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Re: COLD FUSION



A LETTER FROM A PERSON I NEVER MET, A RETIRED (?)
MAGNETIC-CONFINEMENT FUSION SPECIALIST. THIS
COMMENT IS WORTH SHARING, I THINK.

Hi Ludwik,
You ask, "Would the world survive if practically unlimited
energy became available for everybody and everywhere?".

I feel that our civilization will not survive if we do not obtain
a practical source of unlimited energy. Hydorgen fusion is
the only source I now see. Unfortunately, I do not believe that
either of the two candidate developments for fusion energy
promises practicality. Hot fusion in magnetic bottles produces
hard radiation that necessitates massive containment
structures to confine the radiation. Therefore, it cannot serve
the need for small and mobile applications. Certainly not
aircraft and space vehicles. Hot fusion also emits neutrons
which will activate the equipment and structures, thus creating
future nuclear waste storage and disposal problems.

Cold fusion in solid containment units cannot achieve high
power output or long use without destroying the container
(i.e., crystalline materials such as palladium.) Its main use
would be for laboratory demonstrations and possibly for long
duration, very low power applications. I think that this should
be pointed out in your educational materials.

IN MY OPINION "COLD FUSION" MUST FIRST BECOME A
NORMAL SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINE. PHENOMENA MUST
BECOME REPRODUCIBLE (SOME OF THEM ALREADY
ARE) AND ITS DEVELOPMENT MUST BE GUIDED BY
SOME KIND OF A MODEL OR THEORY. THIS MAY LEAD
TO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT APPROACHES.

THE FIRST METHOD OF LOADING DEUTERIUM IONS
INTO PALLADIUM WAS ELECTROCHEMICAL AND THIS
COMPLICATED MATTERS UNNECESSARILY, I THINK.
LUDWIK KOWALSKI