NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #16/NN_1992_16.iso/spool/sci/physics/fusion/1803

Text File | 1992-07-23 | 2.4 KB | 50 lines

Newsgroups: sci.physics.fusion
Path: sparky!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!seagoon.newcastle.edu.au!cc.newcastle.edu.au!medb
From: [e-mail] (Dieter Britz)
Subject: Re: Why Ying?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Lines: 38
Sender: [e-mail]
Organization: University of Newcastle, AUSTRALIA
References: <[e-mail]>
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 04:25:27 GMT

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
(Paul Karol) writes:
> I think Dieter Britz is confusing macroscopic thermodynamics with
> microscopic kinetics when he invokes Le Chatlier's principle to question
> how the input of gamma irradiation affects the D + D --> He-4 + gamma
> reaction.  In microscopic reaction rate theory, before we can talk about
> Le Chatlier's principle and equilibrium, we have to say something about
> the reverse elementary reaction, He-4 + gamma --> D + D.  When we know
> the relative rates of each of these steps, we have an equilibrium
> constant.  But suppose the rate of that latter step is zero, i.e. that
> it does not occur.  You have an irreversible reaction, no 'equilibrium',
> and no place for Le Chatlier's principle.  Or, if you add aluminum
> powder to a solution of copper, metallic copper will form and the
> aluminum will dissolve.  You can't get metallic aluminum back by adding
> more product copper metal.

I did suspect that my physical gut feeling was suspect, and several people
have now told me so. I have been reminded of stimulated emission from lasers
and so on; I accept all this, and that Le Chatelier never thought of cold
fusion enhancement.

Your point about copper and aluminium is wrong, though, mate; my chemistry is
OK, if not my physics. Thermodynamically speaking, in the system Cu++ and Al,
although the equilibrium is far to the side of Cu + Al+++, i.e. the reaction
(simplified)
3Cu++ + 2Al  <=> 3Cu + 2Al+++  goes to the right,
you can't get it to go back by adding Cu, true, because you can't increase
the activity of copper beyond 1; but in principle if you add a lot of Al+++,
you'd shift the equilibrium backwards, if only a tiny bit. This can get sort of
theoretical, though, in some cases you are talking about 1 atom in a normal
volume, AND the reaction rate might be astronomically small (there I go again).

I still want to see a Ying reactor doing its stuff - just like the Pons water
heater {:]

Dieter alias [e-mail]
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