Andrea Rossi hopes to bring out a home cooling and heating system powered by his e-cat low energy nuclear reaction technology next fall. Posts to Rossi’s blog indicate that this system will be a steam powered heat pump.
A heat pump is a device that pumps cooler air into the home in the summer and hot air out. It does the reverse in the winter. It should be noted that most heat pumps don’t produce enough heat to be effective heating devices in areas where temperatures regularly fall below freezing (such as all of Canada and much of the US). Rossi stated that his new heating system will be a steam powered heat pump most of the heat pumps now sold in the US are electric-powered.
• Andrea Rossi
January 3rd, 2012 at 5:22 PM
Dear Iggy Dalrymple:
We will use a heat pump.
Warm regards,
A.R.
The e-cat will use a low energy nuclear reaction to heat water to create steam to run the heat pump. This steam could be used for other purposes such as a hot-water or steam heating system. Such systems can be adapted to heat air for a forced air heating system. The device can also serve as a water heater. The e-cat will have to be connected to supplies of water and electricity to operate.
Rossi told US radio host James Martinez that this device will cost between $1,000 and $1,500 US. On his blog Rossi said it would be $1,500 (€1179 in Europe) plus 10%. He also stated that he is in negotiation with the Home Depot a chain of hardware stores in the US for distribution of the device. On his blog Rossi stated that he has no contract with the Home Depot. He is in discussion with other underwriters as well.
• Andrea Rossi
January 5th, 2012 at 4:27 AM
Dear Alex:
IMPORTANT: WE DID NOT REACH ANY AGREEMENT WITH HOME DEPOT YET!!! WE ARE IN TALKS WITH THEM. MANY ISSUES HAVE TO BE RESOLVED YET. CERTIFICATION, OF COURSE, MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE WE SELL OUR E-CATS. OF COURSE WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS ALSO WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
Warm Regards,
A.R.
Rossi is trying to get the device certified for safety. He is also preparing what he calls a team for the distribution of the first million e-cats. Rossi has stated these devices would be made in the United States but he has also said they would made in Sweden. Rossi has a distribution agreement with a Swedish startup called Hydro Fusion which is also operating in the UK. Rossi has not stated where in the United States his “production factory” will be located.
The e-cat is currently being tested in Bologna Italy where Rossi has a research center near the University of Bologna.
This new website does a great job of sorting the answers on Rossi’s blog. It’s a good place to go for real information about Rossi and e-cat. As opposed to hype which is spreading fast online.
Indeed, applications to give the Ecat use, if it operates as it seems it will be a large number of applications where temperature and its variation, are the most decisive factor of this process.
I believe that on systems for sterilization and cleaning, such as hospitals, hotels and industrial steam boilers, the Ecat will be useful, reducing emissions pollution, saving many gallons of fossil fuels and more efficient, versatile and faster each process involved.
In processes of cleansing, purification and elimination of pests or contaminated areas, many are almost direct applications that could use a Ecat.
But something very important to persive from the horizon, for those working in the production of electricity, Ecat, could become the best device, mechanism or system to implement what we have called “distributed generation”, and thereby, provide more safely and efficiently to consumer customers
Hi, I’m studding in hvac system, the e-cat is a really interesting product for heating application…. does anybody knows how much Btu’s can this machine produce?
It would be a good idea ask Rossi himself. Oddly enough he hasn’t revealed that. Rossi will usually respond to e-mails like yours. Write him here. Thanks Frank
info@leonardocorp1996.com
You may also want to consider ground source heat pumps, which use pipes buried in the garden to extract heat from the ground.
You should take that up with Andrea Rossi himself. It sounds like a good idea.
Heat pumps can be used in areas that have tempertures below freezing. The way this done is to use ground loading. Tubes containing a circulating liquid heat transfer material are buried below the frost line in my area 10 to 12 feet deep. The tubes are connected to the heat pump. The heat is transfered from 55 degree source in the winter and to the 55 degree soil in the summer time. If you live by a pond or lake the water below the ice works even better.