Experimental investigation of the fragmentation of molten metals in water

Small amounts of molten tin and bismuth were dropped into water to investigate the fragmentation of molten metals.The major parameter of the experimental program was the initial drop temperature but drop mass and drop material were also varied. The pressure signal of the interaction was recorded, high speed motion pictures of the interaction were made, and the metallic debris was collected. The experiments and analysis were patterned after and were intended to be a continuation of work done by Trond Bjornard. Several important additions were made to the experimental apparatus. Specifically they were a hotter furnace to allow a greater range of initial drop temperature, provision of an argon atmosphere during the melting and dropping of the metal sample to prevent excessive oxidation at high temperatures, and modification of the tape recorder to allow a longer time interval to be recorded. An attempt was made to interpret the dwell time in terms of the cooling of the molten drop. Calculations show that, in the case of tin, drops with an initial temperature greater than 6000C will cool to a temperature in the vicinity of 6000C before fragmenting. (U.S.)