Water Treatment and Power Co-Generation using Hydrothermal, Supercritical Water Produced by Pulsed Electric Discharges

W. L. Morgan1 and L. A. Rosocha2

1Kinema Research and Software, USA
2Applied Physics Consulting, LCC, USA

Abstract- Our recent experiments and analyses have demonstrated the possibility of producing supercritical water at high temperatures and densities using a short pulse electric surface discharge in saline solutions. The electrical conductivity of an electrolyte is far greater at the liquid surface than is the bulk conductivity. A short pulse (10 s-100 s ns), high voltage and current surface discharge will then ablate liquid layers, much like laser ablation, driving the ablated fluid to super critical temperatures, pressures and densities above the saturation line, as is found with exploding wires in water. We discuss the experiments, theory, and applications herein.

Keywords- Supercritical water, shock wave, detonation, deflagration, electrolyte, electric discharge, high temperature, high pressure



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