Speed of Sound Measurements in Helium at Pressures from 15 to 100 MPa and Temperatures from 273 to 373 K

The speed of sound in helium was measured along five isotherms in a temperature range from 273 to 373 K at pressures from 15 to 100 MPa with a relative expanded uncertainty (k = 2) from 0.02 to 0.04%. A dual-path pulse-echo system was utilized to conduct these measurements. The data were compared with the reference equation of state developed by Ortiz Vega et al. At pressures up to 50 MPa, relative deviations were within the uncertainty of our measurements, while, at higher pressures, increasing negative deviations were observed up to -0.26%. We also compared the results with predictions based on the virial equation of state correct to the seventh virial coefficient, using the ab initio virial coefficients reported recently by Gokul et al., finding agreement to within the experimental uncertainty at all investigated states.