Deuterium - the next energy source?

**Horsepower** · August 7th, 2006 06:08 PM

I'm sorry i don't know what show that is as I can't sit infront of the tv for 5mins without feeling uneasy so i usually don't. heehehe.

I found that info somewhere (prolly one of those US univ sites) while researching about Deuterium and it's potential.

Anyway, since deuterium is there, it can be a commodity if we make the demand for it. Meaning, products would be designed around it like car engines. IIRC, Mercedes already made a prototype.

Just like medicines, some countries create deseases to create money out of useless pills. (not that i support that).

**ghosthunter** · August 7th, 2006 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Horsepower

I'm sorry i don't know what show that is as I can't sit infront of the tv for 5mins without feeling uneasy so i usually don't. heehehe.

I found that info somewhere (prolly one of those US univ sites) while researching about Deuterium and it's potential.

Anyway, since deuterium is there, it can be a commodity if we make the demand for it. Meaning, products would be designed around it like car engines. IIRC, Mercedes already made a prototype.

Just like medicines, some countries create deseases to create money out of useless pills. (not that i support that).

So far, all I have found was the space shuttle being used to DETECT deuterium in outer space and other bodies like the moon, etc. No mention of actually using a deuterium moderated nuclear reactor in space from a ground launched vehicle.

**mazdamazda** · August 7th, 2006 06:21 PM

apart from converting to just hydrogen... deuterium is now the main focus for nuclear fusion research. its holy grail is deuterium-deuterium reaction (though it needs higher temperatures & pressure) which is non-radioactive in nature.

**badsekktor** · August 7th, 2006 06:24 PM

well it might be costly compared to oil but if the world's oil deposits depletes then i guess we dont have any choice but swallow the price....

**mazdamazda** · August 7th, 2006 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by ghosthunter

So far, all I have found was the space shuttle being used to DETECT deuterium in outer space and other bodies like the moon, etc. No mention of actually using a deuterium moderated nuclear reactor in space from a ground launched vehicle.

google: "hydrogen fluoride laser"

this isn't being used yet in current space shuttles but lab testing are now on-going to harness deuterium as the next rocket fuel.

**oldblue** · August 8th, 2006 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by uls

ok... so there's riches under the Philippine Sea.

So we just have to get it and sell it and become rich.

umm... who will do the get-it part?

oh we pinoys will get it alright. but we need the Americans to lead it for us coz if we do it ourselves, meaning our own leaders, baka sa equipment pa lang overcharge na

**ghosthunter** · August 8th, 2006 09:15 AM

nope... with pinoys, the politicians will be arguing to no end which one of them will be the one to "discover" the deuterium sources within the philippines territory.

**ghosthunter** · August 8th, 2006 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by mazdamazda

google: "hydrogen fluoride laser"

this isn't being used yet in current space shuttles but lab testing are now on-going to harness deuterium as the next rocket fuel.

taken from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_fluoride_laser

Hydrogen fluoride laser is an infrared chemical laser. It is capable of delivering continuous output power in megawatt range.

Hydrogen fluoride laser operates at the wavelength of 2.7-2.9 µm. This wavelength is absorbed by the atmosphere, effectively attenuating the beam and reducing its reach, unless used in vacuum. However, when deuterium is used instead of hydrogen, the deuterium fluoride, lases at the wavelength of about 3.8 µm. This makes the deuterium fluoride laser usable for terrestrial operations.

The deuterium fluoride laser constructionally resembles a rocket engine. In the combustion chamber, ethylene is burned in nitrogen trifluoride. This reaction produces free excited fluorine radicals. Just after the nozzle, the mixture of helium and hydrogen or deuterium gas is injected to the exhaust stream; the hydrogen or deuterium reacts with the fluorine radicals, producing excited molecules of deuterium or hydrogen fluoride. The excited molecules then undergo stimulated emission in the optical resonator region of the laser.

Deuterium fluoride lasers have found military applications: the MIRACL laser, the Pulsed Energy Projectile and the Tactical High Energy Lasers are of the deuterium fluoride type.

The underlined sentence might explain deuterium for rockets. The laser RESEMBLES a rocket engine, not acts as a rocket engine.