Autocyclic annular breakdown in electrolyte with forced collapse of bubbles

The mechanism responsible for the development of autocyclic circular breakdowns in electrolyte as a result of the electric discharge within a hole in a dielectric plate has been experimentally studied. It is demonstrated that the breakdowns are caused by an axisymmetric electrohydrodynamic process involving the formation of a circular bubble breakdown, which acts as a current interrupter at the stage of expansion and as a switch at the stage of collapse, which is followed by the circular breakdown. On the whole, a self-adjusting antiphase process of bubble generation dynamics is developed in the system, whereby each preceding bubble collapses in the field of pressure due to the subsequent bubble breakdown. This collapse proceeds at an accelerated rate and is accompanied by the fractionation of bubbles