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

The invention relates to a method for fragmenting and/or weakening pourable material (1) by means of high-voltage discharges. In said method, a material flow of the pourable material (1) is guided past a high-voltage electrode assembly (2) having one or more high-voltage electrodes (7), the material flow being immersed in a process liquid (4), while high-voltage punctures through the material (1) are produced by applying high-voltage pulses to the high-voltage electrodes (7). The zone of the material flow in which the high-voltage punctures through the material (1) are produced is bounded by substantially unmoved zones (9) of the same material (1) laterally, as viewed in the guiding-past direction (S). The method according to the invention enable the fragmenting and/or weakening of pourable material (1) in a low-wear and low-contamination manner in a continuous process by means of high-voltage discharges.