Non-stationary turbulent mixing of multichannel discharge plasma and electrolyte

The influence of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability and turbulent plasma-electrolyte mixing on multichannel discharges (MDs) under various experimental conditions is of particular interest. The goal of this work is to study the development of RT instability and turbulent mixing of plasma and electrolyte in the electric field of MD between solid and electrolyte electrodes. The experiments were carried out at atmospheric pressure in the current range I=0.5-20 A, voltages U=300-500 V and electrolyte temperatures T=20-100 deg. C. Tap water and NaCl solutions in water were used as a cathode. Solid electrodes, made from carbonated and instrumental steel, brass, copper, titanium, tungsten, zinc and aluminum, were used. We present photos of MD during the process of instability development between solid anode and electrolyte cathode from the discharge onset to its fading every 0.01 s. The voltage-current characteristics (VCC) of MD during the process of turbulent mixing of the plasma-electrolyte medium at various immersion depths of copper anode are obtained. The analysis of VCC shows that the process of the development of turbulent mixing instability is significantly influenced by the discharge current value, the composition and concentration of the electrolyte and the immersion depth of the electrode. The dependence of electrolyte temperature on discharge current during the process of mixing is also presented.