Practical Conversion of Zero-Point Energy

Tom Valone presents a nicely written practical "workbook" which should be of interest to anyone choosing to research this area of physics.

No, it is not "practical", but the usual collection of information which can be found on the internet. Nice to have it in a book form, but nothing you won't read elsewhere.

The most important aspect of this book, for me, is its discussion of the existence of zero-point energy. The first hurdle is for scientists to agree that there is an unknown force that affects their experiments. If this force can be tapped into, then we can have essentiall 'free energy.'With a background in economics (not physics) I do agree with many other readers about the text being complicated, but it's a feasability study not an instruction manual. My recommendation is to follow the book with Valone's presentation on Google Video. That helped me understand some of the more complicated experiments that were conducted.Things I liked about the book:Practical, real world examplesProof that zero-point energy exists and we've known it all alongFlurry of references to patents and inventorsThings I didn't like so much:Extremely technical discussionsConclusion to the extent that it's more feasible with nano and micro tecnhnologyWhat is interesting is the author (in the video) speaks of nano-machines that have already been created, but lack a nano-source of continuous energy - which I had never even considered (i.e. they have the machines, but no way to power them).There's a video class that can be bought (search google) called "Physics for Non-Scientists" that I think is an excellent precurser to reading this book.

Today this country faces a destabilizing dependency on irreplaceable fossil fuels which are also rapidly dwindling. As shortages of oil and natural gas occur with more frequency, the "New Energy Crisis" is now heralded in the news media (Time, Newsweek, National Geographic) more often than ever. However, an alternate source of energy that can replace fossil fuels has not been reliably demonstrated. A real need exists for a portable source of power that can compete with fossil fuel and its energy density. A further need exists on land, in the air, and in space, for a fueless source of power which, by definition, does not require re-fueling. The future freedom, and quite possibly the future survival, of mankind depend on the utilization of such a source of energy, if it exists. This book proves that zero-point energy is known to exist and offers all of the avenues for its application to solve the energy crisis.Yet, none of the world's physicists or engineers are participating in any national or international energy development project, such as advocated by the Apollo Alliance, that would extend beyond nuclear power. It is painfully obvious that zero-point energy does not appear to most scientists as the robust source of energy worth developing. Therefore, an aim of this feasibility study is to provide a clear understanding of the basic principles of the only known candidate for a limitless, fueless source of power: zero-point energy. Another purpose is to look at the practical energy conversion methods that are realistically available to modern engineering, including emerging nanotechnology, for the possible use of zero-point energy.Based on a year of research and submitted as his doctoral thesis, the Practical Conversion of Zero-Point Energy feasibility study is a masterful, comprehensive work, with almost 300 references. Revised and updated for 2005, it represents the cutting edge of practical zero-point energy conversion technology. A summary of all of the major topics discussed in the book are listed below:TABLE 3 - Vacuum Engineer's Toolkit--------------------------------------------------------------Each entry contains "Tool" - "Effect" - "Page"--------------------------------------------------------------Aperiodic quantum stochastic resonance (AQSR) - Generates electrical current from nonthermal and thermal fluctuations - p.65-67Brownian motors - Biases Brownian motion of particles, often in an anisotropic medium - p.58Casimir engine - Electrical current generator designed by Pinto using a microcantilever, microlaser and Casimir force - p.44-47Casimir force - Attractive (or repulsive) force from two parallel plates about 1 micron apart - pgs.6, 18, 50Cavity QED - Alters atomic transition probability in small cavities - p.20Dark energy - ZPE that powers galactic acceleration, also measured in the lab - p.67Dielectric constant of surface - Affects Casimir force when illuminated by light pgs.45, 52, 53Einstein-Hopf drag - Retarding force from vacuum due to motion (F= -Rv) - p.55Electromagnetic ZPE Converter - Dual sphere device using beat frequencies to downshift ZPE - pgs.27-44Femtosphere - Particle size where QM and Rutherford scattering applies - pgs.40-44Fluctuation-Dissipation theorem - Source+dissipation=fluctuation; Predicts and explains fundamental nature of ZPF - pgs.11, 57Fluctuation-driven transport - mechanism that can convert chemical energy into motion of particles and macromolecules - p.58Focusing vacuum fluctuations - Increases energy density of ZPE and attractive Casimir force - p.48-49Fokker-Planck equation - Can apply to ferrofluid system to predict noise-driven motion of particles - p.64Langevin's equation - Like F-D theorem, helps design Brownian motors - pgs.58, 63Lasing without inversion (LWI) - Sustained laser output from microlasers which have long radiation cavity lifetime - p.56Magnetic field - Inhibits Casimir force - p.20Microbox geometry - Varies Casimir force from + attractive to - repulsive - pgs.50-51Microcantilever - Flexible membrane that displays Casimir deflection - pgs.44, 49Microlaser - Solid state laser 2 microns across - p.46Nonresonant ion trap - Electrfied cavity that concentrates charged particles - p.44Photo-Carnot engine - Allows extraction of work from a single thermal reservoir where radiation is the working fluid - p.56Quantum coherence - Changes relative strengths of emission and absorption in a cavity - p.57Quantum ratchet - Repeating cells that move particles with fluctuation-driven transport - pgs.59-60Recoil - Increases the energy of a dipole, associated with photon absorption and emission, both of which are in the same direction! - p. 55Rectifying thermal noise - Generates electrical current with asymmetric external potential - p.64Resonance - Can trap scattering particles into bound state - p.42Resonant fluorescence - Dramatically increases absorption when incident energy equals binding energy of target - p.41Sonoluminescence - ZPE caused light emission due to extreme temperature and pressure - p.21Spatial squeezing of vacuum - Can double photon emission from cavity by changing dimensions abruptly - p.48Temperature - Increase will broaden resonance peak - p.39Thermal fluctuations/noise - temperature-caused stochastic oscillations and vibrations - pgs.62-63Time-dependent refractive index - Causes part of ZPE to convert to real photons - p.53Transient fluctuation theorem - Nonzero probability for negative work for short periods of time - p.61Unruh-Davies Effect - Acceleration causes ZPE to create thermal fluctuations - p.53Upscattering - Gain of energy to incident particle up to 10 kT energy - p.39Vacuum field amplification - Increases quantum nonthermal noise with a gain medium - p.67Vacuum field perturbations - Nonabelian EM field may alter speed of light/object - p.55Vacuum polarization - Increase in local activity in the quantum vacuum near the edge of a physical charged particle - p.10

Good book but with these books you really have to be a physisist to understant all of it. Most do a poor job relaying info to the lower crust.

I may not understand much of this physicist's book but I am scientifically based enought to realize that the argument and presentation is compelling beyond amazing. Give this guy a break and let him make his statement to the uppermost echelons of science. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose. His vision is literally mind blowing.

This book has numerous typos, incomplete sentances and formatting problems. The bulk of the content is in the form of inconclusive scientific formulas with poor descriptions of their significance. They are not tangible to anyone without a PhD in quantum physics and mathematics, and many of them are quite simply incorrect. Zero Point energy is a truly fascinating topic and there are many excellent books about it, but this one just barely gets to stay in my library, simply as a collection of detailed formulas, some of which are very good and some of which are not.

This book was prepared more for the Physics teachers at a university level than for average people who are expecting to get information they can work with.The information is strictly dealt with at a research level, and not at a practical level as the title intimates. The examples cited deal with many particles at a molecular and nano level, not very useful for the backyard scientist.Example ;vacuum polarization is, however, a relativistic effect involving electron positron pairs as the hole-theoretic interpretation assumes; a electrostatic field causes a redistribution of charge in the Dirac sea and thus polarizes the vacuum. Okay, so i'm dumb! Paul

Brilliant, thank you...

the book was too far advanced for my limited knowledge.

another of those zero point books that have no substance. It's mostly thoughts on what could be in the distant future and little of any consiquence now.