Method and device for fragmenting and/or weakening pourable material by means of high-voltage discharges

The invention relates to a method for fragmenting and/or weakening pourable material (1) by means of high-voltage discharges. According to said method, an annular or arcuate material flow (4) of the material (1) is formed and said material flow is guided past a high-voltage electrode assembly (2) while immersed in a process liquid (5), by means of which high-voltage electrode assembly high-voltage punctures through the material flow (4) are produced in that high-voltage pulses are applied to the high-voltage electrodes of the high-voltage electrode assembly by means of a high-voltage generator (3). Material (1) is fed to the material flow (4) upstream of the high-voltage electrode assembly (2), and material (1) is led away from the material flow (4) downstream of the high-voltage electrode assembly (2). The method according to the invention enables a continuous process, in which the speed at which the material (1) is led through the process zone and the intensity with which high-voltage punctures are applied to the material can be set in wide ranges and any insufficiently processed material (1) exiting the process zone can be fed back to the process zone over a very short distance and practically without additional space requirement.