Study of the Replica of

Rossis High Temperature

Generator.
New results
Alexander Georgevici Parkhomov
Translation by Bob Higgins and the Martin Fleischmann Memorial Project (MFMP)

On the basis of the Lugano report regarding the operation

of Rossis high temperature thermogenerator, it can be
supposed that this reactor is in fact a simple ceramic tube
which 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 this
report were constructed.

Design of the reactors used:

The reactor uses an Al2O3
ceramic tube of length 120 mm,
outer diameter of 10 mm and an
inner diameter of 5 mm.
Wound on the tube are heater
coils. [Nichrome wire]
Inside the tube is 1 g of powder:
Ni + 10% Li [Al H4].
A thermocouple is placed in
contact with the outer surface of
the tube.
The ends of the tubes are sealed
with heat-resistant cement.
Similarly, the entire surface of the
reactor is covered with cement.

Photo of the reactor prepared for this experiment

Measurement of Heat Produced

The method used by experts testing Rossis
reactor, based on thermal readings, was too
complicated. 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 as
steam.
By measuring the decrease of water, and
from the known heat of vaporization (2260
joules/kg), it is easy to calculate the heat
generated.

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

Image of the Calorimeter without the Cover

The reactor inner vessel
has a massive (heavy)
cover. It is immersed in
water inside the outer
vessel.
The cylindrical thermal
insulation has a cover
made of foam - on this is
placed the Geiger counter
[SI-8B].

The Reactor in Operation

Reactor and vessel view with the cover and thermal insulation removed

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 the
reactor; however, the operation in this regime is less stable than in
case of the naked reactor.

Setup Components

On top from left to right: thermocouple amplifier with a power regulator, computer
recorder for temperatures and count of the Geiger counter, a device measuring the rate
of the Geiger counter.
From left to right below: ammeter, reactor power supply, voltmeter, "Mercury"
electronic meter, power supply switch.

Power Supply and Control System

During the first experiments the electric supply for heating the reactor was taken directly from the
mains using thyristors [SCRs].

Later experiments used a

changing transformer
winding. Both manual and
automatic switching was
used by the temperature
controller.
This allows us to provide
continuous operation of the
reactor at the given
temperatures, improving
the stability of functioning of
the reactor.

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

Measuring the Radiation

Top- Geiger counter SI-8B

Left- dosimeter DK-02
For neutron detection we used a
foil of Indium immersed in the
water of the calorimeter.

Then the activity of the indium was

measured using two Geiger counters.
The impulses of the counters were
recorded by a specialized computer.
The same computer records the
impulses from the Geiger tubes [put
above and below the dosimeter film]
and the metered electricity consumed.

Temperature Change versus Heating

Experiment of December 20, 2014

On the diagram above, both the reactor temperature and the count rate of the
SI-8B Geiger tube. This counter reacts to alpha, beta, gamma, and x-rays.
During the entire process of heating, the count rate values cannot be
distinguished from those of the background.
No increase in the radiation dose of the DK-02 dosimeter was found during the
process within the limits of the measurement error (5 mRem) - there was no
observable activation of the indium foil.

Here, in more detail, is shown the temperature change with the input heating in steps
near 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 temperature
appears. 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 the
reactor is producing heat during this time at the kilowatt level without any electric heater
input.
Thus it is seen from the heating curve that the reactor is able to generate substantial
heat above the electric heating.

Determination of the Generated Heat

Based on the experiment of December 20, 2014
Calculations were
made for three
cases of operation
with temperatures
of:
about 1000C,
about 1150C,
and 1200-1300C

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

Temperature Change versus Heating

Experiment of January 18, 2015

At the start of the experiment the reactor is in air on alumina supports. The
maximum attainable temperature with 450 W heater input is 900C. After this,
the reactor was covered with thermal insulation of alumina powder. At a
constant 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.

Determination of the Generated Heat

Based on the experiment of January 18, 2015

The calculation was

done for two regimes
of work: at 800C
(reactor in air), and
near to 1080C
(reactor in alumina
powder)

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

These tables show the results obtained in

several experiments.
In addition to the experiments with reactors
loaded with a mixture of Ni + Li [AlH4],
experiments were conducted with reactor
models without fuel.
In experiments with reactor models having
no fuel as well as with reactors with fuel at a
temperature below 1000C, the ratio of the
released thermal energy to electric energy
input is close to 1.

Significant excess heat was observed only with the fuel and at
temperatures of about 1100C and above.

The problem of uncontrolled local overheating

Local overheating resulted in

destruction of the reactor.

The main problem is short-term

operation of the reactors,
associated with the destruction
caused by local overheating.

Reactors after experiments

Findings
Experiments with the replica of the Rossi high temperature
heat source loaded mixture of lithium aluminum hydride
and nickel, have shown that at temperatures of about
1100C or higher, this device actually produces more
energy than it consumes.

The level of ionizing radiation during reactor operation

does not significantly exceed background rates.
Neutron flux density does not exceed 0.2
neutrons/cm2