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New result of anomalous heat production in hydrogen-loaded
metals at high temperature
Ni-H Research Group
China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing, China
Written by Songsheng Jiang
E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract The experiment set-up is given in Figures 1-6. The
amount of powder fuels (Ni + 10%(in weight)LiAlH4) is
20 g filled in a nickel celllocated in the stainless-steel
reaction chamber. The existing heater is made of
nichrome wire, which is wound on a ceramic tube. A
stabilized DC power supply is used. The heater is
surrounded by MgO thermal insulation material, which
is filled in an aluminum hollow cylindrical jacket with
inner-diameter of 55 mm, outer-diameter of 25 cm and
40 cm long. The temperature is measured by stainless-
steel shielded K-type thermocouples. The thermocouple
T1 is located on the outer surface of the stainless-steel
reaction chamber, T2 is placed in contact with outer
surface of the nickel cell and T3 is inserted inside
container in contact with the fuel powders.
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The experiment was carried out in 4-8 May, 2015, lasted 96
hours. In the
first day, the reaction chamber was vacuumed to 10-4 mbar, and
then was
heated up. The LiAlH4 was degassed, and the upper pressure in
the chamber
reached 400 kPa at temperatures of 150-300 0C or so. Then the
pressure went
down to -90 kPa in subsequent 18-hours. In the next day, when
the
temperature of thermocouple T3 was increased to about 950 0C by
tuning
electric power to 900 W, the temperature of thermocouple in the
fuel cell
increased rapidly. Unfortunately, T3 was damaged at this time.
However, T2
still was working well (it is justified by the later
exponentially cooling curve),
and T2 (the temperature near fuel cell) was also increased to be
higher than
T1(the temperature near heater) rapidly. When T2 temperature
reached a
temperature over 1300 0C for 10 minutes, the power was turned
off for
protecting T2 from damage. The self-sustaining heat effect
appeared and
lasted about 20 minutes, then the T2 temperature went down
rapidly. When
the temperature decreased less than 1000 0C, the power was
turned on to 900
W, and an excited state of the anomalous heat production
appeared again
because T2 was back to be higher than the T1 again. In the most
of running
time, T2 temperature was kept less than 1200 0C by controlling
the electrical
power. A typical result of temperature variation of T2 and T1
versus input
power on 8 May is shown in Figures 7a and 7b.
(Continued)
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Figure 1
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Reactor chamber Diameter: 36 mm Length: 250 mm Thickness: 3
mm
250 mm
Figure 2
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The nickel powder and LiAlH4 powder are filled in a Nickel cell
(20 cm long, 14 mm high and 14 mm wide)
The K-type thermocoupleT2 is touched the cell wall, and T3
inserted in the container , near the fuel powder.
T2
Figure 3
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Ni-H reactor chamber inserted in the heater, and connected with
vacuum system or hydrogen bottle.
Figure 4
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Data logger Digit pressure meter Stabilized DC power
Ni-H reactor
Figure 5
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Computer on-line displays the temperatures of thermocouple T1,
T2 and T3, and pressure, power voltage and current.
Figure 6
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Figure 7a
T2
T1
T3 after damage
Power voltage
Pressure
T4
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Figure 7b
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Summary: The anomalous heat production in the Ni+LiAlH4 fuels
has been
observed repeatedly. The heat production can be controlled by
input
power and can last for a long time. The T2 temperature placed on
the
outer surface of the fuel cell is about 405 0C greater than the
T1
temperature, T1 is placed on the outer surface of the reaction
chamber
and near the heater. An estimate power of excess heat is about
600 W. The
ratio of excess heat of 600 W to input power of 780 W is 0.77.
Considering
self-sustaining effect, the input power might be significantly
decreased if a chopper supply can be used to keep excess heat
production. How to calculate the ratio of total produced heat
energy to electrical input energy remains a question in present
work. The consumption of nickel container and Ni + LiAl4 powders is
checked to be less than 1 g after experiment. The calculated energy
density is 4 orders of magnitude greater than the value of
gasoline. Therefore, the origin of excess heat cannot be explained
by any chemical energy. The isotope abundances of nickel and
lithium in the
fuels after experiment will be analyzed by mass spectrometry
technique.
A further experiment will be carried out.
