Shock wave generated by composite energetic material driven by electrical non-penetrating wire explosion plasma.

Area of Science:

• * Engineering
• * Materials Science
• * Geophysics

Background:

• * Underwater shock wave technology is crucial for enhancing oil and gas reservoir permeability, particularly for low-maturity resources.
• * Current methods using electrical wire explosion plasma require complex load assembly.
• * Achieving high-intensity, safe, and controllable shock waves is essential for practical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To propose and evaluate a novel energetic material load design using a non-penetrating wire to drive composite energetic materials.
• * To simplify the production process of energetic loads for underwater shock wave generation.
• * To assess the shock wave parameters and energy release characteristics of the new design.

Main Methods:

• * Development of an energetic material load utilizing a non-penetrating wire configuration.
• * Experimental testing to measure energy deposition and shock wave intensity.
• * Schlieren diagnosis to visualize the dynamic process of composite energetic material driving and energy release.
• * Comparative analysis with traditional underwater electrical wire explosion and a "non-wire" structure.

Main Results:

• * The non-penetrating wire design simplifies energetic load production.
• * Both energy deposition and shock wave intensity were reduced compared to traditional methods.
• * Shock wave intensity remained higher than standard underwater electrical wire explosions.
• * Schlieren imaging revealed gradual driving and non-concentrated energy release from the composite energetic material.
• * A "non-wire" structure resulted in random ionization and weak shock waves due to slow detonation.

Conclusions:

• * The non-penetrating wire method offers a simplified approach to energetic load fabrication for underwater shock wave generation.
• * While shock wave intensity is reduced, it remains viable for applications requiring controlled dynamic rock fracturing.
• * The gradual energy release mechanism warrants further investigation for optimizing shock wave generation.