It seems nonsensical to hypothesize all kinds of things regarding the
new E-cat when the detailed structure of the device itself is an
unknown and at best second hand or indirect information. Lack of
this knowledge, and the fact that normal operation of the device is
dynamic, indicate the quickest, cheapest, most convincing thing to do
to demonstrate the device is to treat the E-cat as a black box.
The only reasonable way to determine if the black box is useful is to
*measure* total energy in vs total energy out for a long test run.
Measuring momentary powers and flows is not adequate because the
powers and flows are dynamic. Neither adequate is assuming a
constant duty cycle on the electrical input, nor assuming a constant
flow rate on the water input. This implies the need for doing
calorimetry on the output product. The internals of the black box
should be ignored, including the thermometer located in a well that
goes who knows where surrounded by who knows what - but certainly not
high pressure steam or water unless the thermometer is pressure
sealed into its well, unlike prior tests. If the thermometer well
itself is sealed then the thermometer is not directly exposed to the
water or steam, and thus subject to thermal wicking through the well
itself from heat in the surrounding metal.
For input energy measurement a kWh meter, separated from the device
by adequate spike filters, or maybe an isolation transformer, should
be adequate.
For output energy measurement, the most basic and cheap approach
involves diverting the output into a barrel of water so as to achieve
medium term power integration. To achieve continuous operation two
barrels could be used, using a valve to switch steam to a cold water
barrel when the temperature becomes high enough. A barrel, when not
selected, could be pumped dry, and the water then replaced with cold
water from a hose. The barrels should be covered and insulated, and
the water stirred while temperature measurements and times are
frequently recorded.
I suggested another more simple approach last April, which would work
with some analysis, provided the water flow leaving the barrel and
its temperature were continually recorded, and a good static thermal
decline curve calorimetry constant determination were made:
http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg44947.html
A standard barrel is a 159 liters, or roughly 159 kg of water. The
specific heat of water is 4.186 kJ/(kg °C). If the initial
temperature of the water is 23°C, and maximum temperature used is 73°
C, then delta T is 50°C, and the energy capacity of the barrel is
(159 kg) * (4.186 kJ/(kg °C)) * (50°C) = 3.14x10^4 kJ. If the power
output of an E-cat is 10 kW, then the barrels would have to be
swapped every (3.14x10^4 kJ)/(10 kW) = 3140 seconds, or 52 minutes.
This should be plenty of time to pump out and load the second
barrel. At 20 kW thermal power the swapping time is 26 minutes, but
this could be upped by driving the barrels to a higher temperature.
Obtaining a good static temperature decline curve is essential for
this method. A barrel would have to be weighed before pumping out,
and after loading with water.
This is high school science fair difficult.
This is inexpensive, except maybe for the computer recording of the
two barrel temperatures by time, and the input water flow. The cost
involved is for an accurate recording water flow meter for the E-cat
input water, two barrels with lids, two scales for the barrels, some
insulation, some hose, a pump, a Y valve to quickly redirect the
steam hose output, a kWh meter, and some form of pulse filter for the
electric input. Much of the stuff could possibly be borrowed or
rented, such as the barrel draining pump.
An improvement might be to include a heat exchanger between the
barrels and E-cat, so flow calorimetry could be used in addition to
the isoperibolic data provided by the barrels. A dual method
provides excellent confirming data, and is useful for evaluating
control runs where only electric power is provided to the E-cat, and
gives a faster response if the thermal pulse calibrating technique is
used during live runs. However, this would require a heat exchanger,
two more thermocouples, and a very accurate frequently computer
sampled flow meter in order to accurately integrate power to obtain
total energy.
Best regards,
Horace Heffner
http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/
