After reading about some of the challenges encountered by experimenters on this website with Celani cells, I decided to try my luck and build a cell from scratch. The resulting design consists of two coaxial fused quartz tubes with Al alloy end pieces. The outer tube maintains vacuum/pressure while the inner tube holds the helically wound NiCu wire. The outer tube is sealed via machined Al ends which use O-rings and vacuum grease to obtain a vacuum/pressure seal. Power and thermocouple wires are routed through Conflat fittings, as is the gas/vacuum line. The first photo shows the inner quartz tube with Macor spacers and wound with NiCu wire. Helical winding assures the wire stays in place during thermal cycling. It also increases the wire's surface area. Wire oxidation is done in atmosphere with the center tube removed. The second diagram is a schematic showing the components of the cell, and the third file is a photo of the assembled cell. I have performed a number of calibration runs on the cell in an airflow calorimeter, and the results are repeatable. I have also completed a few active runs, but cannot claim to have reliably observed excess heat. However, the cell design appears to be quite robust, having no leaks or mechanical problems. The next step is to upgrade the temperature measurement electronics.

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