Influence of B-field on the characteristics of pulsed spark discharges in water

Abstract

Spark discharges in water have great potential for use in various technological fields, including pollutant degradation, precision micromachining, and nanomaterial production. However, the large-scale application of these discharges is limited by the complexity of the implicated physical and chemical phenomena, which cannot be easily controlled. In this study, we assess the effect of an external B-field on the electrical characteristics of multiple successive discharges, as well as on the erosion of the electrode. In addition to the B = 0 condition, two configurations of the B-field are investigated: B-parallel and B-perpendicular to the electrode axis, both at the magnitude of 125 mT. The obtained results demonstrate that discharge electrical characteristics and electrode erosion are significantly affected by the B-field. Using a W electrode, the highest and lowest discharge currents are measured in the case of B-perpendicular and B = 0, respectively. Meanwhile, the highest erosion volume is obtained in the case of B = 0. To assess the influence of electrode nature and magnetic properties on the discharges, the results obtained using W (paramagnetic) electrodes were compared to those obtained with Ni (ferromagnetic). The comparison shows that the discharge electrical data are tightly distributed when the Ni electrode is utilized, regardless of the B-condition, whereas the data obtained with the W electrode exhibit significant statistical variations in the presence of the B-field. Overall, the data reported herein indicate that the electrical properties of a spark discharge may be varied and controlled by applying an external B-field.