Generation of extreme state of water by spherical wire array underwater electrical explosion

Abstract

The results of the first experiments on the underwater electrical explosion of a spherical wire array generating a converging strong shock wave are reported. Using a moderate pulse power generator with a stored energy of ≤6 kJ and discharge current of ≤500 kA with a rise-time of ∼300 ns, explosions of Cu and Al wire arrays of different diameters and with a different number and diameter of wires were tested. Electrical, optical, and destruction diagnostics were used to determine the energy deposited into the array, the time-of-flight of the shock wave to the origin of the implosion, and the parameters of water at that location. The experimental and numerical simulation results indicate that the convergence of the shock wave leads to the formation of an extreme state of water in the vicinity of the implosion origin that is characterized by pressure, temperature, and compression factors of (2 ± 0.2) × 1012 Pa, 8 ± 0.5 eV, and 7 ± 0.5, respectively.