Reply #4: Heat production doesn't necessarily correlate with high temp. [View All]

Granted, heat recovery is more efficient if the reactor runs at high temps -- that's a limitation of thermodynamics. But since heat is drawn out of a reactor as more heat is produced, the actual reactor temp is a matter of equilibrium. Energy could also be converted to electricity or pressure (not necessarily steam), or even H2. (I'm just saying "in principle", since these experiments are at such an early stage it's not clear what energy capture would ultimately involve)

IMO, it's likely that if "cold" fusion ever worked, it would still be run at high temps for efficiency in the energy conversion step. But the temps involved could be more normal industrial temps, not the MILLIONS of degrees required for "conventional" fusion.