A valid question for better understanding the thermodynamics of the dogbone type of reactor is "why alumina"?
Apparently Parkhomov does not use pure alumina, and his reactor shows the same kind of optical translucence as do others - which is an intense glow, especially at the threshold temperature, which appears to be 1050-1100 C. This temp. corresponds to a wavelength which has been associated with the surface plasmon phenomenon, so it is no accident that it could also be a threshold value in LENR. Perhaps alumina is also used simply because a ceramic is needed to limit thermal transfer, but there could be a reason related to "photonic storage." There are a number of choices for tubes - and the proper optical dynamics of the tube could make a profound difference in the outcome due to the fact that photons of light are necessary to produce the surface plasmon phenomenon. These photons need a level of coherence, but possibly less than full laser-like coherence. This is where "super-radiance" comes into play. There is a new and growing field of technology called "slow photons" or photon storage (not to be confused with optical storage). Essentially some materials - often based on alumina (since it is translucent for some frequencies of IR) will store photons for a significant period of delay. The material is essentially crammed full of photons, which come from incandescence of the resistance wire and are slowed and stored. These photons go into the tube and bounce around for long periods of time, without loss, before emerging as the glow we see. As the photons bounce around internally, they begin to cohere in wavelength - in a similar way that a gas laser operates - which is based on rays of light bouncing between mirrors. The dogbone reactor at about 1100C can be described as an unfocused quasi-laser. Wiki has a decent reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_light BTW - surrounding the dogbone reactor with a steel tube, which has been polished on the interior surface to a mirror finish - would likely make the device much more efficient. if. the operative mechanism for gain is SPP. Jones
