Near-Field Shock Wave Propagation Modeling and Energy Efficiency Assessment in Underwater Electrical Explosions

This study systematically investigates the influence of capacitor energy storage parameters on the energy utilization efficiency of the underwater electrochemical explosion process. By integrating spherical and cylindrical shock wave propagation models, the pulse shock wave energy under different capacitor energy storage levels was theoretically calculated and experimentally validated. The results indicate that the applicability of the shock wave propagation model depends on the distance and aquatic environment: the spherical model is more suitable for short-distance, deep-water conditions, whereas the cylindrical model performs better for long-distance or shallow-water conditions. Within the energy storage range of up to 100 J, increasing the capacitance significantly enhances both the pulse energy output and energy utilization efficiency. Specifically, as the stored energy increased from 13 J to 100 J, the shock wave energy rose from 0.051 J to 2.45 J, and the energy utilization rate improved from 0.39% to 2.45%. Nevertheless, the overall energy utilization efficiency remains below 10%. This study confirms that rationally configuring capacitor parameters can effectively regulate the discharge process, providing important experimental and theoretical support for optimizing energy utilization efficiency.