Exciting results. Really. "Anomalous xs heat" accompanied by RF

[PhysicsProf]

Another title for this:  Possible convergence of "cold fusion/LENR" devices and EM (FE) devices.  We'll see.

As some of you know, I have a foot in both the "cold fusion" CF and the "FE" camps.  Very interesting developments came out at the ICCF-17 meeting in Korea earlier this month...  and some results shared by a friend who is a scientist working in the CF area with a team at a national lab.  I feel I can share his results here quietly; not sure what all the team shared at ICCF-17 yet.  But he sent me exciting data.

Look -- he was a GREAT SKEPTIC of CF, so I will call him G -- and now he has these results.
I will keep his identity quiet for now, until I find out what he disclosed publicly.  
Can we discuss the science?  There's a lot that neither he nor I understand about these effects.

Let me begin by saying that most in the CF field have given up the notion that the "anomalous xs heat" (call it axh) is due to FUSION -- because there are not COMMENSURATE fusion products, such as neutrons, in sufficient numbers.  So the term "cold fusion" for the xsh is a rather unfortunate relic of history.  

You know, I told Fleischmann that he should drop the claim that his axh was "cold fusion", but he stuck with it for years - and finally admitted that it was NOT FUSION.  He passed away earlier this year, RIPeace.

Confusing at first, because there IS a SMALL dd fusion component going on.  (The small dd-fusion effect we reported in Nature; confirmed in later experiments in Japan and Europe.)  But with the axh, which is just sporadically observed still in electrolytic cells, there are NO associated neutrons or gammas in SUFFICIENT NUMBERS.  
Hence, two separate effects.

So what causes the axh?  I'm postulating that the axh observed is in fact what we've been searching for -- freedom energy.
I'm going to call it "anomalous electroweak energy" aee to cover bases, excluding the STRONG (nuclear) force which is involved in fusion and fission, but not excluding EM or weak-force effects.  The effect probably is not due to gravity; so aee should cover it.  

Saving time hopefully -- with the abbreviations, I'm postulating that axh = aee = fe, and NOT the strong force, that is, not fusion or fission.

Data follows.

[PhysicsProf]

 So the "Great Skeptic" G and his team at a national-funded lab began earnest studies using electrolytic cells and D2-gas loading also, in 2009.   I should say that the gas-loaded cells (we built these for cf studies back in 1986ff; I'm quite certain the BYU team was the first with D2 gas loaded looking for these effects) give smaller axh results, but from the data, more CONSISTENT axh episodes.  Nevertheless, I will focus on the electrolytic cells because this is where the larger effects are seen -- with correlated RF signals! 

What a great idea -- to put an RF pick-up coil on one of the wires going into the cell.  Below is the set-up.

[PhysicsProf]

  DATA -- tell me this is not exciting?

Running with a Pd 90%- Rh 10% cathode, observe the anomalous xs heat axh episodes in the data.  
Then, in another run, he finds two axh episodes and shows the RF spectrum which they acquired -- RF correlated with axh!

Yes, G (the great skeptic) is claiming 40x, meaning 40 times more output energy in the form of heat, than input electrical energy!


Consider -- DC input to the cell, and RF output (especially strong around 430 KHz) -- where did the RF come from?
This smacks of FE to me.
I'm GUESSING some sort of diode/transistor effects accompanying oxidation -- which he says is important, empirically.
OK -- here's the data.  G gave me NO commentary.  So let's see if we can figure out where the RF is coming from:

(PS -- this is the pith of his data.  I gotta run... )

[ion]

With only 1 mA going through the cell, the power input graph hugs the zero line on your 1st picture on post #2.

However there are a number of large increases in input power during or at the initiation of an event.

How can we account for these large increases in Pin? Is there some type of interference with the current sensing going on?

430kHz AC induction into the current sense resistor would not register unless the current preamp was overloaded and clipping. We always stress the use of non-inductive current sense resistors, which are rather easy to get.

This could cause the apparent increase in input power shown on the graph.

Is the power supply set to constant current mode?  If so, an  increase in resistance of the solution would result in the power supply attempting to raise the applied voltage to keep the 1mA constant. Power input would go up accordingly.

Alternately, if the power supply was set to constant voltage and the voltage was adjusted to provide the initial 1mA, the solution may have become temporarily more conductive during an event , thus increasing power input.

What voltage is required across the cell to produce 1mA of current flowing through the cell?

Even though this observation does not in any way negate the possibility of excess output energy, it is important to nail this down, because changes in cell impedance can cause input power fluctuations.

Perhaps it would be better to drive the cell from a constant power source.

[Slider2732]

Having only read about your head to head research regarding CF against other establishments, i'm stepping in here not knowing the process.

Could I ask what is the broad circuit composition and is it indeed possible to do anything at all in terms of an offshoot 'workbench' version ?

Is the RF not pulse frequency ? Many blocking oscillators can be picked up on AM radios as a 'click click' interference and at 510kHz switching speed, the received data from the coil could have that derivation ? It would hinge on whether any coils are used, to produce any backspike anywhere.

Again, sorry about not having a clue   very interesting results for sure.

[PhysicsProf]

Thanks for comments -- starting with Slider:

Having only read about your head to head research regarding CF against other establishments, i'm stepping in here not knowing the process.

My challenge to F-P back in 1989 was this:  Whatever you have, it's not dd-fusion.  F finally conceded this a few years ago.  No one seems to get any word from Pons, for several years now.  I did not believe in their xs heat claims either, at the time; but I believe G's claims as he is a very careful physicist.  I've been to his lab...  Frankly, I was surprised to hear that he had picked up this research so vigorously; but glad he did.  He said that they see ZERO nuclear products with these heat bursts.  And he agrees -- the xs heat is NOT due to FUSION.  However, he said they have done relatively very few H2O runs...  I requested that he do these!  Predicting he would see xs heat with the H instead of the D...

Could I ask what is the broad circuit composition and is it indeed possible to do anything at all in terms of an offshoot 'workbench' version ?

Excellent question -- I will do some probing.  These guys are at a big lab, just trickling out data at this time; so no promises.

Is the RF not pulse frequency ? Many blocking oscillators can be picked up on AM radios as a 'click click' interference and at 510kHz switching speed, the received data from the coil could have that derivation ? It would hinge on whether any coils are used, to produce any backspike anywhere.

There is a coiled anode in the cell, but the inductance would be small.  But the RF could be pulsed, AFAIK -- good point.

[PhysicsProf]

Good questions, Ion -

With only 1 mA going through the cell, the power input graph hugs the zero line on your 1st picture on post #2.

However there are a number of large increases in input power during or at the initiation of an event.

How can we account for these large increases in Pin? Is there some type of interference with the current sensing going on?

430kHz AC induction into the current sense resistor would not register unless the current preamp was overloaded and clipping. We always stress the use of non-inductive current sense resistors, which are rather easy to get.

This could cause the apparent increase in input power shown on the graph.

Is the power supply set to constant current mode?  If so, an  increase in resistance of the solution would result in the power supply attempting to raise the applied voltage to keep the 1mA constant. Power input would go up accordingly.

Alternately, if the power supply was set to constant voltage and the voltage was adjusted to provide the initial 1mA, the solution may have become temporarily more conductive during an event , thus increasing power input.

What voltage is required across the cell to produce 1mA of current flowing through the cell?

Even though this observation does not in any way negate the possibility of excess output energy, it is important to nail this down, because changes in cell impedance can cause input power fluctuations.

Perhaps it would be better to drive the cell from a constant power source.

These are excellent points.  I will try to find out.   I'm sure you noticed that their spectrum analyzer was hooked to the RF pickup coil.   Can you point me to "non-inductive current sense resistors," so that I can pass something specific along to G as a friendly gesture, at the same time hopefully getting some answers?

[ion]

Here is one of many sources for non-inductive resistors:

http://www.caddock.com/Online_catalog/power/power.html

At the power levels shown, you don't have to use anything too exotic. Main point is to avoid a wirewound inductive style resistor as it will be a pickup coil for the RF 430 kHz.

I wind power shunts from Manganin wire in a non-inductive manner. Alternately a slug of carbon (as in a carbon composition resistor) will be non-inductive.

Metal film resistors will also be preferred because of their higher stability over carbon comps. At very high frequencies however the spiral cutting of the metal film to trim the resistance value can add a tiny bit of inductance, but this won't be a problem at 430kHz.

Best to use a high a ohmic value to keep the signal to noise in a practical range e.g. a 1 ohm current shunt
@ 1 mA will only yield only a millivolt of signal, whereas a 100 ohm shunt at 1mA gives 100 mV of signal, a bit more above ambient noise.

For this application, I would use something around 1000 ohms, giving a healthy 1 volt of signal @1mA, well above the ambient noise.

If you could supply more info about the actual excitation current production method, we can comment further.

[PhysicsProf]

Basically all I have right now is a .pdf file made from a series of .ppt slides.  These slides from near the end may prove helpful (below).

In particular, note the oxide formation on the cathode surface that correlates with xs heat production -- and I understand with RF production.  So this oxide formation is a key.  Let us think -- how could this lead to RF production?

[Allcanadian]

@PhysicsProf

In particular, note the oxide formation on the cathode surface that correlates with xs heat production -- and I understand with RF production.  So this oxide formation is a key.  Let us think -- how could this lead to RF production?

It may help to know I have made DIY electrolytic capacitors and diodes with this same oxide layer process and this also produces a specific voltage theshold which is not present prior to oxidation. The rate of change of current across the theshold can easily produce oscillations in the RF region and beyond because conductance increases above the theshold which then produces a current and the current produces forces which evolve to increase resistance choking the current thus producing oscillations at the theshold.
Google "Mason jar rectifier".

[PhysicsProf]

@PhysicsProf
It may help to know I have made DIY electrolytic capacitors and diodes with this same oxide layer process and this also produces a specific voltage theshold which is not present prior to oxidation. The rate of change of current across the theshold can easily produce oscillations in the RF region and beyond because conductance increases above the theshold which then produces a current and the current produces forces which evolve to increase resistance choking the current thus producing oscillations at the theshold.
Google "Mason jar rectifier".

Thanks, AC.  I did google as you suggested; I'm climbing the learning curve.  I recall vids of people making home-made diodes using oxide layers.  

Henry Moray in the 1920's-1950's fiddled with his "Swedish stone" that he acquired in Sweden, perhaps some kind of diode...?  Harvey Fletcher Sr. (a well-known physicist who invented stereo-sound) visited Moray's "anomalous power" machine and studied it and wrote an affadavit saying he could find no hidden power source such as batteries.

Next question -- is there a way to produce the active oxide layer in such a way that repeatability is enhanced?  doesn't have to be a "Pons-Fleischmann cell" necessarily, but something similar with two electrodes.  

Their main problem in these experiments is that they typically run for many hours before seeing an xs-heat episode.  They are learning to trigger events however, with addition of metals (such as nickel) and metal-oxides.  But even then, the trigger does not always produce an xs-heat episode.

Also, could a similar process be occurring in a Davey 2-bell cell?  Davey used AC current from the mains between his 2 bells in water, rather than DC.  His 2 bells become the 2 electrodes, and pre-date P-F by decades!
I and others have tried to replicate Davey -- I see a clear brown residue forming on the bells near the openings, that wipes off with a towel and appears to be oxidation.

Could G use AC (50 or 60 Hz) in light water electrolyte, rather than DC in heavy water electrolyte, and get better reproducibility?   You see where I'm headed with this...

This provides an example where I see a possible convergence of these two "separate" fields of research.  And if I'm right about this, the cold fusion/LENR advocates are about to learn that xs-heat beyond what is possible by chemistry does NOT necessarily mean that nuclear reactions are involved!   This is where Pons-F went wrong IMO, assuming that if the energy release was beyond chemistry, then it MUST be nuclear fusion, dd fusion.  But I pointed out to them several times that if it is nuclear dd fusion, there must be dd-fusion products in the appropriate amounts -- and they finally admitted those fusion products (particularly neutrons in large numbers) were NOT there!  Also, they refused in spring 1989 to answer the question -- do you see the effect in light water cells?  Question raised by Prof. Stephen Koonin of CalTech. They would not answer!  (This was at a meeting in Italy which I also attended.)  

[Allcanadian]

@PhysicsProf

Henry Moray in the 1930's-1950's fiddled with his "Swedish stone" that he acquired in Sweden, perhaps some kind of diode...?  Harvey Fletcher Sr. (a well-known physicist who invented stereo-sound) visited Moray's "anomalous power" machine and studied it and wrote an affadavit saying he could find no hidden power source such as batteries.

At one point in time I did a great deal of research into T.H.Moray's work and found out what his "Swedish stone" really was, I cannot recall exactly as it was 10 years ago but I have it my research notes. It took me a month or so to track the geography, mining stats, time frame etc.... and I believe the material was white tourmaline quartz.
If you follow Moray's work what he was really looking for was a zero theshold rectifier, zero theshold zero resistance to transform naturally occurring oscillations through multiple stages. It took Moray 30 years to finally get everything right so a little patience is required if we expect to do the same.

Regards
AC

[ion]

I agree with AC, oxide layers can produce negative resistance effects, thus producing an oscillation. But this particular 430kHz may be of a different nature.

http://www.sparkbangbuzz.com/els/zincosc-el.htm

From the slide, looks like they are using a 0.5 ohm shunt resistor, which yields only 0.5 millivolt @1 mA. This signal is rather low, I would opt for a higher value shunt resistor as explained in my prior post.

[Allcanadian]

@Ion

oxide layers can produce negative resistance effects, thus producing an oscillation. But this particular 430kHz may be of a different nature.

I would agree, the simplest oscillator is a parallel capacitance and a series diode and when the voltage threshold of the diode is crossed it conducts which lowers the voltage on the capacitance which then ceases the conduction of the diode producing repeated cycling or oscillations. This however is not a negative resistance as the resistance has not changed, if resistance is the opposition to motion then a negative resistance would in fact be an acceleration which is not the case. The reason for the oscillations is that the supply voltage is variable causing it to swing above then below the threshold. It's funny that there are so many people who have trouble with oscillators because I can make damn near anything oscillate and most of the time I wish it wouldn't.

I have a suspicion that at the lower voltages of this experiment internal capacitance and line inductance coupled with the oxide layer threshold are causing the oscillations. In which case action and reaction are reversed, the supposed heating effect does not produce oscillations the oscillations produce the effect at the boundary condition of the oxide layer. This is not AC it is pulsed DC, the same pulsed DC I use to run a 12v lead acid battery at 50v using the sulphate layer on the plates as a variable capacitance in series with the plate potential. The sulphate layers can also produce oscillations due to the threshold when biased in series and a battery can in fact act as a series oscillator in itself which is whacked and caused a great deal of confusion when I first saw the effect. It would seem I have a way of making things go terribly wrong which sometimes ends up making things go right, such is life.

[ion]

One of the problems in electrochemistry is maintaining a constant power input to the cell.

From the diagram supplied, we see current sense resistors in the anode and cathode. What we do not see is a measurement of voltage across the cell. This measurement must have been done because the graph shows "power input".

OK, so the current is adjusted to 1mA from a constant current power supply and we think all is well. Or it is maintained under servo control from a computer, we just try to maintain the 1 mA across the sense resistors.

What happens when the cell impedance starts to rise, perhaps due to bubbles or oxides forming around the anode and cathode?

Power delivered to the cell (voltage x current) can increase  rapidly as voltage rises to maintain the 1mA setpoint.

I recommend constant power drive. In addition to current through the cell, Voltage across the cell should be monitored. Voltage x Current should be computed and used as the servo feedback to the cell power input control set point.

The diagram also shows platinum RTD's on the current sense resistors. I have no idea why a measurement of the temperature of these resistors is important. There would be a barely detectable temperature rise over ambient in these resistors @ 1mA (0.5 milliwatts of dissipation).

If these are thin film RTD's all is well, but if they are wirewound RTD's these would act as pickup coils for ambient EM noise and RF, unless they were non-inductively wound and shielded.

[Lynx]

Just saying Hi

Prof Jones invited me here.  It will take me a while to catch up and understand the quest.  I have played with negative resistance diodes, electrolysis using AC, oscillators, etc...  What I am good at is approaching problems from unorthodox angles and stumbling onto something, 3D thinking, reverse processing from an end point to start point...  let me know what I can help with.

Lynx

[PhysicsProf]

Just saying Hi

Prof Jones invited me here.  It will take me a while to catch up and understand the quest.  I have played with negative resistance diodes, electrolysis using AC, oscillators, etc...  What I am good at is approaching problems from unorthodox angles and stumbling onto something, 3D thinking, reverse processing from an end point to start point...  let me know what I can help with.

Lynx

Welcome, Lynx!  Just what we need is creative thinking and "reverse processing" IMO.

Here's what we have:

1.  Significant xs heat (around 10 - 70 kJoules and 40x input power) in rare episodes, triggered by addition of Ni, NiSO4 and CoSO4.

2.  These episodes are accompanied by RF generation, especially around 430 KHz in one cell (2 episodes).  DC input at low current (about 1 mA).

3.  xs heat accompanied by OXIDES on the surface of the cathode.

4.  Detailed requirements for xs heat episodes remain obscure -- see below.

5.  NO nuclear emissions observed, neutrons, gammas etc. 
Note that Rossi with his light-water-Nickel xs heat claims recently said there were no nuclear radiations with the heat.
But he claims high reproducibility -- but keeping details secret (proprietary...?)

Now, please read this from another slide sent by my scientist friend, then ideas:

[PhysicsProf]

  My friend G uses heavy water (D2O), he admitted that they have done very few "controls" using H2O.  I urged him to try H2O - sporadic episodes make it difficult to be sure H2O won't "work" -- I'm guessing it will!

  G and most in that field are still using the old Pons-Fl paradigm that 'the xs heat is too large to be chemical in origin and therefore MUST be nuclear in origin." I'm suggesting we can make faster progress -- having seen "anomalous xs heat" results but NO NUCLEAR products, if we postulate instead that what is seen is a form of Tesla-Moray-Davey energy...  giving credit to the early pioneers who evidently saw "xs heat or energy" but did not call it "cold fusion" or nuclear!

The Davey device with two metal bells immersed in water and run from the mains comes close imo to the CURRENT work on the "Pons-Fl cells" -- both have electrodes and water-based electrolyte and both claim to see xs heat!

Now, one could try to replicate the P-F cells, again, with Palladium, now Pd-Rhodium cathodes.  Ever priced these cathodes??

I'm postulating we can go to nickel (or other cheap metal) cathodes, add oxide layer in spots at least -using a propane torch - and after a while, put NiSO4 in the light water -- and look for xs heat using temperature-rise in the water.

AND - we need to look for RF emissions.  Any ideas on how to do THAT cheaply?  pick-up coil and frequency analyzer is great, but is there a cheaper way (at first)?  AM radio?

See?  still the trial-and-error "Edison approach", but using the PARADIGM OF TESLA, MORAY AND DAVEY...  he he he.

I just bought some bumper stickers that say "Tesla > Edison"...

[ion]

Steve:

Have you any comments on post #14?

Thinking a little more about this, it might be a good idea to test the cell for resonances around 430kHz by sweeping it from a signal generator.

Might it be possible that the anode or cathode are spiral wound and with the distributed capacitive loading of the DD on the helix is resonant around 430kHz. Shock excitation could also measure the burst frequency if it is inherent to the cell structure. We need more info on cell construction to comment further.

Regarding your desire for a cheap means of measuring the 430kHz signal, a simple HiQ tuned tank circuit @430kHz/ rectifier 1N34A diode/capacitor should give a large measurable DC signal should a nearby 430kHz excite it. This can easily drive a data acquisition system.

AM radio starts at 550kHz, so maybe try detuning the local oscillator (load the local oscillator tuning capacitor) to get down 80kHz more, check with a signal generator. Some radios with a longwave band might cover this. The downside of using an AM radio is lack of a signal output that is available to drive data acquisition system unless the radio has an "S" meter. The pure carrier wave will not show at the speaker unless there are audible modulation components.

[Lynx]

There is a website I use for inspiration - sparkbanbuzz.  I am sure many of you have read through his experiments.  I have experimented a lot with the "negative resistance" ideas.  You can observe some surprising results.
Here is an excerpt I find very intriguing.  Orange colored light, RF emmissions.....
http://www.sparkbangbuzz.com/els/borax-el.htm

"Negative Resistance.

I have observed an interesting N type negative resistance effect that happens only when the tip of a very sharp aluminum electrode is just barely touching the top surface of the solution. The curve trace is shown below.


There is a bright but tiny orange glow at the point of contact but I don't believe it is the same phenomena that causes the rectifier glow because in this case, the glow happens when the aluminum is biased negative. With the rectifier, the glow is generated when the aluminum is positively biased.

This generates a lot of rf noise as the large misty area at the right part of the curve suggests. Having done just a little experimenting, I have not yet heard a real clear tone generated from this device but I can hear noise in a nearby am receiver up to the receiver's limit of 30 mhz.
Borax Solution Negative Resistance.

An interesting N type negative resistance effect that happens only when the tip of a very sharp aluminum electrode is just barely touching the top surface of the solution. This generates a lot of rf noise as the large misty area at the right part of the curve suggests. "

[PhysicsProf]

Ion -- I have asked scientist G several questions that correspond to your queries -- if he answers.  Here's what I asked; if you have specific further questions pls let me know:

[to G]
Fascinating data!
May I ask a few questions?

Looking at your data, example attached:

1.  Why does Pinput vary? that is, what controls Pinput -- are you operating at constant current?

2.  What happens when the cell impedance starts to rise, perhaps due to bubbles or oxides forming around the anode and cathode?

3.  Why use a 0.5ohm sensing resistor when a larger resistance (say 5 ohms) would give a much better voltage reading (compared to noise)?

4.  The RTD's used with the sensing resistors -- are these thin-film or wire-wound RTD's?  Also, are the resistors wire-wound?  (Wire-wound may result in undesired RF pick-up.)

5.  Do you have a diagram of the innards of your cell?  Number of windings on the anode and diameter of the cathode, for example?

The example I chose was the 40x... data shown below.


Lynx -- what experiments can a guy like me do in the home lab to better understand "negative resistance"?

[PhysicsProf]

I sent this email to another physicist friend of mine just now; it may clarify things a bit:

What I'm postulating is that there are at least two activities going on,

1  Low-level LENR reactions, such as the BYU team observed, but not commensurate with the xs heat.

2.  xs heat due to Tesla-Moray-Davey effects; not-cold-fusion.  I have learned that Peter Davey actually secured a New Zealand patent for his two-bell device in 1944, which has two electrodes which are immersed in water with minerals (i.e., electrolyte), and he claimed xs heat.  His work was long before that of Pons and F...

Steve

Of these separate effects, the latter is the more interesting IMO, and may lead to useful power much sooner if we do it right.  Is there a better name than "Tesla-Moray-Davey effects; not-cold-fusion" ?  What would you call it?
  Radiant energy has been co-opted by physicists since Tesla and refers to energy associated with light.  "Free energy" conjures up a violation of conservation laws; also "perpetual motion" -- those are out, IMO.

PS -- did TESLA himself actually observe these effects?

[Lynx]

Prof and Team,

Here's an experiment you can try.  Take the Lynx Joule Lamp circuit we made and connect the leads to a negative resistance setup.
Use baking soda in water, clip a HV lead onto a piece of galvanized steel submerged in a small beaker or glass jar.  Suspend a piece of aluminum wire over the jar and just touch the surface of the solution.  Use a piece of styrofoam across the jar and push the aluminum wire through to just touch the surface.  Try several aluminum wires to increase the conductivity. Barely touch the surface and you may notice some capillary effect. 
You will need to run this setup for several hours to treat the anode and cathode.

Now vary the input voltage to the LJL to its lowest level while still maintaining oscillation.  Note the temperature of the water, frequency, and Pin.

What I expect?  You will hear and sense a pronounced vibration coming from the jar.  You will see a haze coming from the surface.  You may note tiny orange flashes with the lights in the room dimmed.  And you may note a temperature rise of the solution.

You may need to insulate the jar from the environment to get good readings of course.

Two things are going on, the solution is vibrating, and an incomplete electrolysis is happening as well.  Its possible at certain frequencies the solution is more prone to electrolysis, and the breaking of the molecular bond accelerates the breaking of adjacent bonds.  This could be frictional heating in excess of what the electricity alone could do.

Name?  We need to observe something first before we name it.  How about -  "Molecular Bumper Cars" or  "Whack a mole"

[PhysicsProf]

Prof and Team,

Here's an experiment you can try.  Take the Lynx Joule Lamp circuit we made and connect the leads to a negative resistance setup.
Use baking soda in water, clip a HV lead onto a piece of galvanized steel submerged in a small beaker or glass jar.  Suspend a piece of aluminum wire over the jar and just touch the surface of the solution.  Use a piece of styrofoam across the jar and push the aluminum wire through to just touch the surface.  Try several aluminum wires to increase the conductivity. Barely touch the surface and you may notice some capillary effect. 
You will need to run this setup for several hours to treat the anode and cathode.

Now vary the input voltage to the LJL to its lowest level while still maintaining oscillation.  Note the temperature of the water, frequency, and Pin.

What I expect?  You will hear and sense a pronounced vibration coming from the jar.  You will see a haze coming from the surface.  You may note tiny orange flashes with the lights in the room dimmed.  And you may note a temperature rise of the solution.

You may need to insulate the jar from the environment to get good readings of course.

Two things are going on, the solution is vibrating, and an incomplete electrolysis is happening as well.  Its possible at certain frequencies the solution is more prone to electrolysis, and the breaking of the molecular bond accelerates the breaking of adjacent bonds.  This could be frictional heating in excess of what the electricity alone could do.

Name?  We need to observe something first before we name it.  How about -  "Molecular Bumper Cars" or  "Whack a mole"

OK -- I'll give it a try!  thanks for the suggestion, Lynx -- just the sort of thing I was looking for to boost understanding. 

[PhysicsProf]

  Another biggie today -- I rec'd an email response from my scientist friend, with interspersed answers. 
Ion -- several for your questions; lets try to understand (he is a bit terse as usual):


> Fascinating data!
> May I ask a few questions?
>
> Looking at your data, example attached:
>
> 1.  Why does Pinput vary? that is, what controls Pinput -- are you operating at constant current?

Operation is at constant power. at 12 hours the power was increased by us to try and recover the effect.  The increase reflects something in the system that changes when the excess heat is present.  We have some ideas but nothing definitive.

PP note -- I'm adding underlining.  In one of his slides, he notes that "excess voltage" is observed accompanying xs heat episodes...
>
>
> 2.  What happens when the cell impedance starts to rise, perhaps due to bubbles or oxides forming around the anode and cathode?

We have some ideas but nothing definitive - a very active research area for us
>
> 3.  Why use a 0.5ohm sensing resistor when a larger resistance (say 5 ohms) would give a much better voltage reading (compared to noise)?

We do not want to perturb the system so the resistance is kept low.  Also, the signal to noise for 0.5 ohm is very high so there are no worries there.
>
> 4.  The RTD's used with the sensing resistors -- are these thin-film or wire-wound RTD's?  Also, are the resistors wire-wound?  (Wire-wound may result in undesired RF pick-up.)

The RTD's and resistors are not wire wound, they are solid state.   The purpose of the RTD's was to see if we were missing RF energy input.  The resistors would see RF whereas a DC current measurement would not, depending upon the power supply's pass band.  So if the RTD's heated up when the power supply did not indicate a current increase, it could be attributed to RF entering the cell.  Since the RTD's agreed with the power supply measurement, there was no RF entering the cell which gives us more confidence that the heat is real.
>
> 5.  Do you have a diagram of the innards of your cell?  Number of windings on the anode and diameter of the cathode, for example?

It will be in the paper. planer geometry, two Pt foils with the Pd cathode in the middle (1cmx4cmx50 microns) spacing about 2-3 mm between foils

PP -- thus, two anode-foils, on either side of the Pd-Rh cathode.  NO  coil around the cathode as in Pons-F cell.  This looks a little more like the Davey - bell system geometry IMHO...
I added one more question later today:

6 - In the electrolytic experiments, what nuclear reaction products did you look for?   (I understand no nuclear products were seen, as of yet, but not sure what all you looked for.)
no gammas or neutrons and no activation of the cathodes after heat events.  working on low energy x-rays but not there yet.

PP:  See?  NO nuclear products thus far...  I'm saying, it ain't nuclear!  (probably)  What is it then?  we might call it a Tesla-Davey effect, after two early pioneers in this field...  what do you think about that?