2009 review of Ni-H effects since 1989 on rods at 200-400 C, S Focardi, F Piantelli, 13 p pdf: Rich Murray 2010.01.31
http://www.enea.it/com/ingl/New_ingl/publications/pdf/Cold_Fusion_Italy.pdf March 2009 217 pages pages 171-182 13 page [ a few minor typos corrected -- many pages of references to their work ] 5.3. Anomalous effect between 200 and 400 °C on Ni-H Systems. Neither chemical nor electrochemical phenomenon SERGIO FOCARDI, FRANCESCO PIANTELLI I.M.O. Bologna and Siena, Introduction This report concerns the experimental results obtained by two groups of researchers and collaborators, belonging to inter-university center I.M.O. from Bologna (Focardi, Campari) and Siena (Piantelli, Gabbani, Montalbano, Veronesi); all of them have always participated to the researches in the field of LENR. All the references cited in this report are listed in a chronological order; they are divided into four different sets: articles published on journals with referee (R), presentations in academies and national or international conferences (A), presentation at national congresses of the Italian Physics Society SIF (S), degree theses (T). The research in the field of nickel – hydrogen systems started from an experimental observation by F. Piantelli at the end of 1989 concerning a strange thermal effect at low temperature in a sample of nickel with hydrogen. Piantelli spoke of this effect to his friends S. Focardi and R. Habel during the SIF congress in Trento (October 1990). They decided to experimentally verify the observed phenomenon, which had been obtained in a context completely different from the electrochemical one of Fleischmann, Hawkins and Pons (J. Electroanal. Chem. 261, 301 (1989)) and with completely different working hypothesis which cannot be taken back to be CF or electroweak interactions (EWI); at present this hypothesis is going to be supported by some experimental results while concerning the CF there are not sufficient specific experimental proofs as well as concerning EWI there are not the required energy amounts besides some violations conservation laws. The experiments were preceded by many experimental observations performed in Siena by Piantelli alone; they started in Bologna, Cagliari and Siena and they were obviously performed with a high degree of discretion because of the importance of the phenomenon and its possible use for energy production. 172 Later some experiments were performed also in Colleferro and in Pavia. In any case the largest part of the experimental activity took always place in Siena. The initial phase was very slow because of the chronic lack of funding. It was possible to perform the experiments thanks to the kind help of colleagues and friends from the University of Siena and Bologna, from INFN, ENEA, CNR of Pisa, CISE, Navy Academy and the Municipality of Bologna. In this way, by means of loans and direct participations, the instrumentation necessary for the first experimental investigations became available. The first phase of the common work ended at the end of 1993 with the publication of the first obtained results (R1). It was shown that nickel samples in a hydrogen atmosphere were able to produce additional power up to 50 W, after absorbing a given amount of gas, at temperatures in the range 150-400 °C, heated with power among 40 and 120 W. The energy production started after perturbing the system with power or pressure changes. In one case, before stopping the process, the system was kept for 24 days in stationary conditions with a power of 44 W corresponding to a total energy of 90 MJ produced. This first important result had been preceded by many experimental observations (A1). As a consequence of these first results it was possible to involve new important partners, such as FIAT AVIO S.p.A., the consortia T.E.S.C.A. (Bulla, Bergomi e Foglia, Italkero, Ecosystem) and PROVITA s.r.l.. To the first experimental observations (A1) performed before the end of 1994 many other systematic measurements were added; some of them were performed in Siena (8), others in Bologna (2), Colleferro (1) and Pavia (1). The total number of performed measurements from which all the experimental observations of the phenomenon have been deduced is equal to 21. Power measurements are described in a detailed way in R2; they have been obtained, starting from 1994, by means of the Newton law, to find the thermal power emitted by the surface by means of the measured temperature difference (Tc-Ta), where Tc is the temperature in a given zone of the cell surface and Ta is the environment temperature inside the lab. This power can be compared to the electrical power supplied to the system, thanks to an initial calibration performed before the system starts the energy production. 173 Fig. 1.a) Temperatures are referred to the lab temperature (Tc - Ta) Fig 1b) Tipical result of the experiments performed at Physics Department of Siena Fig. 1 - Monitoring of the energy production a) calibration curve as a function of the supplied power (blue); temperature curve after energy production starting (red) b) energy production process: temperature (red) and supplied power (blue) as a function of time. When the temperature increases, because of the energy production phenomenon, there is a decrease of the provided power due to the growth of Pt heater resistance supplied by constant continuous voltage. 174 Moreover, since the system is continuously monitored, it is possible to evaluate the fluctuations and all the variations in the system behavior. In order to evaluate the produced energy we used the resistance variation technique both of a Pt-100 thermometer and of the Pt heater as a function of the temperature with a supply system in direct current with rigorously constant voltage; the actual produced power is evaluated by means of the decrease of the current due to the increase of the temperature caused by the beginning of the energy production process. Hydrogen absorption in nickel The observed phenomena of thermal energy production by the Ni-H system starts after the absorption of a certain amount of hydrogen by the nickel. The amount of absorbed hydrogen is not constant and it possibly depends on the metallic sample treatment. In some situations we did not observed any absorption (nor energy production); in others only small quantities of hydrogen were absorbed. Finally, in other situations, a very large amount of H was absorbed and in very short times (A2, A7). In order to be sure that the hydrogen pressure decrease inside the cell was not due to leaks, we always worked at H pressure smaller than the atmospheric one (R1); when the pressure decreased because of the absorption process we reintroduced other hydrogen in order to recover the starting value. In the fastest observed case (A3, T4) the whole loading process lasted for 80 hours only. Generally the absorption process lasted for several days. Moreover we have observed the existence of some temperature values corresponding to extremely high gas absorption rates from the nickel (A3); this phenomenon had never been reported in the previous literature. >From the study of the H loading phenomenon we conclude that this first process is essential in order to observe the energy production. In other words, if the metal does not absorb the hydrogen, there is not any anomalous effect. The gas absorption was put into evidence not only by means of the pressure decrease but also by the experimental diagram pressure-power: in some regions it is in complete disagreement with the Gay-Lussac law connecting pressure and temperature; there is also a clear indication of hysteresis (A3). 175 a) b) Fig.2 a) Hydrogen absorption as a function of the temperature in a heating and cooling cycle b) Hydrogen absorption as a function of the time (red) in a test with step supply Energy production from the Ni-H system The first observations of the energy production by the system were obtained from the temperature changes of the Pt heater located inside the experimental cells (the description of the experimental setup can be found in R1). Later on, because of some criticisms which attributed the observed effect to the modifications of the Pt electrical resistance due to the hydrogen absorption by the Pt itself, we decided to measure the effects from outside the cells (R2). In summary, as already pointed out, the adopted technique uses the Newton law: we measured the difference (Tc-Ta) between the temperature Tc in a region of the container external wall and the temperature Ta of a thermometer, located far from the container, which measures the lab environment temperature, as a function of the supply electric power. In this way, at the beginning of the experiment (when no anomalous phenomenon is present), we obtained the experimental calibration curve; the produced energy is evaluated from the comparison among the curves obtained when the system is producing energy and the calibration curve. The best results were obtained by means of two cells which produced about 900 MJ and 600 MJ working for 278 days and 319 days respectively before being stopped. At the end of the experiment the first one gave an energy production with a power equal to about 70 W to be compared with the supply power equal to 29 W (total 99W). 176 Observation of events of nuclear origin During the experiments, which altogether lasted for about 15 years, many phenomena witnessing nuclear reactions inside Ni samples in H atmosphere were observed. While it was producing energy, the cell which produced 900 MJ emitted neutrons for some days; this emission was observed with two different techniques, i.e. by means of 3He neutron counters and the Au activation. The last method (R3) allowed to evaluate the flux of emitted neutrons: it was 10 neutrons/cmE2-s, which is equal to 1000 times the neutron flux due to cosmic radiation. In many cases and with different cells, electromagnetic radiation emission (with energy of the order of 100 keV) was observed; by comparing of the spectrum measured by means of NaI(Tl) and Ge counters, located close to the cell, with that due to the environment background in the lab (A3). The Ni sample, once extracted from the cell which produced 900 MJ, kept for many hours in contact with a photographic emulsion, left a radiographic impression (T4). The same sample, put inside a Wilson cloud chamber, allowed photography of the tracks due to heavy particles (A5). Other events, whose existence can only be due to nuclear reactions, were observed at the end of the experiments by means of the SEM-EDAX technique for the analysis of the used sample surfaces. Taking into account the fact that the used system is the gas-metal couple, constituted by hydrogen and nickel, if we find on the surfaces other elements, not present in any component of the cell, they must come from nuclear reactions. As reported in A5, on the whole we observed in remarkable quantity Cu and Zn (with atomic number greater than Ni), F, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Cr, Fe (Fig. 3). The fact that nuclear reactions took place in experiments in which there was thermal energy production is witnessed also by an accurate inspection of the Ni sample surface; in fact locally, in some regions, there are surface deformations and considerable ruptures which cannot be justified on the basis of the temperature (around 400 °C at maximum) produced by the heater and measured and on the basis of the embrittlement because very low amount of the absorbed H ( X< 0.08). 177 Fig. 3 - SEM-EDAX analysis of the surfaces a) spectrum detected on the rod surface in a region where there was not energy production b) spectrum detected on the rod surface in a region where there was energy production as measured by means of the temperature on the external cell surface 178 Fig. 4 a) Fig. 4 b) Fig. 4 c) 179 Fig. 4 d) Fig. 4 a) 411 keV peak of the Au activated by neutrons b) photograph of heavy particles emitted by the Ni rod after the extraction from the cell c) a photon emission spectrum measured by means of NaI(Tl) counter d) a photon emission spectrum measured by means of Ge counter Bibliography Reviews (R1) S. FOCARDI, R. HABEL AND F. PIANTELLI - Anomalous Heat Production in Ni-H Systems. Il Nuovo Cimento 1994, Vol 107A, pp 163-167 (R2) S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI AND S. VERONESI - Large excess heat production in Ni-H Systems. Il Nuovo Cimento 1998, Vol 111A, pp 1233-1242. (R3) BATTAGLIA, L. DADDI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, P.G. SONA AND S. VERONESI - Neutron emission in Ni-H Systems. Il Nuovo Cimento 1999, Vol 112A, pp 921-931. Proceedings (A1) F. PIANTELLI, Atti Accad. Fisiocritici, Serie XV, Tomo XXII, pag 89 (1993). (A2) S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI AND S. VERONESI, Atti Accad. Fisiocritici, Serie XV, Tomo XV, (1996) pp 109-115. 180 (A3) S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI AND S. VERONESI - On the Ni-H System. Conference Proceedings vol 64, “Asti Workshop on Anomalies in Hydrogen/Deuterium loaded metals”, W.J.M.F. Collis (Ed.), SIF Bologna 1999 pp 35-47. (A4) S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO,F. PIANTELLI AND S. VERONESI - Gamma emission from Ni-H Systems at 420-750 °K Atti Accad. Fisiocritici, Serie XV, Tomo XVIII, (1999) pags 109-118 (A5) E. G. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, E. PORCU, E. TOSTI AND S. VERONESI – Ni-H Systems. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Cold Fusion, Lerici (La Spezia), Italy 21-26 May 2000, pp 69-74. (A6) E. G. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, S. VERONESI – Thermal Surface effects in Hydrogen and metals Proceedings Workshop TESMI, A. Lorusso e V. Nassisi eds, Lecce 2002, 35 (2002). (A7) E. G. 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 19-21 March 2004, to appear on Condensed Matter Nuclear Physics (A8) S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, S. VERONESI - Evidence of electromagnetic radiation from Ni-H Systems, The 11th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science, Marsiglia 31 October-5 November 2004. (A9) E. G. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, S. VERONESI - Surface Analysis of hydrogen loaded nickel ALLOYS, The 11th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science, Marsiglia 31 October-5 November 2004. (A10) E. G. CAMPARI, G. FASANO, S. FOCARDI, S. LORUSSO, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, C. STANGHINI, S. VERONESI - Photon and particle emission, heat production and surface transformation in Ni-H system, The 11th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science, October-5 November 2004. (A11) E. G. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, S. VERONESI – Overview of H-Ni Systems: evidence di H adsorption, Heat production, Photon and particle emission and surface transmutations. - The 6 International Workshop on Anomalies in Hydrogen/Deuterium loaded Metals, Siena 13-16 May 2005 181 (A12) E. G. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, S. VERONESI – New experiments on Ni-H Systems – Atti Accademia dei Fisiocritici (2005) (in stampa). (A13) E. G. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, S. VERONESI - Energy production and nuclear reaction in Ni-H Systems - The 7 International Workshop on Anomalies in Hydrogen/ Deuterium loaded Metals, Asti 23-27 September 2006 Presentations at national and international conferences (S1) S. FOCARDI, R. HABEL AND F. PIANTELLI - Evidenza di reazioni nucleari in sistemi nichel-idrogeno a 400 gradi Celsius, 81 o Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di fisica, Perugia 2-7 ottobre 1995. (S2) S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI,R. HABEL, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, G. SOLVETTI, A. TOMBARI, S. VERONESI - Evidence of Heat Production and Nuclear reactions in Hydrogen Loaded Nickel Rods in Siena Experiments. – Convegno “Stato della fusione fredda in Italia” – Siena (1995) (S3) S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, C. STANGHINI, S. VERONESI - New Esperimental Evidance of Nuclear Reactions in Ni-H Systems – LXXXI Congresso nazionale S.I.F. – Verona (1996) (S4) E. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, R. HABEL, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, S. VERONESI, E I. USAI - Studio di sistemi Ni-H nella regione 600- 800 K, 83 o Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di fisica, Como 27-31 ottobre 1997. (S5) E. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI E S. VERONESI - Emissione di raggi gamma da sistemi Ni-H, 84 o Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di fisica, Salerno 28 settembre-2 ottobre 1998. (S6) E. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI E S. VERONESI - Comportamento dei sistemi Ni-H, 85 o Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di fisica, Pavia 20-24 settembre 1999. (S7) E. CAMPARI, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, E. SALI, C. STANGHINI E S. VERONESI - Alcuni aspetti delle interazioni Ni-H, 86 o Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di fisica, Palermo 6-11 ottobre 2000. (S8) E. CAMPARI, G. FASANO, S. FOCARDI, V. GABBANI, V. MONTALBANO, F. PIANTELLI, C. STANGHINI E S. VERONESI - Interazioni H-superfici metalliche: effetto FASEC, analisi comparata dei risultati sperimentali, 90 o Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di fisica, Brescia 20-25 settembre 2004. 182 (S9) S. FOCARDI E F. PIANTELLI – Produzione di energia e reazioni nucleari in sistemi Ni-H a 400 o C, Conferenza nazionale sulla politica energetica in Italia, Università di Bologna, 18-19 aprile 2005. Degree theses (T1) ANTONELLA DI FABRIZIO - Studio degli effetti termici in sistemi nichelidrogeno, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1993-1994, sessione invernale. (T2) LARA STUPAZZONI - Misure del flusso di neutroni emessi in processi di fusione fredda, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1994-1995, sessione autunnale. (T3) RAFFAELE MOLTI - Misure di radioattività ambientale, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1994-1995, terza sessione. (T4) ALESSANDRO VENTURA - Un apparato sperimentale per lo studio di sistemi Ni-H. Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1995-1996, sessione estiva. (T5) ANNA ELISABETTA ZIRI - Spettro della radiazione gamma con rivelatori al germanio e allo ioduro di sodio, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1995-1996, sessione autunnale. (T6) BARBARA MIRRI - Studio dei sistemi nichel-idrogeno, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1995-1996, sessione invernale. (T7) ELENA FIUMANA - Caratteristiche dei sistemi Ni-H nella regione 300-500 o C, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1995-1996, sessione invernale. (T8) GIUSEPPE PETTINATO - Rivelazione di neutroni (E<10 MeV) con un contatore a scintillazione NaI(Tl), Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1995-1996, sessione invernale. (T9) ANNALISA BERNARDINI - Studio di processi nucleari in sistemi Ni-H, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1996-1997, seconda sessione. (T10) BORIS VICINI - Studio dei fenomeni nei sistemi Ni-H, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1996-1997, terza sessione. (T11) PAOLA ZUCCHETTI - Evidenze di reazioni nucleari in sistemi nichelidrogeno, Corso di perfezionamento in fisica, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 1996-1997. (T12) ALESSANDRA FORNACIARI - Sistemi metallo-idrogeno, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 2000-2001, seconda sessione. (T13) FEDERICA SALAMI - Sistemi Pd-idrogeno, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 2000-2001, terza sessione. (T14) CLAUDIO CERRETO - Processi nucleari nei sistemi TI/H a temperatura ambiente, Università di Bologna, Anno Accademico 2004-2005, seconda sessione.
