At a press conference on June 23, 2011 it was reported that contacts were established to a "China Research Center for Public Policy", whose representative Hauard Chen attented the press conference. Further attendees were politicians from the German Green Party as well as representatives of the Baden Wuerttemberg state government. These informations are established in several Greek newspapers. As a single name one René Ramminger was mentioned, maybe speaker of Berlin "AG Soziales & Arbeit KV Tempelhof-Schöneberg" of "Bündnis90/Die Grünen"/Berlin.

While the website of EON Srl has been "under construction" for months now, the page of Defkalion offered since the press conference at the end of June a contact address in Athens., later, in Juli 2011 an Address in Glifada was mentioned. Furthermore future E-Cats with 5-30 kW are promoted on the website as "products" but no prices are available. A „Defkalion white paper“ was shown which states some details on Rossi-reactors. English observers found numerous mistakes and errors in used units of size (Examples:.. Power consumption: ‚‘0,5kw/hr‘‘, ‚‘"Series C Hyperion 20kW product can generate up to 157 Mw in one year of operation"‘‘..). This text disappeared immediately from the website. Defkalion stated the alleged functional principle as:

‘‘The science behind the Ecat increases the probability of particles overcoming the electrostatic potential Coulom barriers in order to penetrate the nucleus by the quantum mechanical tunneling effect, yielding in an exothermic reaction between Hydrigen and Nickel. By decreasing the surface upon which a given amount of pressure is exerted, the odds for the tunneling effect to occur are increased, allowing für higher penetrability of the Coulomb barrier.‘‘

it was also declared by Defkalion that by "pressure increase" (apparently based on hydrogen) the output of the reactor could be controlled.

Funding and Cooperation with Bologna University

Rossi declares to have spent 500,000 Euro on experiments with more than 1,000 E-cat reactors, financed e.g. with earnings from his previous company Petroldragon which supplied him with revenues of as much as one million Euro. In an interview in Italian television on April 18, 2011, Rossi declared he had not received any pre-delivery payments or payments at all from customers. Rossi only meant to earn revenue or license fees when sales commenced. In contrast to that, it became known in May 2011 Rossi had already concluded a contract with the company AmpEnergo and payments had been made.

Rossi allegedly agreed a cooperation with Bologna University which, however, has not been signed as of yet (June 2011). Rumours claim that its Faculty of Physics received Euro 500,000 from Rossi in order to support development. According to other sources the faculty received as much as 1 million Euro. The research unit is said to consist of the following persons: Ennio Bonetti, Enrico Campari, Loris Ferrari, Giuseppe Levi, and Mauro Villa. Physicist Giuseppe Levi is said to be heading these activities.

Rossi means to donate part of the revenue for children suffering from cancer:

The 500,000 Euros I am paying to the University of Bologna is my last money, but when I deliver the one-megawatt plant to Defkalion I get cash back. From then on, 50% will be used for expansion and 50% to treat children with cancer. I will personally look for the children whose families cannot afford their care [...]

Journal of Nuclear Physics

Rossi spreads claims about his inventions through his own Internet blog called "Journal of Nuclear Physics", which is claimed to be "peer-reviewed". From its subtitle „Nuclear experiments blog“, however, it is obvious this is no professional journal. "Journal of Nuclear Physics" used to be the title of a Russian professional journal, which was discontinued. An Article article in Wikipedia lists all journals of this name.

The website of the blog lists a "Board of Advisers" which currently (April 2011) lists 8 names: Prof. Sergio Focardi (INFN – University of Bologna – Italy), Prof. Michael Melich (DOD – USA), Prof. Alberto Carnera (INFM – University of Padova – Italy), Prof. Pierluca Rossi (University of Bologna – Italy), Prof. Luciana Malferrari (University of Bologna – Italy), Prof. George Kelly (University of New Hampshire – USA), Prof. Stremmenos Christos (Bologna University – Italy) und Richard Noceti, Ph.D. (LTI-global.com). It is peculiar that several of the persons come from the circle of inventors. With some of these persons, it is not evident what may qualify them for questions of physics. George Kelly is apparently not working for the University of New Hampshire; it is unclear whether he exists in the first place. An American psychologist of the same name has already died. Michael Melich, who allegedly works for the "DOD" (U.S. Defense Department), received some attention due to weird statements. He claims to be working as kind of an undercover agent for a US secret service to whom he claims to report activities of the cold fusion scene. Guiseppe Levi, who was listed originally as an advisor, was deleted from the list at the end of January 2011 (see screenshots).

The blog also allows adding comments. But various person reported in the internet that only comments or questions not criticizing or doubting the "E-cat" will be published.

Business competition

In competition to the Rossi Ecat-reactor is a similar "energy reactor" of the Italian physicist Francesco Piantelli, who has founded a company "NichEnergy S.R.L." . To date (July 2011) no useful reputable publications for this project exist. According to vague details, which can be found in the Internet, inventor Piantelli claims an "energy multiplication" by a factor of 200. In contrast to the Rossi reactor no so called catalyst is said to be used.

Patents and patent applications

Drawing from patent application WO 2009/125444 von Rossi

Rossi has applied for a patent(WO 2009/125444 A1 EP 02259998 A1) for the method. The European Patent Office, as one of the International Searching Authorities of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), negatively assessed the patent specification. It criticized the invention was not presented comprehensively, and particularly that it was not evident the described reaction of nickel and hydrogen did in fact generate energy. To quote 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.

The Italian patent of the same content was granted in April 2011 with the number IT MI20080629 (processo ed apparecchiatura per ottenere reazioni esotermiche, in particolare da nickel ed idrogeno.). The wording of the patent is not publically accessible and, due to reasons of secrecy, will be published at a later date.

Patent applications are required to allow experts to rebuild the described invention. Furthermore the "best method" to achieve the presented effect has to be described in the application. Rossi, however, keeps the nature of his "catalyzers" secret.

The WIPO website lists an answer of Rossi's patent attorney Cicogna dated December 17, 2010 in which he addressed the issues mentioned. In his answer to the Munich European patent agency, he drops 6 of formerly 15 claims. The correspondence also addresses a patent from 2005 (Yoshiaki Arata: (Juli 2005) Hydrogen condensate and method of generating heat therewith., EP1551032 [29]) held by Japanese professor emeritus Yoshiaki Arata who has been studying "cold fusion" since 1989. In his patent, Arata described methods to generate an "Arata Energy" with hydrogen isotopes which permeate finely ground metals (metal nano-ultrafine particle ; Arata mentions several metals, among them nickel) or alloys under energy consumption. This process is said to create a "condensate" with a decreased interatomic distance between hydrogen isotopes, explaining the emission of heat. A byproduct of the reaction was helium. According to Arata, there are several ways to apply energy: pressure, ultrasound, high electricity, laser light, magnetism, etc. Arata introduced his reactor, equipped with a Stirling engine, to the public in May 2008, but explained that the principle could not be applied since helium generation "poisoned" the fusion process, so the fusion chamber had to be vented periodically, rendering any utilization uneconomical.

Patents held by Francesco Piantelli:

• WO 95 20816 A1, Francesco Piantelli: Energy generation and Generator by means of anharmonic stimulated fusion
• EP 0767962 B1 (1995), Piantelli, F., Energy Generation and Generator by Means of Anharmonic Stimulated Fusion. Patent
• WO 2010058288 A1: PIANTELLI SILVIA; PIANTELLI FRANCESCO, METHOD FOR PRODUCING ENERGY AND APPARATUS THEREFOR. 2010-05-27.
• DE69510056T2 Energieerzeugung Und Erzeuger Durch Oberwellenfreie Stimulierte Fusion, 03/02/2000
• patent application PI2011A000046 (Italy) from April 26, 2011: metodo e apparato per generare energia mediante reazioni nucleari di idrogeno adsorbito per cattura orbitale da una nanostruttura cristallina di un metallo. (patent application Method and Apparatus for Generating Energy through Nuclear Reactions of Hydrogen Adsorbed by Orbital Capture to a Metal Crystalline Nanostructure). Not public till October 27, 2012.

Further patents held by Andrea Rossi:

• US 2002/0046762 A1 "Thermoelectric generators", Inventor: Andrea Rossi. Filing date: Oct 4,2001
• WO0229908 THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS (patent withdrawn). published on 03.03.2004. Applicant(s) Leonardo Technologies, Inc., 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 / US. Inventor(s) ROSSI, Andrea, c/o Leonardi Technologies, Inc.
• US 6051110 Thermolytic distillation of carbonaceous material

Reception, media coverage and criticism

Swedish journalist Mats Lewan (Nyteknik)

A noteworthy reception by respective associations or universities never happened, an attempt by inventors to publish their principle in a professional magazine failed. As of January 2011, no proper scientific publication is known. Only a few physicists reacted with blog entries or comments to the topic.

Italian daily press covered the invention in a mere four articles (some of these in local sections). Additionally, a small private radio station made an interview. A Greek business journal and a private TV station covered it. „Nyeteknik“ reported in Sweden, some positive coverage was published in US "Washington Times", which belongs to the Moon-Cult, in an article by Frank Perley.

The energy catalyzer was also covered in several blogs. The most lively interest could be observed in Italy and Sweden.

The most renowned person to comment favourably on the energy catalyzer so far has been English Nobel Prize winner Brian Josephson. Josephson has been known for a supporter of so called "cold fusion" for years and is the editor of the corresponding article in English Wikipedia.

The most committed critic is probably Italian habilitated nuclear chemist Camillo Franchini. Another critic is the habilitated Swedish nuclear physicist Peter Ekström of Lund University. Ekström calls Rossi's invention a "hoax" and pseudoscience. He also compares it to claims made by Randell Mills for the last twenty years (BlackLightPower - see Hydrino). In his criticism, Ekström refers to the conditions necessary for fusion and nuclear transformations as well as the radiation emitted. A summary of his criticism can be found here: Peter Ekström: Kall Fusion på italienska (Avdelningen för Kärnfysik, Lunds universitet. 12.4.2011, Swedish/English). Swedish professor for physics Kjell Aleklett from Uppsala University also criticized in his blog: Kjell Aleklett "Rossi energy catalyst – a big hoax or new physics?"

Versions of this article in other languages

• Deutsch: Focardi-Rossi-Energiekatalysator
• Italiano: Catalizzatore di energia secondo Rossi e Focardi

See also

• Zirconium fusion reactor of Bolotov

Literature

Luigi Bacialli, Petrolio dai Rifiuti, SugarCo Edizioni (1979)

• Giuseppe Levi: "Report on heat production during preliminary tests on the Rossi “Ni-H” reactor", Univ. Bologna, Jan. 2011 (auch: [30])
• E. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, S. VERONESI: "Overview of H_Ni systems: old experiments and new setup" 5TH ASTI WORKSHOP ON ANOMALIES IN HYDROGEN-DEUTERIUM LOADED METALS, ASTI, ITALY, 2004, XP002517911
• S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, S. VERONESI: "Evidence of Electromagnetic radiation from Ni-H Systems" 11TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CONDENSED MATTER NUCLEAR SCIENCE 2004, MARSEILLE, FRANCE, 2004, XP002517912
• 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)
• 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)
• "Il ritorno della fusione fredda", Article in the journal "Query", 31.1.2011
• "Il ritorno della fusione fredda: ci risponde Levi", Article in the journal "Query", 2.2.2011
• Peter Ekström Kall fusion åter i hetluften, fysikaktuellt nr 2, May 2011, page 24. Full Text (Swedish)

News articles

• Sibylle Anderl: Ein Energiemärchen - Kernfusion mit Nickel und Wasserstoff? Das kalte Gebräu im "Rossi-Reaktor", FAZ, 20.7.2011 (addon "Natur und Wissenschaft", S. N1) Artikel bei FAZ net
• Luigi Grassia: Misteri - serie di test a Bologna. La Stampa, 11.5.2011 (Italian)
• Antonio Angeli: L'energia gratis parla italiano - Il sogno del «generatore magico» sembra realizzato. L'ha inventato un bolognese, Il Tempo, May 10, 2011 (Italian)
• Ilaria Venturi: Fusione nucleare a freddo - "A Bologna ci siamo riusciti", article in "La Repubblica" (local section Bologna) vom January 14, 2011. [31]
• MARCO PIVATO: "Ho realizzato la fusione fredda" - Annuncio choc del fisico Focardi. Article in "Il Resto del Carlino" (local section Bologna) on January 13, 2011
• Lisa Zyga: Italian scientists claim to have demonstrated cold fusion, physorg, January 20, 2011
• Clay Dillow: Italian Scientists Claim (Dubious) Cold Fusion Breakthrough, Fox News, January 24, 2011
• Frank Perley: Purported cold fusion advance aimed at energy woes, "Washington Times" March 17, 2011.Nuclear future beyond Japan - Purported cold fusion advance aimed at energy woes
• Franco, Foresta Martin, "Siena scopre l' energia pulita Fusione fredda all' italiana?," Corriere Della Sera, February 19, 1994

Weblinks

• Homepage of Andrea Rossi
• "Journal of Nuclear Physics". The title suggests a physics journal but it is actually a website similar to a blog run by Focardi and Rossi, articles are allegedly peer-reviewed by "at least one" physics professor.
• http://www.eonsrl.com(no content as of May 11, 2011)
• Artikel in "New Energy Times", 37, 30.7.2011
• Peter Ekström: Kall Fusion på italienska (Avdelningen för Kärnfysik, Lunds universitet. 12.4.2011, Swedish/English)
• Kjell Aleklett "Rossi energy catalyst – a big hoax or new physics?" (English)
• http://www.fysik.org/WebSite/fragelada/index.asp?id=17662 (Swedish)
• http://pages.csam.montclair.edu/~kowalski/cf/388amplifier.html
• http://www.newenergytimes.com/v2/news/2008/NET29-8dd54geg.shtml
• Angelo Saso: La magia del signor Rossi, Rainews24 3.5.2011
• Article in Swedish Wikipedia about Andrea Rossi
• S.Krivit: "report2 energy catalyzer scientific communication and ethics issues", Newenergytimes, june 28, 2011
• Ugo Bardi: The E-Cat loses steam, Blog "The Oildrum",27.7.2011

Videos

• at Rainews on 5.5.2011 (Italian)
• at Rainews on 5.5.2011 (English)
• Report in Greek television (Greek/English)
• [32] (Demonstration Bologna January 1, 2011)
• [33] (Demonstration Bologna January 2, 2011)
• [34] (Demonstration Bologna January 3, 2011)
• Steven Krivit: "2011 - Andrea Rossi Explains His Energy Catalyzer", Video of a demonstration on June 14, 2011
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uviXoafHWrU