Given that the natural abundance of deuterium is .015% of all hydrogen (at
least according to the CRC Handbook), I got curious as to how much power
could be produced if we were only reacting the deuterium, as has been
suggested here in the past. At a fuel consumption of .003kl/hr per kl
of TL9-TL12 fusion plant, I calculated that about 5MW maximum power could
be obtained at 100% fusion of the deuterium (which would be aneutronic, I
think...). Given that
a) 6MW per .003kl can be produced in larger (more efficient??) units and
b) I doubt that 100% efficient anything is going to exist (at least at the
lower TLs) and that the 5MW does not include any efficiency losses in
conversion to useful energy
some other reaction must be taking place. If we were really using D/T fusion
we would have the problem with radiation shielding that has been alluded to.
If we assume 4H -> 1HE at some incredibly inefficient reaction efficiency
(perhaps assisted by D reactions of some sort) then I think we get what we
see in the rules. Metlay's remarks about D/T fusion in Traveller date back
to a previous trip through this topic, in which an HIWG position that ships
used 4H -> HE and fusion/plasma gun packs (below the minimum ship power plant
size) used D + T -> He + n was cited.
Rob Dean
(Yes, I know I've been awfully quiet lately--have no fear, nothing is wrong;
I've just been distracted by other concerns for a while.)