Simplified Deuterium System Drawing/Schematic

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Joshua Guertler
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Simplified Deuterium System Drawing/Schematic

Post by Joshua Guertler »

Greetings all,

Unsurprisingly, the deuterium system can be the costliest - and most restrictive - component of a fusor for a high school or college student looking to make a garage fusor, coming in at around $500 for gas, regulators, and containers. Moreover, international builders are confronted by the seemingly insurmountable hurdle of getting pressurized deuterium through customs.

Likewise, if we want to open up the world of homemade fusion to the larger population, without breaking their banks, we must find a new, cheaper solution for generating deuterium gas in mass. We would especially like to help those with demo fusors who haven't been able to make the jump due to costs make that jump into fusion.

Fortunately, individuals on this forum such as Mark Rowley, Richard Hull, and Bob Reite have all spent a great deal of time engaging in the pursuit of a universal solution. Their work has given us new solutions to these old daemons, and with their advice we hope to get closer to this ultimate goal.

In the hope of providing the simplest solution - both cheap enough and available enough for everyone - I have created a Google Folder with detailed schematics of a full deuterium system. Excluding the low and medium flow valves, the cost of the system was a mere $36, $20 of which came from the heavy water.

The system makes use of a simple 100 mL syringe filled by deuterium from a standard 3V Horizon PEM cell, although any 3-5 V PEM cell should do just fine. While heavy water is loaded into the fuel cell via 10 mL syringe, you bu no means need to fill the syringe up to 10 mL; 1 mL of heavy water will produce 1.24 L of D2 gas at STP, so the ~$90 you would have had to spend on 20 L gas alone is replaced by a ~$20 bottle.

If you are interested in checking out the drawings, please check it out here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

Thank you and have a great day, I hope that this is one of the ways that I can give back to the forum!

Sincerely,
Joshua Guertler
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Richard Hull
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Re: Simplified Deuterium System Drawing/Schematic

Post by Richard Hull »

The PEM cell can and has solved a lot of issues for younger DIY type folks with limited budgets. I am unaware of any studies that deal with possible water/heavy water vapor contamination in such systems. If significant, It certainly would still allow fusion to take place, but would hinder fusion from being done to a significant degree. I would like to hear from anyone who has done the PEM cell work and have a record of doing it to the mega neutron mark level. If this is the case, then the PEM cell is a real research level source of deuterium for a fusor.

We hear so much about the PEM cell, but I would like someone who has been extremely successful with it at this upper level to chime in and help me create a Definitive FAQ on how they deployed, utilized and obtained over one million n/s with it. This should include a full diagram of the gas system only. I imagine this might work better with lower volume fusors like crosses. (just a hunch).

While I am a bottled gas guy with a couple of backup full tanks on hand, and will not use the PEM cell in future, I would like to work out a very detailed FAQ for folks who are less fortunate and determine if it is a truly significant source for research.

Richard Hull
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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Mark Rowley
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Re: Simplified Deuterium System Drawing/Schematic

Post by Mark Rowley »

Richard,I have hit 500k n/s with my PEM cell arrangement but am limited by my power supply to go much further. In the next month I hope to have a mod completed to allow for a few more milliamps. I'll post BTI results and an accompanying vid when I make an attempt at the mega mark.

Mark Rowley
Joshua Guertler
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Re: Simplified Deuterium System Drawing/Schematic

Post by Joshua Guertler »

Greetings Mr. Hull,

I agree with the general premise of your point about its capabilities for low-budget fusors, however I would like to echo the sentiments of Mr. Rowley. These sorts of PEM cells have historically run quite well (in different set ups, granted) with fusors in the several hundred thousand neutron counts per second rate.

PEM cells are nice because they are pretty dry, however it is possible that some minute amount of D2O would likely make it through the membrane. If it is a problem, I would suggest drierite, which should keep any release to an absolute minimum.

You're absolutely right that there will be some restrictions for the big guys if they work with PEM deuterium, as the purity is less than 99.95% and each syringe holds a maximum of 100 mL, which will last the user 20-30 minutes. However, for those who are happy with 500k neutron counts per second, as opposed to several million, I'd vote that a PEM would be a cheap way to help them meet their required goals.

Sincerely,
Joshua Guertler
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Richard Hull
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Re: Simplified Deuterium System Drawing/Schematic

Post by Richard Hull »

As I stated originally, the PEM cell obviously works fine. Many who have done fusion with it are testament to its functionality. I have long posited that some sort of dryer for the gas from any form of electrolysis, PEM cell or chemical reaction would be a good idea. I merely would like to get the reality of the PEM cell in a FAQ for all future users. Also DIY folks tend to hit, do fusion and then leave by the nearest exit. The PEM cell has assisted them mightily in their rush through these forums. Performance for the DIY crowd has never meant beans to them. They are here for the "win" and that alone.

It is realized that the purity of the gas beyond about 99% is just a waste of money, but it is also known that water vapor in the fusor to any moderate degree will throw ions in the mix that are harmful and deleterious to the reaction.

No one who has not hit the mega neutron mark with the PEM cell will be chided for not having a supply capable of achieving this major goal. I would, ultimately, like to see it done, of course. I think it is probably doable. I want to have that person work up a FAQ with me with a full procedure, diagram and list of materials for such a success.

Richard Hull
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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Mark Rowley
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Re: Simplified Deuterium System Drawing/Schematic

Post by Mark Rowley »

For the purposes stated by Joshua, my mega attempt will be done with the 60kV precipitator supply. If it fails then good, we know it's limitations but so far there's enough range left that it may be possible. When I start with the mods I post about it within the input power section.

Mark Rowley
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Richard Hull
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Re: Simplified Deuterium System Drawing/Schematic

Post by Richard Hull »

I look forward to the report once more voltage is applied, and good luck.

Richard Hull
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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