Numerical Study on the Effects of Cavitation Bubble Evolution on Dielectric Recovery Characteristics of Water

Water as a common medium is extensively used in pulsed power systems, high-voltage engineering, and insulation applications. This paper developed a numerical simulation model to study cavitation bubble evolution in water, realizing the first quantitative analysis of the coupling effect of bubble internal pressure variation on second breakdown voltage and recovery time. The bubble evolution dominated by pressure inside bubble was developed using the modified Rayleigh-Plesset equation, and the second breakdown voltage was calculated. The calculated results showed the precise values for second breakdown voltage and recovery time. A variation of internal pressure in the bubble’s first pulsation, which was dependent on the second breakdown voltage, was quantified by numerical calculation. The calculated voltages were in good agreement with the experimental results. The calculated results showed that the cavitation bubble could be compressed by surrounding medium, lower initial pressure of bubble results in a considerably shorter recovery time.