Unconventional Science
RL Jones
Horizon Scanning • For MOD to maintain its technical excellence and retain its position of superiority a keen awareness of new technologies is essential. • 90% of the technology developments are outside the Mod funded arena. • Developments of current technologies are emerging constantly, and these form a significant part of the defence superiority retention. • However, in order to identify disruptive technologies it is prudent to “look outside the box”, and it is only here that the high-risk high-gain developments will be found. 20 April 2005 © Dstl 2001
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Some Examples of Unconventional Science •
Cold Fusion (Low Energy Nuclear Reactions)
•
Bio-communication
•
Water Memory
•
Casmir Force
•
Hydrogen Storage in Carbon Nanofibres
•
Podkletnov’s Gravity Shielding
•
Asymmetric Capacitors
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Cold Fusion (Low Energy Nuclear Reactions) • Original concept by Fleishman and Pons in 1988 entailed fusion of deuterium nuclei in a palladium lattice by electrolysis of heavy water – claimed the heat produced was in excess of that generated by energy input. – Ability to harness energy at room temperature would have major implications. – US DOE study – Work criticised as poor science, experimental errors
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Transmutation Y Iwamura et al
• Iwamura LENR transmutation experiment in 2002 less ambiguous using XPS. • Cs transmutated to Pr an increase in A.W of 4 protons and 4 neutrons following gaseous deuterium diffusion •
Ref Iwamura et al 10th Int Conf on Cold Fusion
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Intercellular Communication • Communication between biological systems is traditionally considered in terms of chemical signalling, however:– Japanese work claiming assisted aid growth of neighbouring culture under non growth conditions attributed to sonic waves – Russian work claiming sympathetic death of a separated culture via UV signalling
• Suggest possibility of physical signalling • Ref Distant Intercellular Interactions in a system of two tissue cultures Psychoenergitic Systems 1(3) p141
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Water Memory • Originated from J Beveniste claim of persistent activity Billion fold dilution of allergen. • 1988 paper submitted to Nature. • More recent work claimed the ability to transfer activity to pure water by EM/RF effects. • Proposed that Memory of water is electromagnetic in origin and that electromagnetic signals are basis of molecular communication. • Ref www.digibio.com
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Casimir Force • The force was postulated in 1948 by H Casimir when working for Phillips Labs on colloidal dispersions.
a L2
• In essence the field is a result of suppression of EM fields within a cavity.
A
• Perfect vacuum at absolute zero has fluctuating field of mean energy of half energy of a photon. • Plates 1cm^2 separated by 1micron have Casimir force of 10-7 N • ie weight of small water droplet
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L1
π F =
2
h c
240 a
4
A
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Hydrogen Storage in carbon nanofibres • New Scientist Dec 1996 “Hydrogen-Powered cars could travel up to 8000 kilometres on a single tank of gas thanks to a graphite storage material developed by researchers at NorthEastern University in Boston.” • US Patent Rodriguez et al. – Storage of Hydrogen In Layered Nanostructures. – Claims 50 - 70% hydrogen absorption at room temperature, 40 120 bar.
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QinetiQ graphite nanostacks
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Gravity Shielding • In 1992 Podkletnov published results of weight loss above a superconducting disc, which was magnetically levitated and rotated at several thousand rpm in presence of magnetic field. • Showed weight loss of less than 0.5% to 2% as spin increased. • Further paper accepted by J Physica D in 1996 but withdrawn • NASA / Ning Li attempted to replicate between 1996 and 2002 •
Ref www.holoscience.com/mws/antigravity
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P o d k le tn o v G ra vity Im p u ls e G e n e ra to r D is ch a rg e 4 C u rre n t ~ 1 0 A L e ng th 0 .1 5 - 0 .4 m M e ta l T a rge t (A n o de )
P e n d ulu m
2 -L a ye r Y B C O E m itte r, D ia = 8 0 - 1 2 0 m m T hic k = 7 - 15 m m (C a tho d e)
In n e r C oil u s e d to crea te T y p e II M a g n e tic V o rte x S tru c tu re C o n du c tin g T u be c o n tainin g liq uid g a s (N 2 ~ 9 0 ºK o r H 2 ~ 4 0 ºK ) to m a in tain s u p erc o nd u c tivity
G ra vity Im p u ls e Beam
D a n ge r Zone
R E P U L S IO N
S e v e ral µ s 2 MV
Bob v a riou s m a te rials m e ta l g la s s c e ra m ic wood ru bb e r p la s tic
pump
UHF A b s o rbe r S c re e n
F a rad a y Cage
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Q u a rtz G la s s C ylin d er, Vacuum o r g a s fille d
O u te r C oil 1 s p ulse o n dis ch a rg e (0 .9 T )
H ig h V oltag e P ulse fro m M a rx G e n e ra to r C h a rg e tim e = 1 2 0 s D is c ha rge = 2 m s
1 .5 m
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1 m
Boeing's Van de Graaff generator proposed for the Podkletnov experiments [15]. • Device could be used as a ballistic missile shield. • Reported in Jane’s Defence weekly in June 2002 that BOEING Phantom works had a project entitled GRASP to replicate claims. • No further reports
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Asymmetric Capacitors • Originates from the Biefield-Brown effect – When a high voltage ~30KV is applied to electrodes of an asymmetric capacitor a net force is observed • Brown was a lab technician and Biefield a Prof at Denison Uni Ohio • Work dates back to 1920’s when Brown was experimenting with a Coolidge tube. • Patents issued in 1927, 1957, 1960 by Biefield –Brown • And more recently by NASA in Jan 2002 and June 2002 20 April 2005 © Dstl 2001
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Background
Basic Lifter Design
Slightly more complex ...
Huge …!!
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Why are MOD interested? • Potentially a disruptive technology • Possible applications include – Propulsion – Drag Reduction – Stealth • A full silent flight and no moving parts (no mobile surfaces reflecting radar waves)
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Current Dstl project Dimensions
• Wire height • Foil height
Materials
• Foil • Wire • Dielectric
• Length • (Weight)
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Current Project Aims • Attempt to fully understand the physics • Investigate how voltage/current & thrust are effected by: – Capacitor size/shape • Scaling effects • electrostatic field is a function of electrode geometry … • geometry – torroidial (doughnut) … concentric rings separated by shields to prevent ionic cross-over
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Current Dstl Lifter project
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Lifter Size
Length = 200 mm
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Length = 50 mm
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Wire height • Lifter IW3
d = 15mm
d = 30mm
d = 25mm 20 April 2005 © Dstl 2001
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Foil height • Lifter IW4
Foil height = 36 mm 20 April 2005 © Dstl 2001
Foil height = 21 mm Dstl is part of the Ministry of Defence
Modeling Electrostatic Field • Using MatLab PDE • Preliminary results show this could be useful • Can vary Capacitor geometry as it uses FE • Also vary input voltage • However, this is a static solution and as such limited
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Dielectric Constants Material Helium
Dielectric constant 0.2
Air
1
Nitrogen
1.1
Carbon Dioxide
1.8
Polystyrene
2.6
Paper
3
Glass
8
Water
78
Barium Titanate
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1,000
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Dielectric – preliminary results • Air
Stable lift: 0.25mA & 19.2KV
• Nitrogen
Stable lift: 0.31mA & 18KV …(similar to air)
• Helium
No lift … at 4.20mA & 12.8KV
• Steam • CO2
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Results – Voltage 40 35
IW 4 , f o il h e ig h t= 4 0 m m , 2 .8 0 g
IW 4 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 6 m m , 2 .6 9 g
30
IW 4 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 2 m m , 2 .5 6 g
Voltage (KV)
IW 4 , f o il h e ig h t= 2 8 m m , 2 .4 5 g
25
IW 4 , f o il h e ig h t= 2 1 m m , 2 .2 9 g
IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 3 .1 6 g
20
IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 3 .6 6 g
IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 4 .2 2 g
15
IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 4 .7 2 g
IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 5 .1 6 g
10
IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 5 .6 6 g
IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 6 .1 6 g
5
IW 3 , f o il h e ig h t= 2 5 m m , 1 .3 5 g
0 0
10
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20 30 W ir e H e ig h t (m m )
40
50
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Results – Current 1 .2
IW 4 , f o il h e ig h t= 4 0 m m , 2 .8 0 g
1
IW 4 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 6 m m , 2 .6 9 g IW 4 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 2 m m , 2 .5 6 g
Current (mA)
0 .8
IW 4 , f o il h e ig h t= 2 8 m m , 2 .4 5 g IW 4 , f o il h e ig h t= 2 1 m m , 2 .2 9 g IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 3 .1 6 g
0 .6
IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 3 .6 6 g IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 4 .2 2 g
0 .4
IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 4 .7 2 g IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 5 .1 6 g IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 5 .6 6 g
0 .2
IW 8 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 8 m m , 6 .1 6 g IW 3 , f o il h e ig h t= 3 5 m m , 1 .3 5 g
0 0
10
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20 30 W ir e H e ig h t ( m m )
40
50
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Results – Power 40
35
30
IW 4, IW 4, IW 4, IW 4, IW 4, IW 8, IW 8, IW 8, IW 8, IW 8, IW 8, IW 8, IW 3
Power (W)
25
20
15
10
foil foil foil foil foil foil foil foil foil foil foil foil
height=40mm, height=36mm, height=32mm, height=28mm, height=21mm, height=38mm, height=38mm, height=38mm, height=38mm, height=38mm, height=38mm, height=38mm,
2.80g 2.69g 2.56g 2.45g 2.29g 3.16g 3.66g 4.22g 4.72g 5.16g 5.66g 6.16g
5
0 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
W ire Height (mm)
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Results – Mass v Power 7 .0 E-0 3 6 .0 E-0 3 IW 4 , L = 4 0 m m IW 4 , L = 3 5 m m
5 .0 E-0 3
Weight (Kg)
IW 4 , L = 3 0 m m IW 4 , L = 2 5 m m
4 .0 E-0 3
IW 8 , L = 4 4 m m IW 8 , L = 4 0 m m
3 .0 E-0 3
IW 8 , L = 3 5 m m IW 8 , L = 3 0 m m
2 .0 E-0 3
IW 3 , L = 2 0 m m
1 .0 E-0 3
IW 3 , L = 2 5 m m IW 3 , L = 3 0 m m
0 .0 E+ 0 0 0
10
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20 P o w e r (W )
30
40
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Mass v wire height, foil height and current M ass v L *I*fo il heig ht 7.00E -03
6.00E -03 IW 8, L= 44 IW 8, L= 40
Lifter weight (Kg)
5.00E -03
IW 8, L= 35 IW 8, L= 30 IW 4, L= 40
4.00E -03
IW 4, L= 35 IW 4, L= 30 IW 4, L= 25
3.00E -03
IW 3, L= 20 IW 3, L= 25
2.00E -03
IW 3, L= 30
1.00E -03
0.00E + 00 0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
W ire h eig h t [L ] * fo il h eig h t * cu rren t (m m m m m A)
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Weight measured on Balance 12
10
Weight (g)
8 IW 8 + 6 .7 g , M in w e ig h t IW 8 + 6 .7 g , M a x w e ig h t
6
IW 8 , M in w e ig h t IW 8 , M a x w e ig h t
4
2
0 0
5
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10 15 Vo lta g e (K V)
20
25
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Results - Summary • As capacitor plate spacing increases, V increases but current density decrease … therefore power required is less variable. • Asymmetry of capacitor plates less significant than the capacitor plate spacing • The scale effect is not fully characterised as yet , there is an indication that a critical capacitor spacing is necessary. • Mass is a function of product of current capacitor spacing and collector plate height
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Observations • The greatest force on capacitor is when small electrode is positive. • The effect occurs in a dielectric medium (air) • The effect is associated with onset of corona discharge • The force is independent of spatial orientation • The details of the physics of the effect is not understood
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Observations (2) • Mechanism generally considered in terms of ionic motion – However, has been shown that effect is independent of voltage polarity – Also calculations suggest that mass lifted by ionic thrust is more than an order of magnitude less than that observed. – Also weight loss observed prior to lifting
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Unconventional Science Conclusions • Unconventional science is by its very nature difficult to verify – If you do not understand the underlying science it is difficult to know what are the important boundary conditions. • A large proportion of the claims made may be down to poor science/ experimental procedure, a sub conscious willingness, nevertheless if any are true then the consequences could be far reaching. • The initial benefit proposed may not be the major benefit – i.e. cold fusion limitless energy perhaps now radioactive waste disposal
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Any questions …?
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Experimental Video Clips
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