Breaking of ice using pulsed power

The breaking of ice using shock waves produced by a pulsed power generator is suggested as a new method for navigation of icebreakers in order to realize the safe and quick navigation in icebound sea. Shock waves can be produced by applying a voltage between electrodes in contact with an ice sample. The ice breaking by the pulsed power was demonstrated in tap water experimentally. During the experiments, the ice sample was artificially made from pure water. In the salt water with a salinity of 3.5%, the ice sample was not broken according to the results obtained using the cylindrical electrode with a flat tip. By using the conical electrode with the pointed tip, the above ice sample was broken. The shock waves caused by the ionized region formed at the tip of the conical electrode and the localized intense stress at the crack seem to be the important factors behind the ice breaking in the salt water.