Focardi-Rossi Energy-Catalyzer

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

The Focardi-Rossi Energy-Catalyzer (also E-Cat or Rossi Energy Amplifier or just Rossi energy catalyzer) is an alleged compact fusion reactor based on an assumed Cold Fusion technology which is planned to be brought to market in 2011. While allegedly using no more than several hundred Watts in electrical heating energy, it is said to emit a heat output capacity of more than 10 kW. After reaching operating temperature the electrical heating is said to be turned off. According to Italian inventors, alleged engineer(see below) 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 public presentation took place in mid-January 2011. A Greek business newspaper announced in March 2011 that the concept is central to a speculative investment-deal of several hundred million Euro.

The actual inventor of the principle was Italian biophysicist Francesco Piantelli in 1989 who filed a patent application on it in 2010. Rossi, who also attempts to have his invention patented, does not acknowledge that:

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

Purported functional principle

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

All information currently available regarding the "Focardi-Rossi Energy Catalyzer" come from inventors, from a patent application by Rossi, from YouTube videos, and from statements by a few physicists who tried to replicate the principle. There has been no noteworthy reception on the part of the international physics community so far and an attempt of inventors to publish an article on their device in a renowned professional journal failed. Only individual physicists reacted with blog entries and comments (e.g.: [6]). As of January 2011, no proper scientific publication is known. Focardi and Rossi spread their statements in their own "online periodical" titled "Journal of Nuclear Physics", basically an internet blog, and in Italian journal "Il Cimento". "Journal of Nuclear Physics" used to be the title of a Russian professional journal which ceased publication meanwhile. The involved company EON srl has not provided any information so far. On inquiry, physicist Focardi advised the "Journal of Nuclear Physics" was founded since publication in accredited journals failed.

According to available and partly contradictory information 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 in part, although a patent application was filed (not approved as of yet) - involves that nickel and hydrogen are transformed to copper in the presence of hydrogen gas and on emission of heat and ionized radiation. The patent application claims the stable nickel isotope 62Ni28 (which makes about 3.6% of usual nickel) reacted with hydrogen and was transformed into the stable copper isotope 62Cu29. The copper thus generated is said to contain two stable copper isotopes, with an isotope proportion different from the one in natural copper. Such a fusion would require very high temperatures and should result in a strong gamma radiation from the destruction of positrons and electrons.

While initially using nickel rods, 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. Further unknown catalysts even not specified in the patent application are said to be employed. Internet rumours not verifiable claim this may be "Raney-Nickel", since two fires in Rossi's laboratories were caused by "Raney-Nickel". Nickel oxide - which reacts with hydrogen creating water and heat (NiO2 + H2 --> Ni + H20) – allegedly was not used. According to the patent application a inner water circuit(with a boric acid solution) is designed to be in the reactor and heat is transfered using a heat exchanger to an external water circuit.

By adding electric heating capacity, protons from hydrogen gas are said to enter the nickel atoms at 180 to 400 degrees Celsius and lead to a nuclear reaction if pulsed pressure was increased at regular intervals. Altogether, hydrogen is said to be consumed and some helium is generated. The nickel rod is said to show tiny surface craters after a reaction. According to the patent application, the electrical pre-heating will be turned off automatically by a thermostat when a certain operating temperature is achieved. Further electrical energy (20 to 80 W) was only necessary to supply control electronics. Internet rumours which cannot be verified claim that high voltage or a magnetic field of 360 kV to overcome the Coulomb barrier may be applied. The application of so high a voltage is not possible within such a small device due to spark generation.

Inventors claim the "fusion" mentioned also generated weak gamma and neutron radiation. 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 liter and shielded by a layer of 2 cms of lead. The inventors claim in the patent application:

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 theorie of American physician and electrical engineer Randell Mills who claims to work with hydrogen and nickel, too. Supporters of "cold fusion" theories often claim so-called Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR) were taking place. The term LENR is not known to professional journals and such fusion processes were not proven as of yet.

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

Application and success claims

Input and output of the reactor according to the 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 is also operated in his "Leonardo facility" in New Hampshire (USA) since 2008.

Details regarding Nickel Consumption and Cost

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 talk show "Coast to Coast AM", which is known for propagating conspiracy theories, Rossi said in March 2011 that his planned 1 MW small power station will cost 2 million dollar and later that his 10 kW E-Cat will cost just 5.000 dollar. According to the Greek newspaper "Investors World" from march 2011 future "E-cat" devices will produce electrical power through an "inverter". Yearly cost for the production of 20 kW output round the clock(unclear if thermic or electric) will amount to 1.300 euros. "Defkalion green technologies" plans to request from RAE (regulatory authority for energy) to be included in the "renewable energy" program.

History

1989 was marked by wide media attention to cold fusion as a result of the claims regarding failed experiments by Fleischmann and Pons. In the same year, Italian biophysicist Francesco Piantelli (University 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, which he could not 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".

Physicist Sergio Focardi from Bologna University heard about this and teamed up with Piantelli 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"), however avoiding the term "cold fusion". Once more articles were published in the daily press and as before in 1989, there were no academic publications. An output of 40-50 thermical 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.

Presentation on January 14, 2011

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

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 from universities. In an adjoining room, the function of the reactor was demonstrated for only a few minutes. The inventors reported this in their blog, and published three Youtube videos in Italian language [7], [8], [9].

During the press conference they stated the heat input was 600 Watts, at an estimated output of 12,000 Watts (12 kW). Inventors calculated the heat generated from heated water: 292 grammes of water per minute were heated from 20 degrees to 101 degrees (dry vapor) 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 due to 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: 18.6 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: [10] The estimation of energy by evaporation of water was criticized in retrospect, as respective calculations were made based on dry vapour without fractions of condensed water which was not proven. The throughput of water claimed at 29 mls/min. was doubted, too, as the pump used allegedly had only half of this capacity.

Undocumented experiment on February 10, 2011

On February 10, 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 websites contend the test instead took place on February 18, 2011. 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 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. The test was said to have run continuously for 18 hours, a water meter quantified the flow and was checked by video during the night. The "reactor" was allegedly heated up for 10 minutes with 1,250 Watts initially and subsequently, only a control unit continued to be supplied with 80 Watts, while a constant thermic performance of 15 to 20 Kws allegedly was established. The same source quotes Levi with the remark he excluded "chemical energy sources" 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...

Supporters of so-called "Cold Fusion" (LENR Low Energy Nuclear Reactions - CANR Chemically Assisted Nuclear Reactions) calculated an alleged accumulated output of thermal energy 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.

For comparison: energy content of common energy sources. However, due to smoke formation, exhaust fumes, and toxicity (beryllium) their use is not feasible. The volume of the external control unit is said to be about 60 litres, but according to Levi contained only electronics. He estimated the actual reaction chamber at a volume of about 1 liter; the shielding is said to be a layer of 2 cms of lead with an overall weight of 30 kgs.

Attempts to replicate the experiments

In 1996, a group led by Antonino Zichichi in vain tried to repeat the experiment 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 was carried out by scientists Luigi Nosenzo and Luigi Cattaneo in Pavia (Italy). Again, no fusion reaction or release of energy was established over the course of several months.

Inventor Andrea Rossi

Rossi CV on his website (March 4, 2011)

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

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 called "Petroldragon". Italian Wikipedia has an article about the affair: Petroldragon. Rossi was convicted because he did not dispose of large amounts(58.000 tons) of toxic wastes in accordance with regulations, and for trafficking waste materials. According to an article in the Italian newspaper "Corriere della Sera" for April 6, 1995 Rossi and a 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.

Rossi, however, perceived this as a repression of his allegedly ecological conversion technology. He was also accused of fiscal offences and illegal gold trading. He migrated to USA after a series of criminal proceedings. Currently, investments (EON srl) are operated by his wife Maddalena Pascucci.

In a curriculum vitae presenting his occupational history available 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 by a consumer protection organisation.

In March 2011 Andrea Rossi was confronted by a journalist with accusations of holding an engineering title from a diploma mill. Rossi replied that the title was a honorary title which was given to him for an earlier patent regarding bio fuel. He claims that he doesn't know anything about the company "Kensington University Inc.". He also said that he has a regular title Dottore Magistrale in Filosofia of Università degli Studi di Milano from 10. Dezember 1975

In his blog "journal of nuclear physics" catholic Rossi questions the theory of evolution of Charles Darwin as explanation for the origin of mankind and attempted to portrait the nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific Ocean in the 60s of the last century as a plausible cause for the quakes in Japan:

I can’t read the mind of God. But I have a doubt, about what happened in Japan: are we sure that all the atomic bombs explosions tested in the Pacific Ocean did not change the configuration of the bottom of the sea in that area? I read that few inches of displacement of the bottom sea has caused that disaster…

EON srl, Leonardo Corporation and Defkalion Green Technologies

The company EON srl (apparently owned by Rossi), often mentioned in connection with the subject, is registered both in Bondeno and in Rome. At the location of Bodeno, an "E-cat" device is said to have provided heating for premises virtually for free. Rossi also claims he is also producing hot water in his home with an E-cat. For both claims no independent evidence exists.

In the course of 2011, inventors and undisclosed non-Italian investors plan to offer ready-made reactors for industrial application. There is an official permission dating from 2006 which enables Italian EON srl to operate a small power plant, fuelled by biodiesel, of an electric power of up to 1 megawatt in the town of Bondero. Inventors claim they currently also work at a small power plant which combines 120 interconnected energy-amplifier reactors of the same electric power of 1,000 kws either in Greece or in the USA which is supposed to be finished by October 2011 and cost 2 million dollar. Its manufacturer is a Greek company by the name of „Defkalion Green Technologies S.A.“.

There is a Leonardo Corporation located in Bedford, New Hampshire, allegedly Rossi's employer. Their e-mail address is identical with the one of EON srl in Italy. This company and Greek Defkalion are supposed to build the future "reactors". Currently, Leonardo Corporation offers electric generators fueled by biodiesel (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.

There is a small company in Athens named "Defkalion Energy" resp. "Defkalion Green Technologies S.A.", owned by several investors (Spokesman: Symeon Tsalikoglou), which according to Rossi will produce some of the energy catalysators. While the website of EON srl has been "under construction" for months now, the page of Defkalion meanwhile offers a contact address in Athens. Domain registrant is Andreas Meintanis from GR-19200 Elefsina.

While Rossi's "Leonardo Corp." will cover business in USA, it is apparently planned to pass sales rights for the rest of the world, but at least for Europe, to Defkalion. According to the Greek newspaper "Investors World" an old factory in Xanthi has already been bought for testing of the 1MW plant with energy catalyzers of Rossi. The same source claims a collaboration with a "Prof. Christos Stremmenos" and that Defkalion is a 200 million investment. Half of it will go as royalties to the inventor.According to Rossi, production of E-cat will commence even if the patent finally will not be granted. He was also prepared to continue production if competitors see through his invention by reverse engineering.

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. According to Rossi, no customer made any advance payments, Rossi only means to earn revenue or license fees when sales commenced. Rossi allegedly agreed a cooperation with Bologna University. It is said that its Faculty of Physics received Euro 500,000 from Rossi in order to support development. 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.

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 one of the International Searching Authorities of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) dismissed the patent specification. It criticized the invention was not presented comprehensively and particularly that it was not evident that 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.

Versions of this article in other languages

• Deutsch: Focardi-Rossi-Energiekatalysator

Literature

• Giuseppe Levi: "Report on heat production during preliminary tests on the Rossi “Ni-H” reactor", Univ. Bologna, Jan. 2011 (auch: [11])
• "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. [12]
• Lisa Zyga: Italian scientists claim to have demonstrated cold fusion, physorg, 20.1.2011
• Clay Dillow: Italian Scientists Claim (Dubious) Cold Fusion Breakthrough, Fox News, 24.1.2011

The energy catalyzer was positively covered in an article of Frank Perley in the conservative "Washington Times" of the Mun-cult.

Weblinks

• Website 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 March 15, 2011)
• http://pages.csam.montclair.edu/~kowalski/cf/388amplifier.html
• http://www.newenergytimes.com/v2/news/2008/NET29-8dd54geg.shtml

Video

• Report in Greek television (greek/englisch)
• [13] (Demonstration Bologna January 1, 2011)
• [14] (Demonstration Bologna January 2, 2011)
• [15] (Demonstration Bologna January 3, 2011)