Influence of electrodes nature on the electrical characteristics of spark discharges in water

Abstract

Discharge in dielectric liquid is a field of research involved in many applications. Here, we study the influence of electrode material on the electrical characteristics of discharges in distilled water. For a given electrode material, the discharges are run continuously (at 5 Hz) until they fail to occur. Voltage and current waveforms of each discharge are recorded and processed, using an algorithm, to determine the probability of discharge occurrence, breakdown voltage, discharge current, and discharge delay. Anode erosion rate was also determined, and its dependence on the physical properties of the material, such as melting temperature and Young's modulus, is discussed.