Present techniques for measuring sound velocity in liquid metals have been limited by the use of transducers which cannot survive in extreme temperature conditions. These methods also require relatively long measurement times. An optical noncontacting method has been developed which may be used for extremely short experimental times and very high temperatures and pressures. This technique is being incorporated into an isobaric expansion apparatus in which a 1 mm diam wire sample in a high pressure argon gas environment is resistively heated to melt within a time period of only a few microseconds. Before instability of the liquid column occurs, thermal expansion, enthalpy, and temperature are measured. The addition of the sound velocity measurement permits a more complete determination of the thermophysical properties of the liquid metal.

These studies indicate that organic matter in coastal sediment constitutes a primary sink for trace metals, both at natural and amended levels. Organic substances are also involved in controlling the mobility and flux of trace metals from sediments. Further, organically-bound trace metals in sediments appear to be an important source to deposit-feeding organisms.

Approximately 80 x 10/sup 12/ Btu/y of thermal energy are contained in molten slags produced by the elemental phosphorus industry, the iron and steel industry, the copper industry, and wet-bottom coal-fired boilers. This study evaluates the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of recovering this wasted energy; the impact of slag waste-heat recovery on the industries in question; and the steps necessary to commercialize applicable heat recovery technology. The study considered two approaches to recovering thermal energy from phosphorus slag: the float chamber and the contact tower. Based on these approaches, nine energy recovery options for converting the energy in slag into other usable forms of energy were conceptualized and economically evaluated. All nine options are considered tecnically feasible and environmentally sound. The economics of the nine options are based on 33.9 kg/s (269,000 lb/h) of slag throughput and vary with both the energy from produced and the realizable total credits for different energy forms. Slag by-product credit is generally needed to make heat recovery economically attractive. Slag waste-heat recovery offers considerable potential for energy savings in the elemental phosphorus, iron and steel, and copper industries. Additional studies are recommended to determine if sufficient by-product credits can be obtained to justify …