Cavitation dynamics of a local discharge in dielectric liquids

Abstract

The sequence of events following a localized electrical discharge in a dielectric liquid can be studied using a triggered spark gap in conjunction with a shadowgraph optical arrangement [1]. It has previously been shown that the events which are observed can be explained in terms of the expansion and contraction of a vapour bubble, and that the goemetry of the bubble is approximately hemispherical[2]. This considerably simplifies the description of the process mathematically.