Levels of Civilization Based on Deuterium

[hyperiontorus]

Summary:: Similar to the Kardashev Scale, create a means for forming a hierarchy of civilization based on deuterium access.

I'm interested in the fusion process using deuterium, and I've noted that it remains (to this day) the greatest source of energy of any reactions. Because of this reason, I want to evaluate how to create a hierarchy of civilizations based on deuterium cultivation. Is it possible to base a hierarchy of civilizations based on accumulation or fusions of cultivated deuterium?

 

[snorkack]

I'm interested in the fusion process using deuterium, and I've noted that it remains (to this day) the greatest source of energy of any reactions. Because of this reason, I want to evaluate how to create a hierarchy of civilizations based on deuterium cultivation. Is it possible to base a hierarchy of civilizations based on accumulation or fusions of cultivated deuterium?

No, it isn´ t.

To this day, we cannot have controlled fusion of deuterium.
If someone did have a "handwave" way of controlled fusion, protium would be much more abundant than deuterium.
It is plausible to have a device that can usably fuse deuterium but not protium. But we do not have such a device this day.

 

[hyperiontorus]

No, it isn´ t.

To this day, we cannot have controlled fusion of deuterium.
If someone did have a "handwave" way of controlled fusion, protium would be much more abundant than deuterium.
It is plausible to have a device that can usably fuse deuterium but not protium. But we do not have such a device this day.

Interesting. I'm basing my orders of civilization upon deuterium because it provides a middle-ground of fusion between hyrdrogen+1 and helium+2. According to Christopher Barnatt here: https://explainingthefuture.com/helium3.html, in the section topic titled, "Helium-3 and Nuclear Fusion," "In current nuclear fusion reactors, the hydrogen isotopes tritium and deuterium are used as the fuel, with atomic energy released when their nuclei fuse to create helium and a neutron."

Also, this article discusses a new patent for such a "device" that can fuse deuterium and tritium: https://marketmadhouse.com/is-the-us-navy-trying-to-patent-a-fusion-reactor/#:~:text=Theoretically%2C%20the%20device%20could%20achieve%20thermonuclear%20fusion%20by,device%20could%20generate%20one%20trillion%20watts%20of%20power

 

[mfb]

In current nuclear fusion reactors, the hydrogen isotopes tritium and deuterium are used as the fuel

That is generally false. Most of them use helium, regular hydrogen and/or deuterium. The reactors focus on studying the plasma, which you can do without tritium. Adding tritium makes the reactor vessel radioactive, so maintenance becomes much more difficult. The studies are done with a potential future D-T fusion reactor in mind, sure. But very few reactors actually use tritium.

He-3 plus deuterium is not aneutronic as the D-D reaction produces neutrons.

Because of this reason, I want to evaluate how to create a hierarchy of civilizations based on deuterium cultivation. Is it possible to base a hierarchy of civilizations based on accumulation or fusions of cultivated deuterium?

No one stops you from making up categories, just don't expect others to use these categories.

 

[cmb]

I want to evaluate how to create a hierarchy of civilizations based on deuterium cultivation.

kg/capita/year?

Deuterium is a thing which actually has a bunch of uses. I think your fiction would need to be based on what those fictional civilisations used the deuterium for. If it's for energy production, why not just go on the amount of energy it is used to generate, rather than the input material?

 

[Office_Shredder]

It's a bit of a specific thing to measure, right? Basically through modern day we cultivate no deuterium for fusion energy. In a hundred years we might have a better method of energy creation than fusion that involves deuterium.

Total electricity generation per person or something like that seems straightforward and more flexible.