Optical examination of shockwave propagation induced by an underwater wire explosion

Abstract

We have been investigating underwater-explosion-induced shockwave-propagation phenomena for use in a robust food-processing system. This system comprises a high-voltage capacitor bank with a gap switch, water tank, and wire explosive. We performed an optical examination of the shockwave generated by a wire explosion using an electrical discharge in the water tank. Simultaneously, we measured the shock pressure and investigated the effects of various electrical characteristics upon the shockwave propagation phenomena. To obtain various strengths of the underwater shockwave, 0.6-, 1.0-, and 1.4-mm width wires made from 1.0- mm-thick aluminum plates were used at various voltages. As an example, a shockwave with a propagation velocity of 1,600 m/s was observed from an explosion generated using a 1.0-mm-width aluminum wire. We found that the strength of the shockwave could be controlled by the applied discharge voltage and wire size.