Overcoming the Coulomb Barrier: Energy Requirements

[cassioiks]

How much energy particles must have in order to overcome the Coulomb Barrier?
Or the correct way to ask this is how much temperature is required for this?

 

[mheslep]

How much energy particles must have in order to overcome the Coulomb Barrier?
Or the correct way to ask this is how much temperature is required for this?

See here for example:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nucene/coubar.html#c1

 

[cassioiks]

Found this one too: http://burro.cwru.edu/Academics/Astr221/StarPhys/coulomb.html

Just 3-10 keV of energy to overcome it.

 

[mheslep]

Found this one too: http://burro.cwru.edu/Academics/Astr221/StarPhys/coulomb.html

Just 3-10 keV of energy to overcome it.

Well that is not anywhere close to the energy required to overcome the classical physics coulomb barrier. Quantum mechanics nonetheless predicts the two particles have a chance of tunneling through the coulomb barrier. In the case of proton-proton fusion the chance is comparatively low, so that even the in the great densities found in the sun's core the chance of fusion for a given particle amounts to once in some millions of years. The isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium (D) and tritium (T), have a much greater chance of fusing for a given energy. The maximum chance for D-T fusion occurs from ~15 to 100 keV. I believe the European magnetic confinement fusion reactor ITER is intended to around 10-15 keV using D-T.

[URL]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Fusion_rxnrate.svg[/URL]

 

[ayazdanbod]

fusor inventor

The question of the Coulomb Barrier could also be addresses as how can one eliminate the electric field setup between the two nuclei approaching each other? This question is addressed in a new patent application published on USPTO patent applications website. Just search Coulomb Barrier and nuclear fusion. The title of the invention is: “apparatus and process for penetration of the Coulomb Barrier”. This invention teaches how the height of the Coulomb Barrier could be reduced and then eliminated.