Heavy water handbook. Evaluation of available thermophysical properties of heavy water (D2O) liquid and vapour

Numerous publications on the thermophysical data of heavy water (D2O) have been published since D2O became commercially available in the 1930's. Some of these data are in mutual disagreement. This has led to confusion among the scientifical and technical staffs who needed the information on the D2O thermophysical data. Correct thermophysical data must be consistent, i.e. their mutual relations must be in accordance to the fundamental thermophysical laws. The work behind this publication has been focussed at collecting all avalilable D2O data and checking the data mutually by means of these fundamental thermophysical criteria. Depending on the various production methods, the oxygen content of the D2O is enriched more or less in the heavier oxygen isotopes 17O and 18O. This, together with the amount of impurities and dissolved gases in the D2O samples of the various references, might - to some extent - explain the discrepancies between the data sources. Only a few references contain information on these subjects. The D2O data sets which were found to be the most reliable are presented in chapter 9, in tables as well as in diagrams, together with the corresponding H2O data for comparison. The diagrams are commented for reliability where it was found necessary. Furthermore, the publication contains short descriptions on the heavy water sources, availability, production processes, economy, material and energy demands for production. A comprehensive list of references is enclosed. (author)