FAQ: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

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Richard Hull
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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Richard Hull »

I was given to understand at one time that they were making their own D20 via electrolysis, which would make it of extremely low grade, probably 75%.

However, it they are buying it by the drum from a reputable chemical firm with proper analysis sheets tagged to the lot and just re-bottling the stuff, then that is a totally different matter.


If I were remarketing something like this I would send along a copy of my order for the large lot drum (my cost covered up) along with a copy of the lot numbered analysis sheet from my supplier source. (it is common for chemical firms to supply lot analysis sheets with product.) This would instill a lot of buyer confidence in my re-marketed, re-packaged product. This is especially important when selling an isotopic form of water!

Frank's test helped a bit. It ain't tap water.

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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Andrew Seltzman »

I just bought 100g of heavy water on the web from a supplier that distributes NMR grade deuterated solvents. It cost $55, $10 less then Uniter Nuclear. It is 99.9%, was very profesionaly packed, and came with a MSDS. For larger quantities UN is not the best place to buy from (price wise).

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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Roberto Ferrari »

Richard,
Yo are right, Pd membrane will take a time to let the D2 go through.
An H2 commercial generator, with a cell of 6 Pd tubes -very thin walls- each with approx. 1000 mm2 active surface (approx. 120 mm long x 3 mm diam) can supply continuously 150 ml/min.
So, a single tube can approx. supply 25 ml/min. If not enough to feed the fusor, a modified Andrew's generator with a Pd tube can be run for an hour prior to use and the D2 collected in a small intermediary reservoir, in order to feed the fusor for a time.
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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Adam Szendrey »

What's the name of the supplier?
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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Adam Szendrey »

I may have found them:

[color=#FF0000]admin note 160322[/color] : 11+ year old dead link to wilmad-labglass-dot-com has been deleted.

Somebody let us know if you an find another source of heavy water. [/color]


They list 100 g of 99.9 % D2O for $55.
I have sent an email to their regional representative, asking if this item is avaliable in this region.
Thanks for pointing out that there are cheaper sources for D2O, Andrew.

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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Andrew Seltzman »

Yes, wilmad labglass was the supplier.

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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Richard Hull »

I assume the ml/min figures are for STP. If it is then 25ml/min STP would be more than enough.

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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Roberto Ferrari »

Yes Richard,

you are right, at STP conditions.

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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Adam Szendrey »

Hi guys,

I have sent an email a while back to UN, to ask them if they can provide a certificate.
Here is their reply:

"Yes, we can provide certification un request.
We supply Heavy Water to most Universities and they also require purity certification and ACS traceable certificates for their analysis and work.
Certification is available for any of out Reagent chemicals."

I haven't got a reply from Wilmad-Labglass yet.

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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Starfire »

Aldrich will supply Deuterium Oxide Ultra - D at 99.999 atom % isotopic purity certified ( cat ref 61.340-1 ) -- $120 for 10g

But Richard is correct - Palladium foil is the best drying filter/barrier but it takes a very long time for the D2 to permeate. It works better with a heated foil. Was used in;-

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7715#p55674
image one.

The pallidium foil is the sealed filter in photo on the left calibrated electrolyliser. This calibrated tube ( 1ml syringe ) allowed gas transfer volume to be measured. The Oxygen side recorded the total O produced and was proportional to the total gas ratio at one bar.
The amount of gas needed for a Fusor is tiny
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Electrolyliser2x.jpg
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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Andrew Seltzman »

Looks nice. How fast did the D2 penatrate the foil? how thin was the foil?

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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Starfire »

sorry for delay Andrew - I only get on at week ends now. Foil was hot rolled down from a 0.1 mm foil to about 0.005 and Indium soldered on to a SS ring washer then sealed in the plastic tube, but it took forever for the D2 to permeate the foil at 1 bar - the D2O had a bit of Sodium added and was electrolyzed at atmosphere. It would be better with the foil hot and the pressure higher - but how? This was a high school project and on a very small budget.

see Richards post -
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2220#p11730
and followups

also of interest is Franks ;-
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2440#p11950
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Re: Heavy Water Electrolysis Deuterium Source

Post by Richard Hull »

I upgraded this superb thread to a "FAQ".

Now a Simple search of "FAQ" in "titles" only within this forum will bring up this prime discussion on heavy water electrolysis.

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Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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