This paper confirms more than ever that D+D fusion is a fundamentally different phenomenon than proton-only reactions (DGT, Rossi, Mills etc), which leave no ash and emit no significant gamma radiation. To understand LENR, we need two completely different theories. Ockham be damned.
There is an excellent model for proton-only reactions which leave no ash -
P+P reversible fusion (RPF) and the model is our Sun. Almost all solar
fusion is P+P RPF. Wiki has an entry, so this is (almost) mainstream physics
so far.
It is also standard physics that reversible fusion is real fusion (not an
elastic collision) and that it involves quantum color changes in the 6
quarks involved and that there is no net gain on our sun.
However, the two protons coming into RPF are NOT the same two coming out,
and there will always be slight mass changes between the two fusing protons
- which tend to be net neutral (no gain) and tend to equalize proton mass to
within a within very tight range.
The only thing missing from the solar model – for us to learn something WRT
nickel-hydrogen reactions on earth, is to understand how one can engineer a
slight bit of asymmetry into the RPF reaction, in order to provide net gain
of energy.
This is why Rossi’s recent announcement was slightly intriguing to me,
despite his theatrical antics and penchant for half-truths.
In analyzing how one could use RPF for net gain, the best solution which I
could come up with, on paper, is to have two adjoining reactors, one of
which gives anomalous heat and the other anomalous cooling. In order to have
net gain, the twin reactions would require mass to be converted to energy on
the hot side, and the opposite on the cold-side. But one would likely need
to convert a different kind of energy than electric input, to pump up
depleted mass (on the cold-side).
Thus protons can thus be seen as energy transfer carriers using slight mass
enhancement via magnons. This “pumping up” or cold-side could be via
accelerated nuclear decay energy, for instance. Potassium-40 stands out as
the likely source but it could be another isotope or several.
However, as we know in Rossi’s case – he claims that both devices are
gainful, but one is hotter than the other – which may NOT be the same thing
as RPF … unless the colder side is merely colder than the power input used
to accelerate decay, but still slightly warm - and is not necessarily
gainful. However, there can be net gain in the combined units, since protons
pick up slight mass on the cold side and deposit it on the hot side.
As for now, I would like to think the theory is more or less correct, and
Rossi is more or less exaggerating on this claims. Time will tell.
From: Kevin O'Malley
Nuclear processes in solids: basic 2nd-order processes
<http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2994525/posts>
Institute of Physics, Budafoki ´ut 8. F., H-1521 Budapest,
Hungary ^
<http://www.freerepublic.com/%5Ehttp://arxiv.org/pdf/1303.1078v1.pdf> |
P´eter K´alm´an∗ and Tam´as Keszthelyi
http://arxiv.org/pdf/1303.1078v1.pdf
Abstract
Nuclear processes in solid environment are investigated. It
is shown that if a slow, quasi-free
heavy particle of positive charge interacts with a ”free”
electron of a metallic host, it can obtain
such a great magnitude of momentum in its intermediate state
that the probability of its nuclear
reaction with another positively charged, slow, heavy
particle can significantly increase. It is also
shown that if a quasi-free heavy particle of positive charge
of intermediately low energy interacts
with a heavy particle of positive charge of the solid host,
it can obtain much greater momentum
relative to the former case in the intermediate state and
consequently, the probability of a nuclear
reaction with a positively charged, heavy particle can even
more increase. This mechanism opens
the door to a great variety of nuclear processes which up
till know are thought to have negligible
rate at low energies. Low energy nuclear reactions allowed
by the Coulomb assistance of heavy
charged particles is partly overviewed. Nuclear pd and dd
reactions are investigated numerically.
It was found that the leading channel in all the discussed
charged particle assisted dd reactions is
the electron assisted d + d → 4He process.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
VI. SUMMARY
It is found that, contrary to the commonly accepted opinion,
in a solid metal surrounding
nuclear reactions can happen between heavy, charged
particles of like (positive) charge of
low initial energy. It is recognized, that one of the
participant particles of a nuclear reaction
of low initial energy may pick up great momentum in a
Coulomb scattering process on a
free, third particle of the surroundings. The virtually
acquired great momentum, that is
determined by the energy of the reaction, can help to
overcome the hindering Coulomb
barrier and can highly increase the rate of the nuclear
reaction even in cases when the rate
would be otherwise negligible. It is found that the electron
assisted d + d → 4He process
has the leading rate. In the reactions discussed energetic
charged particles are created, that
can become (directly or after Coulomb collisions) the source
of heavy charged particles of
intermediately low (of about a few keV ) energy. These heavy
particles can assist nuclear
reactions too. It is worth mentioning that the shielding of
the Coulomb potential has no
effect on the mechanisms discussed.
Our thoughts were motivated by our former theoretical
findings [9] according to which
the leading channel of the p + d → 3He reaction in solid
environment is the so called solid
state internal conversion process, an adapted version of
ordinary internal conversion process
[10]. In the process formerly discussed [9] if the reaction
takes place in solid material, in
which instead of the emission of a photon, the nuclear
energy is taken away by an electron
of the environment (the metal), the Coulomb interaction
induces a p + d → 3He nuclear
transition. The processes discussed here can be considered
as an alternative version of the
solid state internal conversion process since it is thought
that one party of the initial particles
of the nuclear process takes part in Coulomb interaction
with a charged particle of the solid
material (e.g. of a metal).
There may be many fields of physics where the traces of the
proposed mechanism may have
been previously appeared. It is not the aim of this work to
give a systematic overview these
fields. We only mention here two of them that are thought to
be partly related or explained
by the processes proposed. The first is the so called
anomalous screening effect observed in
low energy accelerator physics investigating astrophysical
factors of nuclear reactions of low
atomic numbers [11]. The other one is the family of low
energy nuclear fusion processes.
The physical background, discussed in the Introduction and
in the first part of Section V.,
was questioned by the two decade old announcement [12] on
excess heat generation due to
nuclear fusion reaction of deuterons at deuterized Pd
cathodes during electrolysis at near
room temperature. The paper [12] initiated continuous
experimental work whose results
were summarized recently [13]. The mechanisms discussed here
can explain some of the
main problems raised in [13]. (a) The mechanisms proposed
here make low energy fusion
reactions and nuclear transmutations possible. (b) The
processes discussed explain the lack
of the normally expected reaction products.
On Fri, Mar 29, 2013 at 3:23 AM, Kevin O'Malley
<kevmol...@gmail.com> wrote:
I remember there being a paper about something like alpha
bombardment of a metal matrix generating a million times more fusion events
than the same level of plasma. But I can't find it.
On Thu, Mar 28, 2013 at 8:20 PM, David Roberson
<dlrober...@aol.com> wrote:
So, I have a question that seeks an answer. Is anyone aware
of proof that hot fusion types of reactions have been observed within the
confines of a metal matrix that is not subject to very massive energy
inputs?
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