ParkhomovPaper 20150129 English

8/9/2019 ParkhomovPaper 20150129 English

1/19

Study of the Replica ofRossis High Temperature

Generator.New results

Alexander Georgevici Parkhomov

Translation by Bob Higgins and the Martin Fleischmann Memorial Project (MFMP)


2/19

On the basis of the Lugano report regarding the operationof Rossis high temperature thermogenerator, it can be

supposed that this reactor is in fact a simple ceramic tubewhich is charged with nickel powder with added LiAlH4(10% by mass). For the initiation of the process the tube

must be heated to temperatures of 1200-1400C.

Based on this supposition the devices discussed in thisreport were constructed.


3/19

Design of the reactors used:

The reactor uses an Al2O3ceramic tube of length 120 mm,outer diameter of 10 mm and aninner diameter of 5 mm.

Wound on the tube are heatercoils. [Nichrome wire]

Inside the tube is 1 g of powder:Ni + 10% Li [Al H4].

A thermocouple is placed incontact with the outer surface ofthe tube.

The ends of the tubes are sealed

with heat-resistant cement.

Similarly, the entire surface of thereactor is covered with cement.

Photo of the reactor prepared for this experiment


4/19

Measurement of Heat Produced

The method used by experts testing Rossis

reactor, based on thermal readings, was toocomplicated. In this experiment, a technique is

used based on the quantity of water lost to

boiling. This technique worked and was

repeatedly tested in experiments by Yu. N.

Bazhutova.

The reactor is enclosed in a metal container.This vessel is immersed.

When the water boils, part will escape assteam.

By measuring the decrease of water, and

from the known heat of vaporization (2260joules/kg), it is easy to calculate the heatgenerated.

Correction for heat loss through the thermal insulation is calculated by the cooling rateafter reactor shutdown.


5/19

Image of the Calorimeter without the Cover

The reactor inner vesselhas a massive (heavy)cover. It is immersed inwater inside the outervessel.

The cylindrical thermalinsulation has a covermade of foam - on this isplaced the Geiger counter[SI-8B].


6/19

The Reactor in Operation

Reactor and vessel view with the cover and thermal insulation removed


7/19

Reactor in Alumina Powder Thermal Insulation

The reactor is enclosed in alumina powder poured into a metal trough.This allows a 2-3 times reduction in the power necessary to heat thereactor; however, the operation in this regime is less stable than incase of the naked reactor.


8/19

Setup Components

On top from left to right:thermocouple amplifier with a power regulator, computerrecorder for temperatures and count of the Geiger counter, a device measuring the rateof the Geiger counter.

From left to right below:ammeter, reactor power supply, voltmeter, "Mercury"

electronic meter, power supply switch.


9/19

Power Supply and Control SystemDuring the first experiments the electric supply for heating the reactor was taken directly from themains using thyristors [SCRs].

Later experiments used achanging transformerwinding. Both manual andautomatic switching wasused by the temperature

controller.

This allows us to providecontinuous operation of thereactor at the giventemperatures, improvingthe stability of functioning ofthe reactor.

For measuring the consumed electric energy the "Mercury 201" electrocounter was used whichallows the transfer of the information to the computer, also from the voltmeter and ammeter.


10/19

Measuring the Radiation

Top- Geiger counter SI-8B

Left- dosimeter DK-02

For neutron detection we used afoil of Indium immersed in thewater of the calorimeter.

Then the activity of the indium wasmeasured using two Geiger counters.The impulses of the counters were

recorded by a specialized computer.The same computer records theimpulses from the Geiger tubes [putabove and below the dosimeter film]and the metered electricity consumed.


11/19

Temperature Change versus Heating

Experiment of December 20, 2014

On the diagram above, both the reactor temperature and the count rate of theSI-8B Geiger tube. This counter reacts to alpha, beta, gamma, and x-rays.During the entire process of heating, the count rate values cannot bedistinguished from those of the background.

No increase in the radiation dose of the DK-02 dosimeter was found during theprocess within the limits of the measurement error (5 mRem) - there was noobservable activation of the indium foil.


12/19

Here, in more detail, is shown the temperature change with the input heating in stepsnear 300, 400 and 500 W. It can be observed that at constant values of heating input,the temperature is increasing in steps, especially noticeably near the end.

At the final segment of the highest temperature, an oscillation of the temperatureappears. This ends with termination of the heater input due to overheating (burn-out)of the heater winding. After this, during 8 minutes, the temperature is maintained at

nearly 1200C, and only after this period starts to decrease sharply. This shows that thereactor is producing heat during this time at the kilowatt level without any electric heaterinput.

Thus it is seen from the heating curve that the reactor is able to generate substantialheat above the electric heating.


13/19

Determination of the Generated HeatBased on the experiment of December 20, 2014

Calculations weremade for threecases of operationwith temperaturesof:

about 1000C,

about 1150C,

and 1200-1300C

At 1150C and 1200-1300C the reactor output heat is much greater than the energyconsumed. During these times (90 minutes) energy was produced in excess ofelectricity consumed by about 3 MJ, or 0.83 kilowatt-hours of energy.


14/19

Temperature Change versus Heating

Experiment of January 18, 2015

At the start of the experiment the reactor is in air on alumina supports. Themaximum attainable temperature with 450 W heater input is 900C. After this,the reactor was covered with thermal insulation of alumina powder. At aconstant power of 160 W the temperature increased from 600C to 1000C.After this the reactor worked for 38 minutes at a temperature near to 1080C.When we tried to increase the temperature the heater burned out.


15/19

Determination of the Generated HeatBased on the experiment of January 18, 2015

The calculation wasdone for two regimesof work: at 800C

(reactor in air), andnear to 1080C(reactor in alumina

powder)

At 1080C the heat released from the reactor is significantly greater thanthe energy consumed.


16/19

These tables show the results obtained inseveral experiments.

In addition to the experiments with reactorsloaded with a mixture of Ni + Li [AlH4],experiments were conducted with reactormodels without fuel.

In experiments with reactor models havingno fuel as well as with reactors with fuel at atemperature below 1000C, the ratio of thereleased thermal energy to electric energyinput is close to 1.

Signif icant excess heat was observed on ly with the fuel and at

temperatu res o f ab ou t 1100C and above.


17/19

The problem of uncontrolled local overheating

Local overheating resulted indestruction of the reactor.

The main problem is short-termoperation of the reactors,

associated with the destructioncaused by local overheating.


18/19

Reactors after experiments


19/19

Findings

Experiments with the replica of the Rossi high temperatureheat source loaded mixture of lithium aluminum hydrideand nickel, have shown that at temperatures of about1100C or higher, this device actually produces more

energy than it consumes.

The level of ionizing radiation during reactor operationdoes not significantly exceed background rates.

Neutron flux density does not exceed 0.2

neutrons/cm2

Documents

ParkhomovPaper 20150129 English