Preliminary study on electrical wire explosion utilized in pyro-breaker

•Based on the mechanism of shock wave generation from electrical wire explosion, a novel driving method utilizing electrical wire explosion technology is proposed as an alternative to traditional high-energy explosive-driven pyro-breaker. This is a crucial issue of the reliability of quench protection system in large fusion device.•Through experiments, the arc contact breaking process of the pyro-breaker was observed, and the pressure required for breaking was measured.•A microsecond experimental platform for underwater wire electric explosion was established, and the discharge parameters and shock wave intensity were measured and analyzed. The experimental results indicate that the shock wave intensity generated by the electrical wire explosion meets the design requirements for breaking arc contact.•In this paper, this study provides a theoretical foundation and technical support for the optimization of the driving source in pyro-breaker within quench protection system, which will significantly reduce the cost of pyro-breaker. Quench protection system (QPS) is critical for ensuring the safety operation of superconducting magnets in nuclear fusion devices, while the pyro-breaker is wildly used in QPS for backup protection. This paper discusses the feasibility of using Underwater Electrical Wire Explosion (UEWE) to drive pyro-breaker. Firstly, the overall structure and the driving mechanism of arc contact of pyro-breaker are analyzed. Secondly, the detonation pressure required for contact breaking is measured by experiment. Then a microsecond-level UEWE experimental platform was established to test the discharge characteristics and shock wave intensity during the electrical explosion process. Finally, the detonation pressure generated by UEWE is measured and compared with contact driving mechanism of pyro-breaker. The experiment demonstrates that the UEWE has sufficient potential for replacing the explosive and driving the pyro-breaker. This study provides a new pathway for the design of the pyro-breaker.