One-dimensional simulation for shock waves generated by underwater electrical wire explosion

To understand the formation mechanism of the shock waves (SWs) generated by underwater electrical wire explosion (UEWE), double artificial viscosities are introduced to establish one-dimensional simulation model for SWs by UEWE based on classic piston model and similarity parameter method. In this simulation the trajectory of the discharge plasma channel (DPC) boundary serves as the unique input parameter, water pressure and SW velocity versus the distance from exploding wire and the period from exploding moment are obtained. The calculated results are compared with the experimental values from the other literatures to confirm the validity. The SWs calculated with double artificial viscosities method coincide well with the practical situation. At the explosion beginning the SW pressure reaches the grade of GPa at the DPC boundary, the obtained pressure amplitudes of SWs are found to be in direct proportion to the -0.7 power of radial propagation distance. The calculating method does not involve the complicated processes of pulse discharge, physical changes of DPC, and physical-chemistry interaction between DPC and water, only the DPC boundary trajectory obtained by experimental diagnostics is taken to simulate the generation and propagation processes of SWs generated by UEWE.