Interactive Qualifying Project Cold Fusion: The Impact on Society and the Reaction from the Scientific World Final Report Submitted to the Faculty of WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science By: Landon Airey Kevin Conley Date: May 1, 2013 Advisor: Professor Alexander Emanuel 1 | P a g e TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Abstract ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 2. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... 5 3. Background Understanding ...................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Notes from Professor Cyganski’s CF PowerPoint Presentation .......................................................... 6 3.2 More Technical Background ............................................................................................................... 9 3.3 Even More Technical Background ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.4 Events from 1900 to Present ............................................................................................................ 17 3.5 Pons and Fleischmann Technical Analysis ........................................................................................ 10 3.6 MIT’s Dispute with Physicists ............................................................................................................ 19 4. Where We Are Today .............................................................................................................................. 21 4.1 Literary Research .............................................................................................................................. 27 4.2 MIT Visit/ How It Works .................................................................................................................... 32 4.3 Pons and Fleischmann Experiment Today ........................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 5. Crystal Ball Overview .............................................................................................................................. 38 5.1 Future Event Timeline ....................................................................................................................... 38 5.2 Residential ......................................................................................................................................... 41 5.2.1 Cost Analysis - Power Plant, local or large central stations? ..................................................... 46 5.3 Commercial ....................................................................................................................................... 50 5.4 Military .............................................................................................................................................. 54 5.5 Analysis of “Cold Fusion and the Future” by Jed Rothwell ............................................................... 57 6. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... 63 6.1 Our Opinions ..................................................................................................................................... 63 6.1.1 Landon’s Opinion on How Cold Fusion Could Realistically Work .............................................. 67 6.1.2 Kevin’s Opinion on How Cold Fusion Could Realistically Work ................................................. 70 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................ 74 Appendix ........................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Editors Notes (not for final copy) ................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2 | P a g e TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1: C old Fusion Cutaway Cell ............................................................................................................ 12 Figure 2: Excess Power and Current Density vs Time of Light and Heavy Water Cells ............................... 13 Figure 3: Detailed Cutaway of Pons and Fleischmann’s Cell ...................................................................... 14 Figure 4: Chemical Component Diagram and Hypothetical Cold Fusion Stoichiometry ............................ 15 Figure 5: Detailed Component Listing of ECat Device Chamber ................................................................. 16 Figure 6: Comparison Chart for Different Energy Sources .......................................................................... 59 Figure 7: Identity Crisis Nametag ................................................................................................................ 67 Figure 8: Exploded View of a Catalyst Induced Hydrino Transition Cell ..................................................... 69 Figure 9: Humorous Hydrino - Hydrogen Comparison ............................................................................... 70 Figure 10: Illustration of Hydrogen Atoms Electro Chemically Forced into a Lattice Structure ................. 71 3 | P a g e 1. Abstract This study aims to bring the reader to speed with the events that have transpired in the cold fusion community as well as its impact on society. Part of the project involves how society responded to the Pons and Fleischmann report in 1989. Then experimental setups and scientific theories behind the technology were investigated to provide insights as to which are most feasible, and the potential uses of each method. Lastly, this project speculated what would change in today’s society if this technology were to become marketable soon. 4 | P a g e 2. Executive Summary Cold Fusion: What is its feasibility in the near future and how would it impact our society? Nuclear fusion is said to occur when the nuclei of two atoms combine resulting in one new atom. Fusion releases large amounts of energy; the heat and light produced by the sun is the result of the fusion of two Hydrogen atoms into one Helium atom. Cold fusion is a process in which nuclear fusion takes place, except instead of taking place at or near the temperature of the surface of the sun, it occurs at a temperature sustainable in a laboratory setting. In 1989, two electrochemists named Pons and Fleischmann brought cold fusion to the forefront of interest of the scientific world. They devised an experiment that was conducted on a table in front of an audience with claims that sounded too good to be true: claims that they had “solved” cold fusion. It turns out that the Pons and Fleischmann experiment did not function as reported. After twenty four years and hundreds of other experiments, there are still many unknowns in the field of cold fusion, though appears that we may be on the brink of discovery with this topic. The target audience of this research matter is power energy engineers as well as energy generation scientists. This is a very relevant topic because its impact would affect everyday life; the cost of electricity can skyrocket when public demand is high (this generally occurs between the hours of 10am and 4pm). This effect could be combated with arrays of cold fusion plants which could produce enormous sums of environmentally friendly energy at little cost. 5 | P a g e 3. Background Understanding 3.1 Notes from Professor Cyganski’s CF PowerPoint Presentation Cold fusion is a very controversial topic in the media, and scientific world. Since the Pons and Fleischmann announcement in 1989, any work in the field of cold fusion looked upon skeptically. Often times experiments are not discussed except within the company of other cold fusion researchers for fear of being labeled a mad scientist. To gain a better understanding of why this is such a desirable phenomenon, the “big picture” of cold fusion must be investigated. Cold fusion is the combining two nuclei to release energy. This can be configured in such a way that the excess heat turns water into steam which then spins turbines to generate electricity. The bi-product of such a fusion is Helium, which is essentially harmless (especially when compared to the alternative of Carbon Dioxide) Gravitation, magnetic confinement: huge magnetic fields which hold deuterium and cause fusion to take place, magnetic confinement usually takes up a vast amount of physical space. Also, it needs to generate such large magnetic fields that the system consumes more power than it outputs, making it useless for an energy production point of view. Valuable information on Pons and Fleischmann was also obtained from viewing this presentation.). On March 23, 1989, two electro-chemists called a press conference to make an amazing announcement. This unorthodox method of delivering scientific news boosted excitement, as publishing a paper is the status quo in the scientific world. Pons and Fleischmann reported that they had achieved and repeated experiments that produce cold 6 | P a g e fusion at relatively low cost. The experiment called for heavy water (water with heavy hydrogen, or hydrogen with an extra neutron) in a bottle is suspended in H20.