Too Good To Too Good To Be TrueBe True
The Strange, But True, Story of The Strange, But True, Story of Cold FusionCold Fusion
The AnnouncementThe Announcement
Ø March 23, 1989 – Salt Lake CityMarch 23, 1989 – Salt Lake CityØ ““Two scientists have successfully created a Two scientists have successfully created a
sustained nuclear fusion reaction at room sustained nuclear fusion reaction at room temperature in a chemistry laboratory at the temperature in a chemistry laboratory at the University of Utah.”University of Utah.”
Ø ““The greatest invention The greatest invention since the discovery of fire.”since the discovery of fire.”
Pons and FleischmannPons and Fleischmann
Dr. Stanley Pons Dr. Martin Fleischman
A Nuclear Fusion PrimerA Nuclear Fusion Primer
Ø In nuclear fusion two light nuclei are In nuclear fusion two light nuclei are combined into a heavier nucleus, combined into a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.releasing energy.
Ø Deuterium, Deuterium, 22H, can be used in D-D H, can be used in D-D fusion to release approximately 4.00 fusion to release approximately 4.00 MeV per fusion.MeV per fusion.
pn Deuterium
Two PathwaysTwo Pathways
D + D D + D p + p + 33H D + D H D + D n + n + 33HeHe
pn
pn
p np n3He
pn
pn
p npn 3H
Energy Of FusionEnergy Of Fusion
Ø In the D + D In the D + D p + p + 33H reaction most of H reaction most of the energy (3 MeV) is carried away by the energy (3 MeV) is carried away by the proton.the proton.
Ø In the D + D In the D + D n + n + 33He reaction the He reaction the neutron carries most of the energy (2.45 neutron carries most of the energy (2.45 MeV).MeV).
Hot FusionHot Fusion
Ø Because of the electrostatic repulsion Because of the electrostatic repulsion between the deuterium nuclei high between the deuterium nuclei high temperatures are used to bring them temperatures are used to bring them together to fuse.together to fuse.
Ø Magnetically confined plasmas are used Magnetically confined plasmas are used to generate the high temperatures.to generate the high temperatures.
Hot Fusion: TokomakHot Fusion: Tokomak
The Cold Fusion MachineThe Cold Fusion Machine
Ø The Cold fusion The Cold fusion “machine” was a “machine” was a beaker of “heavy beaker of “heavy water” (Dwater” (D22O) with a O) with a couple of electrodes couple of electrodes and a small power and a small power supply. supply.
The Cold Fusion The Cold Fusion ExperimentExperiment
How did they do that?How did they do that?
The Cold Fusion CellThe Cold Fusion Cell
Ø The anode is a coil of The anode is a coil of platinum and the platinum and the cathode a palladium cathode a palladium rod.rod.
Ø The cell is filled with The cell is filled with heavy water and heavy water and immersed in a water immersed in a water bath.bath.
Ø LiOD is added to the LiOD is added to the heavy water as the heavy water as the electrolyte.electrolyte.
The Cold Fusion ProcessThe Cold Fusion Process
Ø The electric current splits the DThe electric current splits the D22O molecules O molecules into Dinto D22 gas and OD gas and OD–– ions at the cathode. ions at the cathode.
Ø The ions migrate to the anode and form DThe ions migrate to the anode and form D22O O and Oand O22..
Ø Palladium has a great affinity for hydrogen and Palladium has a great affinity for hydrogen and deuterium ions are absorbed into the cathode – deuterium ions are absorbed into the cathode – up to a density of thousands of times that of up to a density of thousands of times that of deuterium gas.deuterium gas.
Ø The closely packed deuterium nuclei fuse and The closely packed deuterium nuclei fuse and release heat, neutrons, protons, etc.release heat, neutrons, protons, etc.
The Signs of FusionThe Signs of Fusion
Ø Excess Heat*Excess Heat*Ø Neutrons*Neutrons*Ø Tritium* (?)Tritium* (?)Ø 33HeHeØ ProtonsProtons
The P & F EvidenceThe P & F Evidence
Heat and LightHeat and Light
Excess HeatExcess Heat
Neutrons via GammasNeutrons via Gammas
Ø Some neutrons Some neutrons would be absorbed would be absorbed by the H nuclei in by the H nuclei in the water releasing the water releasing a 2.2 MeV gamma- a 2.2 MeV gamma- ray.ray.
Ø P & F looked for P & F looked for these gammas.these gammas.
Gamma-RaysGamma-Rays
Ø The gamma-ray The gamma-ray peak as presented peak as presented in the first P & F in the first P & F paper submitted to paper submitted to the Journal of the Journal of Electroanalytical Electroanalytical Chemistry (JEC).Chemistry (JEC).
The ReactionThe Reaction
Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.one.
-Charles Mackay-Charles Mackay
Extraordinary Popular Delusions Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds,1841 and the Madness of Crowds,1841
A Media ExplosionA Media Explosion
Ø Cold Fusion became Cold Fusion became a instant media a instant media event.event.
Ø P & F were P & F were interviewed on all interviewed on all the major news the major news networks.networks.
Ø Congress scheduled Congress scheduled hearings on CF.hearings on CF.
The Scramble to Confirm The Scramble to Confirm or Refuteor Refute
Ø Numerous physics and Numerous physics and chemistry labs began chemistry labs began experiments using the experiments using the limited information limited information available.available.
Ø Large scale efforts at Large scale efforts at MIT, Los Alamos, MIT, Los Alamos, Harwell, Yale, and Harwell, Yale, and Caltech were launched.Caltech were launched.
ConfirmationsConfirmations
Ø Jones, et. al. (BYU Neutrons)Jones, et. al. (BYU Neutrons)Ø Georgia Tech – NeutronsGeorgia Tech – NeutronsØ Texas A & M – Excess HeatTexas A & M – Excess HeatØ Seattle – Tritium Seattle – Tritium Ø Small colleges and independent Small colleges and independent
researchers researchers Ø Bob’s Discount House of KnowledgeBob’s Discount House of Knowledge
DoubtsDoubts
Ø Why are they still breathing?Why are they still breathing?• Heat vs. neutron output.Heat vs. neutron output.
Ø Are the nuclei really any closer?Are the nuclei really any closer?Ø Where are the control runs?Where are the control runs?Ø What’s wrong with that peak? What’s wrong with that peak?
• The MIT gang goes to the video replay.The MIT gang goes to the video replay.
Gamma-RaysGamma-Rays
Ø The gamma-ray The gamma-ray peak as presented peak as presented in the first P & F in the first P & F paper submitted to paper submitted to the Journal of the Journal of Electroanalytical Electroanalytical Chemistry (JEC).Chemistry (JEC).
2200
The Video PeakThe Video Peak
Comparing PeaksComparing Peaks
The APS MeetingThe APS Meeting
Ø Caltech: Steve Koonin and Nathan Caltech: Steve Koonin and Nathan LewisLewis
Ø Questions about the CalorimetryQuestions about the Calorimetry• Closed cell vs. Open cellClosed cell vs. Open cell• Raw data?Raw data?
Ø A lot of negative results.A lot of negative results.
Excess HeatExcess Heat
RetractionsRetractions
Ø Georgia Tech – Temperature (not Georgia Tech – Temperature (not Neutrons)Neutrons)
Ø Texas A & M – Ungrounded thermistor Texas A & M – Ungrounded thermistor (not Excess Heat )(not Excess Heat )
Ø Seattle – “Remind me how a mass spec Seattle – “Remind me how a mass spec works again.” (not Tritium )works again.” (not Tritium )
HarwellHarwell
Ø Working with advice from Fleischmann the Working with advice from Fleischmann the Harwell Nuclear Lab conducted the most Harwell Nuclear Lab conducted the most extensive set of cold fusion tests in the world.extensive set of cold fusion tests in the world.
Ø Cells were tested in numerous configurations Cells were tested in numerous configurations for heat, neutrons, gammas, tritium, and for heat, neutrons, gammas, tritium, and Helium-3.Helium-3.
Ø No evidence for nuclear processes in any of No evidence for nuclear processes in any of the experiments.the experiments.
Ø ““Sometimes brilliant people have mad ideas” Sometimes brilliant people have mad ideas” – J. Williams, Dir. Harwell Lab– J. Williams, Dir. Harwell Lab
The Utah PhysicistsThe Utah Physicists
Ø Mike Salamon lead a team of physicists from Mike Salamon lead a team of physicists from the University of Utah to make extensive the University of Utah to make extensive radiation measurements in Pons’ laboratory.radiation measurements in Pons’ laboratory.
Ø Na(I) detectors searched for Gamma-rays Na(I) detectors searched for Gamma-rays from neutrons, and protons.from neutrons, and protons.
Ø No signal was seen above background after No signal was seen above background after 831 hours of measurement.831 hours of measurement.
Ø ““upper bound of 10 picowatts of energy upper bound of 10 picowatts of energy generated by any known nuclear process”generated by any known nuclear process”
What Happened?What Happened?
And what can we learn?And what can we learn?
Pons & FleischmannPons & Fleischmann
Ø Was it a fraud?Was it a fraud?Ø The rush to announce.The rush to announce.Ø ““The explosion.”The explosion.”Ø Isolation from peers.Isolation from peers.Ø ““Sometimes brilliant people have mad Sometimes brilliant people have mad
ideas.”ideas.”
The Science CommunityThe Science Community
Ø Meeting expectations.Meeting expectations.Ø The good, the bad and the normal The good, the bad and the normal
distribution.distribution.Ø ““Seek simplicity, and distrust it”Seek simplicity, and distrust it”
A. N. WhiteheadA. N. Whitehead
