We get little bits of information from Andrea Rossi about his E-Cat plans. It’s a drip by drip feed of information that helps clarify (a little) what his plans are. This week, from asking questions on the Journal of Nuclear Physics, we have been told that the 40 MW E-Cat plant that Rossi has been discussing is going to be the first plant installed. He’s planning on starting big. It seems to mean a great deal to Rossi, who posted rather poetically:
Andrea Rossi
August 14, 2018 at 5:44 PM
Abe Vincent:
It will be a magnificence as I can see it inside my brain. Pure Art of technology and a window with the view of the sun of the future. My life has been also a series of failures and errors and resiliency, but if all the enormous work for which I spent my life will have as a result this plant, my life will have been worth to be spent.
Warm Regards,
A.R.
At this point, it sounds like the plant is still in the planning stages, and I believe that the reason is that Leonardo has still not decided whether to build this plant from QX reactors (1 kW) or SK reactors (10 kW). I believe the this decision will be made only after further testing. Rossi wrote today:
Andrea Rossi
August 16, 2018 at 7:58 AM
Toussaint Francois:
Thank you for your kind wishes. Yes, an extremely important test will be made at the end of August through the first 10 days of September. After that, strategic decisions will have to be made.
Warm Regards,
A.R.
I think that this “extremely important test” involves determining whether the SK is fit for purpose. Rossi has said that he hopes it is, because it will mean far fewer reactors (and presumably controllers) will have to be built, and the overall dimensions of the plant will be much smaller, since far fewer reactors will need to be built.
We’ll have to wait to find out how that testing goes. If there are still unresolved problems with the SK, than he may have to go with the larger plants using the QX. Rossi has said in the past that the QX is ready now, and he is holding fast to the projection of the January product presentation. From recent comments it sounds like the presentation will go forward even if the first industrial plant is not installed. When I asked if the first plant would be up and running before the presentation, Rossi replied: “maybe, but it is difficult.”
