Overview
ARBOK-DEUTERIUM produces heavy water (deuterium oxide, D₂O) — essential for nuclear fission moderation/cooling and fusion — using a proprietary multi-phase evaporation–condensation cycle at ambient temperature, instead of electrolysis that evaporates thousands of tonnes of freshwater per tonne of D₂O. It runs at 1–1.5 kWh/m³ with no membranes, catalysts, or consumables, can draw deuterium from seawater, fits in a 40-ft container, and co-produces deuterium-depleted light water. It is the same isotope-separation platform as ARBOK-Tritium.
Applications
Primary use cases: heavy-water supply for fission reactors and fusion experiments; tritium production feed; medical-isotope support; deuterium-depleted light water byproduct.
Industries and users: nuclear power and research, isotope suppliers, national strategic programs.
Scale: containerized (40-ft), modular for industrial and research deployment.
Operating Principle
A proprietary thermodynamic multi-phase evaporation–condensation cycle progressively enriches deuterated water: feedwater is purified and conditioned, then across many phase shifts standard water is incrementally replaced by heavy water until D₂O concentration is sufficient. Ambient temperature, deep vacuum, no consumables.
Limitations: does not yet separate semi-heavy water (HOD) from D₂O without further R&D; isotope separation is inherently staged (lower throughput than desalination).
Key Parameters
Energy: 1–1.5 kWh/m³. Feed: freshwater or seawater. Outputs: heavy water (D₂O) + deuterium-depleted light water. No filters, membranes, catalysts, or adsorbents. Containerized (40-ft).
Architecture and Components
Feedwater purification; thermodynamic conditioning; multi-phase evaporation–condensation enrichment train; heavy/light water collection; control system (PLC/SCADA). Containerized, modular.
Advantages
Technical: ambient-temperature isotope separation; no electrolysis, no consumables; seawater-compatible.
Economic: 1–1.5 kWh/m³ OPEX; cost ~$1 000–1 500 per m³ heavy water vs a $20 000–500 000/tonne market.
Environmental: green process, no hazardous byproducts; reduced freshwater dependence.
Strategic: independent national D₂O source; dual output (heavy + deuterium-depleted light water).
Integrations
Shares the isotope-separation platform with ARBOK-Tritium; deploys near nuclear facilities; integrates with desalination and water-treatment lines; modular scaling.
Deployment & Operation
Steps: water assay → unit sizing → containerized install (near reactor or water line) → commissioning. Ambient temperature, automated; modular scale-up.
TRL
TRL 7 (confirmed by Michael). Prototype proven in operational environment; the isotope-separation physics underpins the ARBOK-Tritium line. Remaining: full industrial scale-up and HOD/D₂O final-separation R&D.
Market Potential
Heavy-water market is tens of thousands of tonnes/year at $20 000–500 000/tonne, with strategic demand for reactor moderator/coolant, fusion research, and tritium feed. Low-energy, seawater-capable production enables independent national supply.
Typical Project Economics
Production cost ~$1 000–1 500 per m³ of heavy water vs a market price of $20 000–500 000/tonne — a wide margin. OPEX 1–1.5 kWh/m³; CAPEX modular/containerized; (site economics by feed and required D₂O concentration).
Risk Factors
Pilot-to-industrial scale-up; HOD/D₂O final separation needs further R&D; nuclear-sector regulatory and security requirements; staged-throughput economics; offtake to nuclear programs.
Related Technologies
ARBOK-Tritium · Vacuum Osmosis · ARBOK-VC (Vacuum Cracking) · ARBOK MedZWD