Processes in Water Arc

Water Arc Discharge Technology Modes

 Water arc discharge processes are categorized into three distinct modes based on operating voltage and capacitor parameters. Each mode addresses specific material processing needs and is characterized by different plasma pressures and temperatures.
 Water arc discharge technology operates in three defined modes, each suited to different applications and material types.

Modes and their characteristics
Mode	Voltage (kV)	Capacitance (uF)	Application
Hard	> 50	< 0.1	Crushing hard minerals like basalt or granite, drilling wells in soil containing rock inclusions
Middle	20 … 50	0.1 … 1	Intermediate materials
Soft	≤ 20	≥ 1	Water containing bio-hazardous substances, various wastes, soft rocks, soil, peat or wood, etc.
About 80% of the energy stored in the capacitor is transferred to the discharge and plasma. Most of this energy is dissipated in the discharge during the first current pulse, which lasts up to 300 ns. The peak of the parameters achieved, wherever they were calculated or reported by different researchers:
• Pressure: up to 20 GPa (200,000 atm)
• Temperature: up to 40,000 °C
• High-energy UV visible pulses up to 0.5 kJ/pulse in the 380…425 nm range
• Electromagnetic interference is in the range of 100 kHz…1 GHz
These unique conditions are typically achieved using specialized equipment such as high-pressure diamond anvil cells (DACs), which are used to induce phase transitions, for example, in graphite. The introduction of this rare, advanced technology into mass industrial use marks a significant advance, opening up new manufacturing processes, improved material properties, and greater opportunities for innovation in a variety of fields. A.S.A.D.L.I.R. uses the soft mode, ideal for processing water containing relatively soft inclusions.

Sequence of Plasma Events

1. Capacitor Charging: A high-voltage capacitor is first charged to 10...20 kV.
2. Initiation: An air gap triggers breakdown, allowing a sudden, sharp discharge to the water gap.
3. Arc Formation: The arc in water instantaneously splits (dissociates) H₂O into atomic radicals (H + H + O), creating hot plasma along the discharge channel.
4. Gas and Plasma Cloud: Arc discharge rapidly heats and dissociates the liquid, producing a bulb of gas under high pressure followed by intense hydraulic stress. The radical plasma generated contains atomic hydrogen, atomic oxygen, HHO (mixture), steam, and ions.
5. High, up to 40,000 °C, temperature and intense, up to 0.5 kJ/pulse, UV radiation are seldom applied because of their damaging impact on most biological materials.
6. Hydraulic Shock: Rapid local vaporization and outflow of HHO / steam produce an immense, ultrashort pressure wave. Estimated pressures can briefly reach 20 GPa, modifying water structure and stressing all immersed contents.
7. Recombination: Most "cloud" products rapidly recombine (H + H + O = H₂O) under high pressure, liberating more energy and intensifying the mechanical shock.
8. Hydrogen Yields: To produce free H₂ (molecular hydrogen), additional time and energy are required to allow hydrogen radicals to combine before recombination with oxigen. Otherwise, most hydrogen returns to water, and net H₂ yield is low.
9. Extinction:As the capacitor discharges, the voltage across the electrodes rapidly drops. This decrease in voltage-combined with an increase in ionic conductivity due to the high concentration of ions generated during the arc - leads to the natural extinction (quenching) of the arc. The system remains in this low-energy state until the next high-voltage pulse is initiated, starting the modification cycle anew.

Key Observations

• Hydraulic Impulse from plasma cloud delivers intense, transient stress - greatly exceeding mechanical or ultrasonic methods.
• Most energy release and Liquid Modification occurs during radical recombination, not classic hydrogen combustion or electrolysis.
• The Electrical Circuit, Construction and Geometry of both the Chamber and Electrodes significantly influence the shock wave distribution and plasma channeling (details are not disclosed for Intellectual Property reasons).

Bibliography:

1. P. Sunka, "Pulse electrical discharges in water and their applications," Physics of Plasmas 8, 2587–2594 (2001).
2. K. Hensel, "Water Plasmas: Processes and Applications," in Plasma Chemistry and Catalysis in Gases and Liquids, Wiley-VCH (2012).
3. J.S. Chang et al., "Fundamental Aspects of Plasma Chemical Processes in Liquids," International Journal of Plasma Environmental Science & Technology, Vol 1, No 2 (2007).
4. N. Shirmovsky, "Hydrogen/Oxygen Mixtures Produced by Water Arc," Materials Research Bulletin, Vol 41, 1243-1248 (2006).
5. S.R. Hunter, "Formation of transient species during water arc discharge," J. Applied Physics 53, 299–308 (1982).
6. H. Akiyama et al., "Streamer-to-spark transition and formation of highly conductive channels in water," IEEE Trans Dielectrics 18, 1399–1408 (2011).