The image, here, is of ego eradicator, which is frequently practiced in Kundalini 3ho.org yoga for several minutes at a time. When the arms remain down, it is the traditional Breath of Fire. Both focus on rapid forced exhalation through the nose, and compression of the belly, to push all stale air out. The inhalation should be an automatic reflex, also through the nose, keeping the chin slightly down to engage the jalandhara bandha (chin lock).
This is one of my daily personal practices, as prescribed by my Ayurvedic doctor, for multiple reasons. I incorporate this in many of my therapeutic workshops, and frequently recommend it to my students. It is part of the Sivananda Yoga, http://www.sivanandayoga.org sequence from which Integral Yoga was born.
Integral Yoga (Swami Satchidananda) integralyoga.org recommends kapalabhati to stimulate digestive organs, clear the mind, burn out excess mucus, and clean the nadis (meridians/channels) in the skull.
According to Dr. Vasant Lad, http://www.ayurveda.com/about/the-ayurvedic-institute this is the best pranayama for depression. It awakens the kundalini, massages the ovaries and prostate glands making it beneficial for those with fibroids, and improving fertility and impotence. It’s also excellent for respiratory problems, including asthma.
This should not be practiced by pregnant women, people with uncontrolled high blood pressure, glaucoma, or recent abdominal surgeries.