Deuterium tank

The deuterium tank (or deuterium storage tank) is a component of the warp propulsion system aboard most starships that utilize a matter-antimatter reaction, such as Federation starships. The tank is designed to store deuterium for use in the warp core, in order to provide power to the nacelles.

Deuterium tanks are constructed of forced-matrix 2378 cortanium and stainless steel and insulated by alternating parallel and biased layers of foamed vac-whisker silicon-copper-duranite. An individual compartmentalized deuterium tank has enough space for 63,200 cubic meters of deuterium, although the normal load is 62,500 cubic meters, which is sufficient for three years of multi-mission operations. While in storage, deuterium is cryogenically held in the tanks in slush form at 13.8 Kelvin.