A new technique for investigating vapour bubble implosion experimentally

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Abstract
A new experimental technique has been developed to investigate condensation and collapse of vapour bubbles in a sub-cooled liquid, and of the pressure waves which are generated in the process. It appears particularly suited to the study of opaque liquids such as liquid sodium, when visual observation is impossible. Initial tests with water at about 20°C have generated condensation shocks of 650 b with the collapse of as little as 100 cm3 of vapour and 1250 b with 500 cm3 of vapour. There is evidence of very brief and extremely high pressure transients, beyond resolution with the measuring apparatus used for the initial experiments. The classical effect of `collapse' and `rebound' has been observed by high-speed ciné photography through the transparent walls of the apparatus. A qualitative description of the apparatus is given as well as a selection of some of the results.