Speed of Sound in Distilled Water as a Function of Temperature and Pressure

An ultrasonic pulse type apparatus was used to measure the speed of sound in distilled water over the pressure range 14.7 to 14 000 psia and the temperature range 0.9 to 91.2°C. The temperature where the maximum sound speed occurs shifts to a higher temperature when the pressure is increased. At atmospheric pressure the computed maximum speed was 1555.36 m/sec and occurred at a temperature of 74.164°C. The isotherms of sound speed, plotted as a function of pressure, are concave upward below 20°C, concave downward above 20°C, and are approximately linear near 20°C for the pressure range of 14.7 to 14 000 psia. These curvatures have a maximum value of 1 part in 300 compared to the estimated accuracy of measurement which is 1 part in 10 000. The results are presented in tables and also in the form of a fourth degree equation fitted to the experimental data by the method of least squares.