This purpose of this thread is to combine our knowledge, experience, and ideas to figure methods to make the basic combination of nickel, hydrogen, and lithium (elemental, LiH, or LiAlH4) repeatedly and consistently produce massive excess heat and self sustained operation. Everyone who posts in this thread must -- even if only for the sake of hypothetical discussion if they are cynical about the topic -- write their posts with the assumption that this reaction is possible. If someone is unwilling to entertain this conjecture and at least attempt to contribute in a serious manner, then they are NOT welcome on this thread. Additionally, this is not a thread to debate the reality of the Rossi Effect or discuss the litigation between Rossi and IH. Although information about Rossi's methods, procedures, and techniques are welcome, please feel free to post data from other researchers: Focardi, Piantelli, Me356, Harold Aspden, and others. Any source of information that could be of benefit is welcome.
There are many aspects of a successful replication that are up for discussion on this thread. Here are a few of many:
1) Reactor design - Discussion about high temperature resistors, reactor body geometry, inner fuel tube composition, thermal insulation, infrared reflectivity, emission thermalization, etc.
2) Safety - Blast shields, fume hoods, eye protection, respirators, chemical handling, radiation detection, etc.
3) Fuel Selection - The various types of nickel to be tested, the optimum brand of LiAlH4 (Alfa Aesar 97%), additives (copper or palladium powder), additional hydrogen sources (other hydrides, hydrogen generators, electrolysis units, catalytic carbon, hydrogen tanks).
4) Fuel Pre-processing - Ultrasound irradiation in a hydrocarbon (hexane, decane, etc) slurry, chemical etching, degassing via long duration high vacuum under heat, pre-hydrogenation, peppering with nano-palladium powder, etc.
5) Heating Ramps - Fast vs. Slow decomposition of LiAlH4, temperatures to linger at, fast thermal shocks vs. gradual increases in temperature, etc.
6) Stimulation -- High voltage multi-phase AC, application of square waves, optimizing harmonics, finding resonance, applying current through the fuel, etc.
7) Measurement Techniques - Thermocouples, control reactors, various forms of calorimetry, best ways to reduce measurement error, IR cameras, etc.
There are a multitude of issues we can discuss. Although I do NOT intend of LEADING the discussion or forcefully pushing it in one direction or another, my preference would be that maximizing the hydrogenation of nickel (both during pre-hydrogenation and inside the active reactor) be one of the first topics of discussion.