0:00:09.497,0:00:11.615 Cold Fusion, E-CAT - 2011, October 6th 0:00:11.615,0:00:14.346 directed by Massimo Brega, Interviews by Raymond Zreick 0:00:15.215,0:00:17.268 E-Cat, the water test: Bologna, 2011, October 6th. 0:00:17.268,0:00:19.947 Andrea Rossi's E-Cat, a cold fusion device designed to produce plenty of cheap power 0:00:19.947,0:00:21.720 is about to be tested again. 0:00:21.720,0:00:25.778 THE WATER TEST - It must prove to be able to work in self substained mode and warm up running water. 0:00:26.640,0:00:28.754 This is the most complete test they've had so far: 0:00:28.754,0:00:30.986 will the scientist be satisfied? 0:00:32.355,0:00:36.087 Andrea Rossi, E-Cat's father: "In the foregoing public tests 0:00:36.087,0:00:39.172 we measured the output energy during the steam stage: 0:00:40.080,0:00:49.000 it was more complicated, and generated discussions, 0:00:50.738,0:00:53.997 pointless discussions, if you ask me. 0:00:54.520,0:00:58.560 Today's measurement tecnique is much easier: 0:00:58.822,0:01:02.698 the steam goes through a heat exchanger 0:01:02.698,0:01:05.452 and warms up running water. 0:01:06.114,0:01:09.096 The output energy is measured on this second water circuit, on liquid water. 0:01:11.757,0:01:12.818 This make it easier to measure it." 0:01:13.357,0:01:15.788 Do you think this is the best test Rossi ever arranged? 0:01:16.649,0:01:23.560 Christos Stremmenos, physicist and chemist: "This test is clear, unmistakable 0:01:23.775,0:01:27.676 with regards to the energy output. 0:01:27.676,0:01:30.092 I mean thermic energy." 0:01:30.477,0:01:32.815 Which results do you expect from this test? 0:01:33.385,0:01:39.846 "An E-Cat such this one should produce around 3-4 kW of power." 0:01:40.369,0:01:42.218 Is this test arranged for new potential business partners? 0:01:42.834,0:01:46.600 "We have many potential business partners 0:01:46.600,0:01:52.920 but this test is not for them. 0:01:52.920,0:01:57.720 It is not a business oriented test. 0:01:57.720,0:02:00.440 Our potential business partners are not here." 0:02:01.455,0:02:02.277 TESTS IN THE U.S.A.? 0:02:02.277,0:02:04.640 There have been rumors about you testing the E-Cat with the NASA... 0:02:04.778,0:02:07.560 "No, I didn't. It's a blunder. 0:02:07.560,0:02:10.334 We had many tests in the USA: 0:02:10.334,0:02:15.581 Leonardo Corp. is based there 0:02:15.581,0:02:19.440 which is the company that produces these devices. 0:02:19.440,0:02:22.797 But we had no tests with the NASA. 0:02:24.720,0:02:32.640 I met the NASA: we talked, we started up negotiations 0:02:32.640,0:02:33.790 but no test." 0:02:34.097,0:02:36.385 Where does the idea of the E-Cat come from? 0:02:36.800,0:02:40.308 "I designed the device. 0:02:40.893,0:02:45.712 Professor Focardi provided very important advice 0:02:45.712,0:02:48.920 with regard to nuclear physics 0:02:48.920,0:02:57.357 but the device is designed and produced by Leonardo Corp. 0:02:57.695,0:02:59.474 I invented it." 0:02:59.967,0:03:04.123 How far is the E-Cat from Sergio Focardi's works? 0:03:05.415,0:03:07.936 Sergio Focardi, physicist: "Quite far. 0:03:08.229,0:03:16.198 First of all, my works were quite rough 0:03:16.198,0:03:19.680 my devices were hand made in a University context 0:03:19.695,0:03:22.166 nobody ever funded my research because 0:03:22.166,0:03:28.175 in everybody's opinion that phenomenon didn't exist." 0:03:29.037,0:03:32.446 What do the E-Cat and Focardi's work have in common? 0:03:33.262,0:03:39.242 "They both work with hydrogen and nickel 0:03:39.242,0:03:42.560 these are the main ingredients. 0:03:42.560,0:03:48.080 Here there is some kind of additive that enhances the reaction 0:03:48.080,0:03:55.505 we didn't have that, and we also didn't know the reaction that well." 0:03:56.289,0:04:00.717 Will the E-Cat be able to draw the scientific world's attention? 0:04:01.178,0:04:04.483 "Yes, and that's why: 0:04:04.483,0:04:10.080 the E-Cat works thanks to a nuclear fusion phenomenon 0:04:10.080,0:04:15.323 between nickel and hydrogen 0:04:15.323,0:04:25.255 at low temperature, not higher that a few hundreds degrees [Celsius]. 0:04:25.255,0:04:28.200 It's a nuclear neaction. 0:04:28.800,0:04:34.862 Well, the scientific world thinks that nuclear reactions [such this one] 0:04:34.862,0:04:37.443 only happen inside the stars." 0:04:38.305,0:04:42.689 What is the scientific world's attitude? 0:04:43.243,0:04:47.637 "Many colleagues still don't believe in our results 0:04:47.637,0:04:51.182 because they think it's impossible! 0:04:51.182,0:04:57.360 But their attitude is incredible, it goes against science. 0:04:57.360,0:05:01.098 Science teaches that if you prove something, then it's true." 0:05:01.591,0:05:06.375 What is the reason of such distrust? 0:05:06.975,0:05:16.360 Mats Lewan, journalist (NyTeknik): "If this works, it's going to need a new physics. 0:05:16.360,0:05:22.280 The core of this reactor is of the size of a potato: 0:05:22.280,0:05:27.786 not big enough to hold fuel inside itself 0:05:27.786,0:05:32.098 and produce heat thanks to a chemical reaction. It must be a nuclear reaction, 0:05:32.098,0:05:35.902 'cause only a nuclear reaction can produce so much power in such a small room. 0:05:36.240,0:05:41.274 Nuclear reaction are a million times more powerfull then chemical ones, 0:05:41.274,0:05:44.852 per atom, per mass. 0:05:44.852,0:05:49.240 And we don't know any nuclear reaction that produces this kind of power in this way 0:05:49.240,0:05:51.268 therefore it will need a new physics." 0:05:51.591,0:05:56.065 What can we expect from this kind of technology? 0:05:57.157,0:06:01.140 "It could help finding the solutions to many problems 0:06:01.140,0:06:12.920 energy problems, but other fields might also be involved. 0:06:12.920,0:06:16.074 In general terms, when a new technology is born 0:06:16.074,0:06:19.766 we know, by experience, that it's almost impossible to imagine 0:06:19.766,0:06:24.520 the consequences it might generate. 0:06:24.520,0:06:27.406 We're almost never able to imagine the final results it might lead to. 0:06:27.498,0:06:30.394 Take the laser, for instance: who would have imagined 0:06:30.394,0:06:31.548 it would bring to dvd players? 0:06:31.548,0:06:33.188 Nobody, and that's just an example. 0:06:33.188,0:06:37.175 Who invented the phonograph didn't think of music business. 0:06:37.960,0:06:40.480 It's hard to tell what it might lead to in the long run. 0:06:40.480,0:06:45.560 In the short run, it produces heat 0:06:45.560,0:06:51.992 and with heat you can warm up buildings, for instance, or even cool them. 0:06:51.992,0:06:55.240 With heat you can produce air conditioning. 0:06:55.240,0:07:03.040 And, very important, you can boil water, and desalinate sea water 0:07:03.040,0:07:06.083 producing clean water all over the world. 0:07:06.083,0:07:08.294 This would be a revolution itself." 0:07:08.571,0:07:12.308 The E-Cat would be a revolution. Did anybody tried to meddle or stop you? 0:07:12.662,0:07:24.000 "Well, yes, this technology could lead to consequences both important and complicated. 0:07:24.000,0:07:30.636 Someone tried to interfere, but it wasn't a big problem, and it didn't stop us from going on with our operations." 0:07:31.651,0:07:36.302 At the end of the test, the "secret ingredient" is still a mistery... 0:07:36.840,0:07:43.880 "The black box where the heating reaction takes place 0:07:43.880,0:07:49.194 it should be about the size of a potato: 0:07:49.194,0:07:52.080 50 cm3. 0:07:52.080,0:07:53.951 We can't look inside it." 0:07:54.520,0:07:58.332 Why do you need to use electric power at the beginning of the test? 0:07:59.348,0:08:02.898 It warms a resistance up 0:08:02.898,0:08:08.535 and the resistance warms up the reactor, it triggers the reaction. 0:08:08.535,0:08:11.480 If i got it right, the reaction begins 0:08:11.480,0:08:13.680 when the reactor reaches a temperature of about 60° 0:08:13.680,0:08:15.111 something like that. 0:08:15.988,0:08:24.000 With this setup, the electric power is fed to the device for a long time 0:08:24.000,0:08:29.562 to make the reaction stable 0:08:29.562,0:08:34.508 so that later we can switch the electric power off." 0:08:37.200,0:08:40.145 What does it mean that the E-Cat works in self substained mode? 0:08:40.760,0:08:45.400 "At first, Rossi switches the electric power off for about 10 minutes. 0:08:45.400,0:08:49.067 Then he swithces it on, and after a while he switches it off again. 0:08:49.067,0:08:52.425 He keeps on switching it off and on for a while, 0:08:52.425,0:08:54.800 it seems that this is necessary to make the reaction stable. 0:08:54.800,0:09:00.320 Then he switches it completely off, except fot the power that feeds the control console 0:09:00.320,0:09:03.880 which uses about 100 W, not more than a light bulb does. 0:09:03.880,0:09:07.735 It's been working in self substained mode for a couple of hours now." 0:09:08.520,0:09:12.246 Mats Lewan thought that Rossi should have had the test running on till late night... 0:09:12.262,0:09:14.855 Instead, he shut the E-Cat down around 19:30 0:09:15.225,0:09:20.788 "I hope the E-Cat will be working in self substained mode for at least two more hours 0:09:20.788,0:09:27.920 we could shut it down around 22, 23, even midnight. 0:09:30.520,0:09:35.385 After that, we'd still have to wait [before we can open it]: 0:09:36.615,0:09:40.640 to end the reaction, you have to take the hydrogen off the reactor 0:09:40.640,0:09:42.594 but it will still produce heat for a while even so." 0:09:43.440,0:09:46.212 Mats Lewan noted down all measurements on his notepad. 0:09:46.212,0:09:48.415 How is the test going? 0:09:49.200,0:09:53.880 "If we can trust the measures we see, 0:09:53.880,0:09:55.894 we have a certain water flow rate, 0:09:55.894,0:09:59.560 a centain delta T between the input and output water. 0:09:59.560,0:10:01.884 If the numbers are corrects 0:10:01.884,0:10:10.858 the output power is around 4-5 kW. 0:10:10.858,0:10:17.760 Watt measure power. Energy is how much is piled up during a certaind amount of time. 0:10:17.760,0:10:24.175 Input power (electric power) was around 2,5 kW: 0:10:24.175,0:10:27.640 half the output power. 0:10:27.640,0:10:32.492 In theory, one could say that the E-Cat stores 0:10:32.492,0:10:36.520 the electric power you feed it in the beginning 0:10:36.520,0:10:38.479 to use it later. 0:10:38.479,0:10:40.920 But if it works in self substained mode for many hours, 0:10:40.920,0:10:42.028 that is not an option anymore." 0:10:42.320,0:10:46.505 Are you satisfied with the results? Did everything go as you expected? 0:10:47.320,0:10:52.440 "Today's test went well, i'm satisfied enough 0:10:52.440,0:10:59.925 even if I saw a few imperfections I'll have to fix." 0:11:00.817,0:11:05.375 Did these imperfections affect the results? 0:11:05.960,0:11:10.120 "No. Engeneering reached its final stages. 0:11:10.120,0:11:15.560 No, we know it works, 0:11:15.560,0:11:20.760 we were already sure it worked, when we took the measurements from the steam. 0:11:20.760,0:11:27.445 We know what we're doing. I think we are on the right path." 0:11:27.922,0:11:30.951 What about tomorrow? 0:11:31.520,0:11:38.625 "The next step is the start up of this 1 MW plant we're in right now." 0:11:40.640,0:11:45.889 E-Cat succesful or not? 0:11:45.889,0:11:49.058 The scientists who were at the test are satisfied: 0:11:49.058,0:11:52.800 The E-Cat worked on self substained mode for 3 hours and a half 0:11:52.800,0:11:56.449 and the first numbers confirm it can produce power by itself. 0:11:56.880,0:11:59.502 Nevertheless most of the scientific world is still sceptical about the results 0:11:59.517,0:12:02.020 and has doubts about the reliability and the setup of the test. 0:12:02.320,0:12:04.603 Andrea Rossi answers these critiques on Focus.it: 0:12:04.603,0:12:06.149 "I won't give any other demonstration. 0:12:06.149,0:12:07.434 I'm going to hit the market, our customers will speak for us!" 0:12:07.434,0:12:09.165 All the updates on E-Cat, Andrea Rossi and cold fusion on www.focus.it 0:12:09.165,9:59:59.000 subs by Irene Zreick