Speed of Sound of n-Hexane and n-Hexadecane at Temperatures Between 298 and 373 K and Pressures up to 100 MPa

Measurements of the speed of sound u for n-hexane and n-hexadecane at temperatures of 298.3, 323.15, 348.15, and 373.15 K and at pressures up to 100 MPa are reported. The speeds of sound, the temperatures, and the pressures are subject to an uncertainty of ±0.1%, ±0.01 K, and ±0.2 MPa, respectively. These measurements were undertaken using a new apparatus which has been constructed for measurement of the speed of sound in liquids and supercritical fluids at pressures up to 200 MPa and at temperatures between 248 and 473 K. The technique is based on a pulse-echo method with a single transducer placed between two plane parallel reflectors. The speed of sound is obtained from the difference between the round-trip transit times in the two paths. It is expected that both the precision and the accuracy of the method can be further improved.