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From: James_J_Kowalczyk@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: sci.physics,sci.chem,sci.research,sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: cold fusion seminar
Message-ID: <16539@cup.portal.com>
Date: 1 Apr 89 07:35:56 GMT
References: <1464@wasatch.UUCP>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
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Well, the seminar today at U of U by Stan Pons was poorly planned.
About 2,000 people showed up for the 350 seats.  So, they had another 300
or so "over-flow" seats in a room with a live video broadcast.

Anyway, I did manage to get some data:

The cell contains D2O, and LiOH.
The Pd anode is a wire of about 4-5 mm diameter.
Since the diffusion rate of D2 into Pd is ca. 10^-7 / sec,
the apparatus must be running "a few weeks" to set up equilibrium 
conditions before fusion can occur.

They have measured 2 meV gamma rays.
They have measure neutrons being emitted at ca. 2x10^4 neutrons/sec.
They have measure tritium released at the same rate as the neutrons
("within experimental error").
They have not measured the energy of the neutrons, but expect them to
be 2.4 m eV.
They have seen Helium 4, but not Helium 3 (!?), but are still looking.

They don't think the neutrons are interacting with the palladium, but
they have checked their palladium by elemental analysis after use, and
they have not seen any evidence for changes.

They had been getting out 4 times the energy put in as of last Thursday,
but now it is up to 7-10 times (ignoring the heat produced at the cathode).
That is, they are getting 26 times the energy put in, but most of it is
Joule heating of the wires and heat produced by electrolysis of D2O.

Warning by Pons:  Don't try this without the proper precautions.
Once after they had set up equilibrium conditions, they accidentally
halved the current density in the Pd, and the Pd vaporized and all the 
D2O boiled away.  Also, those neutrons are nothing to fool around with.


**I am writing this with the aid of notes, but I do not guarantee that
I have not made any mistakes.  If something sounds ludicrous, I am sure
you will let me know.** :)


Jim Kowalczyk

Kowalczyk@chemistry.utah.edu