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Sample records for air coupled ultrasonic

  1. Examination of Sandwich Materials Using Air-Coupled Ultrasonics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borum, K.K.; Berggreen, Carl Christian

    2004-01-01

    The air-coupled ultrasonic techniques have been improved drastically in recent years. Better equipment has made this technique much more useful. This paper focuses on the examination of sandwich materials used in naval ships. It is more convenient to be able to make the measurements directly...

  2. Air-Coupled Low Frequency Ultrasonic Transducers and Arrays with PMN-32%PT Piezoelectric Crystals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rymantas J. Kazys

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Air-coupled ultrasonic techniques are being increasingly used for material characterization, non-destructive evaluation of composite materials using guided waves as well as for distance measurements. Application of those techniques is mainly limited by the big losses of ultrasonic signals due to attenuation and mismatch of the acoustic impedances of ultrasonic transducers and air. One of the ways to solve this problem is by application of novel more efficient piezoelectric materials like lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT type crystals. The objective of this research was the development and investigation of low frequency (<50 kHz wide band air-coupled ultrasonic transducers and arrays with an improved performance using PMN-32%PT crystals. Results of finite element modelling and experimental investigations of the developed transducers and arrays are presented. For improvement of the performance strip-like matching elements made of low acoustic impedance, materials such as polystyrene foams were applied. It allowed to achieve transduction losses for one single element transducer −11.4 dB, what is better than of commercially available air-coupled ultrasonic transducers. Theoretical and experimental investigations of the acoustic fields radiated by the eight element ultrasonic array demonstrated not only a good performance of the array in a pulse mode, but also very good possibilities to electronically focus and steer the ultrasonic beam in space.

  3. Air-Coupled Ultrasonic Receivers with High Electromechanical Coupling PMN-32%PT Strip-Like Piezoelectric Elements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rymantas J. Kazys

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available For improvement of the efficiency of air-coupled ultrasonic transducers PMN-32%PT piezoelectric crystals which possess very high piezoelectric properties may be used. The electromechanical coupling factor of such crystals for all main vibration modes such as the thickness extension and transverse extension modes is more than 0.9. Operation of ultrasonic transducers with such piezoelectric elements in transmitting and receiving modes is rather different. Therefore, for transmission and reception of ultrasonic signals, separate piezoelectric elements with different dimensions must be used. The objective of this research was development of novel air-coupled ultrasonic receivers with PMN-32%PT strip-like piezoelectric elements vibrating in a transverse-extension mode with electromechanically controlled operation and suitable for applications in ultrasonic arrays. Performance of piezoelectric receivers made of the PMN-32%PT strip-like elements vibrating in this mode may be efficiently controlled by selecting geometry of the electrodes covering side surfaces of the piezoelectric element. It is equivalent to introduction of electromechanical damping which does not require any additional backing element. For this purpose; we have proposed the continuous electrodes to divide into two pairs of electrodes. The one pair is used to pick up the electric signal; another one is exploited for electromechanical damping. Two types of electrodes may be used—rectangular or non-rectangular—with a gap between them directed at some angle, usually 45°. The frequency bandwidth is wider (up to 9 kHz in the case of non-rectangular electrodes. The strip-like acoustic matching element bonded to the tip of the PMN-32%PT crystal may significantly enhance the performance of the ultrasonic receiver. It was proposed to use for this purpose AIREX T10.110 rigid polymer foam, the acoustic impedance of which is close to the optimal value necessary for matching with air. It was

  4. Noncontact ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation/inspection using laser generation and air coupled transducer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jhang, Kyung Young; Kim, Hong Joon; Cemiglia, Donatella; Djordjevic, Boro

    2001-01-01

    Ultrasonic MDE/I methods have been demonstrated as very effective tool in characterization of cracks and structural defects such as bond-line failures. Most of the ultrasonic testing is performed using conventional contact ultrasonic transducers that cannot be readily adapted to automation and field application. However, for large area inspection contact type is time consuming and as a result, it is important to develop a rapid and more efficient ultrasonic technique. In this paper, laser generation and air-coupled detection of ultrasound is proposed as a solution of non-contact method with no requirement of a coupling medium, and the bond quality of adhesively bonded and riveted aluminum lap splice joints is investigated as an application. A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and a periodic transmission mask are used to generate a selected Lamb mode. The experimental show that multi-line laser source produces significant directed ultrasound and that the presence of defects can be detected reliably from the attenuation of signal amplitude. These results demonstrate that the proposed technique is well suitable and flexible for non-contact NDE/I applications.

  5. Air-coupled ultrasonic through-transmission thickness measurements of steel plates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waag, Grunde; Hoff, Lars; Norli, Petter

    2015-02-01

    Non-destructive ultrasonic testing of steel structures provide valuable information in e.g. inspection of pipes, ships and offshore structures. In many practical applications, contact measurements are cumbersome or not possible, and air-coupled ultrasound can provide a solution. This paper presents air-coupled ultrasonic through-transmission measurements on a steel plate with thicknesses 10.15 mm; 10.0 mm; 9.8 mm. Ultrasound pulses were transmitted from a piezoelectric transducer at normal incidence, through the steel plate, and were received at the opposite side. The S1, A2 and A3 modes of the plate are excited, with resonance frequencies that depend on the material properties and the thickness of the plate. The results show that the resonances could be clearly identified after transmission through the steel plate, and that the frequencies of the resonances could be used to distinguish between the three plate thicknesses. The S1-mode resonance was observed to be shifted 10% down compared to a simple plane wave half-wave resonance model, while the A2 and S2 modes were found approximately at the corresponding plane-wave resonance frequencies. A model based on the angular spectrum method was used to predict the response of the through-transmission setup. This model included the finite aperture of the transmitter and receiver, and compressional and shear waves in the solid. The model predicts the frequencies of the observed modes of the plate to within 1%, including the down-shift of the S1-mode. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Characterization of water absorption by CFRP using air-coupled ultrasonic testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Joo Min; Lee, Joo Sung; Park, Ik Keun; Kim, Yong Kwon

    2014-01-01

    Carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites are increasingly being used in a variety of industry applications, such as aircraft, automobiles, and ships because of their high specific stiffness and high specific strength. Aircraft are exposed to high temperatures and high humidity for a long duration during flights. CFRP materials of the aircraft can absorb water, which could decrease the adhesion strength of these materials and cause their volumes to change with variation in internal stress. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate the characteristics of CFRP composites under actual conditions from the viewpoint of aircraft safety. In this study air-coupled ultrasonic testing (ACUT) was applied to the evaluation of water absorption properties of CFRP composites. CFRP specimens were fabricated and immersed in distilled water at 75 degree C for 30, 60, and 120 days, after which their ultrasonic images were obtained by ACUT. The water absorption properties were determined by quantitatively analyzing the changes in ultrasonic signals. Further, shear strength was applied to the specimens to verify the changes in their mechanical properties for water absorption.

  7. Characterization of water absorption by CFRP using air-coupled ultrasonic testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Joo Min; Lee, Joo Sung; Park, Ik Keun [Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yong Kwon [Technology Research and Development Institute, KEPCO Plant Service and Engineering Co., Ltd, Naju (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-04-15

    Carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites are increasingly being used in a variety of industry applications, such as aircraft, automobiles, and ships because of their high specific stiffness and high specific strength. Aircraft are exposed to high temperatures and high humidity for a long duration during flights. CFRP materials of the aircraft can absorb water, which could decrease the adhesion strength of these materials and cause their volumes to change with variation in internal stress. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate the characteristics of CFRP composites under actual conditions from the viewpoint of aircraft safety. In this study air-coupled ultrasonic testing (ACUT) was applied to the evaluation of water absorption properties of CFRP composites. CFRP specimens were fabricated and immersed in distilled water at 75 degree C for 30, 60, and 120 days, after which their ultrasonic images were obtained by ACUT. The water absorption properties were determined by quantitatively analyzing the changes in ultrasonic signals. Further, shear strength was applied to the specimens to verify the changes in their mechanical properties for water absorption.

  8. A study of pipe flow rate measurement using air-coupled ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsukada, Keisuke; Tsuzuki, Nobuyoshi; Kikura, Hiroshige

    2013-01-01

    A non-contact flow meter employing air-coupled ultrasound is developed in this research. Ultrasonic flow meter is applied to the higher accuracy flow rate measurement, compared with pressure difference flow meter. However, ultrasonic flow meter has difficulty to measure in severe conditions such as in the condition of high temperature, high pressure condition, and radioactive materials in fluid. Especially, in high temperature condition, piezoelectric device in ultrasonic sensors lose the piezoelectricity, and it becomes difficult to transmit or detect ultrasound. Thus, in this research, ultrasonic sensors are fixed in the air. Ultrasonic sensors transmit and detect ultrasound through air, and measure the flow rate in the pipe. However, most of ultrasound is refracted and reflected at the boundaries between air and the pipe. And detected signals are weak. To increase the signal level, we developed focusing ultrasonic sensors that was optimized for the pipe flow measurement. And employing these focusing sensors the flow rate measurement has been done in order to evaluate the air-coupled ultrasonic flow meter by the ultrasonic beam focusing technique. (author)

  9. Air-coupled ultrasound: a novel technique for monitoring the curing of thermosetting matrices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lionetto, Francesca; Tarzia, Antonella; Maffezzoli, Alfonso

    2007-07-01

    A custom-made, air-coupled ultrasonic device was applied to cure monitoring of thick samples (7-10 mm) of unsaturated polyester resin at room temperature. A key point was the optimization of the experimental setup in order to propagate compression waves during the overall curing reaction by suitable placement of the noncontact transducers, placed on the same side of the test material, in the so-called pitch-catch configuration. The progress of polymerization was monitored through the variation of the time of flight of the propagating longitudinal waves. The exothermic character of the polymerization was taken into account by correcting the measured value of time of flight with that one in air, obtained by sampling the air velocity during the experiment. The air-coupled ultrasonic results were compared with those obtained from conventional contact ultrasonic measurements. The good agreement between the air-coupled ultrasonic results and those obtained by the rheological analysis demonstrated the reliability of air-coupled ultrasound in monitoring the changes of viscoelastic properties at gelation and vitrification. The position of the transducers on the same side of the sample makes this technique suitable for on-line cure monitoring during several composite manufacturing technologies.

  10. Compact and air-transportable ultrasonic turbine disc bore inspection system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larsen, R.E.; Leon-Salamanca, T.

    1990-01-01

    A compact, lightweight, air-transportable ultrasonic inspection system for bore and keyway regions of shrunk-on turbine discs has been developed. The system utilizes a proprietary ultrasound liquid coupling technique in conjunction with a single pair of gimballed search units to achieve rapid and thorough coverage of bores and keyways in both heavy nuclear and standard fossil discs of nearly any size and having any conceivable web surface contour. Search unit positioning and angulation parameter settings are established in near real-time through a computation algorithm based on a compact vector ray tracing protocol. Modular construction and the use of lightweight, stiff materials throughout facilitates air shipment of the system and its rapid deployment at continental and overseas field sites. Mechanical and ultrasonic features of the system are described. Development and application of the computation algorithm to the ultrasonic inspection of heavy discs at an overseas power station is discussed

  11. A new mode of acoustic NDT via resonant air-coupled emission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solodov, Igor; Dillenz, Alexander; Kreutzbruck, Marc

    2017-06-01

    Resonant modes of non-destructive testing (NDT) which make use of local damage resonance (LDR) have been developed recently and demonstrated a significant increase in efficiency and sensitivity of hybrid inspection techniques by laser vibrometry, ultrasonic thermography, and shearography. In this paper, a new fully acoustic version of resonant NDT is demonstrated for defects in composite materials relevant to automotive and aviation applications. This technique is based on an efficient activation of defect vibrations by using a sonic/ultrasonic wave matched to a fundamental LDR frequency of the defect. On this condition, all points of the faulty area get involved in synchronous out-of-plane vibrations which produce a similar in-phase wave motion in ambient air. This effect of resonant air-coupled emission results in airborne waves emanating from the defect area, which can be received by a commercial microphone (low LDR frequency) or an air-coupled ultrasonic transducer (high frequency LDR). A series of experiments confirm the feasibility of both contact and non-contact versions of the technique for NDT and imaging of simulated and realistic defects (impacts, delaminations, and disbonds) in composites.

  12. A Reference-Free and Non-Contact Method for Detecting and Imaging Damage in Adhesive-Bonded Structures Using Air-Coupled Ultrasonic Transducers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timotius Yonathan Sunarsa

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Adhesive bonded structures have been widely used in aerospace, automobile, and marine industries. Due to the complex nature of the failure mechanisms of bonded structures, cost-effective and reliable damage detection is crucial for these industries. Most of the common damage detection methods are not adequately sensitive to the presence of weakened bonding. This paper presents an experimental and analytical method for the in-situ detection of damage in adhesive-bonded structures. The method is fully non-contact, using air-coupled ultrasonic transducers (ACT for ultrasonic wave generation and sensing. The uniqueness of the proposed method relies on accurate detection and localization of weakened bonding in complex adhesive bonded structures. The specimens tested in this study are parts of real-world structures with critical and complex damage types, provided by Hyundai Heavy Industries® and IKTS Fraunhofer®. Various transmitter and receiver configurations, including through transmission, pitch-catch scanning, and probe holder angles, were attempted, and the obtained results were analyzed. The method examines the time-of-flight of the ultrasonic waves over a target inspection area, and the spatial variation of the time-of-flight information was examined to visualize and locate damage. The proposed method works without relying on reference data obtained from the pristine condition of the target specimen. Aluminum bonded plates and triplex adhesive layers with debonding and weakened bonding were used to examine the effectiveness of the method.

  13. Air-coupled method to investigate the lowest-order antisymmetric Lamb mode in stubbed and air-drilled phononic plates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Dongbo; Zhao, Jinfeng, E-mail: jinfeng.zhao@tongji.edu.cn; Li, Libing; Pan, Yongdong; Zhong, Zheng [School of Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Tongji University, 100 Zhangwu Road, 200092, Shanghai (China); Bonello, Bernard [CNRS, UMR 7588, Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, F-75005, Paris (France); Wei, Jianxin [State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, 18 Xuefu Road, 102249, Pekin (China)

    2016-08-15

    In this work, we applied a robust and fully air-coupled method to investigate the propagation of the lowest-order antisymmetric Lamb (A{sub 0}) mode in both a stubbed and an air-drilled phononic-crystal (PC) plate. By measuring simply the radiative acoustic waves of A{sub 0} mode close to the plate surface, we observed the band gaps for the stubbed PC plate caused by either the local resonance or the Bragg scattering, in frequency ranges in good agreement with theoretical predictions. We measured then the complete band gap of A{sub 0} mode for the air-drilled PC plate, in good agreement with the band structures. Finally, we compared the measurements made using the air-coupled method with those obtained by the laser ultrasonic technique.

  14. Air-coupled method to investigate the lowest-order antisymmetric Lamb mode in stubbed and air-drilled phononic plates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongbo Zhang

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available In this work, we applied a robust and fully air-coupled method to investigate the propagation of the lowest-order antisymmetric Lamb (A0 mode in both a stubbed and an air-drilled phononic-crystal (PC plate. By measuring simply the radiative acoustic waves of A0 mode close to the plate surface, we observed the band gaps for the stubbed PC plate caused by either the local resonance or the Bragg scattering, in frequency ranges in good agreement with theoretical predictions. We measured then the complete band gap of A0 mode for the air-drilled PC plate, in good agreement with the band structures. Finally, we compared the measurements made using the air-coupled method with those obtained by the laser ultrasonic technique.

  15. The function profile of compressed-air and ultrasonic nebulizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Hsin-Lin; Lin, Yung-Zen; Wu, Wei-Fong; Huang, Fu-Yuan

    2003-01-01

    In order to study the detailed function of two kinds of nebulizers commonly used in clinical asthma treatment, compressed-air and ultrasonic, this study was conducted. At the beginning, various flow rates were adjusted, paired with different volumes of solutions in the container. The changes of temperature, pH, and osmolality during the course of nebulization were examined. Normal saline, terbutaline, and fenoterol solutions were used as the nebulized solutions. The study was performed in an environment in ambient temperature around 20 degrees C and relative humidity around 70%. The results showed a minimal 6 L/min flow rate was required to nebulize the solution when using the compressed-air nebulizer. The dead volume was about 0.8 ml for compressed-air and 8.5 ml for the ultrasonic nebulizer. When using the compressed-air nebulizer, the temperature, both in the solution and at the mouthpiece site, dropped gradually. On the contrary, the temperatures at both sites increased a little bit when using the ultrasonic nebulizer. The pH values of pure terbutaline and fenoterol nebulized solutions were acidic (3.58 and 3.00 respectively). The osmolality of terbutaline and fenoterol nebulized solutions were isotonic. The osmolality increased gradually during the course of nebulization, to a greater extent in the compressed-air nebulizer. In conclusion, both types of nebulizers have their special features. The ultrasonic nebulizer displays less extent in change of temperature and osmolality during nebulization and is expected to be a better device in treating asthmatic patients in terms of lesser effect on cooling and changing the osmolality of airway mucosa.

  16. Influence of Air Humidity and Water Particles on Dust Control Using Ultrasonic Atomization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okawa, Hirokazu; Nishi, Kentaro; Shindo, Dai; Kawamura, Youhei

    2012-07-01

    The influence of air humidity and water particles on dust control was examined using ultrasonic atomization at 2.4 MHz, an acrylic box (61 L), and four types of ore dust samples: green tuff (4 µm), green tuff (6 µm), kaolin, and silica. It was clearly demonstrated that ultrasonic atomization was effective in raising humidity rapidly. However, at high relative air humidity, the water particles remained stable in the box without changing to water vapor. Ultrasonic atomization was applied to suppress dust dispersion and 40-95% dust reduction was achieved at 83% relative air humidity. Dust dispersion was more effective with ultrasonic atomization than without.

  17. Phenomenally High Transduction Air/gas Transducers for Practical Non-Contact Ultrasonic Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhardwaj, Mahesh C.

    2009-03-01

    Based on novel acoustic impedance matching layers and high coupling piezoelectric materials this paper describes exceptionally high air/gas transduction ultrasonic transducers. By providing applications oriented performance of these transducers we also usher in the era of much desired Non-Contact Ultrasound (NCU) testing and analysis of a wide range of materials including early stage formation of materials such as uncured composite prepregs, green ceramics and powder metals, plastics, elastomers, porous, hygroscopic, chemically bonded and other materials. Besides quality control, ultimately NCU offers timely opportunities for cost-effective materials production, energy savings, and environment protection.

  18. Optimization design of high power ultrasonic circular ring radiator in coupled vibration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Long; Lin, Shuyu; Hu, Wenxu

    2011-10-01

    This paper presents a new high power ultrasonic (HPU) radiator, which consists of a transducer, an ultrasonic horn, and a metal circular ring. Both the transducer and horn in longitudinal vibrations are used to drive a metal circular ring in a radial-axial coupled vibration. This coupled vibration cannot only generate ultrasound in both the radial and axial directions, but also focus the ultrasound inside the circular ring. Except for the radial-axial coupled vibration mode, the third longitudinal harmonic vibration mode with relative large vibration amplitude is also detected, which can be used as another operation mode. Overall, the HPU with these two vibration modes should have good potential to be applied in liquid processing, such as sonochemistry, ultrasonic cleaning, and Chinese herbal medicine extraction. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Non-contact feature detection using ultrasonic Lamb waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinha, Dipen N [Los Alamos, NM

    2011-06-28

    Apparatus and method for non-contact ultrasonic detection of features on or within the walls of hollow pipes are described. An air-coupled, high-power ultrasonic transducer for generating guided waves in the pipe wall, and a high-sensitivity, air-coupled transducer for detecting these waves, are disposed at a distance apart and at chosen angle with respect to the surface of the pipe, either inside of or outside of the pipe. Measurements may be made in reflection or transmission modes depending on the relative position of the transducers and the pipe. Data are taken by sweeping the frequency of the incident ultrasonic waves, using a tracking narrow-band filter to reduce detected noise, and transforming the frequency domain data into the time domain using fast Fourier transformation, if required.

  20. Measurements of the weak bonding interfacial stiffness by using air-coupled ultrasound

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Lin Wu

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available An air-coupled ultrasonic method, focusing on the problem that weak bonding interface is difficult to accurately measure using conventional nondestructive testing technique, is proposed to evaluate the bond integrity. Based on the spring model and the potential function theory, a theoretical model is established to predict the through-transmission spectrum in double-layer adhesive structure. The result of a theoretical algorithm shows that all the resonant transmission peaks move towards higher frequency with the increase of the interfacial stiffness. The reason for these movements is related to either the normal stiffness (KN or the transverse stiffness (KT. A method to optimize the measurement parameters (i.e. the incident angle and testing frequency is put forward through analyzing the relationship between the resonant transmission peaks and the interfacial spring stiffness at the frequency below 1MHz. The air-coupled ultrasonic testing experiments at the normal and oblique incident angle respectively are carried out to verify the theoretical analysis and to accurately measure the interfacial stiffness of double-layer adhesive composite plate. The experimental results are good agreement with the results from the theoretical algorithm, and the relationship between bonding time and interfacial stiffness is presented at the end of this paper.

  1. Influence of Ultrasonic Vibrations on the Static Friction Characteristics of a Rubber/Aluminum Couple

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Ting-Hai; Gao Han; Bao Gang

    2011-01-01

    A novel ultrasonic vibration approach is introduced into a chloroprene rubber/aluminum friction couple for improving the static friction properties between rubber and metal. Compared to the test results without vibrations, the static friction force of a chloroprene rubber/aluminum couple decreases observably, leading to the ultimate displacement of rubber. The values of the static friction force and ultimate displacement can be ultimately reduced to 23.1% and 50% of those without ultrasonic vibrations, respectively. (fundamental areas of phenomenology(including applications))

  2. Non-contact evaluation of milk-based products using air-coupled ultrasound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, S.; Hindle, S. A.; Sandoz, J.-P.; Gan, T. H.; Hutchins, D. A.

    2006-07-01

    An air-coupled ultrasonic technique has been developed and used to detect physicochemical changes of liquid beverages within a glass container. This made use of two wide-bandwidth capacitive transducers, combined with pulse-compression techniques. The use of a glass container to house samples enabled visual inspection, helping to verify the results of some of the ultrasonic measurements. The non-contact pulse-compression system was used to evaluate agglomeration processes in milk-based products. It is shown that the amplitude of the signal varied with time after the samples had been treated with lactic acid, thus promoting sample destabilization. Non-contact imaging was also performed to follow destabilization of samples by scanning in various directions across the container. The obtained ultrasonic images were also compared to those from a digital camera. Coagulation with glucono-delta-lactone of skim milk poured into this container could be monitored within a precision of a pH of 0.15. This rapid, non-contact and non-destructive technique has shown itself to be a feasible method for investigating the quality of milk-based beverages, and possibly other food products.

  3. A comparison of sputum induction methods: ultrasonic vs compressed-air nebulizer and hypertonic vs isotonic saline inhalation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loh, L C; Eg, K P; Puspanathan, P; Tang, S P; Yip, K S; Vijayasingham, P; Thayaparan, T; Kumar, S

    2004-03-01

    Airway inflammation can be demonstrated by the modem method of sputum induction using ultrasonic nebulizer and hypertonic saline. We studied whether compressed-air nebulizer and isotonic saline which are commonly available and cost less, are as effective in inducing sputum in normal adult subjects as the above mentioned tools. Sixteen subjects underwent weekly sputum induction in the following manner: ultrasonic nebulizer (Medix Sonix 2000, Clement Clarke, UK) using hypertonic saline, ultrasonic nebulizer using isotonic saline, compressed-air nebulizer (BestNeb, Taiwan) using hypertonic saline, and compressed-air nebulizer using isotonic saline. Overall, the use of an ultrasonic nebulizer and hypertonic saline yielded significantly higher total sputum cell counts and a higher percentage of cell viability than compressed-air nebulizers and isotonic saline. With the latter, there was a trend towards squamous cell contaminations. The proportion of various sputum cell types was not significantly different between the groups, and the reproducibility in sputum macrophages and neutrophils was high (Intraclass correlation coefficient, r [95%CI]: 0.65 [0.30-0.91] and 0.58 [0.22-0.89], p compressed-air nebulizers and isotonic saline. We conclude that in normal subjects, although both nebulizers and saline types can induce sputum with reproducible cellular profile, ultrasonic nebulizers and hypertonic saline are more effective but less well tolerated.

  4. Feasibility on Ultrasonic Velocity using Contact and Non-Contact Nondestructive Techniques for Carbon/Carbon Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Im, K. H.; Chang, M.; Hsu, D. K.; Song, S. J.; Cho, H.; Park, J. W.; Kweon, Y. S.; Sim, J. K.; Yang, I. Y.

    2007-03-01

    Advanced materials are to be required to have specific functions associated with extremely environments. One of them is carbon/carbon(C/C) composite material, which has obvious advantages over conventional materials. The C/Cs have become to be utilized as parts of aerospace applications and its low density, high thermal conductivity and excellent mechanical properties at elevated temperatures make it an ideal material for aircraft brake disks. Because of permeation of coupling medium such as water, it is desirable to perform contact-less nondestructive evaluation to assess material properties and part homogeneity. In this work, a C/C composite material was characterized with non-contact and contact ultrasonic methods using a scanner with automatic-data acquisition function. Also through transmission mode was performed because of the main limitation for air-coupled transducers, which is the acoustic impedance mismatch between most materials and air. Especially ultrasonic images and velocities for C/C composite disk brake were compared and found to be consistent to some degree with the non-contact and contact ultrasonic measurement methods. Low frequency through-transmission scans based on both amplitude of the ultrasonic pulse was used for mapping out the material property inhomogeneity. Measured results were compared with those obtained by the dry-coupling ultrasonic UT system and through transmission method in immersion. Finally, feasibility has been found to measure and compare ultrasonic velocities of C/C composites with using the contact/noncontact peak-delay measurement method based on the pulse overlap method.

  5. Cement-based materials' characterization using ultrasonic attenuation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Punurai, Wonsiri

    The quantitative nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of cement-based materials is a critical area of research that is leading to advances in the health monitoring and condition assessment of the civil infrastructure. Ultrasonic NDE has been implemented with varying levels of success to characterize cement-based materials with complex microstructure and damage. A major issue with the application of ultrasonic techniques to characterize cement-based materials is their inherent inhomogeneity at multiple length scales. Ultrasonic waves propagating in these materials exhibit a high degree of attenuation losses, making quantitative interpretations difficult. Physically, these attenuation losses are a combination of internal friction in a viscoelastic material (ultrasonic absorption), and the scattering losses due to the material heterogeneity. The objective of this research is to use ultrasonic attenuation to characterize the microstructure of heterogeneous cement-based materials. The study considers a real, but simplified cement-based material, cement paste---a common bonding matrix of all cement-based composites. Cement paste consists of Portland cement and water but does not include aggregates. First, this research presents the findings of a theoretical study that uses a set of existing acoustics models to quantify the scattered ultrasonic wavefield from a known distribution of entrained air voids. These attenuation results are then coupled with experimental measurements to develop an inversion procedure that directly predicts the size and volume fraction of entrained air voids in a cement paste specimen. Optical studies verify the accuracy of the proposed inversion scheme. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of using attenuation to measure the average size, volume fraction of entrained air voids and the existence of additional larger entrapped air voids in hardened cement paste. Finally, coherent and diffuse ultrasonic waves are used to develop a direct

  6. Laser ultrasonics for bulk-density distribution measurement on green ceramic tiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Revel, G. M.; Cavuto, A.; Pandarese, G.

    2016-10-01

    In this paper a Laser Ultrasonics (LUT) system is developed and applied to measure bulk density distribution of green ceramic tiles, which are porous materials with low heat conductivity. Bulk density of green ceramic bodies is a fundamental parameter to be kept under control in the industrial production of ceramic tiles. The LUT system proposed is based on a Nd:YAG pulsed laser for excitation and an air-coupled electro-capacitive transducer for detection. The paper reports experimental apparent bulk-density measurements on white ceramic bodies after a calibration procedures. The performances observed are better than those previously achieved by authors using air-coupled ultrasonic probes for both emission and detection, allowing to reduce average uncertainty down to about ±6 kg/m3 (±0.3%), thanks to the increase in excitation efficiency and lateral resolution, while maintaining potential flexibility for on-line application. The laser ultrasonic procedure proposed is available for both on-line and off-line application. In this last case it is possible to obtain bulk density maps with high spatial resolution by a 2D scan without interrupting the production process.

  7. Effects of Driving Frequency on Propagation Characteristics of Methane - Air Premixed Flame Influenced by Ultrasonic Standing Wave

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bae, Dae Seok; Kim, Jeong Soo [Pukyong National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Seo, Hang Seok [Hanwha Corporation, DaeJeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-02-15

    An experimental study was conducted to scrutinize the influence of the frequency of an ultrasonic standing wave on the variation in the behavior of a methane-air premixed flame. The evolutionary features of the propagating flame were captured by a high-speed camera, and the macroscopic flame behavior, including the flame structure and local velocities, was investigated in detail using a post-processing analysis of the high-speed images. It was found that a structural variation and propagation-velocity augmentation of the methane-air premixed flame were caused by the intervention of the ultrasonic standing wave, which enhanced the combustion reaction. Conclusive evidence for the dependency of the flame behaviors on the driving frequency of the ultrasonic standing wave and equivalence ratio of the reactants is presented.

  8. Under sodium ultrasonic imaging system for PFBR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patankar, V.H.; Lalwani, S.K.; Agashe, A.A.

    2014-01-01

    Under Sodium UltraSonic Scanner (USUSS) has been developed to detect the growth and protrusion of fuel sub-assemblies of PFBR, submerged in liquid sodium by using the ultrasonic imaging technique during reactor shut-down when liquid sodium is at 180 ℃. The imaging is carried out prior to every Fuel handling operation. Electronics Division, BARC has designed and developed an 8-Channel Ultrasonic Imaging System (UIS) which consists of 4 downward viewing and 4 side viewing ultrasonic transducers alongwith pulser-receiver, signal processing electronics hardware and software. An automated mechanical scanner developed by IGCAR houses sodium immersible transducers to image the fuel sub assemblies. The system has been successfully tested with dummy protruding and grown FSAs, submerged under liquid sodium. Such ultrasonic imaging systems are not available to India from international market. The USUSS developed indigenously has all the features available in similar systems developed by other countries. After every imaging campaign, the mechanical scanner containing ultrasonic transducers is stored in the Argon filled storage-pit. Before every campaign of USUSS, it is necessary to check the healthiness of the sodium immersible and contaminated ultrasonic transducers, as the under-sodium scanner is decontaminated once in five years. For this purpose, a novel Non Contact Ultrasonic Inspection System (NCUIS) has been designed and developed by Electronics Division, BARC to check the functionality of the high-temperature and contaminated transducers of USUSS, using air-coupled ultrasonic technique. (author)

  9. Non-contact fluid characterization in containers using ultrasonic waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinha, Dipen N [Los Alamos, NM

    2012-05-15

    Apparatus and method for non-contact (stand-off) ultrasonic determination of certain characteristics of fluids in containers or pipes are described. A combination of swept frequency acoustic interferometry (SFAI), wide-bandwidth, air-coupled acoustic transducers, narrowband frequency data acquisition, and data conversion from the frequency domain to the time domain, if required, permits meaningful information to be extracted from such fluids.

  10. Bi-directional ultrasonic wave coupling to FBGs in continuously bonded optical fiber sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wee, Junghyun; Hackney, Drew; Bradford, Philip; Peters, Kara

    2017-09-01

    Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors are typically spot-bonded onto the surface of a structure to detect ultrasonic waves in laboratory demonstrations. However, to protect the rest of the optical fiber from any environmental damage during real applications, bonding the entire length of fiber, called continuous bonding, is commonly done. In this paper, we investigate the impact of continuously bonding FBGs on the measured Lamb wave signal. In theory, the ultrasonic wave signal can bi-directionally transfer between the optical fiber and the plate at any adhered location, which could potentially produce output signal distortion for the continuous bonding case. Therefore, an experiment is performed to investigate the plate-to-fiber and fiber-to-plate signal transfer, from which the signal coupling coefficient of each case is theoretically estimated based on the experimental data. We demonstrate that the two coupling coefficients are comparable, with the plate-to-fiber case approximately 19% larger than the fiber-to-plate case. Finally, the signal waveform and arrival time of the output FBG responses are compared between the continuous and spot bonding cases. The results indicate that the resulting Lamb wave signal output is only that directly detected at the FBG location; however, a slight difference in signal waveform is observed between the two bonding configurations. This paper demonstrates the practicality of using continuously bonded FBGs for ultrasonic wave detection in structural health monitoring (SHM) applications.

  11. Enhanced electromechanical response of ferroelectret ultrasonic transducers under high voltage excitation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bovtun, Viktor; Döring, J.; Bartusch, J.; Gaal, M.; Erhard, A.; Kreutzbruck, M.; Yakymenko, Y.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 112, č. 2 (2013), s. 97-102 ISSN 1743-6753 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP204/10/0616 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : air coupled ultrasonics * non-contact transducers * ferroelectrets * piezoelectric effect * electrostriction Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.107, year: 2013

  12. Review of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers and their applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Joontaek; Lee, Wonjun; Kang, Woojin; Shin, Eunjung; Choi, Hongsoo; Ryu, Jungho

    2017-01-01

    In recent decades, micromachined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs) have been investigated as an alternative to conventional piezocomposite ultrasonic transducers, primarily due to the advantages that microelectromechanical systems provide. Miniaturized ultrasonic systems require ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor circuits. Hence, piezoelectric MUTs (pMUTs) and capacitive MUTs (cMUTs) have been developed as the most favorable solutions. This paper reviews the basic equations to understand the characteristics of thin-film-based piezoelectric devices and presents recent research on pMUTs, including current approaches and limitations. Methods to improve the coupling coefficient of pMUTs are also investigated, such as device structure, materials, and fabrication techniques. The device structure improvements include multielectrode pMUTs, partially clamped boundary conditions, and 3D pMUTs (curved and domed types), where the latter can provide an electromechanical coupling coefficient of up to 45%. The piezoelectric coefficient ( e 31 ) can be increased by controlling the crystal texture (seed layer of γ -Al 2 O 3 ), using single-crystal (PMN-PT) materials, or control of residual stresses (using SiO 2 layer). Arrays of pMUTs can be implemented for various applications including intravascular ultrasound, fingerprint sensors, rangefinders in air, and wireless power supply systems. pMUTs are expected to be an ideal solution for applications such as mobile biometric security (fingerprint sensors) and rangefinders due to their superior power efficiency and compact size. (topical review)

  13. Review of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers and their applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Joontaek; Lee, Wonjun; Kang, Woojin; Shin, Eunjung; Ryu, Jungho; Choi, Hongsoo

    2017-11-01

    In recent decades, micromachined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs) have been investigated as an alternative to conventional piezocomposite ultrasonic transducers, primarily due to the advantages that microelectromechanical systems provide. Miniaturized ultrasonic systems require ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor circuits. Hence, piezoelectric MUTs (pMUTs) and capacitive MUTs (cMUTs) have been developed as the most favorable solutions. This paper reviews the basic equations to understand the characteristics of thin-film-based piezoelectric devices and presents recent research on pMUTs, including current approaches and limitations. Methods to improve the coupling coefficient of pMUTs are also investigated, such as device structure, materials, and fabrication techniques. The device structure improvements include multielectrode pMUTs, partially clamped boundary conditions, and 3D pMUTs (curved and domed types), where the latter can provide an electromechanical coupling coefficient of up to 45%. The piezoelectric coefficient (e 31) can be increased by controlling the crystal texture (seed layer of γ-Al2O3), using single-crystal (PMN-PT) materials, or control of residual stresses (using SiO2 layer). Arrays of pMUTs can be implemented for various applications including intravascular ultrasound, fingerprint sensors, rangefinders in air, and wireless power supply systems. pMUTs are expected to be an ideal solution for applications such as mobile biometric security (fingerprint sensors) and rangefinders due to their superior power efficiency and compact size.

  14. Two-phase air-water stratified flow measurement using ultrasonic techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan, Shiwei; Yan, Tinghu; Yeung, Hoi

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, a time resolved ultrasound system was developed for investigating two-phase air-water stratified flow. The hardware of the system includes a pulsed wave transducer, a pulser/receiver, and a digital oscilloscope. The time domain cross correlation method is used to calculate the velocity profile along ultrasonic beam. The system is able to provide velocities with spatial resolution of around 1mm and the temporal resolution of 200μs. Experiments were carried out on single phase water flow and two-phase air-water stratified flow. For single phase water flow, the flow rates from ultrasound system were compared with those from electromagnetic flow (EM) meter, which showed good agreement. Then, the experiments were conducted on two-phase air-water stratified flow and the results were given. Compared with liquid height measurement from conductance probe, it indicated that the measured velocities were explainable

  15. Evaluation of Air Coupled Ultrasound for Composite Aerospace Structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tat, H.; Georgeson, G.; Bossi, R.

    2009-03-01

    Non-contact air coupled ultrasound suffers from the high acoustic impedance mismatch characteristics of air to solid interfaces. Advances in transducer technology, particularly MEMS, have improved the acoustic impedance match at the transmission stage and the signal to noise at the reception stage. Comparisons of through transmission (TTU) scanning of laminate and honeycomb test samples using conventional piezoelectric air coupled transducers, new MEMS air coupled transducers, and standard water coupled inspections have been performed to assess the capability. An additional issue for air coupled UT inspection is the need for a lean implementation for both manufacturing and in-service operations. Concepts and applications utilizing magnetic coupling of transducers have been developed that allows air coupled inspection operations in compact low cost configurations.

  16. ULTRASONIC NEBULIZATION AND ARSENIC VALENCE STATE CONSIDERATIONS PRIOR TO DETERMINATION VIA INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA MASS SPECTROMETRY

    Science.gov (United States)

    An ultrasonic nebulizer (USN) was utilized as a sample introduction device for an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer in an attempt to increase the sensitivity for As. The USN produced a valence state response difference for As. The As response was suppressed approximate...

  17. An aqueous physical and mathematical modelling of ultrasonic degassing of molten metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meidani, A.R.N.; Hasan, M.

    1999-01-01

    A comprehensive mathematical model, combined with an aqueous physical modelling, have been developed to simulate the ultrasonic degassing of a gassy liquid. The mathematical model forms a set of coupled, highly nonlinear and stiff differential equations. Therefore, the modified Gear method, which is a good numerical scheme for solving extremely fast moving boundary problems is applied. The threshold pressure and the effects of ultrasonic specifications on rectified diffusion of the dissolved air in water with different initial concentrations are studied. The results show that the air bubble grows when the ultrasonic pressure amplitude is more than the threshold pressure. In this case, the bubble volume reaches several times of its initial value in a fraction of second and the gas bubble may float to the surface due to the buoyancy force. A parametric study on the present model is carried out. The results of aqueous physical modelling for bubble growth are compared to the results of the mathematical model which show a reasonable agreement between the experiments and the predictions. (author)

  18. Investigation on the ultrasonic propagation mechanism and its application on air-source heat pump defrosting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan, Haihui; Xu, Guanghua; Tao, Tangfei; Zhang, Sicong; Luo, Ailing

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Optimal defrosting mode for finned-tube evaporator is S0 mode. • Stress excited by ultrasonic vibration is larger than ice adhesion stress 0.4 MPa. • Frequency matching can enhance the defrosting efficiency effectively. • Ultrasonic vibration can effectively suppressing the frost deposition. • Thermal comfort and heat transfer efficiency enhanced with ultrasonic vibration. - Abstract: Frosting deposited on the outdoor coil of air-source heat pump (ASHP) units deteriorates the operational performance and energy efficiency. Therefore, periodic defrosting is necessary. First, the dispersion curves for the propagation mechanism of an ultrasonic guided wave in the evaporator are determined through numerical calculation. In addition, the shear stress and vibration characteristics under ultrasonic excitation are analysed using finite element method (FEM). Finally, the vibration amplitude and defrosting performance of ultrasonic vibration is analysed. The numerical calculation results indicate that three guided wave modes exist in the evaporator, including both A0 and S0 modes of the Lamb wave and SH0 mode of the SH wave, with the optimal defrosting mode being S0 of the Lamb wave. The FEM results show that the vibrational shapes of S0 mode and longitudinal mode clearly exists in the fin and tube, the torsional and flexural modes also exist in the tube, and the FEM results are consistent with the numerical calculation results. The impedance analysis and laser vibrometer results indicate that the resonance frequency shifting, electro-acoustic converting efficiency and vibration energy decrease is due to increasing external load. The ultrasonic defrosting experimental results indicate that ultrasonic vibration can suppress frost deposit on the fin surface.

  19. Experimental study of defoaming by air-borne power ultrasonic technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez, Germán; Riera, Enrique; Gallego-Juárez, Juan A.; Acosta, Víctor M.; Pinto, Alberto; Martínez, Ignacio; Blanco, Alfonso

    2010-01-01

    Foam is a dispersion of gas in a liquid in which the distances between the gas bubbles are very small. Foams are frequently generated in the manufacture of many products as result from the aeration and agitation of liquids, from the vaporization of the liquid and also from biological or chemical reactions. Foams are generally an unwanted product in industrial processes because they cause difficulties in process control and in equipment operation. The most efficient conventional method for defoaming is the use of chemical agents but they contaminate the product. High-intensity ultrasonic waves offer a clean procedure to break foam bubbles. The potential use of ultrasound for foam breaking that was known since many years has been recently reinforced by the application of a new type of ultrasonic defoamer based on the stepped-plate high-power transducers to generate air-borne ultrasound. This defoamer has been successfully applied in several industrial problems such as the control of excess foam produced during the filling operation of bottles and cans on high-speed canning lines and in fermenting vessels and other reactors of great dimensions. The treatment of such industrial problems requires the proper characterization and quantification of the main parameters involved in the mechanisms of the defoaming effect. This paper deals with an experimental study about the separate influence of such parameters with the aim of improving the application of the stepped-plate power ultrasonic generators for the production of the defoaming action on industrial processes

  20. Ultrasonic unit for line-by-line ultrasonic scanning of bodies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soldner, R.

    1978-01-01

    The ultrasonic unit for medical diagnostics operates by the sectorial scanning principle, which avoids direct coupling of the transducer head to the surface of the body. For this purpose, several transmitter/receiver units (approx. 100) are arranged on a partial ring of a circular arc and the ultrasonic beams, which can be triggered sequentially in time, are directed at a common intersection behind the ultrasonic window of the unit, i.e., outside the unit. A mechanical system is employed to set and adjust the partial ring carrying the transmitter/receiver units. (DG) [de

  1. Multiphysics modelling and experimental validation of an air-coupled array of PMUTs with residual stresses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massimino, G.; Colombo, A.; D'Alessandro, L.; Procopio, F.; Ardito, R.; Ferrera, M.; Corigliano, A.

    2018-05-01

    In this paper a complete multiphysics modelling via the finite element method (FEM) of an air-coupled array of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUT) and its experimental validation are presented. Two numerical models are described for the single transducer, axisymmetric and 3D, with the following features: the presence of fabrication induced residual stresses, which determine a non-linear initial deformed configuration of the diaphragm and a substantial fundamental mode frequency shift; the multiple coupling between different physics, namely electro-mechanical coupling for the piezo-electric model, thermo-acoustic-structural interaction and thermo-acoustic-pressure interaction for the waves propagation in the surrounding fluid. The model for the single transducer is enhanced considering the full set of PMUTs belonging to the silicon dye in a 4 × 4 array configuration. The results of the numerical multiphysics models are compared with experimental ones in terms of the initial static pre-deflection, of the diaphragm central point spectrum and of the sound intensity at 3.5 cm on the vertical direction along the axis of the diaphragm.

  2. Ultrasonic microdialysis coupled with capillary electrophoresis electrochemiluminescence study the interaction between trimetazidine dihydrochloride and human serum albumin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Shuangjiao; Long, Chanjuan; Tao, Chunyao; Meng, Sa; Deng, Biyang

    2014-12-03

    The paper describes a homemade ultrasonic microdialysis device coupled with capillary electrophoresis electrochemiluminescence (CE-ECL) for studying the interaction between human serum albumin (HSA) and trimetazidine dihydrochloride (TMZ). The time required for equilibrium by ultrasonic microdialysis was 45min, which was far less than that by traditional dialysis (240min). It took 80min to achieve the required combination equilibrium by normal incubation and only 20min by ultrasonic. Compared with traditional dialysis, the use of ultrasonic microdialysis simplified experimental procedures, shortened experimental time and saved consumption of sample. A simple, sensitive and selective determination of TMZ was developed using CE-ECL and the parameters that affected ECL intensity were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the linear range of TMZ was from 0.075 to 80μmol/L (r(2)=0.9974). The detection limit was 26nmol/L with RSD of 2.8%. The number of binding sites and binding constant were 1.54 and 15.17L/mol, respectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. An ultrasonic noncontact method to monitor the doneness of bakery products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chimenti, D. E.; Faeth, L.

    2000-05-01

    The paper describes a method using ultrasonics and fluid dynamics to assess the state of "doneness" of bakery products, such as bread loaves, online and in situ. The problem in the baking industry is that bread doneness determined by time and temperature can be inaccurate, leaving some product underbaked. We describe a noncontact method using air-pulse excitation and air-coupled ultrasonic motion sensing to infer the state of doneness of the baking loaf while still in the oven and on a moving belt. The ultrasonic sensor operates at 100 kHz using a toneburst excitation and pitch-catch transducer geometry. The problem is one of detecting small (50 micron) movements in the loaf, whose position may vary up to several mm. Further, the loaf movements caused by the air-pulse excitation are rapid (20 to 50 msec). We present a signal-processing system, incorporating a boxcar integrator, that functions as a pulsed, time-domain acoustic interferometer. This instrument is capable of both the high time and spatial resolution essential for the successful operation of the instrument. We estimate a spatial resolution of 30 micron and a temporal resolution of 5 msec, using 100 kHz acoustic waves. The results of numerous in-oven measurements on one-pound bread loaves during the bake cycle will be presented to illustrate the performance of the instrument.

  4. Indoor Airborne Ultrasonic Wireless Communication Using OFDM Methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Wentao; Wright, William M D

    2017-09-01

    Concerns still exist over the safety of prolonged exposure to radio frequency (RF) wireless transmissions and there are also potential data security issues due to remote signal interception techniques such as Bluesniping. Airborne ultrasound may be used as an alternative to RF for indoor wireless communication systems for securely transmitting data over short ranges, as signals are difficult to intercept from outside the room. Two types of air-coupled capacitive ultrasonic transducer were used in the implementation of an indoor airborne wireless communication system. One was a commercially available SensComp series 600 ultrasonic transducer with a nominal frequency of 50 kHz, and the other was a prototype transducer with a high- k dielectric layer operating at higher frequencies from 200 to 400 kHz. Binary phase-shift keying (BPSK), quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK), and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM)-based orthogonal frequency division multiplexing modulation methods were successfully implemented using multiple orthogonal subchannels. The modulated ultrasonic signal packets were synchronized using a wireless link, and a least-squares channel estimation algorithm was used to compensate the phase and amplitude distortion introduced by the air channel. By sending and receiving the ultrasonic signals using the SensComp transducers, the achieved maximum system data rate was up to 180 kb/s using 16-QAM with ultrasonic channels from 55 to 99 kHz, over a line-of-sight transmission distance of 6 m with no detectable errors. The transmission range could be extended to 9 and 11 m using QPSK and BPSK modulation schemes, respectively. The achieved data rates for the QPSK and BPSK schemes were 90 and 45 kb/s using the same bandwidth. For the high- k ultrasonic transducers, a maximum data rate up to 800 kb/s with no measurable errors was achieved up to a range of 0.7 m. The attainable transmission ranges were increased to 1.1 and 1.2 m with data rates of 400 and 200 kb

  5. Numerical and Experimental Characterization of a Composite Secondary Bonded Adhesive Lap Joint Using the Ultrasonics method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, M. R.; Ghosh, A.; Karuppannan, D.

    2018-05-01

    The construction of aircraft using advanced composites have become very popular during the past two decades, in which many innovative manufacturing processes, such as cocuring, cobonding, and secondary bonding processes, have been adopted. The secondary bonding process has become less popular than the other two ones because of nonavailability of process database and certification issues. In this article, an attempt is made to classify the quality of bonding using nondestructive ultrasonic inspection methods. Specimens were prepared and tested using the nondestructive ultrasonic Through Transmission (TT), Pulse Echo (PE), and air coupled guided wave techniques. It is concluded that the ultrasonic pulse echo technique is the best one for inspecting composite secondary bonded adhesive joints.

  6. The Detection of Burn-Through Weld Defects Using Noncontact Ultrasonics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeynab Abbasi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Nearly all manufactured products in the metal industry involve welding. The detection and correction of defects during welding improve the product reliability and quality, and prevent unexpected failures. Nonintrusive process control is critical for avoiding these defects. This paper investigates the detection of burn-through damage using noncontact, air-coupled ultrasonics, which can be adapted to the immediate and in-situ inspection of welded samples. The burn-through leads to a larger volume of degraded weld zone, providing a resistance path for the wave to travel which results in lower velocity, energy ratio, and amplitude. Wave energy dispersion occurs due to the increase of weld burn-through resulting in higher wave attenuation. Weld sample micrographs are used to validate the ultrasonic results.

  7. Compressed air leak detection based on time delay estimation using a portable multi-sensor ultrasonic detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liao, Pingping; Cai, Maolin; Shi, Yan; Fan, Zichuan

    2013-01-01

    The conventional ultrasonic method for compressed air leak detection utilizes a directivity-based ultrasonic leak detector (DULD) to locate the leak. The location accuracy of this method is low due to the limit of the nominal frequency and the size of the ultrasonic sensor. In order to overcome this deficiency, a method based on time delay estimation (TDE) is proposed. The method utilizes three ultrasonic sensors arranged in an equilateral triangle to simultaneously receive the ultrasound generated by the leak. The leak can be located according to time delays between every two sensor signals. The theoretical accuracy of the method is analyzed, and it is found that the location error increases linearly with delay estimation error and the distance from the leak to the sensor plane, and the location error decreases with the distance between sensors. The average square difference function delay estimator with parabolic fitting is used and two practical techniques are devised to remove the anomalous delay estimates. Experimental results indicate that the location accuracy using the TDE-based ultrasonic leak detector is 6.5–8.3 times as high as that using the DULD. By adopting the proposed method, the leak can be located more accurately and easily, and then the detection efficiency is improved. (paper)

  8. Multielement detection limits and sample nebulization efficiencies of an improved ultrasonic nebulizer and a conventional pneumatic nebulizer in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olson, K.W.; Haas, W.J. Jr.; Fassel, V.A.

    1977-01-01

    Two important aspects of the analytical performance of a newly developed ultrasonic nebulizer and a specially designed pneumatic nebulizer have been compared for use in inductively coupled plasma--atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The ultrasonic nebulizer, when combined with a conventional aerosol desolvation apparatus, provided an order of magnitude or more improvement in simultaneous multielement detection limits as compared to those obtained when the pneumatic nebulizer was used either with or without desolvation. Application of a novel method for direct measurement of the overall efficiency of nebulization to the two systems showed that an approximately tenfold greater rate of sample delivery to the plasma torch was primarily responsible for the superior detection limits afforded by the ultrasonic nebulizer. A unique feature of the ultrasonic nebulizer described is the protection against chemical attack which is achieved by completely enclosing the transducer in an acoustically coupled borosilicate glass cylinder. Direct sample introduction, convenient sample change, and rapid cleanout are other important characteristics of the system which make it an attractive alternate to pneumatic nebulizer systems

  9. Ultrasonic inspection development at HEDL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Day, C.K.; Mech, S.J.; Michaels, T.E.; Dixon, N.E.

    1978-01-01

    Ultrasonic testing methods and equipment are being developed to support preservice and in-service inspection of selected FFTF welds. A digital computer system is employed in the analysis of both simulated FFTF pipe sections and plate specimens containing fatigue cracks. It is anticipated that test evaluation standards containing fatigue cracks will partially eliminate questions formerly associated with weld test calibration producers by providing natural cracks which follow grain boundaries and stress patterns resembling piping situ conditions. Studies have revealed that commercial transducers may satisfy LMFBR ultrasonic pipe inspection applications: The test system evaluation included transducers and wedge coupling and fluid coupling materials which exhibited acceptable performance at temperatures to 2300C. Results are presented that demonstrate the feasibility of ultrasonic inspection of components immersed in sodium at temperatures to 2600C. (UK)

  10. Ultrasonically-assisted Thermal Stir Welding System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, R. Jeffrey (Inventor)

    2014-01-01

    A welding head assembly has a work piece disposed between its containment plates' opposing surfaces with the work piece being maintained in a plastic state thereof at least in a vicinity of the welding head assembly's stir rod as the rod is rotated about its longitudinal axis. The welding head assembly and the work piece experience relative movement there between in a direction perpendicular to the rod's longitudinal axis as the work piece is subjected to a compressive force applied by the containment plates. A first source coupled to the first containment plate applies a first ultrasonic wave thereto such that the first ultrasonic wave propagates parallel to the direction of relative movement. A second source coupled to the second containment plate applies a second ultrasonic wave thereto such that the second ultrasonic wave propagates parallel to the direction of relative movement.propagates parallel to the direction of relative movement.

  11. A study on non-contact ultrasonic technique for on-line inspection of CFRP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Seung-Joon; Park, Won-Su; Lee, Joon-Hyun; Byun, Joon-Hyung

    2007-01-01

    The advantages of carbon fiber reinforced plastic materials (CFRP) are: they are light structure materials, they have corrosion resistance, and higher specific strength and elasticity. The recently developed 3-dimentional fiber placement system is able to produce a more complex and various shaped structures due to less limitations of a product shape according to the problem in conventional fabrication process. This fiber placement system stacks the narrow prepreg tape on the mold according to the designed sequence and thickness. Non-destructive evaluation was rquired for these composites to evaluate changes in strength caused by defects such as delamination and porosity. Additionally, the expectent quality should be satisfied for the high cost fabrication process using the fiber placement system. Therefore, an on line non-destructive evaluation system is required and real-time complement is needed when the defects are detected [1]. Defect imaging by the ultrasonic C-scan method is a useful technique for defect detection in CFRP. However, the conventional ultrasonic C-scan technique cannot be applied during the fabrication process because the test piece should be immersed into the water. Therefore, non-contact ultrasonic techniques should be applied during the fabricating process. For the development of non-contact ultrasonic techniques available in non-destructive evaluation of CFRP, a recent laser-generated ultrasonic technique and an air-coupled transducer that transmit and receive ultrasounds in the air are studied [2-3]. In this study, generating and receiving techniques of laser-generated ultrasound and the characteristics of received signals upon the internal defects of CFRO were studied for non-contact inspection

  12. New Technology-Large-Area Three- Dimensional Surface Profiling Using Only Focused Air-Coupled Ultrasound-Given 1999 R&D 100 Award

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roth, Don J.; Kautz, Harold E.; Abel, Phillip B.; Whalen, Mike F.; Hendricks, J. Lynne; Bodis, James R.

    2000-01-01

    Surface topography, which significantly affects the performance of many industrial components, is normally measured with diamond-tip profilometry over small areas or with optical scattering methods over larger areas. To develop air-coupled surface profilometry, the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field initiated a Space Act Agreement with Sonix, Inc., through two Glenn programs, the Advanced High Temperature Engine Materials Program (HITEMP) and COMMTECH. The work resulted in quantitative surface topography profiles obtained using only high-frequency, focused ultrasonic pulses in air. The method is nondestructive, noninvasive, and noncontact, and it does not require light-reflective surfaces. Air surface profiling may be desirable when diamond-tip or laserbased methods are impractical, such as over large areas, when a significant depth range is required, or for curved surfaces. When the configuration is optimized, the method is reasonably rapid and all the quantitative analysis facilities are online, including two- and three-dimensional visualization, extreme value filtering (for faulty data), and leveling.

  13. Full-Duplex Airborne Ultrasonic Data Communication Using a Pilot-Aided QAM-OFDM Modulation Scheme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Wentao; Wright, William M D

    2016-08-01

    Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) has been extensively used in a variety of broadband digital wireless communications applications because of its high bandwidth utilization efficiency and effective immunity to multipath distortion. This paper has investigated quadrature amplitude modulation and OFDM methods in air-coupled ultrasonic communication, using broadband capacitive ultrasonic transducers with high- k dielectric layers. OFDM phase noise was discussed and corrected using a pilot-aided estimation algorithm. The overall system data rate achieved was up to 400 kb/s with a spectral efficiency of 2 b/s/Hz. An ultrasonic propagation model for signal prediction considered atmospheric absorption of sound in air, beam divergence, and transducer frequency response. The simulations were compared with the experimental results, and good agreement was found between the two. Two-way communication through air was also implemented successfully by applying three-way handshaking initialization and an adaptive modulation scheme with variable data rates depending on the transmission distance, estimated using received signal strength indication measurement. It was shown that the error-free transmission range could be extended up to 2.5 m using different system transfer rates from 400 kb/s down to 100 kb/s. In full-duplex transmission mode, the overall error-free system data rate achieved was 0.8 Mb/s up to 1.5 m.

  14. Ultrasonic Communication Project, Phase 1, FY1999

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haynes, H.D.; Akerman, M.A.; Baylor, V.M.

    2000-06-01

    This Phase 1 project has been successful in identifying, exploring, and demonstrating methods for ultrasonic-based communication with an emphasis on the application of digital signal processing techniques. During the project, at the direction of the agency project monitor, particular attention was directed at sending and receiving ultrasonic data through air and through pipes that would be commonly found in buildings. Efforts were also focused on development of a method for transmitting computer files ultrasonically. New methods were identified and evaluated for ultrasonic communication. These methods are based on a technique called DFS. With DFS, individual alphanumeric characters are broken down into a sequence of bits, and each bit is used to generate a discrete ultrasonic frequency. Characters are then transmitted one-bit-at-a-time, and reconstructed by the receiver. This technique was put into practice through the development of LabVIEW{trademark}VIs. These VIs were integrated with specially developed electronic circuits to provide a system for demonstrating the transmission and reception/reconstruction of typed messages and computer files. Tests were performed to determine the envelope for ultrasound transmission through pipes (with and without water) versus through air. The practical aspects of connections, efficient electronics, impedance matching, and the effect of damping mechanisms were all investigated. These tests resulted in a considerable number of reference charts that illustrate the absorption of ultrasound through different pipe materials, both with and without water, as a function of distance. Ultrasound was found to be least attenuated by copper pipe and most attenuated by PVC pipe. Water in the pipe provides additional damping and attenuation of ultrasonic signals. Dramatic improvements are observed, however, in ultrasound signal strength if the transducers are directly coupled to the water, rather than simply attaching them to the outside of

  15. Ultrasonic Bat Deterrent Technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kinzie, Kevin; Rominger, Kathryn M.

    2017-12-14

    The project objective was to advance the development and testing of an Near commercial bat-deterrent system with a goal to increase the current GE deterrent system effectiveness to over 50% with broad species applicability. Additionally, the research supported by this program has provided insights into bat behavior and ultrasonic deterrent design that had not previously been explored. Prior research and development had demonstrated the effectiveness of a commercial-grade, air-powered, ultrasonic bat deterrent to be between 30-50% depending upon the species of bat. However, the previous research provided limited insight into the behavioral responses of bats in the presence of ultrasonic deterrent sound fields that could be utilized to improve effectiveness. A unique bat flight room was utilized to observe the behavioral characteristics of bats in the presence of ultrasonic sound fields. Behavioral testing in the bat flight facility demonstrated that ultrasonic sounds similar to those produced by the GE deterrent influenced the activities and behaviors, primarily those associated with foraging, of the species exposed. The study also indicated that continuous and pulsing ultrasonic signals had a similar effect on the bats, and confirmed that as ultrasonic sounds attenuate, their influence on the bats’ activities and behavior decreases. Ground testing at Wolf Ridge Wind, LLC and Shawnee National Forest assessed both continuous and pulsing deterrent signals emitted from the GE deterrent system and further enhanced the behavioral understanding of bats in the presence of the deterrent. With these data and observations, the existing 4-nozzle continuous, or steady, emission ultrasonic system was redesigned to a 6-nozzle system that could emit a pulsing signal covering a larger air space around a turbine. Twelve GE 1.6-100 turbines were outfitted with the deterrent system and a formal three-month field study was performed using daily carcass searches beneath the 12

  16. Design and Manufacture an Ultrasonic Dispersion System with Automatic Frequency Adjusting Property

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herlina ABDUL RAHIM

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper a novel ultrasonic dispersion system for the cleaning application or dispersing of particles which are mixed in liquid has been proposed. The frequency band of designed system is 30 kHz so that the frequency of ultrasonic wave sweeps from 30 kHz to 60 kHz with 100 Hz steps. One of the superiority of manufactured system in compare with the other similar systems which are available in markets is that this system can transfer the maximum and optimum energy of ultrasonic wave inside the liquid tank with the high efficiency in the whole of the usage time of the system. The used ultrasonic transducers in this system as the generator of ultrasonic wave is the type of air coupled ceramic ultrasonic piezoelectric with the nominal maximum power 50 Watt. The frequency characteristic of applied piezoelectric is that it produces the maximum amplitude of ultrasonic wave on the resonance frequency, so this system is designed to work on resonance frequency of piezoelectric, continuously. This is done by the use of control system which is consisted of two major parts, sensing part and controlling part. The manufactured ultrasonic dispersion system is consisted of 9 piezoelectrics so that it can produce 450 watt ultrasonic energy, totally. The main purpose of this project is to produce a safety system especially for fatigue car driver so as to prevent from accidents. The statistic on road fatality shows that human error constitute of 64.84 % road accidents fatality and 17.4 % due to technical factors. These systems encompassed the approach of hand pressure applied on the steering wheel. The steering will be installed with pressure sensors. At the same time these sensors can be used to measure gripping force while driving.

  17. Pipe Wall Thickness Monitoring Using Dry-Coupled Ultrasonic Waveguide Technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheong, Yong Moo; Kim, Ha Nam; Kim, Hong Pyo

    2012-01-01

    In order to monitor a corrosion or FAC (Flow Accelerated Corrosion) in a pipe, there is a need to measure pipe wall thickness at high temperature. Ultrasonic thickness gauging is the most commonly used non-destructive testing technique for wall thickness measurement. However, current commonly available ultrasonic transducers cannot withstand high temperatures, such as above 200 .deg. C. It is therefore necessary to carry out manual measurements during plant shutdowns. The current method thus reveals several disadvantages: inspection have to be performed during shutdowns with the possible consequences of prolonging down time and increasing production losses, insulation has to be removed and replaced for each manual measurement, and scaffolding has to be installed to inaccessible areas, resulting in considerable cost for interventions. It has been suggested that a structural health monitoring approach with permanently installed ultrasonic thickness gauges could have substantial benefits over current practices. The main reasons why conventional piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers cannot be used at high temperatures are that the piezo-ceramic becomes depolarized at temperature above the Curie temperature and because differential thermal expansion of the substrate, couplant, and piezoelectric materials cause failure. In this paper, a shear horizontal waveguide technique for wall thickness monitoring at high temperature is investigated. Two different designs for contact to strip waveguide are shown and the quality of output signal is compared and reviewed. After a success of acquiring high quality ultrasonic signal, experiment on the wall thickness monitoring at high temperature is planned

  18. MEMS Coupled Resonator for Filter Application in Air

    KAUST Repository

    Ilyas, Saad; Jaber, Nizar; Younis, Mohammad I.

    2017-01-01

    We present a mechanically coupled MEMS H resonator capable of performing simultaneous amplification and filter operation in air. The device comprises of two doubly clamped polyimide microbeams joined through the middle by a coupling beam of the same size. The resonator is fabricated via a multilayer surface micromachining process. A special fabrication process and device design is employed to enable the device's operation in air and to achieve mechanical amplification of the output response. Moreover, mixed-frequency excitation is used to demonstrate a tunable wide band filter. The device design combined with the mixed-frequency excitation is used to demonstrate simultaneous amplification and filtering in air.

  19. MEMS Coupled Resonator for Filter Application in Air

    KAUST Repository

    Ilyas, Saad

    2017-11-03

    We present a mechanically coupled MEMS H resonator capable of performing simultaneous amplification and filter operation in air. The device comprises of two doubly clamped polyimide microbeams joined through the middle by a coupling beam of the same size. The resonator is fabricated via a multilayer surface micromachining process. A special fabrication process and device design is employed to enable the device\\'s operation in air and to achieve mechanical amplification of the output response. Moreover, mixed-frequency excitation is used to demonstrate a tunable wide band filter. The device design combined with the mixed-frequency excitation is used to demonstrate simultaneous amplification and filtering in air.

  20. Evaluation of Effect by Internal Flow on Ultrasonic Testing Flaw Sizing in Piping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jeong Seok; Yoon, Byung Sik; Kim, Yong Sik

    2013-01-01

    In this study, the ultrasonic amplitude difference between air filled and water filled piping in nuclear power plant is compared by modeling approach. In this study, ultrasonic amplitude differences between air and water filled pipe are evaluated by modeling approach. Consequently, we propose the following results. The ultrasonic amplitude difference between air and water filled condition is measured by lower than 1 dB in modeling calculation. The flaw length sizing error between air and water filled condition shows same results based on 12 dB drop method even thought the amplitude difference is 1 dB. Most of the piping welds in nuclear power plants are inspected periodically using ultrasonic techniques to detect service-induced flaws such as IGSCC cracking. The inspection results provide information such as location, maximum amplitude response, ultrasonic length, height and finally the nature or flaw pattern. The founded flaw in ultrasonic inspection is accepted or rejected based on these information. Specially, the amplitude of flaw response is very important to estimate the flaw size. Currently the ultrasonic inspections in nuclear power plant components are performed by specific inspection procedure which describing inspection technique include inspection system, calibration methodology and flaw characterizing methodology. To perform ultrasonic inspection during in-service inspection, reference gain should be established before starting ultrasonic inspection by requirement of ASME code. This reference gain used as basic criteria to evaluate flaw sizing. Sometimes, a little difference in establishing reference gain between calibration and field condition can lead to deviation in flaw sizing. Due to this difference, the inspection result may cause flaw sizing error

  1. Non-contact optoacoustic imaging with focused air-coupled transducers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deán-Ben, X. Luís [Institute for Biological and Medical Imaging (IBMI), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg (Germany); Pang, Genny A.; Razansky, Daniel, E-mail: dr@tum.de [Institute for Biological and Medical Imaging (IBMI), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg (Germany); School of Medicine, Technische Universität München (TUM), Munich (Germany); Montero de Espinosa, Francisco [CSIC, Institute of Physics and Communication Technologies, Madrid (Spain)

    2015-08-03

    Non-contact optoacoustic imaging employing raster-scanning of a spherically focused air-coupled ultrasound transducer is showcased herein. Optoacoustic excitation with laser fluence within the maximal permissible human exposure limits in the visible and near-infrared spectra is applied to objects with characteristic dimensions smaller than 1 mm and absorption properties representative of the whole blood at near-infrared wavelengths, and these signals are shown to be detectable without contact to the sample using an air-coupled transducer with reasonable signal averaging. Optoacoustic images of vessel-mimicking tubes embedded in an agar phantom captured with this non-contact sensing technique are also showcased. These initial results indicate that an air-coupled ultrasound detection approach can be suitable for non-contact biomedical imaging with optoacoustics.

  2. Experimental investigation by laser ultrasonics for high speed train axle diagnostics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavuto, A; Martarelli, M; Pandarese, G; Revel, G M; Tomasini, E P

    2015-01-01

    The present paper demonstrates the applicability of a laser-ultrasonic procedure to improve the performances of train axle ultrasonic inspection. The method exploits an air-coupled ultrasonic probe that detects the ultrasonic waves generated by a high-power pulsed laser. As a result, the measurement chain is completely non-contact, from generation to detection, this making it possible to considerably speed up inspection time and make the set-up more flexible. The main advantage of the technique developed is that it works in thermo-elastic regime and it therefore can be considered as a non-destructive method. The laser-ultrasonic procedure investigated has been applied for the inspection of a real high speed train axle provided by the Italian railway company (Trenitalia), on which typical fatigue defects have been expressly created according to standard specifications. A dedicated test bench has been developed so as to rotate the axle with the angle control and to speed up the inspection of the axle surface. The laser-ultrasonic procedure proposed can be automated and is potentially suitable for regular inspection of train axles. The main achievements of the activity described in this paper are: – the study of the effective applicability of laser-ultrasonics for the diagnostic of train hollow axles with variable sections by means of a numerical FE model, – the carrying out of an automated experiment on a real train axle, – the analysis of the sensitivity to experimental parameters, like laser source – receiving probe distance and receiving probe angular position, – the demonstration that the technique is suitable for the detection of surface defects purposely created on the train axle. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Accelerated Air-coupled Ultrasound Imaging of Wood Using Compressed Sensing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiming Fang

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Air-coupled ultrasound has shown excellent sensitivity and specificity for the nondestructive imaging of wood-based material. However, it is time-consuming, due to the high scanning density limited by the Nyquist law. This study investigated the feasibility of applying compressed sensing techniques to air-coupled ultrasound imaging, aiming to reduce the number of scanning lines and then accelerate the imaging. Firstly, an undersampled scanning strategy specified by a random binary matrix was proposed to address the limitation of the compressed sensing framework. The undersampled scanning can be easily implemented, while only minor modification was required for the existing imaging system. Then, discrete cosine transform was selected experimentally as the representation basis. Finally, orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm was utilized to reconstruct the wood images. Experiments on three real air-coupled ultrasound images indicated the potential of the present method to accelerate air-coupled ultrasound imaging of wood. The same quality of ACU images can be obtained with scanning time cut in half.

  4. Ultrasonic transducers with resonant cavities as emitters for air-borne applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Montero De Espinosa Freijo, F.

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available In this work a new proposal to improve the emission efficiency of air-borne ultrasonic transducers is introduced. A theoretical ultrasonic transducer design is studied using a piezoelectric membrane and a Helmholtz resonator with two acoustic ports. The resonator provides radiation in the acoustic ports in phase with that of the membrane. Several finite element simulations and experimental results are used to study the device. The finite element models were used to compare its behaviour with that of conventional vacuum-cavity transducers. These results show an improvement in the bandwidth reaching a quality factor value of 19. Furthermore, the experimental measurements were used to study the effects of the resonant cavity in the response. Several measurements for different cavity depths were performed. The results show an improvement of 25 dB in the emitted pressure through tuning the transducer.

    En este trabajo se presenta una nueva propuesta para mejorar la eficiencia de transductores ultrasónicos acoplados a aire. Para este estudio se ha empleado un diseño teórico de transductor ultrasónico que utiliza una membrana piezoeléctrica y un resonador de Helmholtz con dos puertos acústicos. El resonador hace que la radiación en los puertos acústicos se encuentre en fase con la producida por la membrana. Para estudiar el dispositivo se utilizaron resultados obtenidos mediante programas de elementos finitos y resultados experimentales. Por un lado, los modelos de elementos finitos se utilizaron para comparar el comportamiento del dispositivo con el de transductores convencionales con cavidades al vacío. Estos resultados indican una mejora en el ancho de banda alcanzando valores de factor de calidad de 19. Por otro lado, los resultados experimentales se emplearon para identificar los efectos de la cavidad resonante en el funcionamiento del dispositivo. Para ello se realizaron varias medidas utilizando ciertas profundidades de cavidad

  5. A novel ultrasonic clutch using near-field acoustic levitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Kuo-Tsi

    2004-10-01

    This paper investigates design, fabrication and drive of an ultrasonic clutch with two transducers. For the two transducers, one serving as a driving element of the clutch is connected to a driving shaft via a coupling, and the other serving as a slave element of the clutch is connected to a slave shaft via another coupling. The principle of ultrasonic levitation is first expressed. Then, a series-resonant inverter is used to generate AC voltages at input terminals of each transducer, and a speed measuring system with optic sensors is used to find the relationship between rotational speed of the slave shaft and applied voltage of each transducer. Moreover, contact surfaces of the two transducers are coupled by the frictional force when both the two transducers are not energized, and separated using the ultrasonic levitation when at least one of the two transducers is energized at high voltages at resonance.

  6. Ultrasonic Transducer Peak-to-Peak Optical Measurement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavel Skarvada

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Possible optical setups for measurement of the peak-to-peak value of an ultrasonic transducer are described in this work. The Michelson interferometer with the calibrated nanopositioner in reference path and laser Doppler vibrometer were used for the basic measurement of vibration displacement. Langevin type of ultrasonic transducer is used for the purposes of Electro-Ultrasonic Nonlinear Spectroscopy (EUNS. Parameters of produced mechanical vibration have to been well known for EUNS. Moreover, a monitoring of mechanical vibration frequency shift with a mass load and sample-transducer coupling is important for EUNS measurement.

  7. Multipoint fiber-optic laser-ultrasonic actuator based on fiber core-opened tapers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Jiajun; Dong, Xiaolong; Gao, Shimin; Yao, Yong

    2017-11-27

    In this study, a novel fiber-optic, multipoint, laser-ultrasonic actuator based on fiber core-opened tapers (COTs) is proposed and demonstrated. The COTs were fabricated by splicing single-mode fibers using a standard fiber splicer. A COT can effectively couple part of a core mode into cladding modes, and the coupling ratio can be controlled by adjusting the taper length. Such characteristics are used to obtain a multipoint, laser-ultrasonic actuator with balanced signal strength by reasonably controlling the taper lengths of the COTs. As a prototype, we constructed an actuator that generated ultrasound at four points with a balanced ultrasonic strength by connecting four COTs with coupling ratios of 24.5%, 33.01%, 49.51%, and 87.8% in a fiber link. This simple-to-fabricate, multipoint, laser-ultrasonic actuator with balanced ultrasound signal strength has potential applications in fiber-optic ultrasound testing technology.

  8. Imaging techniques for ultrasonic testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    These seminar proceedings contain 16 lectures on the following topics: 1. From imaging to quantification - ultrasound methods in medical diagnostics; 2. SAFT, TOFD, Phased Array - classical applications and recent developments in ultrasonic imaging; 3. Innovative ultrasonic imaging methods in research and application; 4. Industrial ultrasonic testing of fibre-reinforced structures of complex geometry; 5. Visualisation of crack tips in the inspection of wheel set shafts with longitudinal boreholes as a means of avoiding unnecessary wheel set changes; 6. Areal analysis of the propagation of Lamb waves on curved, anisotropic structures; 7. High-resolution representation in immersion technique testing; 8. Variants in generating images from phased array measurement data - practical examples involving copper, carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and other materials; 9. GIUM - an unconventional method of microstructure imaging using ultrasonic stimulation and laser vibrometry scanning; 10. Innovative air-ultrasonic testing concepts for improved imaging; 11. Use of imaging methods for improving the quality of test results from nondestructive testing; 12. Modelling and visualisation of EMUS stimulation for transducer optimisation; 13. Use of SAFT in the manufacture of energy conversion machines; 14. Ultrasonic imaging tests for improved defect characterisation during weld seam inspection on longitudinally welded large-diameter pipes; 15. SAFT reconstruction for testing austenitic weld seams and dissimilar metal weld seams for transverse cracks; 16. Imaging-based optimisation method for quantitative ultrasonic testing of anisotropic inhomogeneous austenitic welded joints with determination and utilisation of their elastic properties. One contribution has been abstracted separately. [de

  9. Application of the ultrasonic technique and high-speed filming for the study of the structure of air-water bubbly flows

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carvalho, R.D.M.; Venturini, O.J.; Tanahashi, E.I. [Universidade Federal de Itajuba (UNIFEI), Itajuba (Brazil); Neves, F. Jr. [Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR), Curitiba (Brazil); Franca, F.A. [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas (Brazil)

    2009-10-15

    Multiphase flows are very common in industry, oftentimes involving very harsh environments and fluids. Accordingly, there is a need to determine the dispersed phase holdup using noninvasive fast responding techniques; besides, knowledge of the flow structure is essential for the assessment of the transport processes involved. The ultrasonic technique fulfills these requirements and could have the capability to provide the information required. In this paper, the potential of the ultrasonic technique for application to two-phase flows was investigated by checking acoustic attenuation data against experimental data on the void fraction and flow topology of vertical, upward, air-water bubbly flows in the zero to 15% void fraction range. The ultrasonic apparatus consisted of one emitter/receiver transducer and three other receivers at different positions along the pipe circumference; simultaneous high-speed motion pictures of the flow patterns were made at 250 and 1000 fps. The attenuation data for all sensors exhibited a systematic interrelated behavior with void fraction, thereby testifying to the capability of the ultrasonic technique to measure the dispersed phase holdup. From the motion pictures, basic gas phase structures and different flows patterns were identified that corroborated several features of the acoustic attenuation data. Finally, the acoustic wave transit time was also investigated as a function of void fraction. (author)

  10. A MEMS coupled resonator for frequency filtering in air

    KAUST Repository

    Ilyas, Saad

    2018-02-03

    We present design, fabrication, and characterization of a mechanically coupled MEMS H resonator capable of performing simultaneous mechanical amplification and filtering in air. The device comprises of two doubly clamped polyimide microbeams joined through the middle by a coupling beam of the same size. The resonator is fabricated via a multi-layer surface micromachining process. A special fabrication process and device design is employed to enable operation in air and to achieve mechanical amplification of the output response. Moreover, mixed-frequency excitation is used to demonstrate a tunable wide band filter for low frequency applications. It is demonstrated that through the multi-source harmonic excitation and the operation in air, an improved band-pass filter with flat response and minimal ripples can be achieved.

  11. Ultrasonic thermometry for nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saravana Kumar, S.; Arunraj, A.L.R.; Swaminathan, K.

    2013-01-01

    Ultrasonic transducer provides a method of measurement of temperature in industrial tanks and boilers containing different liquids with varied salt content. This method is used to measure the average temperature continuously where other traditional methods available do not offer. Traditional methods used for temperature measurement like infrared thermometers, thermocouples, measures temperature at a single location. Numerous thermocouples are to be fixed at various part of the boiler in order to measure the temperature of the entire boiler, which incurs high cost. Reliability of the system decreases, with increasing number of thermocouples. When they fail at a point, the time incurred in finding the faulty part or faulty thermocouple is high. Ultrasonic transducer provides continuous measurement for all different characteristic liquids with higher accuracy and lesser response time. Fault location and clearance time is also less in ultrasonic measurement method, since only a couple of transducers used for the entire boiler structure. Additionally ultrasonic thermometry along support measuring electronic system can be built of low cost. (author)

  12. Research on Effective Electric-Mechanical Coupling Coefficient of Sandwich Type Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Transducer Using Bending Vibration Mode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiang Zhang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available An analytical model on electromechanical coupling coefficient and the length optimization of a bending piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer are proposed. The piezoelectric transducer consists of 8 PZT elements sandwiched between four thin electrodes, and the PZT elements are clamped by a screwed connection between fore beam and back beam. Firstly, bending vibration model of the piezoelectric transducer is built based on the Timoshenko beam theory. Secondly, the analytical model of effective electromechanical coupling coefficient is built based on the bending vibration model. Energy method and electromechanical equivalent circuit method are involved in the modelling process. To validate the analytical model, sandwich type piezoelectric transducer example in second order bending vibration mode is analysed. Effective electromechanical coupling coefficient of the transducer is optimized with simplex reflection technique, and the optimized ratio of length of the transducers is obtained. Finally, experimental prototypes of the sandwich type piezoelectric transducers are fabricated. Bending vibration mode and impedance of the experimental prototypes are tested, and electromechanical coupling coefficient is obtained according to the testing results. Results show that the analytical model is in good agreement with the experimental model.

  13. Dynamic measurement of liquid film thickness in stratified flow by using ultrasonic echo technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serizawa, A.; Nagane, K.; Kamei, T.; Kawara, Z.; Ebisu, T.; Torikoshi, K.

    2004-01-01

    We developed a technique to measure time-dependent local film thickness in stratified air-water flow over a horizontal plate by using a time of flight of ultrasonic transmission. The ultrasonic echoes reflected at the liquid/air interfaces are detected by a conventional ultrasonic instrumentation, and the signals are analyzed by a personal computer after being digitalized by an A/D converter to give the time of flight for the ultrasonic waves to run over a distance of twice of the film thickness. A 3.8 mm diameter probe type ultrasonic transducer was used in the present work which transmits and receives 10 MHz frequency ultrasonic waves. The estimated spatial resolution with this arrangement is 0.075 mm in film thickness for water. The time resolution, which depends on both the A/D converter and the memory capacity was up to several tens Hz. We also discussed the sensitivity of the method to the inclination angle of the interfaces. (author)

  14. A single-blind controlled study of electrocautery and ultrasonic scalpel smoke plumes in laparoscopic surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzgerald, J Edward F; Malik, Momin; Ahmed, Irfan

    2012-02-01

    Surgical smoke containing potentially carcinogenic and irritant chemicals is an inevitable consequence of intraoperative energized dissection. Different energized dissection methods have not been compared directly in human laparoscopic surgery or against commonly encountered pollutants. This study undertook an analysis of carcinogenic and irritant volatile hydrocarbon concentrations in electrocautery and ultrasonic scalpel plumes compared with cigarette smoke and urban city air control samples. Once ethical approval was obtained, gas samples were aspirated from the peritoneal cavity after human laparoscopic intraabdominal surgery solely using either electrocautery or ultrasonic scalpels. All were adsorbed in Tenax tubes and concentrations of carcinogenic or irritant volatile hydrocarbons measured by gas chromatography. The results were compared with cigarette smoke and urban city air control samples. The analyzing laboratory was blinded to sample origin. A total of 10 patients consented to intraoperative gas sampling in which only one method of energized dissection was used. Six carcinogenic or irritant hydrocarbons (benzene, ethylbenzene, styrene, toluene, heptene, and methylpropene) were identified in one or more samples. With the exception of styrene (P = 0.016), a nonsignificant trend toward lower hydrocarbon concentrations was observed with ultrasonic scalpel use. Ultrasonic scalpel plumes had significantly lower hydrocarbon concentrations than cigarette smoke, with the exception of methylpropene (P = 0.332). No significant difference was observed with city air. Electrocautery samples contained significantly lower hydrocarbon concentrations than cigarette smoke, with the exception of toluene (P = 0.117) and methyl propene (P = 0.914). Except for toluene (P = 0.028), city air showed no significant difference. Both electrocautery and ultrasonic dissection are associated with significantly lower concentrations of the most commonly detected carcinogenic and

  15. Development of pulse-echo ultrasonic propagation imaging system and its delivery to Korea Air Force

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Hasan; Hong, Seung-Chan; Lee, Jung-Ryul; Park, Jongwoon; Ihn, Jeong-Beom

    2017-04-01

    This paper proposes a full-field pulse-echo ultrasonic propagation imaging (FF-PE-UPI) system for non-destructive evaluation of structural defects. The system works by detection of bulk waves that travel through the thickness of a specimen. This is achieved by joining the laser beams for the ultrasonic wave generation and sensing. This enables accurate and clear damage assessment and defect localization in the thickness with minimum signal processing since bulk waves are less susceptible to dispersion during short propagation through the thickness. The system consists of a Qswitched laser for generating the aforementioned waves, a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) for sensing, optical elements to combine the generating and sensing laser beams, a dual-axis automated translation stage for raster scanning of the specimen and a digitizer to record the signals. A graphical user interface (GUI) is developed to control all the individual blocks of the system. Additionally, the software also manages signal acquisition, processing, and display. The GUI is created in C++ using the QT framework. In view of the requirements posed by the Korean Air Force(KAF), the system is designed to be compact and portable to allow for in situ inspection of a selected area of a larger structure such as radome or rudder of an aircraft. The GUI is designed with a minimalistic approach to promote usability and adaptability while masking the intricacies of actual system operation. Through the use of multithreading the software is able to show the results while a specimen is still being scanned. This is achieved by real-time and concurrent acquisition, processing, and display of ultrasonic signal of the latest scan point in the scan area.

  16. Field deployable processing methods for stay-in-place ultrasonic transducers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malarich, Nathan; Lissenden, Cliff J.; Tittmann, Bernhard R.

    2018-04-01

    Condition monitoring provides key data for managing the operation and maintenance of mechanical equipment in the power generation, chemical processing, and manufacturing industries. Ultrasonic transducers provide active monitoring capabilities by wall thickness measurements, elastic property determination, crack detection, and other means. In many cases the components operate in harsh environments that may include high temperature, radiation, and hazardous chemicals. Thus, it is desirable to have permanently affixed ultrasonic transducers for condition monitoring in harsh environments. Spray-on transducers provide direct coupling between the active element and the substrate, and can be applied to curved surfaces. We describe a deposition methodology for ultrasonic transducers that can be applied in the field. First, piezoceramic powders mixed into a sol-gel are air-spray deposited onto the substrate. Powder constituents are selected based on the service environment in which the condition monitoring will be performed. Then the deposited coating is pyrolyzed and partially densified using an induction heating system with a custom work coil designed to match the substrate geometry. The next step, applying the electrodes, is more challenging than might be expected because of the porosity of the piezoelectric coating and the potential reactivity of elements in the adjacent layers. After connecting lead wires to the electrodes the transducer is poled and a protective coating can be applied prior to use. Processing of a PZT-bismuth titanate transducer on a large steel substrate is described along with alternate methods.

  17. Three-dimensional mid-air acoustic manipulation by ultrasonic phased arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochiai, Yoichi; Hoshi, Takayuki; Rekimoto, Jun

    2014-01-01

    The essence of levitation technology is the countervailing of gravity. It is known that an ultrasound standing wave is capable of suspending small particles at its sound pressure nodes. The acoustic axis of the ultrasound beam in conventional studies was parallel to the gravitational force, and the levitated objects were manipulated along the fixed axis (i.e. one-dimensionally) by controlling the phases or frequencies of bolted Langevin-type transducers. In the present study, we considered extended acoustic manipulation whereby millimetre-sized particles were levitated and moved three-dimensionally by localised ultrasonic standing waves, which were generated by ultrasonic phased arrays. Our manipulation system has two original features. One is the direction of the ultrasound beam, which is arbitrary because the force acting toward its centre is also utilised. The other is the manipulation principle by which a localised standing wave is generated at an arbitrary position and moved three-dimensionally by opposed and ultrasonic phased arrays. We experimentally confirmed that expanded-polystyrene particles of 0.6 mm, 1 mm, and 2 mm in diameter could be manipulated by our proposed method.

  18. Utilization of ultrasonic atomization for dust control in underground mining

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okawa, Hirokazu; Nishi, Kentaro; Kawamura, Youhei; Kato, Takahiro; Sugawara, Katsuyasu

    2017-07-01

    This study examined dust suppression using water particles generated by ultrasonic atomization (2.4 MHz) at low temperature (10 °C). Green tuff (4 µm), green tuff (6 µm), kaolin, and silica were used as dust samples. Even though ultrasonic atomization makes fine water particles, raising relative air humidity immediately was difficult at low temperature. However, remaining water particles that did not change to water vapor contributed to suppression of dust dispersion. Additionally, the effect of water vapor amount (absolute humidity) and water particles generated by ultrasonic atomization on the amount of dust dispersion was investigated using experimental data at temperatures of 10, 20, and 30 °C. Utilization of ultrasound atomization at low temperature has the advantages of low humidity increments in the working space and water particles remaining stable even with low relative air humidity.

  19. Ultrasonic-resonator-combined apparatus for purifying nuclear aerosol particles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hou, Suxia; Zhang, Quanhu; Li, Sufen; Chen, Chen; Su, Xianghua [Xi' an Hi-Tech Institute, Xi' an (China)

    2017-12-15

    The radiation hazards of radionuclides in the air arising from the storage room of nuclear devices to the operators cannot be ignored. A new ultrasonic-resonator-combined method for purifying nuclear aerosol particles is introduced. To remove particles with diameters smaller than 0.3 μm, an ultrasonic chamber is induced to agglomerate these submicron particles. An apparatus which is used to purify the nuclear aerosol particles is described in the article. The apparatus consists of four main parts: two filtering systems, an ultrasonic chamber and a high-pressure electrostatic precipitator system. Finally, experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the implementation of the ultrasonic resonators. The feasibility of the method is proven by its application to the data analysis of the experiments.

  20. Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers for medical imaging and therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T; Oralkan, Ömer

    2011-01-01

    Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) have been subject to extensive research for the last two decades. Although they were initially developed for air-coupled applications, today their main application space is medical imaging and therapy. This paper first presents a brief description of CMUTs, their basic structure and operating principles. Our progression of developing several generations of fabrication processes is discussed with an emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of each process. Monolithic and hybrid approaches for integrating CMUTs with supporting integrated circuits are surveyed. Several prototype transducer arrays with integrated front-end electronic circuits we developed and their use for 2D and 3D, anatomical and functional imaging, and ablative therapies are described. The presented results prove the CMUT as a micro-electro-mechanical systems technology for many medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications

  1. Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers for medical imaging and therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T; Oralkan, Omer

    2011-05-01

    Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) have been subject to extensive research for the last two decades. Although they were initially developed for air-coupled applications, today their main application space is medical imaging and therapy. This paper first presents a brief description of CMUTs, their basic structure, and operating principles. Our progression of developing several generations of fabrication processes is discussed with an emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of each process. Monolithic and hybrid approaches for integrating CMUTs with supporting integrated circuits are surveyed. Several prototype transducer arrays with integrated frontend electronic circuits we developed and their use for 2-D and 3-D, anatomical and functional imaging, and ablative therapies are described. The presented results prove the CMUT as a MEMS technology for many medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

  2. Method and system having ultrasonic sensor movable by translation device for ultrasonic profiling of weld samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panyard, James; Potter, Timothy; Charron, William; Hopkins, Deborah; Reverdy, Frederic

    2010-04-06

    A system for ultrasonic profiling of a weld sample includes a carriage movable in opposite first and second directions. An ultrasonic sensor is coupled to the carriage to move over the sample as the carriage moves. An encoder determines the position of the carriage to determine the position of the sensor. A spring is connected at one end of the carriage. Upon the carriage being moved in the first direction toward the spring such that the carriage and the sensor are at a beginning position and the spring is compressed the spring decompresses to push the carriage back along the second direction to move the carriage and the sensor from the beginning position to an ending position. The encoder triggers the sensor to take the ultrasonic measurements of the sample when the sensor is at predetermined positions while the sensor moves over the sample between the beginning and positions.

  3. Air-Coupled Piezoelectric Transducers with Active Polypropylene Foam Matching Layers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomás E. Gómez Alvarez-Arenas

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available This work presents the design, construction and characterization of air-coupled piezoelectric transducers using 1–3 connectivity piezocomposite disks with a stack of matching layers being the outer one an active quarter wavelength layer made of polypropylene foam ferroelectret film. This kind of material has shown a stable piezoelectric response together with a very low acoustic impedance (<0.1 MRayl. These features make them a suitable candidate for the dual use or function proposed here: impedance matching layer and active material for air-coupled transduction. The transducer centre frequency is determined by the l/4 resonance of the polypropylene foam ferroelectret film (0.35 MHz, then, the rest of the transducer components (piezocomposite disk and passive intermediate matching layers are all tuned to this frequency. The transducer has been tested in several working modes including pulse-echo and pitch-catch as well as wide and narrow band excitation. The performance of the proposed novel transducer is compared with that of a conventional air-coupled transducers operating in a similar frequency range.

  4. Ultrasonic Testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Hyeong Jun; Kuk, Jeong Han

    2002-02-15

    This book introduces ultrasonic testing, which tells of outline of ultrasonic testing, principle of ultrasonic testing, prosperities of ultrasonic waves, radiographic test and ultrasonic test, basic theory on ultrasonic testing, mode conversion, transmission and diffraction, ultrasonic flaw detection and probe, standard test piece and reference test piece, like KS(JIS) ASME and ASTM, classification and properties of ultrasonic testing, straight beam method, angle beam method, ASME SEC.V.Art.5 ASTMA 388 and KS B 0817 Korean industrial standard.

  5. Three-dimensional mid-air acoustic manipulation by ultrasonic phased arrays.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoichi Ochiai

    Full Text Available The essence of levitation technology is the countervailing of gravity. It is known that an ultrasound standing wave is capable of suspending small particles at its sound pressure nodes. The acoustic axis of the ultrasound beam in conventional studies was parallel to the gravitational force, and the levitated objects were manipulated along the fixed axis (i.e. one-dimensionally by controlling the phases or frequencies of bolted Langevin-type transducers. In the present study, we considered extended acoustic manipulation whereby millimetre-sized particles were levitated and moved three-dimensionally by localised ultrasonic standing waves, which were generated by ultrasonic phased arrays. Our manipulation system has two original features. One is the direction of the ultrasound beam, which is arbitrary because the force acting toward its centre is also utilised. The other is the manipulation principle by which a localised standing wave is generated at an arbitrary position and moved three-dimensionally by opposed and ultrasonic phased arrays. We experimentally confirmed that expanded-polystyrene particles of 0.6 mm, 1 mm, and 2 mm in diameter could be manipulated by our proposed method.

  6. Hydrogen-isotope motion in scandium studied by ultrasonic measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leisure, R.G.; Schwarz, R.B.; Migliori, A.; Torgeson, D.R.; Svare, I.

    1993-01-01

    Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy has been used to investigate ultrasonic attenuation in single crystals of Sc, ScH 0.25 , and ScD 0.18 over the temperature range of 10--300 K for frequencies near 1 MHz. Ultrasonic-attenuation peaks were observed in the samples containing H or D with the maximum attenuation occurring near 25 K for ScH 0.25 and near 50 K for ScD 0.18 . The general features of the data suggest that the motion reflected in the ultrasonic attenuation is closely related to the low-temperature motion seen in nulcear-magnetic-resonance spin-lattice-relaxation measurements. The ultrasonic results were fit with a two-level-system (TLS) model involving tunneling between highly asymmetric sites. The relaxation of the TLS was found to consist of two parts: a weakly temperature-dependent part, probably due to coupling to electrons; and a much more strongly temperature-dependent part, attributed to multiple-phonon processes. The strongly temperature-dependent part was almost two orders of magnitude faster in ScH 0.25 than in ScD 0.18 , in accordance with the idea that tunneling is involved in the motion. Surprisingly, the weakly temperature-dependent part was found to be about the same for the two isotopes. The asymmetries primarily responsible for coupling the TLS to the ultrasound are attributed to interactions between hydrogen ions that lie on adjacent c axes. The results are consistent with an isotope-independent strength for the coupling of the TLS to the ultrasound

  7. Micromachined capacitive ultrasonic immersion transducer array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Xuecheng

    Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (cMUTs) have emerged as an attractive alternative to conventional piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers. They offer performance advantages of wide bandwidth and sensitivity that have heretofore been attainable. In addition, micromachining technology, which has benefited from the fast-growing microelectronics industry, enables cMUT array fabrication and electronics integration. This thesis describes the design and fabrication of micromachined capacitive ultrasonic immersion transducer arrays. The basic transducer electrical equivalent circuit is derived from Mason's theory. The effects of Lamb waves and Stoneley waves on cross coupling and acoustic losses are discussed. Electrical parasitics such as series resistance and shunt capacitance are also included in the model of the transducer. Transducer fabrication technology is systematically studied. Device dimension control in both vertical and horizontal directions, process alternatives and variations in membrane formation, via etch and cavity sealing, and metalization as well as their impact on transducer performance are summarized. Both 64 and 128 element 1-D array transducers are fabricated. Transducers are characterized in terms of electrical input impedance, bandwidth, sensitivity, dynamic range, impulse response and angular response, and their performance is compared with theoretical simulation. Various schemes for cross coupling reduction is analyzed, implemented, and verified with both experiments and theory. Preliminary results of immersion imaging are presented using 64 elements 1-D array transducers for active source imaging.

  8. A MEMS coupled resonator for frequency filtering in air

    KAUST Repository

    Ilyas, Saad; Jaber, Nizar; Younis, Mohammad I.

    2018-01-01

    We present design, fabrication, and characterization of a mechanically coupled MEMS H resonator capable of performing simultaneous mechanical amplification and filtering in air. The device comprises of two doubly clamped polyimide microbeams joined

  9. Piezoelectric Nanotube Array for Broadband High-Frequency Ultrasonic Transducer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liew, Weng Heng; Yao, Kui; Chen, Shuting; Tay, Francis Eng Hock

    2018-03-01

    Piezoelectric materials are vital in determining ultrasonic transducer and imaging performance as they offer the function for conversion between mechanical and electrical energy. Ultrasonic transducers with high-frequency operation suffer from performance degradation and fabrication difficulty of the demanded piezoelectric materials. Hence, we propose 1-D polymeric piezoelectric nanostructure with controlled nanoscale features to overcome the technical limitations of high-frequency ultrasonic transducers. For the first time, we demonstrate the integration of a well-aligned piezoelectric nanotube array to produce a high-frequency ultrasonic transducer with outstanding performance. We find that nanoconfinement-induced polarization orientation and unique nanotube structure lead to significantly improved piezoelectric and ultrasonic transducing performance over the conventional piezoelectric thin film. A large bandwidth, 126% (-6 dB), is achieved at high center frequency, 108 MHz. Transmission sensitivity of nanotube array is found to be 46% higher than that of the monolithic thin film transducer attributed to the improved electromechanical coupling effectiveness and impedance match. We further demonstrate high-resolution scanning, ultrasonic imaging, and photoacoustic imaging using the obtained nanotube array transducers, which is valuable for biomedical imaging applications in the future.

  10. Inspection of austenitic welds with ultrasonic phased array technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia, A.; Fernandez, F. [Tecnatom (Spain); Dutruc, R.; Ferriere, R. [Metalscan (France)

    2011-07-01

    This series of slides presents the use of ultrasonic phased array technology in the inspection of austenitic welds. The inspection from outside surface (the inspection is performed in contact using wedges to couple the probe to the outer surface of the component) shows that longitudinal wave is the most adequate for perpendicular scans and transversal ultrasonic wave is the most adequate for parallel scans. Detection and length sizing are performed optimally in perpendicular scans. The inspection from inside surface shows: -) Good results in the detection of defects (Sizing has met the requirements imposed by the Authority of the Russian Federation); -) The new design of the mechanical equipment and of the numerous ultrasonic beams refracted by the array probes has increased the volume inspected. The design of the mechanical equipment has also allowed new areas to be inspected (example a piping weld that was not accessible from the outer surface; -) The ultrasonic procedure and Inspection System developed have been validated by the Authority of the Russian Federation. Phase array technique supplies solutions to solve accessibility concerns and improve the ultrasonic inspections of nuclear components

  11. A multi-purpose ultrasonic streaming mixer for integrated magnetic bead ELISAs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brandhoff, Lukas; Lang, Walter; Vellekoop, Michael J; Zirath, Helene; Peham, Johannes; Wiesinger-Mayr, Herbert; Salas, Mariugenia; Haller, Anna; Spittler, Andreas; Schnetz, Guntram

    2015-01-01

    We present an ultrasonic streaming mixer for disposable and on-chip magnetic bead ELISAs. The ultrasonic transducer is placed at system-level to keep cost per chip as low as possible, and is coupled to the chip by means of a solid ultrasonic horn. The system provides mixing of liquids, as well as dispersion of the superparamagnetic beads in the ELISA. Additionally it can be used clean the chamber surface from nonspecifically bound proteins during the washing steps in the ELISA protocol. Using our system the time for the ELISA protocol has been greatly reduced down to 30 min. (paper)

  12. Experimental investigations of two-phase flow measurement using ultrasonic sensors

    OpenAIRE

    Abbagoni, Baba Musa

    2016-01-01

    This thesis presents the investigations conducted in the use of ultrasonic technology to measure two-phase flow in both horizontal and vertical pipe flows which is important for the petroleum industry. However, there are still key challenges to measure parameters of the multiphase flow accurately. Four methods of ultrasonic technologies were explored. The Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) was first applied to the ultrasound signals of air-water flow on horizontal flow for measur...

  13. Aluminium sensitized spectrofluorimetric determination of fluoroquinolones in milk samples coupled with salting-out assisted liquid-liquid ultrasonic extraction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Qinghai; Yang, Yaling; Liu, Mousheng

    2012-10-01

    An aluminium sensitized spectrofluorimetric method coupled with salting-out assisted liquid-liquid ultrasonic extraction for the determination of four widely used fluoroquinolones (FQs) namely norfloxacin (NOR), ofloxacin (OFL), ciprofloxacin (CIP) and gatifloxacin (GAT) in bovine raw milk was described. The analytical procedure involves the fluorescence sensitization of aluminium (Al3+) by complexation with FQs, salting-out assisted liquid-liquid ultrasonic extraction (SALLUE), followed by spectrofluorometry. The influence of several parameters on the extraction (the salt species, the amount of salt, pH, temperature and phase volume ratio) was investigated. Under optimized experimental conditions, the detection limits of the method in milk varied from 0.009 μg/mL for NOR to 0.016 μg/mL for GAT (signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) = 3). The relative standard deviations (RSD) values were found to be relatively low (0.54-2.48% for four compounds). The calibration graph was linear from 0.015 to 2.25 μg/mL with coefficient of determinations not less than 0.9974. The methodology developed was applied to the determination of FQs in bovine raw milk samples. The main advantage of this method is simple, accurate and green. The method showed promising applications for analyzing polar analytes especially polar drugs in various sample matrices.

  14. Further Investigations on Simultaneous Ultrasonic Coal Flotation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Safak Gokhan Ozkan

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates the flotation performance of a representative hard coal slime sample (d80 particle size of minus 0.2 mm obtained from the Prosper-Haniel coal preparation plant located in Bottrop, Germany. Flotation was carried out with a newly designed flotation cell refurbished from an old ultrasonic cleaning bath (2.5 L volume equipped with a single frequency (35 kHz and two different power levels (80–160 W and a sub-aeration-type flotation machine operating at a stable impeller speed (1200 rpm and air rate (2.5 L/min. The reagent combination for conventional and simultaneous ultrasonic coal flotation tests was Ekofol-440 at variable dosages (40–300 g/t with controlling water temperature (20–25 °C at natural pH (6.5–7.0. The batch coal flotation results were analyzed by comparing the combustible recovery (% and separation efficiency (% values, taking mass yield and ash concentrations of the froths and tailings into account. It was found that simultaneous ultrasonic coal flotation increased yield and recovery values of the floated products with lower ash values than the conventional flotation despite using similar reagent dosages. Furthermore, particle size distribution of the ultrasonically treated and untreated coals was measured. Finely distributed coal particles seemed to be agglomerated during the ultrasonic treatment, while ash-forming slimes were removed by hydrodynamic cavitation.

  15. A Unified Air-Sea Interface in Fully Coupled Atmosphere-Wave-Ocean Models for Data Assimilation and Ensemble Prediction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shuyi; Curcic, Milan; Donelan, Mark; Campbell, Tim; Smith, Travis; Chen, Sue; Allard, Rick; Michalakes, John

    2014-05-01

    The goals of this study are to 1) better understand the physical processes controlling air-sea interaction and their impact on coastal marine and storm predictions, 2) explore the use of coupled atmosphere-ocean observations in model verification and data assimilation, and 3) develop a physically based and computationally efficient coupling at the air-sea interface that is flexible for use in a multi-model system and portable for transition to the next generation research and operational coupled atmosphere-wave-ocean-land models. We have developed a unified air-sea interface module that couples multiple atmosphere, wave, and ocean models using the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF). This standardized coupling framework allows researchers to develop and test air-sea coupling parameterizations and coupled data assimilation, and to better facilitate research-to-operation activities. It also allows for future ensemble forecasts using coupled models that can be used for coupled data assimilation and assessment of uncertainties in coupled model predictions. The current component models include two atmospheric models (WRF and COAMPS), two ocean models (HYCOM and NCOM), and two wave models (UMWM and SWAN). The coupled modeling systems have been tested and evaluated using the coupled air-sea observations (e.g., GPS dropsondes and AXBTs, drifters and floats) collected in recent field campaigns in the Gulf of Mexico and tropical cyclones in the Atlantic and Pacific basins. This talk will provide an overview of the unified air-sea interface model and fully coupled atmosphere-wave-ocean model predictions over various coastal regions and tropical cyclones in the Pacific and Atlantic basins including an example from coupled ensemble prediction of Superstorm Sandy (2012).

  16. A coupled surface/subsurface flow model accounting for air entrapment and air pressure counterflow

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Delfs, Jens Olaf; Wang, Wenqing; Kalbacher, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    wave) shallow flow and two-phase flow in a porous medium. The simultaneous mass transfer between the soil, overland, and atmosphere compartments is achieved by upgrading a fully established leakance concept for overland-soil liquid exchange to an air exchange flux between soil and atmosphere. In a new...... algorithm, leakances operate as a valve for gas pressure in a liquid-covered porous medium facilitating the simulation of air out-break events through the land surface. General criteria are stated to guarantee stability in a sequential iterative coupling algorithm and, in addition, for leakances to control...

  17. Ultrasonic testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Sung Jin [Sungkwunkwan Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Hyun Jo [Wonkwang Univ., Iksan (Korea, Republic of)

    2004-02-15

    For the proper performance of ultrasonic testing of steel welded joints, and anisotropic material it is necessary to have sound understanding on the underlying physics. To provide such an understanding, it is beneficial to have simulation tools for ultrasonic testing. In order to address such a need, we develop effective approaches to simulate angle beam ultrasonic testing with a personal computer. The simulation is performed using ultrasonic measurement models based on the computationally efficient multi-Gaussian beams. This reach will describe the developed ultrasonic testing models together with the experimental verification of their accuracy.

  18. Effects of air-sea coupling on the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillations over the tropical Indian Ocean

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Ailan [CMA, Key Open Laboratory for Tropical Monsoon, Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology, Guangzhou (China); Li, Tim [CMA, Key Open Laboratory for Tropical Monsoon, Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology, Guangzhou (China); University of Hawaii, IPRC, Honolulu, Hawaii (United States); University of Hawaii, Department of Meteorology, Honolulu, Hawaii (United States); Fu, Xiouhua [University of Hawaii, IPRC, Honolulu, Hawaii (United States); Luo, Jing-Jia; Masumoto, Yukio [Research Institute for Global Change, JAMSTEC, Yokohama (Japan)

    2011-12-15

    The effects of air-sea coupling over the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) on the eastward- and northward-propagating boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) are investigated by comparing a fully coupled (CTL) and a partially decoupled Indian Ocean (pdIO) experiment using SINTEX-F coupled GCM. Air-sea coupling over the TIO significantly enhances the intensity of both the eastward and northward propagations of the BSISO. The maximum spectrum differences of the northward- (eastward-) propagating BSISO between the CTL and pdIO reach 30% (25%) of their respective climatological values. The enhanced eastward (northward) propagation is related to the zonal (meridional) asymmetry of sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA). A positive SSTA appears to the east (north) of the BSISO convection, which may positively feed back to the BSISO convection. In addition, air-sea coupling may enhance the northward propagation through the changes of the mean vertical wind shear and low-level specific humidity. The interannual variations of the TIO regulate the air-sea interaction effect. Air-sea coupling enhances (reduces) the eastward-propagating spectrum during the negative Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) mode, positive Indian Ocean basin (IOB) mode and normal years (during positive IOD and negative IOB years). Such phase dependence is attributed to the role of the background mean westerly in affecting the wind-evaporation-SST feedback. A climatological weak westerly in the equatorial Indian Ocean can be readily reversed by anomalous zonal SST gradients during the positive IOD and negative IOB events. Although the SSTA is always positive to the northeast of the BSISO convection for all interannual modes, air-sea coupling reduces the zonal asymmetry of the low-level specific humidity and thus the eastward propagation spectrum during the positive IOD and negative IOB modes, while strengthening them during the other modes. Air-sea coupling enhances the northward propagation under all

  19. Ultrasonic wave propagation in viscoelastic cortical bone plate coupled with fluids: a spectral finite element study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Vu-Hieu; Naili, Salah

    2013-01-01

    This work deals with the ultrasonic wave propagation in the cortical layer of long bones which is known as being a functionally graded anisotropic material coupled with fluids. The viscous effects are taken into account. The geometrical configuration mimics the one of axial transmission technique used for evaluating the bone quality. We present a numerical procedure adapted for this purpose which is based on the spectral finite element method (FEM). By using a combined Laplace-Fourier transform, the vibroacoustic problem may be transformed into the frequency-wavenumber domain in which, as radiation conditions may be exactly introduced in the infinite fluid halfspaces, only the heterogeneous solid layer needs to be analysed using FEM. Several numerical tests are presented showing very good performance of the proposed approach. We present some results to study the influence of the frequency on the first arriving signal velocity in (visco)elastic bone plate.

  20. Association schemes perspective of microbubble cluster in ultrasonic fields.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behnia, S; Yahyavi, M; Habibpourbisafar, R

    2018-06-01

    Dynamics of a cluster of chaotic oscillators on a network are studied using coupled maps. By introducing the association schemes, we obtain coupling strength in the adjacency matrices form, which satisfies Markov matrices property. We remark that in general, the stability region of the cluster of oscillators at the synchronization state is characterized by Lyapunov exponent which can be defined based on the N-coupled map. As a detailed physical example, dynamics of microbubble cluster in an ultrasonic field are studied using coupled maps. Microbubble cluster dynamics have an indicative highly active nonlinear phenomenon, were not easy to be explained. In this paper, a cluster of microbubbles with a thin elastic shell based on the modified Keller-Herring equation in an ultrasonic field is demonstrated in the framework of the globally coupled map. On the other hand, a relation between the microbubble elements is replaced by a relation between the vertices. Based on this method, the stability region of microbubbles pulsations at complete synchronization state has been obtained analytically. In this way, distances between microbubbles as coupling strength play the crucial role. In the stability region, we thus observe that the problem of study of dynamics of N-microbubble oscillators reduce to that of a single microbubble. Therefore, the important parameters of the isolated microbubble such as applied pressure, driving frequency and the initial radius have effective behavior on the synchronization state. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Remediation of Sulfidic Wastewater by Aeration in the Presence of Ultrasonic Vibration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Ahmad

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available In the current study, the aerial oxidation of sodium sulfide in the presence of ultrasonic vibration is investigated. Sulfide analysis was carried out by the methylene blue method. Sodium sulfide is oxidized to elemental sulfur in the presence of ultrasonic vibration. The influence of air flow rate, initial sodium sulfide concentration and ultrasonic vibration intensity on the oxidation of sodium sulfide was investigated. The rate law equation regarding the oxidation of sulfide was determined from the experimental data. The order of reaction with respect to sulfide and oxygen was found to be 0.36 and 0.67 respectively. The overall reaction followed nearly first order kinetics.

  2. Air driven fiber optic coupled pulser system for ZT-40

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nunnally, W.C.; Brousseau, A.T.

    1977-01-01

    The design, construction, and operation of an air powered fiber optic coupled pulser system for initiating various high-voltage systems in the ZT-40 experiment is displayed. The air fiber optic system provides complete electrical isolation of the experimental high-voltage circuits from the digital timing and control circuits. In addition, this pulser system prevents cross talk between individual output channels and eliminates trigger system ground loops. The system uses an additional fiber optic bundle to confirm pulser output in the screen room

  3. The design of high-efficiency and wide-band ultrasonic transducers for immersion application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Myung Sun; Kim, Jin Ho; Kang, Eun Kyung

    2001-01-01

    The optimum design of low-loss and broad-band piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers has been performed for immersion application. In order to obtain the highest efficiency, the piezo plates are backed by air. After determining the matching layers by using the formulas proposed by Desilet et al., inserting both a series inductor and a series or parallel resistor was considerated such that the transducers are electrically matched to the voltage source at the free resonance frequency. By analysing the transfer functions and the time responses of the transducers numerically, it has been shown that the frequency bandwidth becomes broad with increasing the electro-mechanical coupling factor and the number of matching layers, and that the sensitivity becomes best as the motional resistance at the resonance frequency is equal to the voltage source resistance.

  4. Modeling and Design of Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers Based-on Database Optimization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, M W; Gwo, T J; Deng, T M; Chang, H C

    2006-01-01

    A Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers simulation database, based on electromechanical coupling theory, has been fully developed for versatile capacitive microtransducer design and analysis. Both arithmetic and graphic configurations are used to find optimal parameters based on serial coupling simulations. The key modeling parameters identified can improve microtransducer's character and reliability effectively. This method could be used to reduce design time and fabrication cost, eliminating trial-and-error procedures. Various microtransducers, with optimized characteristics, can be developed economically using the developed database. A simulation to design an ultrasonic microtransducer is completed as an executed example. The dependent relationship between membrane geometry, vibration displacement and output response is demonstrated. The electromechanical coupling effects, mechanical impedance and frequency response are also taken into consideration for optimal microstructures. The microdevice parameters with the best output signal response are predicted, and microfabrication processing constraints and realities are also taken into consideration

  5. Ultrasonic friction power during thermosonic Au and Cu ball bonding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shah, A; Mayer, M; Zhou, Y; Qin, I; Huynh, C; Meyer, M

    2010-01-01

    The ultrasonic friction power during thermosonic ball bonding with Au and Cu wires, both 25 μm in diameter, is derived with an improved method from experimental measurements during the bonding process. Experimental data include the current delivered to the ultrasonic transducer and the tangential force measured using piezoresistive microsensors integrated close to the Al bonding pad. The improvement results from a new, more accurate method to derive the mechanical compliance of the ultrasonic system. The method employs a bond process modification in which the ultrasonic current is ramped up sequentially in three steps. In the first two steps, the ultrasonic current is set to levels that are too low to cause sliding. The bonding takes place during the third step, when the current is ramped up to the optimum value required for making good quality bonds. The ultrasonic compliance values are derived from the first two steps and are 8.2 ± 0.5 μm N -1 and 7.7 ± 0.5 μm N -1 for the Au and Cu processes, respectively. These values are determined within an average error estimate of ±6%, substantially lower than the ±10% estimated with a previously reported method. The ultrasonic compliance in the case of Au is 6% higher due to the lower elastic modulus of Au compared with that of Cu. Typical maximum values of relative sliding amplitude of ultrasonic friction at the interface are 655 nm and 766 nm for the Au and Cu processes. These values are 81% of the free-air vibration amplitude of the bonding capillary tip for the respective ultrasonic current settings. Due to bond growth, which damps relative motion between the ball and the pad, the final relative amplitude at the bond interface is reduced to 4% of the equivalent free-air amplitude. Even though the maximum value of relative amplitude is 17% higher in the Cu process compared with the Au process, the average total interfacial sliding is 519 μm in the Cu process, which is 31% lower than that in the Au process (759

  6. Ultrasonic predator-prey interactions in water-convergent evolution with insects and bats in air?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Maria; Wahlberg, Magnus; Surlykke, Annemarie; Madsen, Peter Teglberg

    2013-01-01

    Toothed whales and bats have independently evolved biosonar systems to navigate and locate and catch prey. Such active sensing allows them to operate in darkness, but with the potential cost of warning prey by the emission of intense ultrasonic signals. At least six orders of nocturnal insects have independently evolved ears sensitive to ultrasound and exhibit evasive maneuvers when exposed to bat calls. Among aquatic prey on the other hand, the ability to detect and avoid ultrasound emitting predators seems to be limited to only one subfamily of Clupeidae: the Alosinae (shad and menhaden). These differences are likely rooted in the different physical properties of air and water where cuticular mechanoreceptors have been adapted to serve as ultrasound sensitive ears, whereas ultrasound detection in water have called for sensory cells mechanically connected to highly specialized gas volumes that can oscillate at high frequencies. In addition, there are most likely differences in the risk of predation between insects and fish from echolocating predators. The selection pressure among insects for evolving ultrasound sensitive ears is high, because essentially all nocturnal predation on flying insects stems from echolocating bats. In the interaction between toothed whales and their prey the selection pressure seems weaker, because toothed whales are by no means the only marine predators placing a selection pressure on their prey to evolve specific means to detect and avoid them. Toothed whales can generate extremely intense sound pressure levels, and it has been suggested that they may use these to debilitate prey. Recent experiments, however, show that neither fish with swim bladders, nor squid are debilitated by such signals. This strongly suggests that the production of high amplitude ultrasonic clicks serve the function of improving the detection range of the toothed whale biosonar system rather than debilitation of prey.

  7. Ultrasonic predator-prey interactions in water– convergent evolution with insects and bats in air?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria eWilson

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Toothed whales and bats have independently evolved biosonar systems to navigate and locate and catch prey. Such active sensing allows them to operate in darkness, but with the potential cost of warning prey by the emission of intense ultrasonic signals. At least six orders of nocturnal insects have independently evolved ears sensitive to ultrasound and exhibit evasive maneuvers when exposed to bat calls. Among aquatic prey on the other hand, the ability to detect and avoid ultrasound emitting predators seems to be limited to only one subfamily of Clupeidae: the Alosinae (shad and menhaden. These differences are likely rooted in the different physical properties of air and water where cuticular mechanoreceptors have been adapted to serve as ultrasound sensitive ears, whereas ultrasound detection in water have called for sensory cells mechanically connected to highly specialized gas volumes that can oscillate at high frequencies. In addition, there are most likely differences in the risk of predation between insects and fish from echolocating predators. The selection pressure among insects for evolving ultrasound sensitive ears is high, because essentially all nocturnal predation on flying insects stems from echolocating bats. In the interaction between toothed whales and their prey the selection pressure seems weaker, because toothed whales are by no means the only marine predators placing a selection pressure on their prey to evolve specific means to detect and avoid them.Toothed whales can generate extremely intense sound pressure levels, and it has been suggested that they may use these to debilitate prey. Recent experiments however, show that neither fish with swim bladder, nor squid are debilitated by such signals. This strongly suggests that the production of high amplitude ultrasonic clicks serve the function of improving the detection range of the toothed whale biosonar system rather than debilitation of prey.

  8. Ultrasonic signature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borloo, E.; Crutzen, S.

    1974-12-01

    The unique and tamperproof identification technique developed at Ispra is based on ultrasonic Non-Destructive-Techniques. Reading fingerprints with ultrasonic requires high reproducibility of standard apparatus and transducers. The present report gives an exhaustive description of the ultrasonic technique developed for identification purposes. Different applications of the method are described

  9. Multipath ultrasonic gas flow-meter based on multiple reference waves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Hongliang; Ji, Tao; Wang, Ruichen; Ge, Xiaocheng; Tang, Xiaoyu; Tang, Shizhen

    2018-01-01

    Several technologies can be used in ultrasonic gas flow-meters, such as transit-time, Doppler, cross-correlation and etc. In applications, the approach based on measuring transit-time has demonstrated its advantages and become more popular. Among those techniques which can be applied to determine time-of-flight (TOF) of ultrasonic waves, including threshold detection, cross correlation algorithm and other digital signal processing algorithms, cross correlation algorithm has more advantages when the received ultrasonic signal is severely disturbed by the noise. However, the reference wave for cross correlation computation has great influence on the precise measurement of TOF. In the applications of the multipath flow-meters, selection of the reference wave becomes even more complicated. Based on the analysis of the impact factors that will introduce noise and waveform distortion of ultrasonic waves, an averaging method is proposed to determine the reference wave in this paper. In the multipath ultrasonic gas flow-meter, the analysis of each path of ultrasound needs its own reference wave. In case study, a six-path ultrasonic gas flow-meter has been designed and tested with air flow through the pipeline. The results demonstrate that the flow rate accuracy and the repeatability of the TOF are significantly improved by using averaging reference wave, compared with that using random reference wave. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Novel Budesonide Particles for Dry Powder Inhalation Prepared Using a Microfluidic Reactor Coupled With Ultrasonic Spray Freeze Drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saboti, Denis; Maver, Uroš; Chan, Hak-Kim; Planinšek, Odon

    2017-07-01

    Budesonide (BDS) is a potent active pharmaceutical ingredient, often administered using respiratory devices such as metered dose inhalers, nebulizers, and dry powder inhalers. Inhalable drug particles are conventionally produced by crystallization followed by milling. This approach tends to generate partially amorphous materials that require post-processing to improve the formulations' stability. Other methods involve homogenization or precipitation and often require the use of stabilizers, mostly surfactants. The purpose of this study was therefore to develop a novel method for preparation of fine BDS particles using a microfluidic reactor coupled with ultrasonic spray freeze drying, and hence avoiding the need of additional homogenization or stabilizer use. A T-junction microfluidic reactor was employed to produce particle suspension (using an ethanol-water, methanol-water, and an acetone-water system), which was directly fed into an ultrasonic atomization probe, followed by direct feeding to liquid nitrogen. Freeze drying was the final preparation step. The result was fine crystalline BDS powders which, when blended with lactose and dispersed in an Aerolizer at 100 L/min, generated fine particle fraction in the range 47.6% ± 2.8% to 54.9% ± 1.8%, thus exhibiting a good aerosol performance. Subsequent sample analysis confirmed the suitability of the developed method to produce inhalable drug particles without additional homogenization or stabilizers. The developed method provides a viable solution for particle isolation in microfluidics in general. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. All rights reserved.

  11. Vibration control of ultrasonic cutting via dynamic absorber

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Amer, Y.A. [Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig (Egypt)]. E-mail: yasser31270@yahoo.com

    2007-08-15

    Ultrasonic machining (USM) is one of the most effective non-conventional techniques. Its application especially to hard-to-machine material (HTM) is growing rapidly. The main operation condition of USM is at resonance where an exciter derives a tuned blade or a tool. In this paper, the coupling of two non-linear oscillators of the main system and absorber representing ultrasonic cutting process are investigated. This leads to a two-degree-of-freedom Duffing's oscillator in which such non-linear effects can be neutralized under certain dynamic conditions. The aim of this work is the control of the system behavior at principal parametric resonance condition where the system damage is probable. An approximate solution is derived up to the second order for the coupled system. A threshold value of linear damping has been obtained, where the system vibration can be reduced dramatically. The stability of the system is investigated applying both phase-plane and frequency response techniques. The effects of the different parameters of the absorber on system behavior are studied numerically. Comparison with the available published work is reported.

  12. Modeling of ultrasonic processes utilizing a generic software framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruns, P.; Twiefel, J.; Wallaschek, J.

    2017-06-01

    Modeling of ultrasonic processes is typically characterized by a high degree of complexity. Different domains and size scales must be regarded, so that it is rather difficult to build up a single detailed overall model. Developing partial models is a common approach to overcome this difficulty. In this paper a generic but simple software framework is presented which allows to coupe arbitrary partial models by slave modules with well-defined interfaces and a master module for coordination. Two examples are given to present the developed framework. The first one is the parameterization of a load model for ultrasonically-induced cavitation. The piezoelectric oscillator, its mounting, and the process load are described individually by partial models. These partial models then are coupled using the framework. The load model is composed of spring-damper-elements which are parameterized by experimental results. In the second example, the ideal mounting position for an oscillator utilized in ultrasonic assisted machining of stone is determined. Partial models for the ultrasonic oscillator, its mounting, the simplified contact process, and the workpiece’s material characteristics are presented. For both applications input and output variables are defined to meet the requirements of the framework’s interface.

  13. Ultrasonic horn design for ultrasonic machining technologies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naď M.

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Many of industrial applications and production technologies are based on the application of ultrasound. In many cases, the phenomenon of ultrasound is also applied in technological processes of the machining of materials. The main element of equipments that use the effects of ultrasound for machining technology is the ultrasonic horn – so called sonotrode. The performance of ultrasonic equipment, respectively ultrasonic machining technologies depends on properly designed of sonotrode shape. The dynamical properties of different geometrical shapes of ultrasonic horns are presented in this paper. Dependence of fundamental modal properties (natural frequencies, mode shapes of various sonotrode shapes for various geometrical parameters is analyzed. Modal analyses of the models are determined by the numerical simulation using finite element method (FEM design procedures. The mutual comparisons of the comparable parameters of the various sonotrode shapes are presented.

  14. High efficiency nebulization for helium inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jorabchi, Kaveh; McCormick, Ryan; Levine, Jonathan A.; Liu Huiying; Nam, S.-H.; Montaser, Akbar

    2006-01-01

    A pneumatically-driven, high efficiency nebulizer is explored for helium inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The aerosol characteristics and analyte transport efficiencies of the high efficiency nebulizer for nebulization with helium are measured and compared to the results obtained with argon. Analytical performance indices of the helium inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry are evaluated in terms of detection limits and precision. The helium inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection limits obtained with the high efficiency nebulizer at 200 μL/min are higher than those achieved with the ultrasonic nebulizer consuming 2 mL/min solution, however, precision is generally better with high efficiency nebulizer (1-4% vs. 3-8% with ultrasonic nebulizer). Detection limits with the high efficiency nebulizer at 200 μL/min solution uptake rate approach those using ultrasonic nebulizer upon efficient desolvation with a heated spray chamber followed by a Peltier-cooled multipass condenser

  15. Interracial Structure and Formation Mechanism of Ultrasonic-assisted Brazed Joint of SiC Ceramics with Al-12Si Filler Metals in Air

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Xiaoguang Chen; Ruishan Xie; Zhiwei Lai; Lei Liu; Jiuchun Yan; Guisheng Zou

    2017-01-01

    Ultrasonic-assisted brazing of SiC ceramics was performed by filling with an Al--12Si alloy at a low temperature of 620 ℃ in air.The interfacial characteristics and formation mechanism were investigated.The joint shear strength reached 84-94 MPa using the ultrasonic time of 2-16 s.The fracture morphology showed that the fracture path initiated and propagated in the joint alloy.The thin film of amorphous SiO2 that formed on the SiC surface was non-uniformly decomposed and diffused into the liquid Al-12Si alloy under the cavitation erosion effect of ultrasound.Abnormal isolated blocks of Al2SiO5 compounds formed at the interface between Al--12Si and a thicker SiO2 layer formed during the thermal oxidation treatment of the SiC ceramic.The SiO2 layer on the SiC ceramic did not hinder or impair the wetting and bonding process,and a stronger bond could form between Al-12Si and SiO2 or SiC in ultrasonicassisted brazing.

  16. Laser-Ultrasonic Testing and its Applications to Nuclear Reactor Internals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochiai, M.; Miura, T.; Yamamoto, S.

    2008-02-01

    A new nondestructive testing technique for surface-breaking microcracks in nuclear reactor components based on laser-ultrasonics is developed. Surface acoustic wave generated by Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and detected by frequency-stabilized long pulse laser coupled with confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer is used to detect and size the cracks. A frequency-domain signal processing is developed to realize accurate sizing capability. The laser-ultrasonic testing allows the detection of surface-breaking microcrack having a depth of less than 0.1 mm, and the measurement of their depth with an accuracy of 0.2 mm when the depth exceeds 0.5 mm including stress corrosion cracking. The laser-ultrasonic testing system combined with laser peening system, which is another laser-based maintenance technology to improve surface stress, for inner surface of small diameter tube is developed. The generation laser in the laser-ultrasonic testing system can be identical to the laser source of the laser peening. As an example operation of the system, the system firstly works as the laser-ultrasonic testing mode and tests the inner surface of the tube. If no cracks are detected, the system then changes its work mode to the laser peening and improves surface stress to prevent crack initiation. The first nuclear industrial application of the laser-ultrasonic testing system combined with the laser peening was completed in Japanese nuclear power plant in December 2004.

  17. Defects and Materials Characterization by Analysis of Ultrasonic Signals. Study of a Technique to Measure Ultrasonic Attenuation

    Science.gov (United States)

    1985-05-01

    de Ensayos No Destructivos de Control de la Calidad de los Materiales". Editado por Instituto Nacional de T6cnica AeroespaciaL...STUDY OF A TECH!4IUE TO MEASURE ULTRASONIC ATTENUATION. Carlos Valdecantos; Jos6 Miguel instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial (INTA) Torrej6n de ...Ardoz, Madrid, SPAIN. Mayo 1985 DTIC ELECTE OCT2 I85 0SI. Final Report. 0 .. 3 Approved for public release; Distribution unlimited. " .Prepared for: AIR

  18. Plasma–catalyst coupling for volatile organic compound removal and indoor air treatment: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thevenet, F; Sivachandiran, L; Guaitella, O; Barakat, C; Rousseau, A

    2014-01-01

    The first part of the review summarizes the problem of air pollution and related air-cleaning technologies. Volatile organic compounds in particular have various effects on health and their abatement is a key issue. Different ways to couple non-thermal plasmas with catalytic or adsorbing materials are listed. In particular, a comparison between in-plasma and post-plasma coupling is made. Studies dealing with plasma-induced heterogeneous reactivity are analysed, as well as the possible modifications of the catalyst surface under plasma exposure. As an alternative to the conventional and widely studied plasma–catalyst coupling, a sequential approach has been recently proposed whereby pollutants are first adsorbed onto the material, then oxidized by switching on the plasma. Such a sequential approach is reviewed in detail. (paper)

  19. Ultrasonic inspection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Satittada, Gannaga

    1984-01-01

    Ultrasonic inspection is one of the most widely used methods for nondestructive inspection. The beam of high-frequency sound wave, ultrasonic wave, is introduced into the material. It travels through the material with some attendant loss of energy and can be reflected at interfaces. The reflected beam is detected and analyzed. Ultrasonic inspection is used to detect flaws in metal parts as well as in welded, brazed and bonded joints during research work and developing production and service. It is also used to detect and locate porosity, pipe, and flakes. In addition, it can be used for the measurement of metal thickness. Ultrasonic inspection is therefore used for quality control and material inspection in all major industries

  20. High-power ultrasonic processing: Recent developments and prospective advances

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallego-Juarez, Juan A.

    2010-01-01

    Although the application of ultrasonic energy to produce or to enhance a wide variety of processes have been explored since about the middle of the 20th century, only a reduced number of ultrasonic processes have been established at industrial level. However, during the last ten years the interest in ultrasonic processing has revived particularly in industrial sectors where the ultrasonic technology may represent a clean and efficient tool to improve classical existing processes or an innovation alternative for the development of new processes. Such seems to be the case of relevant sectors such as food industry, environment, pharmaceuticals and chemicals manufacture, machinery, mining, etc where power ultrasound is becoming an emerging technology for process development. The possible major problem in the application of high-intensity ultrasound on industrial processing is the design and development of efficient power ultrasonic systems (generators and reactors) capable of large scale successful operation specifically adapted to each individual process. In the area of ultrasonic processing in fluid media and more specifically in gases, the development of the steppedplate transducers and other power ge with extensive radiating surface has strongly contributed to the implementation at semi-industrial and industrial stage of several commercial applications, in sectors such as food and beverage industry (defoaming, drying, extraction, etc), environment (air cleaning, sludge filtration, etc...), machinery and process for manufacturing (textile washing, paint manufacture, etc). The development of different cavitational reactors for liquid treatment in continuous flow is helping to introduce into industry the wide potential of the area of sonochemistry. Processes such as water and effluent treatment, crystallization, soil remediation, etc have been already implemented at semi-industrial and/or industrial stage. Other single advances in sectors like mining or energy have

  1. Reduction of aerosols produced by ultrasonic scalers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrel, S K; Barnes, J B; Rivera-Hidalgo, F

    1996-01-01

    There is concern with decreased air quality and potential aerosol contamination in the dental operatory. This problem has been addressed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends that all sources of blood-contaminated splatter and aerosols be minimized. One of the major sources of potential aerosol contamination in the dental setting is the ultrasonic scaler. This study looks at the use of a high volume evacuator attachment for the ultrasonic scaler handpiece. Artificial teeth were mock-scaled for 1 minute with and without the evacuator attachment. The mock scaling was performed within a plastic enclosure that had a 1 cm grid laid out on 4 sides. Scaling was performed 10 times each by 2 operators. An erythrosin solution was used for the ultrasonic scaler coolant with a coolant volume of 17.5 ml/min. The number of squares containing a red erythrosin spot were counted and considered to represent aerosol contamination. The high volume evacuator attachment produced a 93% reduction in the number of contaminated squares (chi squared significant at P < 0.05). There was no increase in heat transfer to a tooth analogue when the high volume evacuator attachment was used with the ultrasonic scaler as compared to the scaler without the evacuator attachment. It is felt that the high volume evacuator attachment is capable of significantly reducing the amount of aerosol contamination produced within the test system without increased heat transfer to the tooth.

  2. A study on the nondestructive evaluation of carbon/carbon disk using ultrasonics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Im, Kwang Hee; Yang, In Young; Jeong, Hyun Jo

    1998-01-01

    It is useful to perform nondestructive evaluation (NDE) to assess material properties and part homogeneity for carbon/carbon (C/C) composites because the manufacturing of C/C brake disks requires complicated and costly processes. In this work several ultrasonic techniques were applied to attributable to the manufacturing process. In a carbon/carbon brake disk manufactured by a combination of pitch impregnation and CVI(Vapor infiltration method), the spatial variation of ultrasonic velocity was measured and found to be consistent with the nonuniform densification behavior in the manufacturing process. Low frequency(5 MHz) through-transmission scans based on both amplitude and time-of-flight of the ultrasonic pulse were used for mapping out the material property inhomogeneity. These results were compared with those obtained by dry-coupling ultrasonics. A good correlation was found between ultrasonic velocity and material density on a set of small blocks cut out of the disk. Pulse-echo C-scans at higher frequency (25 MHz) were used to image near-sulfate material property anomalies associated with certain steps in the manufacturing process, such as the placement of spacers between disks during the final CVI.

  3. Coupling dynamics and chemistry in the air pollution modelling of street canyons: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Jian; Cai, Xiao-Ming; Bloss, William James

    2016-07-01

    Air pollutants emitted from vehicles in street canyons may be reactive, undergoing mixing and chemical processing before escaping into the overlying atmosphere. The deterioration of air quality in street canyons occurs due to combined effects of proximate emission sources, dynamical processes (reduced dispersion) and chemical processes (evolution of reactive primary and formation of secondary pollutants). The coupling between dynamics and chemistry plays a major role in determining street canyon air quality, and numerical model approaches to represent this coupling are reviewed in this article. Dynamical processes can be represented by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques. The choice of CFD approach (mainly the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) models) depends on the computational cost, the accuracy required and hence the application. Simplified parameterisations of the overall integrated effect of dynamics in street canyons provide capability to handle relatively complex chemistry in practical applications. Chemical processes are represented by a chemical mechanism, which describes mathematically the chemical removal and formation of primary and secondary species. Coupling between these aspects needs to accommodate transport, dispersion and chemical reactions for reactive pollutants, especially fast chemical reactions with time scales comparable to or shorter than those of typical turbulent eddies inside the street canyon. Different approaches to dynamical and chemical coupling have varying strengths, costs and levels of accuracy, which must be considered in their use for provision of reference information concerning urban canopy air pollution to stakeholders considering traffic and urban planning policies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Air-Sea Momentum and Enthalpy Exchange in Coupled Atmosphere-Wave-Ocean Modeling of Tropical Cyclones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curcic, M.; Chen, S. S.

    2016-02-01

    The atmosphere and ocean are coupled through momentum, enthalpy, and mass fluxes. Accurate representation of these fluxes in a wide range of weather and climate conditions is one of major challenges in prediction models. Their current parameterizations are based on sparse observations in low-to-moderate winds and are not suited for high wind conditions such as tropical cyclones (TCs) and winter storms. In this study, we use the Unified Wave INterface - Coupled Model (UWIN-CM), a high resolution, fully-coupled atmosphere-wave-ocean model, to better understand the role of ocean surface waves in mediating air-sea momentum and enthalpy exchange in TCs. In particular, we focus on the explicit treatment of wave growth and dissipation for calculating atmospheric and oceanic stress, and its role in upper ocean mixing and surface cooling in the wake of the storm. Wind-wave misalignment and local wave disequilibrium result in difference between atmospheric and oceanic stress being largest on the left side of the storm. We find that explicit wave calculation in the coupled model reduces momentum transfer into the ocean by more than 10% on average, resulting in reduced cooling in TC's wake and subsequent weakening of the storm. We also investigate the impacts of sea surface temperature and upper ocean parameterization on air-sea enthalpy fluxes in the fully coupled model. High-resolution UWIN-CM simulations of TCs with various intensities and structure are conducted in this study to better understand the complex TC-ocean interaction and improve the representation of air-sea coupling processes in coupled prediction models.

  5. Real time analysis of brain tissue by direct combination of ultrasonic surgical aspiration and sonic spray mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schäfer, Karl-Christian; Balog, Júlia; Szaniszló, Tamás; Szalay, Dániel; Mezey, Géza; Dénes, Júlia; Bognár, László; Oertel, Matthias; Takáts, Zoltán

    2011-10-15

    Direct combination of cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) and sonic spray ionization mass spectrometry is presented. A commercially available ultrasonic surgical device was coupled to a Venturi easy ambient sonic-spray ionization (V-EASI) source by directly introducing liquified tissue debris into the Venturi air jet pump. The Venturi air jet pump was found to efficiently nebulize the suspended tissue material for gas phase ion production. The ionization mechanism involving solely pneumatic spraying was associated with that of sonic spray ionization. Positive and negative ionization spectra were obtained from brain and liver samples reflecting the primary application areas of the surgical device. Mass spectra were found to feature predominantly complex lipid-type constituents of tissues in both ion polarity modes. Multiply charged peptide anions were also detected. The influence of instrumental settings was characterized in detail. Venturi pump geometry and flow parameters were found to be critically important in ionization efficiency. Standard solutions of phospholipids and peptides were analyzed in order to test the dynamic range, sensitivity, and suppression effects. The spectra of the intact tissue specimens were found to be highly specific to the histological tissue type. The principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based data analysis method was developed for real-time tissue identification in a surgical environment. The method has been successfully tested on post-mortem and ex vivo human samples including astrocytomas, meningeomas, metastatic brain tumors, and healthy brain tissue. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  6. Enhancement of acousto-optical coupling in two-dimensional air-slot phoxonic crystal cavities by utilizing surface acoustic waves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ma, Tian-Xue [Institute of Engineering Mechanics, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 (China); Wang, Yue-Sheng, E-mail: yswang@bjtu.edu.cn [Institute of Engineering Mechanics, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 (China); Zhang, Chuanzeng [Department of Civil Engineering, University of Siegen, D-57068 Siegen (Germany)

    2017-01-30

    A phoxonic crystal is a periodically patterned material that can simultaneously localize optical and acoustic modes. The acousto-optical coupling in two-dimensional air-slot phoxonic crystal cavities is investigated numerically. The photons can be well confined in the slot owing to the large electric field discontinuity at the air/dielectric interfaces. Besides, the surface acoustic modes lead to the localization of the phonons near the air-slot. The high overlap of the photonic and phononic cavity modes near the slot results in a significant enhancement of the moving interface effect, and thus strengthens the total acousto-optical interaction. The results of two cavities with different slot widths show that the coupling strength is dependent on the slot width. It is expected to achieve a strong acousto-optical/optomechanical coupling in air-slot phoxonic crystal structures by utilizing surface acoustic modes. - Highlights: • Two-dimensional air-slot phoxonic crystal cavities which can confine simultaneously optical and acoustic waves are proposed. • The acoustic and optical waves are highly confined near/in the air-slot. • The high overlap of the photonic and phononic cavity modes significantly enhances the moving interface effect. • Different factors which affect the acousto-optical coupling are discussed.

  7. A transmission and reflection coupled ultrasonic process tomography based on cylindrical miniaturized transducers using PVDF films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, J.; Yang, H.; Fan, F.; Su, M.

    2017-12-01

    A transmission and reflection coupled ultrasonic process tomography has been developed, which is characterized by a proposed dual-mode (DM) reconstruction algorithm, as well as an adaptive search approach to determine an optimal image threshold during the image binarization. In respect of hardware, to improve the accuracy of time-of-flight (TOF) and extend the lowest detection limit of particle size, a cylindrical miniaturized transducer using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films is designed. Besides, the development of range-gating technique for the identification of transmission and reflection waves in scanning is discussed. A particle system with four iron particles is then investigated numerically and experimentally to evaluate these proposed methods. The sound pressure distribution in imaging area is predicted numerically, followed by the analysis of the relationship between the emitting surface width of transducer and particle size. After the processing of experimental data for effective waveform extraction and fusion, the comparison between reconstructed results from transmission-mode (TM), reflection-mode (RM), and dual-mode reconstructions is carried out and the latter manifests obvious improvements from the blurring reduction to the enhancement of particle boundary.

  8. A top-crossover-to-bottom addressed segmented annular array using piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Joontaek; Lee, Wonjun; Kang, Woojin; Hong, Hyeryung; Yuen Song, Hi; Oh, Inn-yeal; Park, Chul Soon; Choi, Hongsoo

    2015-11-01

    We design and fabricate segmented annular arrays (SAAs) using piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs) to demonstrate the feasibility of acoustic focusing of ultrasound. The fabricated SAAs have 25 concentric top-electrode signal lines and eight bottom-electrodes for grounding to enable electronic steering of selectively grouped ultrasonic transducers from 2393 pMUT elements. Each element in the array is connected by top-crossover-to-bottom metal bridges, which reduce the parasitic capacitance. Circular-shaped pMUT elements, 120 μm in diameter, are fabricated using 1 μm-thick sol-gel lead zirconate titanate on a silicon wafer. To utilize the high-density pMUT array, a deep reactive ion etching process is used for anisotropic silicon etching to realize the transducer membranes. The resonant frequency and effective coupling coefficient of the elements, measured with an impedance analyzer, yields 1.517 MHz and 1.29%, respectively, in air. The SAAs using pMUTs are packaged on a printed circuit board and coated with parylene C for acoustic intensity measurements in water. The ultrasound generated by each segmented array is focused on a selected point in space. When a 5 Vpp, 1.5 MHz square wave is applied, the maximum spatial peak temporal average intensity ({{I}\\text{spta}} ) is found to be 79 mW cm-2 5 mm from the SAAs’ surface without beamforming. The beam widths (-3 dB) of ultrasonic radiation patterns in the elevation and azimuth directions are recorded as 3 and 3.4 mm, respectively. The results successfully show the feasibility of focusing ultrasound on a small area with SAAs using pMUTs.

  9. Ultrasonic mammography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hueneke, B.

    1982-01-01

    608 women are examined by means of ultrasonic mammography during the period of 1 year. 432 patients were examined with the compound method with the U.I. Octoson, a water tank scanner, and 176 patients with the real time method with a directly connected linear-array-scanner. The following results were obtained at the end of the examination period: In the ultrasonic and also in the X-ray mammogram tumour diameters can be determined with an error rate of +- 30%. In the diagnosing of carcinomas, a significant dependence of the exactness on the sice of the tumour is found for the combination of the five methods tested (clinical examination, X-ray mammography, ultrasonic mammography, thermography, cytology). Classifying the individual methods with regard to their exactness, X-ray mammography ranks in front of ultrasonic mammography. Mastopathic changes in the breast can be screened by means of ultrasonic mammography. The structure of the changes can be determined more exactly than with an X-ray picture which is due to the possibility of differentiating solid and cystic structures. In diagnosing fibro-adenomas and establishing diagnoses on young women with dense gland bodies, ultrasonic mammography is superior to radiology both in the ability of screening a finding of a fibro-adenoma (US=88%, X-ray=75%) and in the possibility of classifying it as ''more benign than malignant''. (orig./MG) [de

  10. Ultrasonic physics

    CERN Document Server

    Richardson, E G

    1962-01-01

    Ultrasonic Physics, Second Edition, provides an introduction to the fundamental principles of ultrasonic physics. The book opens with a discussion of the sources of ultrasound. This is followed by separate chapters on the properties and detection of ultrasonic radiation; measurement of propagation constants, i.e., the velocity and absorption, of ultrasound; ultrasound propagation in gases, liquids, and solids; and ultrasound propagation in aerosols, suspensions, and emulsions. The final chapter covers miscellaneous physical and physico-chemical actions, including dispersion and coagulation of

  11. Design and Optimization of UWB for Air Coupled GPR Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-10-01

    of 1°. 36 Figure 36: Measured (dashed) versus simulation (solid) radiation pattern at 1.9GHz Figure 37: Measured ...Evans, S. "Radio techniques for the measurement of ice thickness." Polar Record 11.73 (1963): 406-410. Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ...directed gain and radiation efficiency. DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION OF UWB ANTENNA FOR AIR COUPLED GPR APPLICATIONS A

  12. An Estimation of Wave Attenuation Factor in Ultrasonic Assisted Gravity Drainage Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Behnam Keshavarzi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available It has been proved that ultrasonic energy can considerably increase the amount of oil recovery in an immiscible displacement process. Although many studies have been performed on investigating the roles of ultrasonic waves, based on the best of our knowledge, little attention has been paid to evaluate wave attenuation parameter, which is an important parameter in the determination of the energy delivered to the porous medium. In this study, free fall gravity drainage process is investigated in a glass bead porous medium. Kerosene and Dorud crude oil are used as the wetting phases and air is used as the non-wetting phase. A piston-like displacement model with considering constant capillary pressure and applying Corey type approximation for relative permeabilities of both wetting and nonwetting phases is applied. A pressure term is considered to describe the presence of ultrasonic waves and the attenuation factor of ultrasonic waves is calculated by evaluating the value of external pressure applied to enhance the flow using the history matching of the data in the presence and absence of ultrasonic waves. The results introduce the attenuation factor as an important parameter in the process of ultrasonic assisted gravity drainage. The results show that only a low percentage of the ultrasonic energy (5.8% for Dorud crude oil and 3.3% for kerosene is delivered to the flow of the fluid; however, a high increase in oil recovery enhancement (15% for Dorud crude oil and 12% for Kerosene is observed in the experiments. This proves that the ultrasonic waves, even when the contribution is not substantial, can be a significantly efficient method for flow enhancement.

  13. Airborne Power Ultrasonic Technologies for Intensification of Food and Environmental Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riera, Enrique; Acosta, Víctor M.; Bon, José; Aleixandre, Manuel; Blanco, Alfonso; Andrés, Roque R.; Cardoni, Andrea; Martinez, Ignacio; Herranz, Luís E.; Delgado, Rosario; Gallego-Juárez, Juan A.

    Airborne power ultrasound is a green technology with a great potential for food and environmental applications, among others. This technology aims at producing permanent changes in objects and substances by means of the propagation of high-intensity waves through air and multiphase media. Specifically, the nonlinear effects produced in such media are responsible for the beneficial repercussions of ultrasound in airborne applications. Processing enhancement is achieved through minimizing the impedance mismatch between the ultrasonic radiator source and the medium by the generation of large vibration displacements and the concentration of energy radiation thus overcoming the high acoustic absorption of fluids, and in particular of gases such as air. Within this work the enhancing effects of airborne power ultrasound in various solid/liquid/gas applications including drying of solid and semi-solid substances, and the agglomeration of tiny particles in air cleaning processes are presented. Moreover, the design of new ultrasonic devices capable of generating these effects are described along with practical methods aimed at maintaining a stable performance of the tuned systems at operational powers. Hence, design strategies based on finite element modelling (FEM) and experimental methods consolidated through the years for material and tuned assembly characterizations are highlighted.

  14. On-line ultrasonic inside-diameter control system for Zircaloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, Y.; Fujii, N.; Komatsu, M.; Kubota, H.

    1984-01-01

    An ultrasonic inside-diameter (ID) control system was used during the final etching process for producing Zircaloy nuclear fuel cladding tubes. This results in establishing automatic inside-diameter control during etching with an automatic etching system. In this system, the inside-diameter at the center point in the length of each tube is continuously measured with the ultrasonic inside-diameter measuring equipment during the etching process and the etching is automatically stopped by a signal from the control equipment when the inside-diameter reaches the target value. This made the final etching process economical and suitable for large-scale production, having an equal or better level at the inside-diameter of tubes etched with this system than those made by a process controlled by an air-micrometer

  15. High-Yield Preparation and Electrochemical Properties of Few-Layer MoS2 Nanosheets by Exfoliating Natural Molybdenite Powders Directly via a Coupled Ultrasonication-Milling Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Huina; Chen, Deliang; Wang, Kai; Zhang, Rui

    2016-09-01

    Cost-effective and scalable preparation of two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been the bottleneck that limits their applications. This paper reports a novel coupled ultrasonication-milling (CUM) process to exfoliate natural molybdenite powders to achieve few-layer MoS2 (FL-MoS2) nanosheets in the solvent of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) molecules. The synergistic effect of ultrasonication and sand milling highly enhanced the exfoliation efficiency, and the precursor of natural molybdenite powders minimizes the synthetic cost of FL-MoS2 nanosheets. The exfoliation of natural molybdenite powders was conducted in a home-made CUM system, mainly consisting of an ultrasonic cell disruptor and a ceramic sand mill. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectra, Raman spectra, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, AFM, and N2 adsorption-desorption. The factors that influence the exfoliation in the CUM process, including the initial concentration of natural molybdenite powders ( C in, 15-55 g L-1), ultrasonic power ( P u, 200-350 W), rotation speed of sand mill ( ω s, 1500-2250 r.p.m), exfoliation time ( t ex, 0.5-6 h), and the molar ratio of PVP unit to MoS2 ( R pm, 0-1), were systematically investigated. Under the optimal CUM conditions (i.e., C in = 45 g L-1, P u = 280 W, ω s = 2250 r.p.m and R pm = 0.5), the yield at t ex = 6 h reaches 21.6 %, and the corresponding exfoliation rate is as high as 1.42 g L-1 h-1. The exfoliation efficiency of the CUM mode is much higher than that of either the ultrasonication (U) mode or the milling (M) mode. The synergistic mechanism and influencing rules of the CUM process in exfoliating natural molybdenite powders were elaborated. The as-obtained FL-MoS2 nanosheets have a high specific surface area of 924 m2 g-1 and show highly enhanced electrocatalytic performance in hydrogen evolution reaction and good electrochemical sensing property in detecting ascorbic acid. The CUM process

  16. Vapor-liquid equilibrium of ethanol/ethyl acetate mixture in ultrasonic intensified environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahdi, Taha; Ahmad, Arshad; Ripin, Adnan Nasef; Mohamed, Mahmoud [Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru (Malaysia)

    2014-05-15

    A vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) study was conducted on ethanol/ethylacetate mixture as a preliminary step towards developing an ultrasonic-assisted distillation process for separating azeotropic mixtures. The influence of ultrasonic intensity and frequency on the vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) of the mixture was examined using a combination of four ultrasonic intensities in range of 100-400W/cm{sup 2} and three frequencies ranging from 25-68 kHz. The sonication was found to have significant impacts on the VLE of the system as it alters both the relative volatility and azeotrope point, with preference to lower frequency operation. A maximum relative volatility of 2.32 was obtained at an intensity of 300 W/cm{sup 2} and a frequency of 25 kHz coupled with complete elimination of ethanol-ethyl acetate azeotrope. Results from this work were also congruent with some experimental and theoretical works presented in the literature. These findings set a good beginning towards the development of an ultrasonic assisted distillation that is currently in progress.

  17. Vapor-liquid equilibrium of ethanol/ethyl acetate mixture in ultrasonic intensified environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahdi, Taha; Ahmad, Arshad; Ripin, Adnan Nasef; Mohamed, Mahmoud

    2014-01-01

    A vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) study was conducted on ethanol/ethylacetate mixture as a preliminary step towards developing an ultrasonic-assisted distillation process for separating azeotropic mixtures. The influence of ultrasonic intensity and frequency on the vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) of the mixture was examined using a combination of four ultrasonic intensities in range of 100-400W/cm 2 and three frequencies ranging from 25-68 kHz. The sonication was found to have significant impacts on the VLE of the system as it alters both the relative volatility and azeotrope point, with preference to lower frequency operation. A maximum relative volatility of 2.32 was obtained at an intensity of 300 W/cm 2 and a frequency of 25 kHz coupled with complete elimination of ethanol-ethyl acetate azeotrope. Results from this work were also congruent with some experimental and theoretical works presented in the literature. These findings set a good beginning towards the development of an ultrasonic assisted distillation that is currently in progress

  18. Local Interaction Simulation Approach for Fault Detection in Medical Ultrasonic Transducers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. Hashemiyan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A new approach is proposed for modelling medical ultrasonic transducers operating in air. The method is based on finite elements and the local interaction simulation approach. The latter leads to significant reductions of computational costs. Transmission and reception properties of the transducer are analysed using in-air reverberation patterns. The proposed approach can help to provide earlier detection of transducer faults and their identification, reducing the risk of misdiagnosis due to poor image quality.

  19. Effect of Ultrasonic Frequency on Lactic Acid Fermentation Promotion by Ultrasonic Irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimada, Tadayuki; Ohdaira, Etsuzo; Masuzawa, Nobuyoshi

    2004-05-01

    The authors have been researching the promotion of lactic acid fermentation by ultrasonic irradiation. In the past research, it was proven that ultrasonic irradiation is effective in the process of fermentation, and the production of yoghurt and kefir was promoted. In this study, the effect of the ultrasonic frequency in this fermentation process was examined. In the frequency range of this study, it was found that the action of fermentation promotion was exponentially proportionate to the irradiated ultrasonic frequency.

  20. An Analysis of Peak Wind Speed Data from Collocated Mechanical and Ultrasonic Anemometers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Short, David A.; Wells, Leonard; Merceret, Francis J.; Roeder, William P.

    2007-01-01

    This study compared peak wind speeds reported by mechanical and ultrasonic anemometers at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Kennedy Space Center (CCAFS/KSC) on the east central coast of Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) on the central coast of California. Launch Weather Officers, forecasters, and Range Safety analysts need to understand the performance of wind sensors at CCAFS/KSC and VAFB for weather warnings, watches, advisories, special ground processing operations, launch pad exposure forecasts, user Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) forecasts and evaluations, and toxic dispersion support. The legacy CCAFS/KSC and VAFB weather tower wind instruments are being changed from propeller-and-vane (CCAFS/KSC) and cup-and-vane (VAFB) sensors to ultrasonic sensors under the Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) program. Mechanical and ultrasonic wind measuring techniques are known to cause differences in the statistics of peak wind speed as shown in previous studies. The 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) and the 30th Weather Squadron (30 WS) requested the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) to compare data between the RSA ultrasonic and legacy mechanical sensors to determine if there are significant differences. Note that the instruments were sited outdoors under naturally varying conditions and that this comparison was not designed to verify either technology. Approximately 3 weeks of mechanical and ultrasonic wind data from each range from May and June 2005 were used in this study. The CCAFS/KSC data spanned the full diurnal cycle, while the VAFB data were confined to 1000-1600 local time. The sample of 1-minute data from numerous levels on five different towers on each range totaled more than 500,000 minutes of data (482,979 minutes of data after quality control). The ten towers were instrumented at several levels, ranging from 12 ft to 492 ft above ground level. The ultrasonic sensors were collocated at the same vertical levels as the mechanical sensors and

  1. Image processing applied to automatic detection of defects during ultrasonic examination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moysan, J.

    1992-10-01

    This work is a study about image processing applied to ultrasonic BSCAN images which are obtained in the field of non destructive testing of weld. The goal is to define what image processing techniques can bring to ameliorate the exploitation of the data collected and, more precisely, what image processing can do to extract the meaningful echoes which enable to characterize and to size the defects. The report presents non destructive testing by ultrasounds in the nuclear field and it indicates specificities of the propagation of ultrasonic waves in austenitic weld. It gives a state of the art of the data processing applied to ultrasonic images in nondestructive evaluation. A new image analysis is then developed. It is based on a powerful tool, the co-occurrence matrix. This matrix enables to represent, in a whole representation, relations between amplitudes of couples of pixels. From the matrix analysis, a new complete and automatic method has been set down in order to define a threshold which separates echoes from noise. An automatic interpretation of the ultrasonic echoes is then possible. Complete validation has been done with standard pieces

  2. Interfacial Dynamics of Condensing Vapor Bubbles in an Ultrasonic Acoustic Field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boziuk, Thomas; Smith, Marc; Glezer, Ari

    2016-11-01

    Enhancement of vapor condensation in quiescent subcooled liquid using ultrasonic actuation is investigated experimentally. The vapor bubbles are formed by direct injection from a pressurized steam reservoir through nozzles of varying characteristic diameters, and are advected within an acoustic field of programmable intensity. While kHz-range acoustic actuation typically couples to capillary instability of the vapor-liquid interface, ultrasonic (MHz-range) actuation leads to the formation of a liquid spout that penetrates into the vapor bubble and significantly increases its surface area and therefore condensation rate. Focusing of the ultrasonic beam along the spout leads to ejection of small-scale droplets from that are propelled towards the vapor liquid interface and result in localized acceleration of the condensation. High-speed video of Schlieren images is used to investigate the effects of the ultrasonic actuation on the thermal boundary layer on the liquid side of the vapor-liquid interface and its effect on the condensation rate, and the liquid motion during condensation is investigated using high-magnification PIV measurements. High-speed image processing is used to assess the effect of the actuation on the dynamics and temporal variation in characteristic scale (and condensation rate) of the vapor bubbles.

  3. Electromagnetic ultrasonic guided waves

    CERN Document Server

    Huang, Songling; Li, Weibin; Wang, Qing

    2016-01-01

    This book introduces the fundamental theory of electromagnetic ultrasonic guided waves, together with its applications. It includes the dispersion characteristics and matching theory of guided waves; the mechanism of production and theoretical model of electromagnetic ultrasonic guided waves; the effect mechanism between guided waves and defects; the simulation method for the entire process of electromagnetic ultrasonic guided wave propagation; electromagnetic ultrasonic thickness measurement; pipeline axial guided wave defect detection; and electromagnetic ultrasonic guided wave detection of gas pipeline cracks. This theory and findings on applications draw on the author’s intensive research over the past eight years. The book can be used for nondestructive testing technology and as an engineering reference work. The specific implementation of the electromagnetic ultrasonic guided wave system presented here will also be of value for other nondestructive test developers.

  4. Spectral tuning of optical coupling between air-mode nanobeam cavities and individual carbon nanotubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machiya, Hidenori; Uda, Takushi; Ishii, Akihiro; Kato, Yuichiro K.

    Air-mode nanobeam cavities allow for high efficiency coupling to air-suspended carbon nanotubes due to their unique mode profile that has large electric fields in air. Here we utilize heating-induced energy shift of carbon nanotube emission to investigate the cavity quantum electrodynamics effects. In particular, we use laser-induced heating which causes a large blue-shift of the nanotube photoluminescence as the excitation power is increased. Combined with a slight red-shift of the cavity mode at high powers, detuning of nanotube emission from the cavity can be controlled. We estimate the spontaneous emission coupling factor β at different spectral overlaps and find an increase of β factor at small detunings, which is consistent with Purcell enhancement of nanotube emission. Work supported by JSPS (KAKENHI JP26610080, JP16K13613), Asahi Glass Foundation, Canon Foundation, and MEXT (Photon Frontier Network Program, Nanotechnology Platform).

  5. Evaluation of multiple-channel OFDM based airborne ultrasonic communications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Wentao; Wright, William M D

    2016-09-01

    Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation has been extensively used in both wired and wireless communication systems. The use of OFDM technology allows very high spectral efficiency data transmission without using complex equalizers to correct the effect of a frequency-selective channel. This work investigated OFDM methods in an airborne ultrasonic communication system, using commercially available capacitive ultrasonic transducers operating at 50kHz to transmit information through the air. Conventional modulation schemes such as binary phase shift keying (BPSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) were used to modulate sub-carrier signals, and the performances were evaluated in an indoor laboratory environment. Line-of-sight (LOS) transmission range up to 11m with no measurable errors was achieved using BPSK at a data rate of 45kb/s and a spectral efficiency of 1b/s/Hz. By implementing a higher order modulation scheme (16-QAM), the system data transfer rate was increased to 180kb/s with a spectral efficiency of 4b/s/Hz at attainable transmission distances up to 6m. Diffraction effects were incorporated into a model of the ultrasonic channel that also accounted for beam spread and attenuation in air. The simulations were a good match to the measured signals and non-LOS signals could be demodulated successfully. The effects of multipath interference were also studied in this work. By adding cyclic prefix (CP) to the OFDM symbols, the bit error rate (BER) performance was significantly improved in a multipath environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Coupling model of aerobic waste degradation considering temperature, initial moisture content and air injection volume.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Jun; Liu, Lei; Ge, Sai; Xue, Qiang; Li, Jiangshan; Wan, Yong; Hui, Xinminnan

    2018-03-01

    A quantitative description of aerobic waste degradation is important in evaluating landfill waste stability and economic management. This research aimed to develop a coupling model to predict the degree of aerobic waste degradation. On the basis of the first-order kinetic equation and the law of conservation of mass, we first developed the coupling model of aerobic waste degradation that considered temperature, initial moisture content and air injection volume to simulate and predict the chemical oxygen demand in the leachate. Three different laboratory experiments on aerobic waste degradation were simulated to test the model applicability. Parameter sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the reliability of parameters. The coupling model can simulate aerobic waste degradation, and the obtained simulation agreed with the corresponding results of the experiment. Comparison of the experiment and simulation demonstrated that the coupling model is a new approach to predict aerobic waste degradation and can be considered as the basis for selecting the economic air injection volume and appropriate management in the future.

  7. Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Praseodymium Monopnictides: AN Ultrasonic Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhalla, Vyoma; Kumar, Raj; Tripathy, Chinmayee; Singh, Devraj

    2013-09-01

    We have computed ultrasonic attenuation, acoustic coupling constants and ultrasonic velocities of praseodymium monopnictides PrX(X: N, P, As, Sb and Bi) along the , , in the temperature range 100-500 K using higher order elastic constants. The higher order elastic constants are evaluated using Coulomb and Born-Mayer potential with two basic parameters viz. nearest-neighbor distance and hardness parameter in the temperature range of 0-500 K. Several other mechanical and thermal parameters like bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young's modulus, Poisson ratio, anisotropic ratio, tetragonal moduli, Breazeale's nonlinearity parameter and Debye temperature are also calculated. In the present study, the fracture/toughness (B/G) ratio is less than 1.75 which implies that PrX compounds are brittle in nature at room temperature. The chosen material fulfilled Born criterion of mechanical stability. We also found the deviation of Cauchy's relation at higher temperatures. PrN is most stable material as it has highest valued higher order elastic constants as well as the ultrasonic velocity. Further, the lattice thermal conductivity using modified approach of Slack and Berman is determined at room temperature. The ultrasonic attenuation due to phonon-phonon interaction and thermoelastic relaxation mechanisms have been computed using modified Mason's approach. The results with other well-known physical properties are useful for industrial applications.

  8. Ultrasonic viewing device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ito, Juro.

    1979-01-01

    Purpose: To improve the safety of reactor operation by enabling to detect the states and positions of fuel assemblies over a wide range with a set of ultrasonic viewing device comprising a rotatable ultrasonic transmitter-receiver and a reflector mounted with an adjustable angle. Constitution: A driving portion for a ultrasonic viewing device is provided to a rotary plug closing the opening of a reactor vessel and a guide pipe suspending below the coolant level is provided to the driving portion. An ultrasonic transmitter-receiver is provided at the end of the holder tube in the guide pipe. A reflector is provided at the upper position of the reactor core so as to correspond to the ultrasonic transmitter-receiver. The ultrasonic transmitter-receiver, positioned by the driving portion, performs horizontal movement for scanning the entire surface of the top of the reactor core, as well as vertical movement covering the gap between the upper mechanism on the reactor and the reactor core, whereby the confirmation for the separation of the control rod and the detection for the states of the reactor core can be conducted by the reflection waves from the reflector. (Moriyama, K.)

  9. Radial vibration and ultrasonic field of a long tubular ultrasonic radiator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shuyu, Lin; Zhiqiang, Fu; Xiaoli, Zhang; Yong, Wang; Jing, Hu

    2013-09-01

    The radial vibration of a metal long circular tube is studied analytically and its electro-mechanical equivalent circuit is obtained. Based on the equivalent circuit, the radial resonance frequency equation is derived. The theoretical relationship between the radial resonance frequency and the geometrical dimensions is studied. Finite element method is used to simulate the radial vibration and the radiated ultrasonic field and the results are compared with those from the analytical method. It is concluded that the radial resonance frequency for a solid metal rod is larger than that for a metal tube with the same outer radius. The radial resonance frequencies from the analytical method are in good agreement with those from the numerical method. Based on the acoustic field analysis, it is concluded that the long metal tube with small wall thickness is superior to that with large wall thickness in producing radial vibration and ultrasonic radiation. Therefore, it is expected to be used as an effective radial ultrasonic radiator in ultrasonic sewage treatment, ultrasonic antiscale and descaling and other ultrasonic liquid handling applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. A fully coupled air foil bearing model considering friction – Theory & experiment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    von Osmanski, Alexander Sebastian; Larsen, Jon Steffen; Santos, Ilmar

    2017-01-01

    The dynamics of air foil bearings (AFBs) are not yet fully captured by any model. The recent years have, however, seen promising results from nonlinear time domain models, and simultaneously coupled formulations are now available, avoiding the previous requirements for undesirably small time steps...

  11. Ultrasonic decontamination robot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patenaude, R.S.

    1984-01-01

    An ultrasonic decontamination robot removes radioactive contamination from the internal surface of the inlet and outlet headers, divider plate, tube sheet, and lower portions of tubes of a nuclear power plant steam generator. A programmable microprocessor controller guides the movement of a robotic arm mounted in the header manway. An ultrasonic transducer having a solvent delivery subsystem through which ultrasonic action is achieved is moved by the arm over the surfaces. A solvent recovery suction tube is positioned within the header to remove solvent therefrom while avoiding interference with the main robotic arm. The solvent composition, temperature, pressure, viscosity, and purity are controlled to optimize the ultrasonic scrubbing action. The ultrasonic transducer is controlled at a power density, frequency, and on-off mode cycle such as to optimize scrubbing action within the range of transducer-to-surface distance and solvent layer thickness selected for the particular conditions encountered. Both solvent and transducer control actions are optimized by the programmable microprocessor. (author)

  12. Ultrasonic testing device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lawrie, W.E.

    1978-01-01

    The ultrasonic transmitter made of polarized ferroelectric ceramic material (lead zirconate titanate) is arranged in a strip carrier which allows it to be introduced between the fuel elements of a fuel subassembly in a water cooled nuclear reactor. The ultrasonic transmitter is insulated relative to the carrier. The echo of the ra dal ultrasonic pulse is recorded which changes as faulty water filled fuel elements are detected. (RW) [de

  13. Ultrasonic characterization of single drops of liquids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sinha, Dipen N. (Los Alamos, NM)

    1998-01-01

    Ultrasonic characterization of single drops of liquids. The present invention includes the use of two closely spaced transducers, or one transducer and a closely spaced reflector plate, to form an interferometer suitable for ultrasonic characterization of droplet-size and smaller samples without the need for a container. The droplet is held between the interferometer elements, whose distance apart may be adjusted, by surface tension. The surfaces of the interferometer elements may be readily cleansed by a stream of solvent followed by purified air when it is desired to change samples. A single drop of liquid is sufficient for high-quality measurement. Examples of samples which may be investigated using the apparatus and method of the present invention include biological specimens (tear drops; blood and other body fluid samples; samples from tumors, tissues, and organs; secretions from tissues and organs; snake and bee venom, etc.) for diagnostic evaluation, samples in forensic investigations, and detection of drugs in small quantities.

  14. Ultrasonic characterization of single drops of liquids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sinha, D.N.

    1998-04-14

    Ultrasonic characterization of single drops of liquids is disclosed. The present invention includes the use of two closely spaced transducers, or one transducer and a closely spaced reflector plate, to form an interferometer suitable for ultrasonic characterization of droplet-size and smaller samples without the need for a container. The droplet is held between the interferometer elements, whose distance apart may be adjusted, by surface tension. The surfaces of the interferometer elements may be readily cleansed by a stream of solvent followed by purified air when it is desired to change samples. A single drop of liquid is sufficient for high-quality measurement. Examples of samples which may be investigated using the apparatus and method of the present invention include biological specimens (tear drops; blood and other body fluid samples; samples from tumors, tissues, and organs; secretions from tissues and organs; snake and bee venom, etc.) for diagnostic evaluation, samples in forensic investigations, and detection of drugs in small quantities. 5 figs.

  15. Coupling Characteristics of Fused Optical Fiber Coupler Formed with Single-Mode Fiber and Photonic Crystal Fiber Having Air Hole Collapsed Taper

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hirohisa Yokota

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Fused coupler forming with a single-mode fiber (SMF and a photonic crystal fiber (PCF is one of the solutions for optical coupling from a light source to a PCF. In this paper, we presented coupling characteristics of a fused fiber coupler formed with an ordinary SMF and a PCF having air hole collapsed taper. A prototype of SMF-PCF coupler with air hole collapsed taper was fabricated using CO2 laser irradiation. The coupling efficiency from SMF to PCF was −6.2 dB at 1554 nm wavelength in the fabricated coupler. The structure of the SMF-PCF coupler to obtain high coupling efficiency was theoretically clarified by beam propagation analysis using an equivalent model of the coupler with simplification. It was clarified that appropriately choosing the prestretched or etched SMF diameter and the length of air hole collapsed region was effective to obtain high coupling efficiency that was a result of high extinction ratio at cross port and low excess loss. We also demonstrated that the diameter of prestretched SMF to obtain high coupling efficiency was insensitive to the air hole diameter ratio to pitch of the PCF in the air hole collapsed SMF-PCF coupler.

  16. Measurement of a 3D Ultrasonic Wavefield Using Pulsed Laser Holographic Microscopy for Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing Wang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available In ultrasonic array imaging, 3D ultrasonic wavefields are normally recorded by an ultrasonic piezo array transducer. Its performance is limited by the configuration and size of the array transducer. In this paper, a method based on digital holographic interferometry is proposed to record the 3D ultrasonic wavefields instead of the array transducer, and the measurement system consisting of a pulsed laser, ultrasonic excitation, and synchronization and control circuit is designed. A consecutive sequence of holograms of ultrasonic wavefields are recorded by the system. The interferograms are calculated from the recorded holograms at different time sequence. The amplitudes and phases of the transient ultrasonic wavefields are recovered from the interferograms by phase unwrapping. The consecutive sequence of transient ultrasonic wavefields are stacked together to generate 3D ultrasonic wavefields. Simulation and experiments are carried out to verify the proposed technique, and preliminary results are presented.

  17. Examination report: Remote video examination of air slots under the primary tank at 241-AN-107

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pedersen, L.T.

    1998-01-01

    This report documents the results of remote video examination of air slots in the insulating concrete slab beneath the primary tank at 241-AN-107. Life Extension Equipment Engineering has selected tank 241-AN-107 for ultrasonic evaluation of tank wall, knuckle, and floor plates. Access to the primary tank floor plates is via the air slots which were formed into the insulating concrete slab during tank construction (reference drawings H-2-71105 and H-2-71160). Prior to deployment of the ultrasonic inspection equipment it is desirable to examine the air slots for obstructions and debris which could impede the ultrasonic equipment. The criteria, equipment description, deliverables, and responsibilities for examination of the air slots are described in HNF-1949, Rev. 0, ''Engineering Task Plan for Remote Video Examination of Air Slots Under the Primary Tank at 241-AN-107''

  18. Study of different ultrasonic focusing methods applied to non destructive testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El Amrani, M.

    1995-01-01

    The work presented in this thesis concerns the study of different ultrasonic focusing techniques applied to Nondestructive Testing (mechanical focusing and electronic focusing) and compares their capabilities. We have developed a model to predict the ultrasonic field radiated into a solid by water-coupled transducers. The model is based upon the Rayleigh integral formulation, modified to take account the refraction at the liquid-solid interface. The model has been validated by numerous experiments in various configurations. Running this model and the associated software, we have developed new methods to optimize focused transducers and studied the characteristics of the beam generated by transducers using various focusing techniques. (author). 120 refs., 95 figs., 4 appends

  19. Electromagnetic acoustic transducers noncontacting ultrasonic measurements using EMATS

    CERN Document Server

    Hirao, Masahiko

    2017-01-01

    This second edition provides comprehensive information on electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs), from the theory and physical principles of EMATs to the construction of systems and their applications to scientific and industrial ultrasonic measurements on materials. The original version has been complemented with selected ideas on ultrasonic measurement that have emerged since the first edition was released. The book is divided into four parts: PART I offers a self-contained description of the basic elements of coupling mechanisms along with the practical designing of EMATs for various purposes. Several implementations to compensate for EMATs’ low transfer efficiency are provided, along with useful tips on how to make an EMAT. PART II describes the principle of electromagnetic acoustic resonance (EMAR), which makes the most of EMATs’ contactless nature and is the most successful amplification mechanism for precise measurements of velocity and attenuation. PART III applies EMAR to studying physical ...

  20. Mechanism and kinetics of parathion degradation under ultrasonic irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yao Juanjuan, E-mail: yao_juanjuan@yahoo.cn [State Key laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 (China); Gao Naiyun; Li Cong; Li Lei; Xu Bin [State Key laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 (China)

    2010-03-15

    The parathion degradation under ultrasonic irradiation in aqueous solution was investigated. The results indicate that at the conditions in question, degradation rate of parathion decreased with increasing initial concentration and decreasing power. The optimal frequency for parathion degradation was 600 kHz. The free radical reactions predominate in the sonochemical degradation of parathion and the reaction zones are predominately at the bubble interface and, to a much lesser extent, in bulk solution. The gas/liquid interfacial regions are the real effective reaction sites for sonochemical degradation of parathion. The reaction can be well described as a gas/liquid heterogeneous reaction which obeys a kinetic model based on Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The main pathways of parathion degradation by ultrasonic irradiation were also proposed by qualitative and quantitative analysis of organic and inorganic byproducts. It is indicated that the N{sub 2} in air takes part in the parathion degradation through the formation of {center_dot}NO{sub 2} under ultrasonic irradiation. Parathion is decomposed into paraoxon and 4-nitrophenol in the first step via two different pathways, respectively, which is in agreement with the theoretical molecular orbital (MO) calculations.

  1. Degradation of diclofenac by ultrasonic irradiation: kinetic studies and degradation pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nie, Er; Yang, Mo; Wang, Dong; Yang, Xiaoying; Luo, Xingzhang; Zheng, Zheng

    2014-10-01

    Diclofenac (DCF) is a widely used anti-inflammatory drug found in various water bodies, posing threats to human health. In this research, the effects of ultrasonic irradiation at 585kHz on the degradation of DCF were studied under the air, oxygen, argon, and nitrogen saturated conditions. First, the dechlorination efficiencies under the air, oxygen, argon, and nitrogen saturated conditions were calculated to be 67%, 60%, 53% and 59%. Second, there was full mineralization of nitrogen during DCF degradation under the air, oxygen, and argon saturated conditions, but no mineralization of nitrogen under the nitrogen-saturated condition. Different from nitrogen, only partial mineralization of carbon occurred under the four gas-saturated conditions. Third, OH scavengers were added to derive the rate constants in the three reaction zones: cavitation bubble, supercritical interface, and bulk solution. Comparison of the constants indicated that DCF degradation was not limited to the bulk solution as conventionally assumed. Oxidation in the supercritical interface played a dominant role under the air and oxygen saturated conditions, while OH reactions in the cavitation bubble and/or bulk solution were dominant under the nitrogen and argon saturated conditions. After the addition of H2O2, reactions in the cavitation bubble and bulk solution kept their dominant roles under the nitrogen and argon saturated conditions, while reaction in the supercritical interface decreased under the air and oxygen saturated conditions. Finally, LC-MS analysis was used to derive the by-products and propose the main pathways of DCF degradation by ultrasonic irradiation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. plasma modes behaviors and electron injection influence in an audio-ultrasonic air gas discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ragheb, M.S.; Haleem, N.A.

    2010-01-01

    the main purpose of this study is to investigate the favorable conditions for the production of plasma particle acceleration in an audio-ultrasonic air gas discharge of 20 cm long and 34 mm diameter.it is found that according to the applied conditions the formed plasma changes its behavior and overtakes diverse modes of different characteristics. the pressure, the voltage, and the frequency applied to the plasma determine its proper state. both experimental data collection and optical observations are introduced to clarify and to put in evidence the present plasma facts. the distribution of the electrons density along the plasma tube draws in average the electric field distribution of the ionization waves. in addition, the plasma is studied with and without electrons injection in order to investigate its influence . it is found that the electron injection decreases the plasma intensity and the plasma temperature, while it increases the discharge current. in turn, the decrease of the plasma temperature decreases the plasma oscillations and enhances the plasma instability. on the other hand,the enhancement of the plasma instability performs good conditions for electron acceleration. as a result, the qualified mode for particles acceleration is attained and its conditions are retrieved and defined for that purpose.

  3. Magnetic and ultrasonic studies on double layered CMR manganite La1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reddy, Y.S.; Vishnuvardhan Reddy, C.

    2014-01-01

    Magnetic and ultrasonic studies were done on La 1.2 Sr 1.8 Mn 2 O 7 to understand the correlation between its magnetic and ultrasonic transitions. The sample transforms from paramagnetic-insulator to ferromagnetic-metallic state at T c ≈124 K. The significant hardening in longitudinal sound velocity measurements (below T c ) is attributed to the coupling between ferromagnetic spins and longitudinal acoustic phonons. (author)

  4. Effect of ultrasonic intensity and frequency on oil/heavy-oil recovery from different wettability rocks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naderi, K.; Babadagli, T. [Society of Petroleum Engineers, Canadian Section, Calgary, AB (Canada)]|[Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada)

    2008-10-15

    This study identified the mechanisms that are responsible for additional oil recovery that is often observed following an earthquake. It focused on the theory that harmonics of low frequency waves create high frequency waves as they penetrate into rock formations. A series of experiments were conducted on oil-wet rocks with high oil viscosities. The objective was to better understand how ultrasonic energy affects oil recovery at core and pore scale. Cylindrical sandstone cores were placed in imbibition cells to examine how the presence of initial water saturation can affect recovery, and how the recovery changes for different oil viscosities. An increase in oil recovery was observed with ultrasonic energy in all cases. The additional recovery with ultrasonic energy lessened as the oil viscosity increased. Ultrasonic intensity and frequency were shown to be critical to the performance, which is important since ultrasonic waves have limited penetration into porous medium. This is a key disadvantage for commercializing this promising process for well stimulation. Therefore, the authors designed a set-up to measure the ultrasonic energy penetration capacity in different media, notably air, water and slurry. The set-up could identify which types of reservoirs are most suitable for ultrasonic application. Imbibition experiments revealed that ultrasonic radiation increases recovery, and is much more significant in oil wet cases, where initial water saturation facilitate oil recovery. Higher frequency showed a higher rate of recovery compared to lower frequency, but the ultimate recovery was not changed substantially. 46 refs., 1 tab., 16 figs.

  5. Air-coupled ultrasound for plate thickness measurements

    OpenAIRE

    Waag, Grunde

    2017-01-01

    Non-destructive testing using ultrasound is well established as a technique of inspecting miscellaneous structures and components. Ultrasonic waves propagating in an elastic solid are sensitive to both the material and geometrical properties of the solid. Decades of experience have shown that it is possible to extract these properties from the waves in an efficient and reliable way in a variety of practical measurement settings. Different techniques have been developed over many decades, and ...

  6. Ultrasonic/Sonic Rotary-Hammer Drills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badescu, Mircea; Sherrit, Stewart; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Bao, Xiaoqi; Kassab, Steve

    2010-01-01

    Ultrasonic/sonic rotary-hammer drill (USRoHD) is a recent addition to the collection of apparatuses based on ultrasonic/sonic drill corer (USDC). As described below, the USRoHD has several features, not present in a basic USDC, that increase efficiency and provide some redundancy against partial failure. USDCs and related apparatuses were conceived for boring into, and/or acquiring samples of, rock or other hard, brittle materials of geological interest. They have been described in numerous previous NASA Tech Briefs articles. To recapitulate: A USDC can be characterized as a lightweight, lowpower, piezoelectrically driven jackhammer in which ultrasonic and sonic vibrations are generated and coupled to a tool bit. A basic USDC includes a piezoelectric stack, an ultrasonic transducer horn connected to the stack, a free mass ( free in the sense that it can bounce axially a short distance between hard stops on the horn and the bit), and a tool bit. The piezoelectric stack creates ultrasonic vibrations that are mechanically amplified by the horn. The bouncing of the free mass between the hard stops generates the sonic vibrations. The combination of ultrasonic and sonic vibrations gives rise to a hammering action (and a resulting chiseling action at the tip of the tool bit) that is more effective for drilling than is the microhammering action of ultrasonic vibrations alone. The hammering and chiseling actions are so effective that unlike in conventional twist drilling, little applied axial force is needed to make the apparatus advance into the material of interest. There are numerous potential applications for USDCs and related apparatuses in geological exploration on Earth and on remote planets. In early USDC experiments, it was observed that accumulation of cuttings in a drilled hole causes the rate of penetration of the USDC to decrease steeply with depth, and that the rate of penetration can be increased by removing the cuttings. The USRoHD concept provides for

  7. Immersion apparatus and process for an ultrasonic transducer in a liquid metal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Baud, P.

    1987-01-01

    The ultrasonic transducer is introduced in a casing. The coupling zone of the transducer is covered by a layer of liquid metal. This layer is solidified and then the transducer with his coating layer is introduced in the liquid metal under an inert atmosphere. The device for immersing the transducer is claimed [fr

  8. Artificial Intelligence Assists Ultrasonic Inspection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, Lloyd A.; Willenberg, James D.

    1992-01-01

    Subtle indications of flaws extracted from ultrasonic waveforms. Ultrasonic-inspection system uses artificial intelligence to help in identification of hidden flaws in electron-beam-welded castings. System involves application of flaw-classification logic to analysis of ultrasonic waveforms.

  9. Ultrasonic grinding method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyahara, Shuji.

    1990-01-01

    An ultrasonic generator and a liquid supply nozzle are opposed to an object to be ground and a pump is started in this state to supply an organic solvent. Matters to be decontaminated which adheres to the surface of the object to be ground and are difficult to be removed by a mere mechanical removing method can be eliminated previously by the surface active effect of the organic solvent such as ethanol prior to the oscillation of the ultrasonic generator. Subsequently, when the ultrasonic generator is oscillated, scales in the floated state can be removed simply. Further, since the organic solvent can penetrate to provide the surface active effect even in such a narrow portion that the top end of the ultrasonic generator is difficult to the intruded at the surface of the object to be ground, the decontaminating treatment can be applied also to such a narrow portion. (T.M.)

  10. Laser ultrasonic receivers based on photorefractive materials in non-destructive testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zamiri Hosseinzadeh, S.

    2014-01-01

    The field of laser ultrasonics is one of the most interesting topics in which laser light is used for the generation and the detection of ultrasound waves in materials. This contactless method is extremely useful for materials inspection being nondestructive and contactless, especially for hazardous environments. In this method a pulsed laser with a short pulse length of e.g. nano- or even picoseconds is focused on the surface of a specimen and then ultrasonic waves, nanometer vibrations, such as surface and bulk waves are generated and propagate in all directions on to the material. For contactless detection of ultrasonic waves several interferometers such as confocal Fabry-Perot, Michelson, and long path difference interferometers have been applied. Each of them has its individual advantages and disadvantages concerning, e.g., frequency responses and sensitivity. However, most of these interferometers work best on mirror-like surfaces and exhibit reduced sensitivity on rough surfaces. Also these kinds of interferometer are sensible to external noise as air fluctuations, sample vibrations or thermal deformations, thus requiring relatively complex stabilization techniques. This hinders their applicability in industrial applications with harsh environmental conditions. As an alternative to the before mentioned techniques interferometers based on photorefractive materials (PR) have been established. A typical two wave mixing interferometer (TWMI) configuration enables broadband ultrasonic measurements on rough surfaces. These types of interferometers have a good sensitivity up to 3e-7 nm(W/Hz) 1/2 spatially for samples with a high rough surface unlike the Michelson interferometer. By using ferroelectric photorefractive crystals such as LiNbO:Fe+2, sensitivity even is enhanced to 4e-8 nm(W/Hz) 1/2 but response time in these crystals is slower. In this work, contactless interferometer set ups based on photorefractive materials such as BSO (Bismuth Silicon Oxide: Bi 12

  11. ULTRASONIC ASSEMBLY [REVIEW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PORAV Viorica

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The paper exposes the possibility of machine producesers to optimize the costs of clothes assembling. Ultrasonic systems being frequently utilized have many advantages on semi products of synthetic textile and technical textile. First of all, sewing – cutting process can be accomplished under high speeds and rate of losses can be minimized. Cutting seal applications are frequently used for underwear and sportswear. Slicing and unit cutting machines, as well as portable sealing machines are available for labeling sector. Products such as bag, pocket and cover can be sewed in a seamless manner for promotion purposes. All objects in terms of accessories are obtained in same standard. Our quilting machines are preferred in worldwide due to its threadless, high quality sealing. An alternative to the classic sewing assembly, with thread and needles is ultrasonic seaming. In ultrasonic welding, there are no connective bolts, nails, soldering materials, or adhesives necessary to bind the materials together. Ultrasonic is defined as acoustic frequencies above the range audible to the human ear. Ultrasonic frequencies are administered to the fabric from the sonotrode of bonding machine. The high frequency and powerful energy produced, when is release in one special environment, the ultrasound heating this environment. The ability to ultrasonic weld textiles and films depend on their thermoplastic contents and the desired end results. The paper defines the weld ability of more common textiles and films. The welding refers to all types of bonding and sealing, as in point bonding of fabric, or continuous sealing of film.

  12. Ultrasonic Investigations on Polonides of Ba, Ca, and Pb

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Devraj; Bhalla, Vyoma; Bala, Jyoti; Wadhwa, Shikha

    2017-10-01

    The temperature-dependent mechanical and ultrasonic properties of barium, calcium, and lead polonides (BaPo, CaPo, and PbPo) were investigated in the temperature range 100-300 K. The second- and third-order elastic constants (SOECs and TOECs) were computed using Coulomb and Born-Mayer potential and these in turn have been used to estimate other secondary elastic properties such as strength, anisotropy, microhardness, etc. The theoretical approach followed the prediction that BaPo, CaPo, and PbPo are brittle in nature. PbPo is found to be the hardest amongst the chosen compounds. Further the SOECs and TOECs are applied to determine ultrasonic velocities, Debye temperature, and acoustic coupling constants along , , and orientations at room temperature. Additionally thermal conductivity has been computed using Morelli and Slack's approach along different crystallographic directions at room temperature. Finally ultrasonic attenuation due to phonon-phonon interaction and thermoelastic relaxation mechanisms has been computed for BaPo, CaPo, and PbPo. The behaviour of these compounds is similar to that of semi-metals with thermal relaxation time of the order 10-11 s. The present computation study is reasonably in agreement with the available theoretical data for the similar type of materials.

  13. An advanced ultrasonic technique for slow and void fraction measurements of two-phase flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faccini, J.L.H.; Su, J.; Harvel, G.D.; Chang, J.S.

    2004-01-01

    In this paper, we present a hybrid type counterpropagating transmission ultrasonic technique (CPTU) for flow and time averaging ultrasonic transmission intensity void fraction measurements (TATIU) of air-water two-phase flow, which is tested in the new two-phase flow test section mounted recently onto an existing single phase flow rig. The circular pipe test section is made of 51.2 mm stainless steel, followed by a transparent extruded acrylic pipe aimed at flow visualization. The two-phase flow rig operates in several flow regimes: bubbly, smooth stratified, wavy stratified and slug flow. The observed flow patterns are compared with previous experimental and numerical flow regime map for horizontal two phase flows. These flow patterns will be identified by time averaging transmission intensity ultrasonic techniques which have been developed to meet this particular application. A counterpropagating transmission ultrasonic flowmeter is used to measure the flow rate of liquid phase. A pulse-echo TATIU ultrasonic technique used to measure the void fraction of the horizontal test section is presented. We can draw the following conclusions: 1) the ultrasonic system was able to characterize the 2 flow patterns simulated (stratified and plug flow); 2) the results obtained for water volumetric fraction require more experimental work to determine exactly the technique uncertainties but, a priori, they are consistent with earlier work; and 3) the experimental uncertainties can be reduced by improving the data acquisition system, changing the acquisition time interval from seconds to milliseconds

  14. Potential regulation on the climatic effect of Tibetan Plateau heating by tropical air-sea coupling in regional models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ziqian; Duan, Anmin; Yang, Song

    2018-05-01

    Based on the conventional weather research and forecasting (WRF) model and the air-sea coupled mode WRF-OMLM, we investigate the potential regulation on the climatic effect of Tibetan Plateau (TP) heating by the air-sea coupling over the tropical Indian Ocean and western Pacific. Results indicate that the TP heating significantly enhances the southwesterly monsoon circulation over the northern Indian Ocean and the South Asia subcontinent. The intensified southwesterly wind cools the sea surface mainly through the wind-evaporation-SST (sea surface temperature) feedback. Cold SST anomaly then weakens monsoon convective activity, especially that over the Bay of Bengal, and less water vapor is thus transported into the TP along its southern slope from the tropical oceans. As a result, summer precipitation decreases over the TP, which further weakens the TP local heat source. Finally, the changed TP heating continues to influence the summer monsoon precipitation and atmospheric circulation. To a certain extent, the air-sea coupling over the adjacent oceans may weaken the effect of TP heating on the mean climate in summer. It is also implied that considerations of air-sea interaction are necessary in future simulation studies of the TP heating effect.

  15. Monitoring of Freeze-Thaw Cycles in Concrete Using Embedded Sensors and Ultrasonic Imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranz, Javier; Aparicio, Sofía; Romero, Héctor; Casati, María Jesús; Molero, Miguel; González, Margarita

    2014-01-01

    This paper deals with the study of damage produced during freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles using two non-destructive measurement approaches—the first approach devoted to continuous monitoring using embedded sensors during the cycles, and the second one, performing ultrasonic imaging before and after the cycles. Both methodologies have been tested in two different types of concrete specimens, with and without air-entraining agents. Using the first measurement approach, the size and distribution of pores were estimated using a thermoporometrical model and continuous measurements of temperature and ultrasonic velocity along cycles. These estimates have been compared with the results obtained using mercury porosimetry testing. In the second approach, the damage due to F-T cycles has been evaluated by automated ultrasonic transmission and pulse-echo inspections made before and after the cycles. With these inspections the variations in the dimensions, velocity and attenuation caused by the accelerated F-T cycles were determined. PMID:24481231

  16. Comparison of the samples injection systems with ultrasonic nebulizer and with pneumatic nebulizer for the metal determination in water by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marin, Sergio R; Pismante, Paola A

    2005-01-01

    The natural waters, depending on their use, must fulfill the exigencies and requirements that fix national and international norms. These establish conditions with respect to the concentration levels that must be some metals. In this work the development of inductively coupled plasma emission optical spectrometry with ultrasonic injection system is presented. The determination of aluminum, arsenic, barium, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, lead, strontium and vanadium, at levels of ultra-trace in water samples is studied by this technique. The wavelengths that represented better sensitivity and minors spectral interferences, were selected from the Literature specialized in the analysis of this type of material. Also the conditions of work for the ultrasonic nebulization: temperature, pressure, flow speed of argon, and flow speed of sample was determined. The greater sensitivity of the injection system by ultrasonic nebulization forehead to the injection system by pneumatic nebulization, is verified when comparing the spectral intensity of the selected wavelengths. Also the limits of detection and quantification was obtained by both systems. The validity of the results obtained in this method is verified applying the test of Fisher, who determines the degree of homogeneity of the variances, and the test of Student, to determine the trazability obtained with these values. For these studies, the certified material of reference TM-24.2 of National Water Research Institute Environment Canada (NWRI), was used. The positive answer to the criteria of evaluation E and Z-Score, obtained by this technique, allows to verify that it fulfills the exigencies to be used in the determination of metals at the required levels (au)

  17. Graphite Microstructural Characterization Using Time-Domain and Correlation-Based Ultrasonics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spicer, James [Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States)

    2017-12-06

    Among techniques that have been used to determine elastic modulus in nuclear graphites, ultrasonic methods have enjoyed wide use and standards using contacting piezoelectric tranducers have been developed to ensure repeatability of these types of measurements. However, the use of couplants and the pressures used to effectively couple transducers to samples can bias measurements and produce results that are not wholly related to the properties of the graphite itself. In this work, we have investigated the use of laser ultrasonic methods for making elastic modulus measurements in nuclear graphites. These methods use laser-based transmitters and receivers to gather data and do not require use of ultrasonic couplants or mechanical contact with the sample. As a result, information directly related to the elastic responses of graphite can be gathered even if the graphite is porous, brittle and compliant. In particular, we have demonstrated the use of laser ultrasonics for the determination of both Young’s modulus and shear modulus in a range of nuclear graphites including those that are being considered for use in future nuclear reactors. These results have been analyzed to assess the contributions of porosity and microcracking to the elastic responses of these graphites. Laser-based methods have also been used to assess the moduli of NBG-18 and IG-110 where samples of each grade were oxidized to produce specific changes in porosity. These data were used to develop new models for the elastic responses of nuclear graphites and these models have been used to infer specific changes in graphite microstructure that occur during oxidation that affect elastic modulus. Specifically, we show how ultrasonic measurements in oxidized graphites are consistent with nano/microscale oxidation processes where basal plane edges react more readily than basal plane surfaces. We have also shown the use of laser-based methods to perform shear-wave birefringence measurements and have shown

  18. Performance investigation on the ultrasonic atomization liquid desiccant regeneration system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Zili; Zhang, Kaisheng; Hwang, Yunho; Lian, Zhiwei

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • We applied ultrasonic atomization technology to boost liquid desiccant regeneration. • We established a novel UARS and made a thorough study on its performance. • We developed a performance prediction model for UARS and validated its accuracy. • The necessary regeneration temperature dropped significantly (4.4 °C) in UARS. • Energy consumption for regenerating desiccant was reduced greatly (60.4%) in UARS. - Abstract: Liquid desiccant dehumidification systems have accumulated considerable research interest in recent years for their great energy saving potential in buildings. Within the system, the regenerator recovering liquid desiccant plays a major role in its performance. When the ultrasonic atomization technology is applied to atomize the desiccant solution into numerous tiny droplets with diameters around 50 μm, the regeneration process could be greatly enhanced. To validate this approach, a novel ultrasonic atomization liquid desiccant regeneration system (UARS) was studied in this work. An Ideal Regeneration Model (IRM) was developed to predict the regeneration performance of the UARS. Additionally, thorough experiments were carried out to validate the model under different operating conditions of the desiccant solution and air stream. The model predicted values and the experimental results coincided, with the average deviation less than 7.9%. The performance of UARS was compared with other regeneration systems from the open literature, while a case study was conducted for the power consumption and energy saving potential of UARS. It was found that the ultrasonic atomization technology enabled utilization of lower-grade energy for desiccant regeneration with the regeneration temperature lowered as much as 4.4 °C. In addition, a considerable energy saving potential of up to 23.4% could be achieved by the UARS for regenerating per unit mass flow of desiccant solution, while the power consumption of the ultrasonic atomization system

  19. Calculation of wideband ultrasonic fields radiated by immersed transducers into solids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lhemery, A.; Calmon, P.; Mephane, M.

    1996-01-01

    In ultrasonic nondestructive testing (NDT), configurations of immersion techniques where transducers radiate through non-planar interfaces are often encountered, e.g., pipe inspection where the probe can be scanned either inside or outside the pipe. When local radii of curvature are far larger that typical wave paths in the coupling fluid and into the piece, field predictions can often be made assuming a plane interface. For smaller radii, such an approximation is not valid. The model developed at the French Atomic ENergy Commission (CEA) to predict ultrasonic fields radiated by wideband transducers through liquid-interfaces (called Champ-Sons) is based on a modification of the Rayleigh integral to take account of refraction. It is derived under the geometrical optics approximation (GO) which introduces two factors: the transmission coefficient between the two media of elementary contributions from source-points to field-points and the so-called 'divergence factor' of the transmitted rays (denoted by DF), accounting for the principal radii of curvature of the retransmitted rays (denoted by DF), accounting for the principal radii of curvature of the refracted wave fronts (initially spherical in the coupling medium). (authors)

  20. Nonlinear piezoelectricity in PZT ceramics for generating ultrasonic phase conjugate waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto; Kokubo; Sakai; Takagi

    2000-03-01

    We have succeeded in the generation of acoustic phase conjugate waves with nonlinear PZT piezoelectric ceramics and applied them to ultrasonic imaging systems. Our aim is to make a phase conjugator with 100% efficiency. For this purpose, it is important to clarify the mechanism of acoustic phase conjugation through nonlinear piezoelectricity. The process is explained by the parametric interaction via the third-order nonlinear piezoelectricity between the incident acoustic wave at angular frequency omega and the pump electric field at 2 omega. We solved the coupling equations including the third-ordered nonlinear piezoelectricity and theoretically derived the amplitude efficiency of the acoustic phase conjugation. We compared the efficiencies between the theoretical and experimental values for PZT ceramics with eight different compositions. Pb[(Zn1/3Nb2/3)(1 - x)Tix]O3 (X = 0.09, PZNT91/9) piezoelectric single crystals have been investigated for high-performance ultrasonic transducer application, because these have large piezoelectric constants, high electrical-mechanical coupling factors and high dielectric constants. We found that they have third-order nonlinear piezoelectric constants much larger than PZT and are hopeful that the material as a phase conjugator has over 100% efficiency.

  1. Electric power generating plant having direct-coupled steam and compressed-air cycles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drost, M.K.

    1981-01-07

    An electric power generating plant is provided with a Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system which is directly coupled to the steam cycle of the generating plant. The CAES system is charged by the steam boiler during off peak hours, and drives a separate generator during peak load hours. The steam boiler load is thereby levelized throughout an operating day.

  2. Electric power generating plant having direct coupled steam and compressed air cycles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drost, Monte K.

    1982-01-01

    An electric power generating plant is provided with a Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system which is directly coupled to the steam cycle of the generating plant. The CAES system is charged by the steam boiler during off peak hours, and drives a separate generator during peak load hours. The steam boiler load is thereby levelized throughout an operating day.

  3. A Comparison of Wind Speed Data from Mechanical and Ultrasonic Anemometers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Short, D.; Wells, L.; Merceret, F.; Roeder, W. P.

    2006-01-01

    This study compared the performance of mechanical and ultrasonic anemometers at the Eastern Range (ER; Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Florida's Atlantic coast) and the Western Range (WR; Vandenberg Air Force Base on California's Pacific coast). Launch Weather Officers, forecasters, and Range Safety analysts need to understand the performance of wind sensors at the ER and WR for weather warnings, watches, advisories, special ground processing operations, launch pad exposure forecasts, user Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) forecasts and evaluations, and toxic dispersion support. The current ER and WR weather tower wind instruments are being changed from the current propeller-and-vane (ER) and cup-and-vane (WR) sensors to ultrasonic sensors through the Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) program. The differences between mechanical and ultrasonic techniques have been found to cause differences in the statistics of peak wind speed in previous studies. The 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) and the 30th Weather Squadron (30 WS) requested the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) to compare data between RSA and current sensors to determine if there are significant differences. Approximately 3 weeks of Legacy and RSA wind data from each range were used in the study, archived during May and June 2005. The ER data spanned the full diurnal cycle, while the WR data was confined to 1000-1600 local time. The sample of 1-minute data from numerous levels on 5 different towers on each range totaled more than 500,000 minutes of data (482,979 minutes of data after quality control). The 10 towers were instrumented at several levels, ranging from 12 ft to 492 ft above ground level. The RSA sensors were collocated at the same vertical levels as the present sensors and typically within 15 ft horizontally of each another. Data from a total of 53 RSA ultrasonic sensors, collocated with present sensors were compared. The 1-minute average wind speed/direction and the 1

  4. Air-ground temperature coupling and subsurface propagation of annual temperature signals

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Smerdon, J. E.; Pollack, H. N.; Čermák, Vladimír; Enz, J. W.; Krešl, Milan; Šafanda, Jan; Wehmiller, J. F.

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 109, D21 (2004), D21107/1-10 ISSN 0148-0227 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KSK3046108; GA MŠk(CZ) 1P05ME778 Grant - others:NSF(US) ATM-0081864; NSF(US) EAR9315052; NASA (US) GWEC 0000 0132 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z3012916 Keywords : heat transport * air-ground temperature coupling * paleoclimate Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 2.839, year: 2004

  5. Research on the Coupling Coordination Relationship between Urbanization and the Air Environment: A Case Study of the Area of Wuhan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Ding

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available China’s high-speed socioeconomic development has been characterized by rapid urbanization and a series of ecological environment issues, especially air pollution. This paper proposed a comprehensive indicator system for the evaluation of urbanization and the air environment in Wuhan, a metropolis in central China, and then investigated the relationship between urbanization and the air environment from the perspective of coupling coordination theory. Furthermore, a coupling coordination degree model (CCDM was constructed to estimate the relationship by using panel data collected from 1996–2013. The results showed the following: (1 Spatial urbanization and air environment quality make the greatest contributions to the compound system compared to other first grade indicators, indicating that they are critical factors to consider when the government is making relevant decisions about urban sprawl. (2 The comprehensive level of the air environment initially decreased from 1996–1998 and then increased with fluctuations in Wuhan, with several inflection points, meaning that the variation process of the air environment is unstable and repetitive, and efforts to improve the air environment must persist over a long period of time. Lastly, (3 the degree of coordinated coupling between urbanization and the air environment exhibited an S-shaped curve, indicating that Wuhan changed from having slightly unbalanced development to barely balanced development and then entered into a period of superiorly balanced development, with the air environment lagging. Thus, the ambient urban air quality has been subject to great pressure, and the government should continue to take effective action to improve it.

  6. Interaction of Sound with Sound by Novel Mechanisms: Ultrasonic Four-Wave Mixing Mediated by a Suspension and Ultrasonic Three-Wave Mixing at a Free Surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, Harry Jay

    Two mechanisms of sound interacting with sound are experimentally and theoretically investigated. Ultrasonic four-wave mixing in a dilute particle suspension, analogous to optical four-wave mixing in photorefractive materials, involves the interaction of three ultrasonic wavefields that produces a fourth scattered wavefield. The experimental configuration consists of two ultrasonic (800 kHz) pump waves that are used to produce a grating in a suspension of 25 μm diameter polymer particles in salt water. The pump waves are counter-propagating, which form a standing wavefield in the suspension and the less compressible particles are attracted to the pressure nodes in response to the time averaged radiation pressure. A higher frequency (2-10 MHz) ultrasonic wavefield is used to probe the resulting grating. The ultrasonic Bragg scattering is then measured. The scattering depends strongly on the response to the pump wave and is an unusual class of acoustical nonlinearity. Investigation of very small amplitude gratings are done by studying the temporal response of the Bragg scattering to a sudden turn on of a moderate amplitude pump wavefield in a previously homogeneous particle suspension. The Bragg scattering has been verified experimentally and is modeled for early-time grating formations using a sinusoidal grating. The larger amplitude gratings are studied in equilibrium and are modeled using an Epstein layer approximation. Ultrasonic three-wave mixing at a free surface involves the interaction of a high amplitude 400 kHz plane wavefield incident at 33^circ on a water-air interface with a normally incident high frequency (4.6 MHz) focused wavefield. The 400 kHz "pump" wavefield reflects from the surface and produces an oscillating surface displacement that forms a local traveling phase grating. Simultaneously the 4.6 MHz "probe" wavefield is reflected from the free surface. The grating scatters the focused probe wavefield and produces (or contributes to) spatially

  7. Apparatus for ultrasonic nebulization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olson, K.W.; Haas, W.J. Jr.; Fassel, V.A.

    1978-01-01

    An improved apparatus is described for ultrasonic nebulization of liquid samples or suspensions in which the piezoelectric transducer is protected from chemical attack and erosion. The transducer is protected by being bonded to the inner surface of a glass plate which forms one end wall of a first hollow body provided with apparatus for circulating a fluid for cooling and stabilizing the transducer. The glass plate, which is one-half wavelength in thickness to provide an acoustically coupled outer nebulizing surface, seals an opening in a second hollow body which encloses an aerosol mixing chamber. The second body includes apparatus for delivering the sample solution to the nebulizing surface, a gas inlet for providing a flow of carrier gas for transporting the aerosol of the nebulized sample and an aerosol outlet

  8. Remote consulting based on ultrasonic digital immages and dynamic ultrasonic sequences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margan, Anamarija; Rustemović, Nadan

    2006-03-01

    Telematic ultrasonic diagnostics is a relatively new tool in providing health care to patients in remote, islolated communities. Our project facility, "The Virtual Polyclinic - A Specialists' Consulting Network for the Islands", is located on the island of Cres in the Adriatic Sea in Croatia and has been extending telemedical services to the archipelago population since 2000. Telemedicine applications include consulting services by specialists at the University Clinical Hospital Center Rebro in Zagreb and at "Magdalena", a leading cardiology clinic in Croatia. After several years of experience with static high resolution ultrasonic digital immages for referral consulting diagnostics purposes, we now also use dynamic ultrasonic sequences in a project with the Department of Emmergency Gastroenterology at Rebro in Zagreb. The aim of the ongoing project is to compare the advantages and shortcomings in transmitting static ultrasonic digital immages and live sequences of ultrasonic examination in telematic diagnostics. Ultrasonic examination is a dynamic process in which the diagnostic accuracy is highly dependent on the dynamic moment of an ultrasound probe and signal. Our first results indicate that in diffuse parenchymal organ pathology the progression and the follow up of a disease is better presented to a remote consulting specialist by dynamic ultrasound sequences. However, the changes that involve only one part of a parenchymal organ can be suitably presented by static ultrasonic digital images alone. Furthermore, we need less time for digital imaging and such tele-consultations overall are more economical. Our previous telemedicine research and practice proved that we can greatly improve the level of medical care in remote healthcare facilities and cut healthcare costs considerably. The experience in the ongoing project points to a conclusion that we can further optimize remote diagnostics benefits by a right choice of telematic application thus reaching a

  9. Ultrasonic flow meter

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lötters, Joost Conrad; Snijders, G.J.; Volker, A.W.F.

    2014-01-01

    The invention relates to an ultrasonic flow meter comprising a flow tube for the fluid whose flow rate is to be determined. The flow meter comprises a transmitting element for emitting ultrasonic waves, which is provided on the outer jacket of the flow tube. A receiving element, which is provided on

  10. A coupling of empirical explosive blast loads to ALE air domains in LS-DYNA (registered)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slavik, Todd P

    2010-01-01

    A coupling method recently implemented in LS-DYNA (registered) allows empirical explosive blast loads to be applied to air domains treated with the multi-material arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) formulation. Previously, when simulating structures subjected to blast loads, two methods of analysis were available: a purely Lagrangian approach or one involving the ALE and Lagrangian formulations coupled with a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) algorithm. In the former, air blast pressure is computed with empirical equations and directly applied to Lagrangian elements of the structure. In the latter approach, the explosive as well as the air are explicitly modeled and the blast wave propagating through the ALE air domain impinges on the Lagrangian structure through FSI. Since the purely Lagrangian approach avoids modeling the air between the explosive and structure, a significant computational cost savings can be realized - especially so when large standoff distances are considered. The shortcoming of the empirical blast equations is their inability to account for focusing or shadowing of the blast waves due to their interaction with structures which may intervene between the explosive and primary structure of interest. The new method presented here obviates modeling the explosive and air leading up the structure. Instead, only the air immediately surrounding the Lagrangian structures need be modeled with ALE, while effects of the far-field blast are applied to the outer face of that ALE air domain with the empirical blast equations; thus, focusing and shadowing effects can be accommodated yet computational costs are kept to a minimum. Comparison of the efficiency and accuracy of this new method with other approaches shows that the ability of LS-DYNA (registered) to model a variety of new blast scenarios has been greatly extended.

  11. Ultrasonic Low-Friction Containment Plate for Thermal and Ultrasonic Stir Weld Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graff, Karl; Short, Matt

    2013-01-01

    The thermal stir welding (TSW) process is finding applications in fabrication of space vehicles. In this process, workpieces to be joined by TSW are drawn, by heavy forces, between "containment plates," past the TSW tool that then causes joining of the separate plates. It is believed that the TSW process would be significantly improved by reducing the draw force, and that this could be achieved by reducing the friction forces between the workpieces and containment plates. Based on use of high-power ultrasonics in metal forming processes, where friction reduction in drawing dies has been achieved, it is believed that ultrasonic vibrations of the containment plates could achieve similar friction reduction in the TSW process. By applying ultrasonic vibrations to the containment plates in a longitudinal vibration mode, as well as by mounting and holding the containment plates in a specific manner such as to permit the plates to acoustically float, friction between the metal parts and the containment plates is greatly reduced, and so is the drawing force. The concept was to bring in the ultrasonics from the sides of the plates, permitting the ultrasonic hardware to be placed to the side, away from the equipment that contains the thermal stir tooling and that applies clamping forces to the plates. Tests demonstrated that one of the major objectives of applying ultrasonics to the thermal stir system, that of reducing draw force friction, should be achievable on a scaled-up system.

  12. A techno-economic comparison of ground-coupled and air-coupled heat pump system for space cooling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Esen, Hikmet; Esen, Mehmet [Department of Mechanical Education, Faculty of Technical Education, University of Firat, 23119 Elazig (Turkey); Inalli, Mustafa [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Firat, 23119 Elazig (Turkey)

    2007-05-15

    This paper reports a techno-economic comparison between a ground-coupled heat pump (GCHP) system and an air-coupled heat pump (ACHP) system. The systems connected to a test room in Firat University, Elazig (38.41{sup o}N, 39.14{sup o}E), Turkey, were designed and constructed for space cooling. The performances of the GCHP and the ACHP system were experimentally determined. The experimental results were obtained from June to September in cooling season of 2004. The average cooling performance coefficients (COP{sub sys}) of the GCHP system for horizontal ground heat exchanger (HGHE) in the different trenches, at 1 and 2m depths, were obtained to be 3.85 and 4.26, respectively and the COP{sub sys} of the ACHP system was determined to be 3.17. The test results indicate that system parameters can have an important effect on performance, and that GCHP systems are economically preferable to ACHP systems for the purpose of space cooling. (author)

  13. Monte Carlo and discrete-ordinate simulations of spectral radiances in a coupled air-tissue system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hestenes, Kjersti; Nielsen, Kristian P; Zhao, Lu; Stamnes, Jakob J; Stamnes, Knut

    2007-04-20

    We perform a detailed comparison study of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and discrete-ordinate radiative-transfer (DISORT) calculations of spectral radiances in a 1D coupled air-tissue (CAT) system consisting of horizontal plane-parallel layers. The MC and DISORT models have the same physical basis, including coupling between the air and the tissue, and we use the same air and tissue input parameters for both codes. We find excellent agreement between radiances obtained with the two codes, both above and in the tissue. Our tests cover typical optical properties of skin tissue at the 280, 540, and 650 nm wavelengths. The normalized volume scattering function for internal structures in the skin is represented by the one-parameter Henyey-Greenstein function for large particles and the Rayleigh scattering function for small particles. The CAT-DISORT code is found to be approximately 1000 times faster than the CAT-MC code. We also show that the spectral radiance field is strongly dependent on the inherent optical properties of the skin tissue.

  14. Effects of ozone-vegetation coupling on surface ozone air quality via biogeochemical and meteorological feedbacks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadiq, Mehliyar; Tai, Amos P. K.; Lombardozzi, Danica; Martin, Maria Val

    2017-02-01

    Tropospheric ozone is one of the most hazardous air pollutants as it harms both human health and plant productivity. Foliage uptake of ozone via dry deposition damages photosynthesis and causes stomatal closure. These foliage changes could lead to a cascade of biogeochemical and biogeophysical effects that not only modulate the carbon cycle, regional hydrometeorology and climate, but also cause feedbacks onto surface ozone concentration itself. In this study, we implement a semi-empirical parameterization of ozone damage on vegetation in the Community Earth System Model to enable online ozone-vegetation coupling, so that for the first time ecosystem structure and ozone concentration can coevolve in fully coupled land-atmosphere simulations. With ozone-vegetation coupling, present-day surface ozone is simulated to be higher by up to 4-6 ppbv over Europe, North America and China. Reduced dry deposition velocity following ozone damage contributes to ˜ 40-100 % of those increases, constituting a significant positive biogeochemical feedback on ozone air quality. Enhanced biogenic isoprene emission is found to contribute to most of the remaining increases, and is driven mainly by higher vegetation temperature that results from lower transpiration rate. This isoprene-driven pathway represents an indirect, positive meteorological feedback. The reduction in both dry deposition and transpiration is mostly associated with reduced stomatal conductance following ozone damage, whereas the modification of photosynthesis and further changes in ecosystem productivity are found to play a smaller role in contributing to the ozone-vegetation feedbacks. Our results highlight the need to consider two-way ozone-vegetation coupling in Earth system models to derive a more complete understanding and yield more reliable future predictions of ozone air quality.

  15. Computer automation of ultrasonic testing. [inspection of ultrasonic welding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yee, B. G. W.; Kerlin, E. E.; Gardner, A. H.; Dunmyer, D.; Wells, T. G.; Robinson, A. R.; Kunselman, J. S.; Walker, T. C.

    1974-01-01

    Report describes a prototype computer-automated ultrasonic system developed for the inspection of weldments. This system can be operated in three modes: manual, automatic, and computer-controlled. In the computer-controlled mode, the system will automatically acquire, process, analyze, store, and display ultrasonic inspection data in real-time. Flaw size (in cross-section), location (depth), and type (porosity-like or crack-like) can be automatically discerned and displayed. The results and pertinent parameters are recorded.

  16. Rotation of a metal gear disk in an ultrasonic levitator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rendon, Pablo L.; Boullosa, Ricardo R.; Salazar, Laura

    2016-11-01

    The phenomenon known as acoustic radiation pressure is well-known to be associated with the time-averaged momentum flux of an acoustic wave, and precisely because it is a time-averaged effect, it is relatively easy to observe experimentally. An ultrasonic levitator makes use of this effect to levitate small particles. Although it is a less-well studied effect, the transfer of angular momentum using acoustic waves in air or liquids has nonetheless been the subject of some recent studies. This transfer depends on the scattering and absorbing properties of the object and is achieved, typically, through the generation of acoustic vortex beams. In the present study, we examine the manner in which the acoustic standing wave located between two disks of an ultrasonic levitator in air may transfer angular momentum to objects with different shapes. In this case, a non-spherical object is subjected to, in addition to the radiation force, a torque which induces rotation. Analytical solutions for the acoustic force and torque are available, but limited to a few simple cases. In general, a finite element model must be used to obtain solutions. Thus, we develop and validate a finite element simulation in order to calculate directly the torque and radiation force.

  17. Ultrasonic inspection of austenitic welds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baikie, B.L.; Wagg, A.R.; Whittle, M.J.; Yapp, D.

    1976-01-01

    The ultrasonic examination of austenitic stainless steel weld metal has always been regarded as a difficult proposition because of the large and variable ultrasonic attenuations and back scattering obtained from apparently similar weld deposits. The work to be described shows how the existence of a fibre texture within each weld deposit (as a result of epitaxial growth through successive weld beads) produces a systematic variation in the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient and the velocity of sound, depending upon the angle between the ultrasonic beam and the fibre axis. Development work has shown that it is possible to adjust the welding parameters to ensure that the crystallographic texture within each weld is compatible with improved ultrasonic transmission. The application of the results to the inspection of a specific weld in type 316 weld metal is described

  18. Irradiation Testing of Ultrasonic Transducers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daw, J.; Rempe, J.; Palmer, J.; Tittmann, B.; Reinhardt, B.; Kohse, G.; Ramuhalli, P.; Montgomery, R.; Chien, H.T.; Villard, J.F.

    2013-06-01

    Ultrasonic technologies offer the potential for high accuracy and resolution in-pile measurement of numerous parameters, including geometry changes, temperature, crack initiation and growth, gas pressure and composition, and microstructural changes. Many Department of Energy-Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) programs are exploring the use of ultrasonic technologies to provide enhanced sensors for in-pile instrumentation during irradiation testing. For example, the ability of single, small diameter ultrasonic thermometers (UTs) to provide a temperature profile in candidate metallic and oxide fuel would provide much needed data for validating new fuel performance models. Other efforts include an ultrasonic technique to detect morphology changes (such as crack initiation and growth) and acoustic techniques to evaluate fission gas composition and pressure. These efforts are limited by the lack of existing knowledge of ultrasonic transducer material survivability under irradiation conditions. To address this need, the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) was awarded an Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility (ATR NSUF) project to evaluate promising magnetostrictive and piezoelectric transducer performance in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor (MITR) up to a fast fluence of at least 10 21 n/cm 2 (E> 0.1 MeV). This test will be an instrumented lead test; and real-time transducer performance data will be collected along with temperature and neutron and gamma flux data. By characterizing magnetostrictive and piezoelectric transducer survivability during irradiation, test results will enable the development of novel radiation tolerant ultrasonic sensors for use in Material and Test Reactors (MTRs). The current work bridges the gap between proven out-of-pile ultrasonic techniques and in-pile deployment of ultrasonic sensors by acquiring the data necessary to demonstrate the performance of ultrasonic transducers. (authors)

  19. Ultrasonic dip seal maintenance system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poindexter, A.M.; Ricks, H.E.

    1978-01-01

    Disclosed is a system for removing impurities from the surfaces of liquid dip seals and for wetting the metal surfaces of liquid dip seals in nuclear components. The system comprises an ultrasonic transducer that transmits ultrasonic vibrations along an ultrasonic probe to the metal and liquid surfaces of the dip seal thereby loosening and removing those impurities

  20. Dynamics of ultrasonic additive manufacturing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hehr, Adam; Dapino, Marcelo J

    2017-01-01

    Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a solid-state technology for joining similar and dissimilar metal foils near room temperature by scrubbing them together with ultrasonic vibrations under pressure. Structural dynamics of the welding assembly and work piece influence how energy is transferred during the process and ultimately, part quality. To understand the effect of structural dynamics during UAM, a linear time-invariant model is proposed to relate the inputs of shear force and electric current to resultant welder velocity and voltage. Measured frequency response and operating performance of the welder under no load is used to identify model parameters. Using this model and in-situ measurements, shear force and welder efficiency are estimated to be near 2000N and 80% when welding Al 6061-H18 weld foil, respectively. Shear force and welder efficiency have never been estimated before in UAM. The influence of processing conditions, i.e., welder amplitude, normal force, and weld speed, on shear force and welder efficiency are investigated. Welder velocity was found to strongly influence the shear force magnitude and efficiency while normal force and weld speed showed little to no influence. The proposed model is used to describe high frequency harmonic content in the velocity response of the welder during welding operations and coupling of the UAM build with the welder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Characterization of ultrasonic spray pyrolysed ruthenium oxide thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Patil, P.S.; Ennaoui, E.A.; Lokhande, C.D.; Mueller, M.; Giersig, M.; Diesner, K.; Tributsch, H. [Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin GmbH (Germany). Bereich Physikalische Chemie

    1997-11-21

    The ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) technique was employed to deposit ruthenium oxide thin films. The films were prepared at 190 C substrate temperature and further annealed at 350 C for 30 min in air. The films were 0.22 {mu} thick and black grey in color. The structural, compositional and optical properties of ruthenium oxide thin films are reported. Contactless transient photoconductivity measurement was carried out to calculate the decay time of excess charge carriers in ruthenium oxide thin films. (orig.) 28 refs.

  2. An Ultrasonic Wheel-Array Probe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drinkwater, B. W.; Brotherhood, C. J.; Freemantle, R. J.

    2004-02-01

    This paper describes the development and modeling of an ultrasonic array wheel probe scanning system. The system operates at 10 MHz using a 64 element array transducer which is 50 mm in length and located in a fluid filled wheel. The wheel is coupled to the test structure dry, or with a small amount of liquid couplant. When the wheel is rolled over the surface of the test structure a defect map (C-Scan) is generated in real-time. The tyre is made from a soft, durable polymer which has very little acoustic loss. Two application studies are presented; the inspection of sealant layers in an aluminum aircraft wing structure and the detection of embedded defects in a thick section carbon composite sample.

  3. Ultrasonic investigations on polonides of Ba, Ca, and Pb

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, Devraj; Bhalla, Vyoma [Amity School of Engineering and Technology, New Delhi (India). Dept. of Applied Physics; Bala, Jyoti [Amity School of Engineering and Technology, New Delhi (India). Dept. of Applied Physics; Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha Univ., New Delhi (India). USICT; Wadhwa, Shikha [Amity Univ., Noida (India). Amity Inst. of Nanotechnology

    2017-07-01

    The temperature-dependent mechanical and ultrasonic properties of barium, calcium, and lead polonides (BaPo, CaPo, and PbPo) were investigated in the temperature range 100-300 K. The second- and third-order elastic constants (SOECs and TOECs) were computed using Coulomb and Born-Mayer potential and these in turn have been used to estimate other secondary elastic properties such as strength, anisotropy, microhardness, etc. The theoretical approach followed the prediction that BaPo, CaPo, and PbPo are brittle in nature. PbPo is found to be the hardest amongst the chosen compounds. Further the SOECs and TOECs are applied to determine ultrasonic velocities, Debye temperature, and acoustic coupling constants along left angle 100 right angle, left angle 110 right angle, and left angle 111 right angle orientations at room temperature. Additionally thermal conductivity has been computed using Morelli and Slack's approach along different crystallographic directions at room temperature. Finally ultrasonic attenuation due to phonon-phonon interaction and thermoelastic relaxation mechanisms has been computed for BaPo, CaPo, and PbPo. The behaviour of these compounds is similar to that of semi-metals with thermal relaxation time of the order 10{sup -11} s. The present computation study is reasonably in agreement with the available theoretical data for the similar type of materials.

  4. Ultrasonic neuromodulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naor, Omer; Krupa, Steve; Shoham, Shy

    2016-06-01

    Ultrasonic waves can be non-invasively steered and focused into mm-scale regions across the human body and brain, and their application in generating controlled artificial modulation of neuronal activity could therefore potentially have profound implications for neural science and engineering. Ultrasonic neuro-modulation phenomena were experimentally observed and studied for nearly a century, with recent discoveries on direct neural excitation and suppression sparking a new wave of investigations in models ranging from rodents to humans. In this paper we review the physics, engineering and scientific aspects of ultrasonic fields, their control in both space and time, and their effect on neuronal activity, including a survey of both the field’s foundational history and of recent findings. We describe key constraints encountered in this field, as well as key engineering systems developed to surmount them. In closing, the state of the art is discussed, with an emphasis on emerging research and clinical directions.

  5. Ultrasonic level, temperature, and density sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rogers, S.C.; Miller, G.N.

    1982-01-01

    A sensor has been developed to measure simultaneously the level, temperature, and density of the fluid in which it is immersed. The sensor is a thin, rectangular stainless steel ribbon which acts as a waveguide and is housed in a perforated tube. The waveguide is coupled to a section of magnetostrictive magnetic-coil transducers. These tranducers are excited in an alternating sequence to interrogate the sensor with both torsional ultrasonic waves, utilizing the Wiedemann effect, and extensional ultrasonic waves, using the Joule effect. The measured torsional wave transit time is a function of the density, level, and temperature of the fluid surrounding the waveguide. The measured extensional wave transit time is a function of the temperature of the waveguide only. The sensor is divided into zones by the introduction of reflecting surfaces at measured intervals along its length. Consequently, the transit times from each reflecting surface can be analyzed to yield a temperature profile and a density profile along the length of the sensor. Improvements in acoustic wave dampener and pressure seal designs enhance the compatibility of the probe with high-temperature, high-radiation, water-steam environments and increase the likelihood of survival in such environments. Utilization of a microcomputer to automate data sampling and processing has resulted in improved resolution of the sensor

  6. Dissemination of aerosol and splatter during ultrasonic scaling: A pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H.R. Veena

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Context: Routine dental procedures produce aerosol and splatter, which pose a potential risk to the clinician and dental personnel, as well as the immunocompromised patient. Reports indicate that the ultrasonic scaler is the greatest producer of aerosol and splatter. Aims: The study aimed to evaluate the contamination distance, contamination amount and contamination duration of aerosol produced during ultrasonic scaling. Methods and materials: The study was performed on a mannequin fitted with phantom jaws on a dental chair. Mock scaling was done for 15 min using an auto-tuned magnetostrictive ultrasonic scaler with the simultaneous use of a low volume saliva ejector. An ultrafiltrate-containing fluorescent dye was used in the reservoir supplying the scaler unit. Filter paper discs were placed in different positions and distances in the operatory. Immediately following scaling, the filter paper discs were replaced with new ones. This was done every 30 min for a total duration of 90 min. Results: Maximum contamination was found on the right arm of the operator and left arm of the assistant. Contamination was also found on the head, chest and inner surface of the face mask of the operator and of the assistant. The aerosol was found to remain in the air up to 30 min after scaling. Conclusions: The occupational health hazards of dental aerosols can be minimized by following simple, inexpensive precautions. Keywords: Aerosol, Splatter, Infection control, Aerosol contamination in dentistry, Dental unit water lines, Ultrasonic scaling

  7. Ultrasonic colour Doppler imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Evans, David H; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt; Nielsen, Michael Bachmann

    2011-01-01

    Ultrasonic colour Doppler is an imaging technique that combines anatomical information derived using ultrasonic pulse-echo techniques with velocity information derived using ultrasonic Doppler techniques to generate colour-coded maps of tissue velocity superimposed on grey-scale images of tissue...... anatomy. The most common use of the technique is to image the movement of blood through the heart, arteries and veins, but it may also be used to image the motion of solid tissues such as the heart walls. Colour Doppler imaging is now provided on almost all commercial ultrasound machines, and has been...

  8. Ultrasonic flowmeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wittekind, W.D.

    1979-01-01

    A prototype ultrasonic flowmeter was assembled and tested. The theoretical basis of this prototype ultrasonic flowmeter is reviewed; the equipment requirements for a portable unit are discussed; the individual electronic modules contained in the prototype are described; the operating procedures and configuration are explained; and the data from preliminary calibrations are presented. The calibration data confirm that the prototype operates according to theoretical predictions and can indeed provide nonintrusive flow measurements to predicted accuracies for pipes larger than two inches, under single phase stable flow conditions

  9. Pulsed ultrasonic stir welding system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, R. Jeffrey (Inventor)

    2013-01-01

    An ultrasonic stir welding system includes a welding head assembly having a plate and a rod passing through the plate. The rod is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof. During a welding operation, ultrasonic pulses are applied to the rod as it rotates about its longitudinal axis. The ultrasonic pulses are applied in such a way that they propagate parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod.

  10. Electroless deposition of nickel-boron coatings using low frequency ultrasonic agitation: Effect of ultrasonic frequency on the coatings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonin, L; Bains, N; Vitry, V; Cobley, A J

    2017-05-01

    The effect of ultrasound on the properties of Nickel-Boron (NiB) coatings was investigated. NiB coatings were fabricated by electroless deposition using either ultrasonic or mechanical agitation. The deposition of Ni occurred in an aqueous bath containing a reducible metal salt (nickel chloride), reducing agent (sodium borohydride), complexing agent (ethylenediamine) and stabilizer (lead tungstate). Due to the instability of the borohydride in acidic, neutral and slightly alkaline media, pH was controlled at pH 12±1 in order to avoid destabilizing the bath. Deposition was performed in three different configurations: one with a classical mechanical agitation at 300rpm and the other two employing ultrasound at a frequency of either 20 or 35kHz. The microstructures of the electroless coatings were characterized by a combination of optical Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The chemistry of the coatings was determined by ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectrometry) after dissolution in aqua regia. The mechanical properties of the coatings were established by a combination of roughness measurements, Vickers microhardness and pin-on-disk tribology tests. Lastly, the corrosion properties were analysed by potentiodynamic polarization. The results showed that low frequency ultrasonic agitation could be used to produce coatings from an alkaline NiB bath and that the thickness of coatings obtained could be increased by over 50% compared to those produced using mechanical agitation. Although ultrasonic agitation produced a smoother coating and some alteration of the deposit morphology was observed, the mechanical and corrosion properties were very similar to those found when using mechanical agitation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Effect of ultrasonic stimulation on particle transport and fate over different lengths of porous media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xingxin; Wu, Zhonghan; Cai, Qipeng; Cao, Wei

    2018-04-01

    It is well established that seismic waves traveling through porous media stimulate fluid flow and accelerate particle transport. However, the mechanism remains poorly understood. To quantify the coupling effect of hydrodynamic force, transportation distance, and ultrasonic stimulation on particle transport and fate in porous media, laboratory experiments were conducted using custom-built ultrasonic-controlled soil column equipment. Three column lengths (23 cm, 33 cm, and 43 cm) were selected to examine the influence of transportation distance. Transport experiments were performed with 0 W, 600 W, 1000 W, 1400 W, and 1800 W of applied ultrasound, and flow rates of 0.065 cm/s, 0.130 cm/s, and 0.195 cm/s, to establish the roles of ultrasonic stimulation and hydrodynamic force. The laboratory results suggest that whilst ultrasonic stimulation does inhibit suspended-particle deposition and accelerate deposited-particle release, both hydrodynamic force and transportation distance are the principal controlling factors. The median particle diameter for the peak concentration was approximately 50% of that retained in the soil column. Simulated particle-breakthrough curves using extended traditional filtration theory effectively described the experimental curves, particularly the curves that exhibited a higher tailing concentration.

  12. Under sodium ultrasonic viewing for Fast Breeder Reactors: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tarpara, Eaglekumar G.; Patankar, V.H.; Vijayan Varier, N.

    2016-09-01

    Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors (LMFBR/FBR) are of two types: Loop type and Pool type. Many countries like USA, Japan, UK, Russia, China, France, Lithuania, Belgium, Korea, and India have worked extensively on these types of FBRs. FBRs are capable of breeding more fissionable fuel than it consumes like breeding of Plutonium-239 from non-fissionable Uranium-238. In FBR, heat is released by fission process and it must be captured and transferred to the electric generator by the liquid metal coolant (i.e. Sodium). Due to continuous operation and for safety and licensing reasons, periodic inspection and maintenance is required for reactor fuel assemblies which carry nuclear fuels. For this reason, under sodium ultrasonic imaging technique is adopted as in-service inspection activity for viewing of core of FBRs. Since liquid sodium is optically opaque, ultrasonic technique is the only method which can be employed for imaging in liquid sodium. In harsh conditions like high temperature and high radiation, there is a restriction on the development of possible ultrasonic visualization systems and selection of the transducer materials which can operate in the core region of reactor at around 200 °C during shutdown of reactor. This report provides a review of works related to ultrasonic imaging in sodium, different materials used in high temperature transducer assemblies and their different coupling/bonding techniques to achieve maximum transmission efficiency in high temperature sodium environment. The report also provides the overview of different architectures and imaging methods of transducer array elements which were used in LMFBRs for inspection and visualization of the reactor core sub-assemblies. The report is focused on a review of some possible beam forming techniques which may be used for nuclear applications for high temperature environment. Published information of the different simulation models are also reviewed which can be adopted to simulate the

  13. Ultrasonic stir welding process and apparatus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, R. Jeffrey (Inventor)

    2009-01-01

    An ultrasonic stir welding device provides a method and apparatus for elevating the temperature of a work piece utilizing at least one ultrasonic heater. Instead of relying on a rotating shoulder to provide heat to a workpiece an ultrasonic heater is utilized to provide ultrasonic energy to the workpiece. A rotating pin driven by a motor assembly performs the weld on the workpiece. A handheld version can be constructed as well as a fixedly mounted embodiment.

  14. Characterization of the acoustic field generated by a horn shaped ultrasonic transducer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, B.; Lerch, J. E.; Chavan, A. H.; Weber, J. K. R.; Tamalonis, A.; Suthar, K. J.; DiChiara, A. D.

    2017-09-01

    A horn shaped Langevin ultrasonic transducer used in a single axis levitator was characterized to better understand the role of the acoustic profile in establishing stable traps. The method of characterization included acoustic beam profiling performed by raster scanning an ultrasonic microphone as well as finite element analysis of the horn and its interface with the surrounding air volume. The results of the model are in good agreement with measurements and demonstrate the validity of the approach for both near and far field analyses. Our results show that this style of transducer produces a strong acoustic beam with a total divergence angle of 10°, a near-field point close to the transducer surface and a virtual sound source. These are desirable characteristics for a sound source used for acoustic trapping experiments.

  15. Characterization of the acoustic field generated by a horn shaped ultrasonic transducer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, B.; Lerch, J. E.; Chavan, A. H.; Weber, J. K. R.; Tamalonis, A.; Suthar, K. J.; DiChiara, A. D.

    2017-09-04

    A horn shaped Langevin ultrasonic transducer used in a single axis levitator was characterized to better understand the role of the acoustic profile in establishing stable traps. The method of characterization included acoustic beam profiling performed by raster scanning an ultrasonic microphone as well as finite element analysis of the horn and its interface with the surrounding air volume. The results of the model are in good agreement with measurements and demonstrate the validity of the approach for both near and far field analyses. Our results show that this style of transducer produces a strong acoustic beam with a total divergence angle of 10 degree, a near-field point close to the transducer surface and a virtual sound source. These are desirable characteristics for a sound source used for acoustic trapping experiments

  16. Determination of low cadmium concentrations in wine by on-line preconcentration in a knotted reactor coupled to an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer with ultrasonic nebulization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lara, R.F. [Inst. de Investigaciones Mineras, Universidad Nacional de San Juan (Argentina); Wuilloud, R.G.; Salonia, J.A. [Dept. of Analytical Chemistry, National University of San Luis (Argentina); Olsina, R.A.; Martinez, L.D. [Dept. of Analytical Chemistry, National University of San Luis (Argentina); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET) (Argentina)

    2001-12-01

    An on-line cadmium preconcentration and determination system implemented with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) associated to flow injection (FI) with ultrasonic nebulization system (USN) was studied. The cadmium was retained as the cadmium-2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol, Cd-(5-Br-PADAP), complex, at pH 9.5. The cadmium complex was removed from the knotted reactor (KR) with 3.0 mol/L nitric acid. A total enhancement factor of 216 was obtained with respect to ICP-OES using pneumatic nebulization (12 for USN and 18 for KR) with a preconcentration time of 60 s. The value of the detection limit for the preconcentration of 5 mL of sample solution was 5 ng/L. The precision for 10 replicate determinations at the 5 {mu}g/L Cd level was 2.9% relative standard deviation (RSD), calculated from the peak heights obtained. The calibration graph using the preconcentration system for cadmium was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.9998 at levels near the detection limits up to at least 1000 {mu}g/L. The method was successfully applied to the determination of cadmium in wine samples. (orig.)

  17. Ultrasonic power transfer from a spherical acoustic wave source to a free-free piezoelectric receiver: Modeling and experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shahab, S.; Gray, M.; Erturk, A., E-mail: alper.erturk@me.gatech.edu [G. W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 (United States)

    2015-03-14

    Contactless powering of small electronic components has lately received growing attention for wireless applications in which battery replacement or tethered charging is undesired or simply impossible, and ambient energy harvesting is not a viable solution. As an alternative to well-studied methods of contactless energy transfer, such as the inductive coupling method, the use of ultrasonic waves transmitted and received by piezoelectric devices enables larger power transmission distances, which is critical especially for deep-implanted electronic devices. Moreover, energy transfer by means of acoustic waves is well suited in situations where no electromagnetic fields are allowed. The limited literature of ultrasonic acoustic energy transfer is mainly centered on proof-of-concept experiments demonstrating the feasibility of this method, lacking experimentally validated modeling efforts for the resulting multiphysics problem that couples the source and receiver dynamics with domain acoustics. In this work, we present fully coupled analytical, numerical, and experimental multiphysics investigations for ultrasonic acoustic energy transfer from a spherical wave source to a piezoelectric receiver bar that operates in the 33-mode of piezoelectricity. The fluid-loaded piezoelectric receiver under free-free mechanical boundary conditions is shunted to an electrical load for quantifying the electrical power output for a given acoustic source strength of the transmitter. The analytical acoustic-piezoelectric structure interaction modeling framework is validated experimentally, and the effects of system parameters are reported along with optimal electrical loading and frequency conditions of the receiver.

  18. Ultrasonic power transfer from a spherical acoustic wave source to a free-free piezoelectric receiver: Modeling and experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahab, S.; Gray, M.; Erturk, A.

    2015-01-01

    Contactless powering of small electronic components has lately received growing attention for wireless applications in which battery replacement or tethered charging is undesired or simply impossible, and ambient energy harvesting is not a viable solution. As an alternative to well-studied methods of contactless energy transfer, such as the inductive coupling method, the use of ultrasonic waves transmitted and received by piezoelectric devices enables larger power transmission distances, which is critical especially for deep-implanted electronic devices. Moreover, energy transfer by means of acoustic waves is well suited in situations where no electromagnetic fields are allowed. The limited literature of ultrasonic acoustic energy transfer is mainly centered on proof-of-concept experiments demonstrating the feasibility of this method, lacking experimentally validated modeling efforts for the resulting multiphysics problem that couples the source and receiver dynamics with domain acoustics. In this work, we present fully coupled analytical, numerical, and experimental multiphysics investigations for ultrasonic acoustic energy transfer from a spherical wave source to a piezoelectric receiver bar that operates in the 33-mode of piezoelectricity. The fluid-loaded piezoelectric receiver under free-free mechanical boundary conditions is shunted to an electrical load for quantifying the electrical power output for a given acoustic source strength of the transmitter. The analytical acoustic-piezoelectric structure interaction modeling framework is validated experimentally, and the effects of system parameters are reported along with optimal electrical loading and frequency conditions of the receiver

  19. Full-field ultrasonic inspection for a composite sandwich plate skin-core debonding detection using laser-based ultrasonics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chong, See Yenn; Victor, Jared J.; Todd, Michael D.

    2017-04-01

    In this paper, a full-field ultrasonic guided wave method is proposed to inspect a composite sandwich specimen made for an aircraft engine nacelle. The back skin/core interface of the specimen is built with two fabricated disbond defects (diameters of 12.7 mm and 25.4 mm) by removing areas of the adhesive used to bond the back skin to the core. A laser ultrasonic interrogation system (LUIS) incorporated with a disbond detection algorithm is developed. The system consists of a 1-kHz laser ultrasonic scanning system and a single fixed ultrasonic sensor to interrogate ultrasonic guided waves in the sandwich specimen. The interest area of 400 mm × 400 mm is scanned at a 0.5 mm scan interval. The corresponding full-field ultrasonic data is obtained and generated in the three-dimensional (3-D) space-time domain. Then, the 3-D full-field ultrasonic data is Fourier transformed and the ultrasonic frequency spectra are analyzed to determine the dominant frequency that is sensitive to the disbond defects. Continuous wavelet transform (CWT) based on fast Fourier transform (FFT) is implemented as a single-frequency bandpass filter to filter the full-field ultrasonic data in the 3-D space-time domain at the selected dominant frequency. The LUIS has shown the ability to detect the disbond with diameters of 11 mm and 23 mm which match to the pre-determined disbond sizes well. For future research, a robust signal processing algorithm and a model-based matched filter will be investigated to make the detection process autonomous and improve detectability

  20. 21 CFR 872.4850 - Ultrasonic scaler.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Surgical Devices § 872.4850 Ultrasonic scaler. (a) Identification. An ultrasonic scaler is a device intended for use during dental cleaning and periodontal (gum) therapy to remove calculus deposits from teeth by application of an ultrasonic vibrating scaler tip to the teeth. (b...

  1. Ultrasonic, microwave, and millimeter wave inspection techniques for adhesively bonded stacked open honeycomb core composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomson, Clint D.; Cox, Ian; Ghasr, Mohammad Tayeb Ahmed; Ying, Kuang P.; Zoughi, Reza

    2015-03-01

    Honeycomb sandwich composites are used extensively in the aerospace industry to provide stiffness and thickness to lightweight structures. A common fabrication method for thick, curved sandwich structures is to stack and bond multiple honeycomb layers prior to machining core curvatures. Once bonded, each adhesive layer must be inspected for delaminations and the presence of unwanted foreign materials. From a manufacturing and cost standpoint, it can be advantageous to inspect the open core prior to face sheet closeout in order to reduce end-article scrap rates. However, by nature, these honeycomb sandwich composite structures are primarily manufactured from low permittivity and low loss materials making detection of delamination and some of the foreign materials (which also are low permittivity and low loss) quite challenging in the microwave and millimeter wave regime. Likewise, foreign materials such as release film in adhesive layers can be sufficiently thin as to not cause significant attenuation in through-transmission ultrasonic signals, making them difficult to detect. This paper presents a collaborative effort intended to explore the efficacy of different non-contact NDI techniques for detecting flaws in a stacked open fiberglass honeycomb core panel. These techniques primarily included air-coupled through-transmission ultrasonics, single-sided wideband synthetic aperture microwave and millimeter-wave imaging, and lens-focused technique. The goal of this investigation has been to not only evaluate the efficacy of these techniques, but also to determine their unique advantages and limitations for evaluating parameters such as flaw type, flaw size, and flaw depth.

  2. Dynamic analysis of ultrasonically levitated droplet with moving particle semi-implicit and distributed point source method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wada, Yuji; Yuge, Kohei; Nakamura, Ryohei; Tanaka, Hiroki; Nakamura, Kentaro

    2015-07-01

    Numerical analysis of an ultrasonically levitated droplet with a free surface boundary is discussed. The droplet is known to change its shape from sphere to spheroid when it is suspended in a standing wave owing to the acoustic radiation force. However, few studies on numerical simulation have been reported in association with this phenomenon including fluid dynamics inside the droplet. In this paper, coupled analysis using the distributed point source method (DPSM) and the moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method, both of which do not require grids or meshes to handle the moving boundary with ease, is suggested. A droplet levitated in a plane standing wave field between a piston-vibrating ultrasonic transducer and a reflector is simulated with the DPSM-MPS coupled method. The dynamic change in the spheroidal shape of the droplet is successfully reproduced numerically, and the gravitational center and the change in the spheroidal aspect ratio are discussed and compared with the previous literature.

  3. A comparative study on the property determination of metal matrix composites using ultrasonic and eddy current techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Hyun Jo

    1997-01-01

    Ultrasonic and eddy current methods were developed for the quantitative determination of material properties in particulate reinforced metal matrix composites. The proposed techniques employed measurements of ultrasonic velocity and eddy current conductivity, together with theoretical models which relate the effective anisotropic properties of the composites to their microstructures. The approach was used for a wide range of SiC particulate reinforced Al matrix(SiC p /Al) composites to estimate the particulate volume fractions of the composites. The SiC p volume fraction was calculated by coupling the measured velocity and conductivity with their corresponding model predictions. Both methods were shown to be reliable in determining the reinforcement volume fractions. However, the ultrasonic method was found to be better than the eddy current method, since the electrical conductivity was sensitive to the presence of intermetallic compounds formed during processing stage.

  4. Vibroacoustic Analysis of a Refrigerator Freezer Cabinet Coupled with an Air Duct

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Onur Çelikkan

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the vibration and acoustic interactions between the structure and the cavity inside the freezer cabinet were investigated. Thus, a set of numerical and experimental analyses were performed. In the numerical analysis, the acoustic characteristics of the freezer cavity were solved, and the mixed finite element method was then implemented to analyse the coupled behaviour of the cavity with the air duct using the Acoustic Fluid-Structure Interaction (AFSI technique. In the experimental analyses, an acoustic modal analysis of the freezer cavity and a structural modal analysis of the air duct were performed for the validation process. A good agreement was obtained among the results. Thus, the accuracy of the numerical model was confirmed. The validated models were used for optimizing the design. To solve the noise generation mechanism inside the freezer cabinet, the noise primarily generated by the freezer fan unit was measured under normal working conditions of the refrigerator, and the resonance frequencies were obtained. This information was compared with the normal modes of the air duct, and the overlapping frequencies were identified. To reduce the interaction between the source and the structure, a few design modifications were applied to the air duct. Thus, the structural-borne noise radiating from the air duct into the freezer cavity was reduced.

  5. Ultrasonic attenuation measurements in neutron-irradiated quartz: a microscopic model for the tunneling states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keppens, V.; Laermans, C.; Coeck, M.

    1996-01-01

    Ultrasonic attenuation measurements are carried out in neutron-irradiated z-cut quartz for three different doses, in a frequency range from 70 to 320 MHz. The data are analyzed using the tunneling model, and the typical TS-parameters are derived. A comparison with the results obtained from similar x-cut samples shows that the coupling of the tunneling states with the longitudinal phonons is direction-dependent. This confirms the anisotropic behaviour of the tunneling states and gives support to the microscopic picture of the TS as a rotation of coupled SiO 4 tetrahedra. (orig.)

  6. High-Frequency Fiber-Optic Ultrasonic Sensor Using Air Micro-Bubble for Imaging of Seismic Physical Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gang, Tingting; Hu, Manli; Rong, Qiangzhou; Qiao, Xueguang; Liang, Lei; Liu, Nan; Tong, Rongxin; Liu, Xiaobo; Bian, Ce

    2016-12-14

    A micro-fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) is proposed and demonstrated experimentally for ultrasonic imaging of seismic physical models. The device consists of a micro-bubble followed by the end of a single-mode fiber (SMF). The micro-structure is formed by the discharging operation on a short segment of hollow-core fiber (HCF) that is spliced to the SMF. This micro FPI is sensitive to ultrasonic waves (UWs), especially to the high-frequency (up to 10 MHz) UW, thanks to its ultra-thin cavity wall and micro-diameter. A side-band filter technology is employed for the UW interrogation, and then the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) UW signal is achieved. Eventually the sensor is used for lateral imaging of the physical model by scanning UW detection and two-dimensional signal reconstruction.

  7. Quality control of disinfection in ultrasonic baths

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schoene, H. [Technical University Dresden (Germany). Faculty of Mechanical Engineering; Jatzwauk, L. [University Hospital of the Technical University Dresden (Germany). Abt. Krankenhaushygiene

    2002-07-01

    Numerous investigations under laboratory conditions confirmed the microbicidal efficacy of ultrasonication. Morphological destruction was shown on bacteria and fungi as well as on different virus species. Ultrasonic treatment seems to increase the effect of different antibiotics and disinfectants. Reasons for this synergism are largely unknown and uninvestigated, but the active principle seems to bee the dispersing effect of ultrasonication in combination with the destruction of cell wall or cell membrane. Unfortunately no validation of test conditions exists for most of these investigations, regarding intensity and frequency of ultrasonic waves, temperature of liquid medium and measurement of cavitation which is an essential part of physical and chemical effects in ultrasonic baths. In contrast to most laboratory experiments sound density of ultrasound for treatment of medical instruments is below 1 W/cm{sup 2} because instruments will be destroyed under stronger ultrasonic conditions. The frequency is below 50 KHz. This paper describes bactericidal and fungicidal effects of low- intensity-ultrasonication and its synergistical support to chemical disinfection. (orig.)

  8. Development and Application of an Ultrasonic Gas Flowmeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, Won Ho; Jeong, Hee Don; Park, Sang Gug; Jhang, Kyung Young

    2002-01-01

    This paper describes the development and the field application of the ultrasonic gas flowmeter for accurate measurement of the volumetric flow rate of gases in a harsh environmental conditions in iron and steel making company. This ultrasonic flowmeter is especially suited for measuring LDG, COG, BFG gases produced in iron and steel making process. This is a transit time type ultrasonic flowmeter. We have developed the transmitting and receiving algorithm of ultrasonic wave and the ultrasonic signal processing algorithm to develope a transit time type ultrasonic flowmeter. We have evaluated the performance of ultrasonic flowmeter by the calibration system with Venturi type standard flowmeter. We has confirmed its reliability by extensive field tests for a year in POSCO, iron and steel making company. Now we have developed the commercial model of ultrasonic flowmeter and applied to the POSCO gas line

  9. Ultrasonic Tomography Imaging for Liquid-Gas Flow Measurement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Jaysuman PUSPPANATHAN

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This research was carried out to measure two-phase liquid – gas flow regime by using a dual functionality ultrasonic transducer. Comparing to the common separated transmitter–receiver ultrasonic pairs transducer, the dual functionality ultrasonic transceiver is capable to produce the same measurable results hence further improvises and contributes to the hardware design improvement and system accuracy. Due to the disadvantages and the limitations of the separated ultrasonic transmitter–receiver pair, this paper presents a non-invasive ultrasonic tomography system using ultrasonic transceivers as an alternative approach. Implementation of ultrasonic transceivers, electronic measurement circuits, data acquisition system and suitable image reconstruction algorithms, the measurement of a liquid/gas flow was realized.

  10. Ultrasonic Stir Welding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nabors, Sammy

    2015-01-01

    NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) developed Ultrasonic Stir Welding (USW) to join large pieces of very high-strength metals such as titanium and Inconel. USW, a solid-state weld process, improves current thermal stir welding processes by adding high-power ultrasonic (HPU) energy at 20 kHz frequency. The addition of ultrasonic energy significantly reduces axial, frictional, and shear forces; increases travel rates; and reduces wear on the stir rod, which results in extended stir rod life. The USW process decouples the heating, stirring, and forging elements found in the friction stir welding process allowing for independent control of each process element and, ultimately, greater process control and repeatability. Because of the independent control of USW process elements, closed-loop temperature control can be integrated into the system so that a constant weld nugget temperature can be maintained during welding.

  11. A Brazing Defect Detection Using an Ultrasonic Infrared Imaging Inspection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Jai Wan; Choi, Young Soo; Jung, Seung Ho; Jung, Hyun Kyu [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2007-10-15

    When a high-energy ultrasound propagates through a solid body that contains a crack or a delamination, the two faces of the defect do not ordinarily vibrate in unison, and dissipative phenomena such as friction, rubbing and clapping between the faces will convert some of the vibrational energy to heat. By combining this heating effect with infrared imaging, one can detect a subsurface defect in material in real time. In this paper a realtime detection of the brazing defect of thin Inconel plates using the UIR (ultrasonic infrared imaging) technology is described. A low frequency (23 kHz) ultrasonic transducer was used to infuse the welded Inconel plates with a short pulse of sound for 280 ms. The ultrasonic source has a maximum power of 2 kW. The surface temperature of the area under inspection is imaged by an infrared camera that is coupled to a fast frame grabber in a computer. The hot spots, which are a small area around the bound between the two faces of the Inconel plates near the defective brazing point and heated up highly, are observed. And the weak thermal signal is observed at the defect position of brazed plate also. Using the image processing technology such as background subtraction average and image enhancement using histogram equalization, the position of defective brazing regions in the thin Inconel plates can be located certainly

  12. Development of coaxial ultrasonic probe for fatty liver diagnostic system using ultrasonic velocity change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hori, Makoto; Yokota, Daiki; Aotani, Yuhei; Kumagai, Yuta; Wada, Kenji; Matsunaka, Toshiyuki; Morikawa, Hiroyasu; Horinaka, Hiromichi

    2017-07-01

    A diagnostic system for fatty liver at an early stage is needed because fatty liver is linked to metabolic syndrome. We have already proposed a fatty liver diagnosis method based on the temperature coefficient of ultrasonic velocity. In this study, we fabricated a coaxial ultrasonic probe by integrating two kinds of transducers for warming and signal detection. The diagnosis system equipped with the coaxial probe was applied to tissue-mimicking phantoms including the fat area. The fat content rates corresponding to the set rates of the phantoms were estimated by the ultrasonic velocity-change method.

  13. Pitch-catch only ultrasonic fluid densitometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenwood, M.S.; Harris, R.V.

    1999-03-23

    The present invention is an ultrasonic fluid densitometer that uses a material wedge and pitch-catch only ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals internally reflected within the material wedge. Density of a fluid is determined by immersing the wedge into the fluid and measuring reflection of ultrasound at the wedge-fluid interface. 6 figs.

  14. Nonlinear ultrasonics for material state awareness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, L. J.

    2014-02-01

    Predictive health monitoring of structural components will require the development of advanced sensing techniques capable of providing quantitative information on the damage state of structural materials. By focusing on nonlinear acoustic techniques, it is possible to measure absolute, strength based material parameters that can then be coupled with uncertainty models to enable accurate and quantitative life prediction. Starting at the material level, this review will present current research that involves a combination of sensing techniques and physics-based models to characterize damage in metallic materials. In metals, these nonlinear ultrasonic measurements can sense material state, before the formation of micro- and macro-cracks. Typically, cracks of a measurable size appear quite late in a component's total life, while the material's integrity in terms of toughness and strength gradually decreases due to the microplasticity (dislocations) and associated change in the material's microstructure. This review focuses on second harmonic generation techniques. Since these nonlinear acoustic techniques are acoustic wave based, component interrogation can be performed with bulk, surface and guided waves using the same underlying material physics; these nonlinear ultrasonic techniques provide results which are independent of the wave type used. Recent physics-based models consider the evolution of damage due to dislocations, slip bands, interstitials, and precipitates in the lattice structure, which can lead to localized damage.

  15. Low-Temperature Preparation of Tungsten Oxide Anode Buffer Layer via Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis Method for Large-Area Organic Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Ran; Zheng, Ding; Zhou, Chang; Cheng, Jiang; Yu, Junsheng; Li, Lu

    2017-07-18

    Tungsten oxide (WO₃) is prepared by a low-temperature ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method in air atmosphere, and it is used as an anode buffer layer (ABL) for organic solar cells (OSCs). The properties of the WO₃ transition metal oxide material as well as the mechanism of ultrasonic spray pyrolysis processes are investigated. The results show that the ultrasonic spray pyrolysized WO₃ ABL exhibits low roughness, matched energy level, and high conductivity, which results in high charge transport efficiency and suppressive recombination in OSCs. As a result, compared to the OSCs based on vacuum thermal evaporated WO₃, a higher power conversion efficiency of 3.63% is reached with low-temperature ultrasonic spray pyrolysized WO₃ ABL. Furthermore, the mostly spray-coated OSCs with large area was fabricated, which has a power conversion efficiency of ~1%. This work significantly enhances our understanding of the preparation and application of low temperature-processed WO₃, and highlights the potential of large area, all spray coated OSCs for sustainable commercial fabrication.

  16. Ultrasonic Surface Measurements for the investigation of superficial alteration of natural stones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, Thomas; Auras, Michael; Bilgili, Filiz; Christen, Sandra; Cristiano, Luigia; Krompholz, Rolf; Mosca, Ilaria; Rose, David

    2013-04-01

    Seismic waveform analysis is applicable also to the centimeter and decimeter scale for non-destructive testing of pavement, facades, plaster, sculptures, or load-bearing structures like pillars. Mostly transmission measurements are performed and travel-times of first arriving P-waves are considered that have limited resolution for the upper centimeters of an object. In contrast, surface measurements are well suited to quantify superficial alterations of material properties e.g. due to weathering. A number of surface measurements have been carried out in the laboratory as well as on real structures in order to study systematically the information content of ultrasonic waveforms and their variability under real conditions. As a preposition for ultrasonic waveform analysis, reproducible, broad-band measurements have to be carried out with a definite radiation pattern and an about 1 mm accuracy of the measurement geometry. We used special coupling devices for effective ultrasonic surface measurements in the laboratory as well as at real objects. Samples of concrete with varying composition and samples of natural stone - marble, tuff, and sandstone - were repeatedly weathered and tested by ultrasonic measurements. The resistance of the samples to weathering and the penetration depth of the weathering are analyzed. Furthermore, material specific calibration curves for changes in velocities of elastic waves due to weathering can be obtained by these tests. Tests on real structures have been carried out for marble (Schlossbrücke, Berlin) and sandstone (Porta Nigra, Trier). Altogether, these test measurements show clearly that despite of the internal inhomogeneity of many real objects, their surface roughness and topography especially ultrasonic Rayleigh waves are well suited to study material alterations in the upper centimeters. Dispersion of Rayleigh waves may be inverted for shear-wave velocity as a function of depth.

  17. Ultrasonic Linear Motor with Two Independent Vibrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muneishi, Takeshi; Tomikawa, Yoshiro

    2004-09-01

    We propose a new structure of an ultrasonic linear motor in order to solve the problems of high-power ultrasonic linear motors that drive the XY-stage for electron beam equipment and to expand the application fields of the motor. We pay special attention to the following three points: (1) the vibration in two directions of the ultrasonic linear motor should not influence mutually each other, (2) the vibration in two directions should be divided into the stage traveling direction and the pressing direction of the ultrasonic linear motor, and (3) the rigidity of the stage traveling direction of the ultrasonic linear motor should be increased. As a result, the supporting method of ultrasonic linear motors is simplified. The efficiency of the motor is improved and temperature rise is reduced. The stage position drift is also improved.

  18. Pulsed ultrasonic stir welding method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, R. Jeffrey (Inventor)

    2013-01-01

    A method of performing ultrasonic stir welding uses a welding head assembly to include a plate and a rod passing through the plate. The rod is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof. In the method, the rod is rotated about its longitudinal axis during a welding operation. During the welding operation, a series of on-off ultrasonic pulses are applied to the rod such that they propagate parallel to the rod's longitudinal axis. At least a pulse rate associated with the on-off ultrasonic pulses is controlled.

  19. Ultrasonic tests. Pt. 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goebbels, K.

    1980-01-01

    After a basic treatment of ultrasonic wave propagation, of the state-of-the-art methods and the technical background in the preceeding part, advanced ultrasonic NDT techniques are presented here. The discussion of new development includes - manipulation systems, - automation of ultrasonic testing methods, documentation and evaluation. In the middle of this part the main problem areas will be discussed: - detection of defects (e.g. in coarse grained structures and welds), - classification of defects (e.g. discrimination between crack-like and volumetric faults), - sizing of defects. Research in the field of acoustical holography, development of probes and phased arrays, electromagnetic acoustic transducers and signal enhancement are the main contributing parts to the report. (orig./RW)

  20. Imaging techniques for ultrasonic testing; Bildgebende Verfahren fuer die Ultraschallpruefung

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-07-01

    These seminar proceedings contain 16 lectures on the following topics: 1. From imaging to quantification - ultrasound methods in medical diagnostics; 2. SAFT, TOFD, Phased Array - classical applications and recent developments in ultrasonic imaging; 3. Innovative ultrasonic imaging methods in research and application; 4. Industrial ultrasonic testing of fibre-reinforced structures of complex geometry; 5. Visualisation of crack tips in the inspection of wheel set shafts with longitudinal boreholes as a means of avoiding unnecessary wheel set changes; 6. Areal analysis of the propagation of Lamb waves on curved, anisotropic structures; 7. High-resolution representation in immersion technique testing; 8. Variants in generating images from phased array measurement data - practical examples involving copper, carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and other materials; 9. GIUM - an unconventional method of microstructure imaging using ultrasonic stimulation and laser vibrometry scanning; 10. Innovative air-ultrasonic testing concepts for improved imaging; 11. Use of imaging methods for improving the quality of test results from nondestructive testing; 12. Modelling and visualisation of EMUS stimulation for transducer optimisation; 13. Use of SAFT in the manufacture of energy conversion machines; 14. Ultrasonic imaging tests for improved defect characterisation during weld seam inspection on longitudinally welded large-diameter pipes; 15. SAFT reconstruction for testing austenitic weld seams and dissimilar metal weld seams for transverse cracks; 16. Imaging-based optimisation method for quantitative ultrasonic testing of anisotropic inhomogeneous austenitic welded joints with determination and utilisation of their elastic properties. One contribution has been abstracted separately. [German] Dieser Seminarband enthaelt 16 Vortraege mit folgenden Themen: 1. Von der Bildgebung bis zur Quantifizierung - Ultraschallverfahren in der medizinischen Diagnostik; 2. SAFT, TOFD, Phased Array

  1. Intelligent energy management control of vehicle air conditioning system coupled with engine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khayyam, Hamid; Abawajy, Jemal; Jazar, Reza N.

    2012-01-01

    Vehicle Air Conditioning (AC) systems consist of an engine powered compressor activated by an electrical clutch. The AC system imposes an extra load to the vehicle's engine increasing the vehicle fuel consumption and emissions. Energy management control of the vehicle air conditioning is a nonlinear dynamic system, influenced by uncertain disturbances. In addition, the vehicle energy management control system interacts with different complex systems, such as engine, air conditioning system, environment, and driver, to deliver fuel consumption improvements. In this paper, we describe the energy management control of vehicle AC system coupled with vehicle engine through an intelligent control design. The Intelligent Energy Management Control (IEMC) system presented in this paper includes an intelligent algorithm which uses five exterior units and three integrated fuzzy controllers to produce desirable internal temperature and air quality, improved fuel consumption, low emission, and smooth driving. The three fuzzy controllers include: (i) a fuzzy cruise controller to adapt vehicle cruise speed via prediction of the road ahead using a Look-Ahead system, (ii) a fuzzy air conditioning controller to produce desirable temperature and air quality inside vehicle cabin room via a road information system, and (iii) a fuzzy engine controller to generate the required engine torque to move the vehicle smoothly on the road. We optimised the integrated operation of the air conditioning and the engine under various driving patterns and performed three simulations. Results show that the proposed IEMC system developed based on Fuzzy Air Conditioning Controller with Look-Ahead (FAC-LA) method is a more efficient controller for vehicle air conditioning system than the previously developed Coordinated Energy Management Systems (CEMS). - Highlights: ► AC interacts: vehicle, environment, driver components, and the interrelationships between them. ► Intelligent AC algorithm which uses

  2. Detailed simulation of ultrasonic inspections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaplin, K.R.; Douglas, S.R.; Dunford, D.

    1997-01-01

    Simulation of ultrasonic inspection of engineering components have been performed at the Chalk River Laboratories of AECL for over 10 years. The computer model, called EWE for Elastic Wave Equations, solves the Elastic Wave Equations using a novel finite difference scheme. It simulates the propagation of an ultrasonic wave from the transducer to a flaw, the scatter of waves from the flaw, and measurement of signals at a receive transducer. Regions of different materials, water and steel for example, can be simulated. In addition, regions with slightly different material properties from the parent material can be investigated. The two major types of output are displays of the ultrasonic waves inside the component and the corresponding A-scans. EPRI and other organizations have used ultrasonic models for: defining acceptable ultrasonic inspection procedures, designing and evaluating inspection techniques, and for quantifying inspection reliability. The EWE model has been applied to the inspection of large pipes in a nuclear plant, gas pipeline welds and steam generator tubes. Most recent work has dealt with the ultrasonic inspection of pressure tubes in CANDU reactors. Pressure tube inspections can reliably detect and size defects; however, there are improvements that can be made. For example, knowing the sharpness of a flaw-tip is crucial for fitness for service assessments. Computer modelling of the ultrasonic inspection of flaws with different root radius has suggested inspection techniques that provide flaw tip radius information. A preliminary investigation of these methods has been made in the laboratory. The basis for the model will be reviewed at the presentation. Then the results of computer simulations will be displayed on a PC using an interactive program that analyzes simulated A-scans. This software tool gives inspection staff direct access to the results of computer simulations. (author)

  3. Fabrication of a two-dimensional piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer array using a top-crossover-to-bottom structure and metal bridge connections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Joontaek; Kim, Sangwon; Lee, Wonjun; Choi, Hongsoo

    2013-01-01

    A new design methodology and fabrication process for two-dimensional (2D) piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) arrays using a top-crossover-to-bottom (TCTB) structure was developed. Individual sensing and actuation of pMUT elements from a small number of connection lines was enabled by the TCTB structure, and the parasitic coupling capacitance of the array was significantly reduced as a result. A 32 × 32 pMUT array with a TCTB structure was fabricated, resulting in 64 connection lines over an area of 4.8 × 4.8 mm 2 . The top electrodes for each pMUT element were re-connected by metal bridging after bottom-electrode etching caused them to become disconnected. A deep reactive ion etching process was used to compactify the array. Each pMUT element was a circular-shaped K 31 -type ultrasonic transducer using a 1 µm thick sol–gel lead zirconate titanate (PZT: Pb1.10 Zr0.52 Ti0.48) thin film. To characterize a single element in the 2D pMUT array, the resonant frequency and coupling coefficient of 20 pMUT elements were averaged to 3.85 MHz and 0.0112, respectively. The maximum measured ultrasound intensity in water, measured at a distance of 4 mm, was 4.6 µW cm −2  from a single pMUT element driven by a 5 V pp  sine wave at 2.22 MHz. Potential applications for development of a TCTB-arranged 2D pMUT array include ultrasonic medical imaging, ultrasonic communication, ultrasonic range-finding and handwriting input systems. (paper)

  4. Development of nuclear thermal hydraulic verification tests and evaluation technology - Development of the ultrasonic method for two-phase mixture level measurement in nuclear reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    No, Hee Cheon; Kim, Sang Jae; Kim, Hyung Tae; Moon, Young Min [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea)

    2000-04-01

    An ultrasonic method is developed for the measurement of the two-phase mixture level in the reactor vessel or steam generator. The ultrasonic method is selected among the several non-nuclear two-phase mixture level measurement methods through two steps of selection procedure. A commercial ultrasonic level measurement method is modified for application into the high temperature, pressure, and other conditions. The calculation method of the ultrasonic velocity is modified to consider the medium as the homogeneous mixture of air and steam, and to be applied into the high temperature and pressure conditions. The cross-correlation technique is adopted as a detection method to reduced the effects of the attenuation and the diffused reflection caused by surface fluctuation. The waveguides are developed to reduce the loss of echo and to remove the effects of obstructs. The present experimental study shows that the developed ultrasonic method measures the two-phase mixture level more accurately than the conventional methods do. 21 refs., 60 figs., 13 tabs. (Author)

  5. The effects of ultrasonic solidification on aluminum

    OpenAIRE

    Đorđević Slavko 1

    2003-01-01

    The effect of ultrasound on characteristics of solidified aluminum was shown. An ultrasonic head and ultrasonic system for modification was designed and applied to the crystallizing aluminum melt. The ultrasonic generator allows power of 50-500 W, amplitude of oscillations 10-100 um.m and the operating frequency of 25 kHz. Ultrasonic modification was done by ultrasound introduced from above into the melt. Microstructure photographs show decreasing of the grain size more than five times.

  6. The effects of ultrasonic solidification on aluminum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đorđević Slavko 1

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The effect of ultrasound on characteristics of solidified aluminum was shown. An ultrasonic head and ultrasonic system for modification was designed and applied to the crystallizing aluminum melt. The ultrasonic generator allows power of 50-500 W, amplitude of oscillations 10-100 um.m and the operating frequency of 25 kHz. Ultrasonic modification was done by ultrasound introduced from above into the melt. Microstructure photographs show decreasing of the grain size more than five times.

  7. Case studies in ultrasonic testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prasad, V.; Satheesh, C.; Varde, P.V.

    2015-01-01

    Ultrasonic testing is widely used Non Destructive Testing (NDT) method and forms the essential part of In-service inspection programme of nuclear reactors. Main application of ultrasonic testing is for volumetric scanning of weld joints followed by thickness gauging of pipelines and pressure vessels. Research reactor Dhruva has completed the first In Service Inspection programme in which about 325 weld joints have been volumetrically scanned, in addition to thickness gauging of 300 meters of pipe lines of various sizes and about 24 nos of pressure vessels. Ultrasonic testing is also used for level measurements, distance measurements and cleaning and decontamination of tools. Two case studies are brought out in this paper in which ultrasonic testing is used successfully for identification of butterfly valve opening status and extent of choking in pipe lines in Dhruva reactor systems

  8. Internal ultrasonic inspection of flexible pipe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baltzersen, O. (IKU Petroleumsforskning A/S, Trondheim (Norway) Norwegian Inst. of Tech., Trondheim (Norway). Div. of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics); Waag, T.I. (IKU Petroleumsforskning A/S, Trondheim (Norway))

    1993-10-01

    Methods for internal ultrasonic inspection of flexible pipe have been investigated through experiments with a short sample of Coflexip pipe. Ultrasonic backscatter methods using normal and non-normal incidence have been used for qualitative high contrast ultrasonic imaging of the inner surface of the pipe. Analysis of the internal cross-section has been performed based on the use of a non-contact ultrasonic caliper, and processing procedures which enable calculation of, and compensation for, eccentricity of the tool in the pipe. The methods developed can be used to quantitatively estimate the thickness of the internal carcass, and perform high resolution topographic mapping of the inner surface. (Author)

  9. Stresses in ultrasonically assisted bone cutting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alam, K; Mitrofanov, A V; Silberschmidt, V V; Baeker, M

    2009-01-01

    Bone cutting is a frequently used procedure in the orthopaedic surgery. Modern cutting techniques, such as ultrasonic assisted drilling, enable surgeons to perform precision operations in facial and spinal surgeries. Advanced understanding of the mechanics of bone cutting assisted by ultrasonic vibration is required to minimise bone fractures and to optimise the technique performance. The paper presents results of finite element simulations on ultrasonic and conventional bone cutting analysing the effects of ultrasonic vibration on cutting forces and stress distribution. The developed model is used to study the effects of cutting and vibration parameters (e.g. amplitude and frequency) on the stress distributions in the cutting region.

  10. Ultrasonic imaging of projected components of PFBR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sylvia, J.I., E-mail: sylvia@igcar.gov.in [Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603 102, Tamil Nadu (India); Jeyan, M.R.; Anbucheliyan, M.; Asokane, C.; Babu, V. Rajan; Babu, B.; Rajan, K.K.; Velusamy, K.; Jayakumar, T. [Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603 102, Tamil Nadu (India)

    2013-05-15

    Highlights: ► Under sodium ultrasonic scanner in PFBR is for detecting protruding objects. ► Feasibility study for detecting Absorber rods and its drive mechanisms. ► Developed in-house PC based ultrasonic imaging system. ► Different case studies were carried out on simulated ARDM's. ► Implemented the experimental results to PFBR application. -- Abstract: The 500 MWe, sodium cooled, Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is under advanced stage of construction at Kalpakkam in India. Opacity of sodium restricts visual inspection of components immersed in sodium by optical means. Ultrasonic wave passes through sodium hence ultrasonic techniques using under sodium ultrasonic scanners are developed to obtain under sodium images. The main objective of such an Under Sodium Ultrasonic Scanner (USUSS) for Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is to detect and ensure that no core Sub Assembly (SA) or Absorber Rod or its Drive Mechanism is protruded in the above core plenum before starting the fuel handling operation. Hence, it is necessary to detect and locate the object, if it is protruding the above core plenum. To study the feasibility of detecting the absorber rods and their drive mechanisms using direct ultrasonic imaging technique, experiments were carried out for different orientations and profiles of the projected components in a 5 m diameter water tank. The in-house developed PC based ultrasonic scanning system is used for acquisition and analysis of data. The pseudo three dimensional color images obtained are discussed and the results are applicable for PFBR. This paper gives the details of the features of the absorber rods and their drive mechanisms, their orientation in the reactor core, experimental setup, PC based ultrasonic scanning system, ultrasonic images and the discussion on the results.

  11. Fundamentals of ultrasonic phased arrays

    CERN Document Server

    Schmerr, Lester W

    2014-01-01

    This book describes in detail the physical and mathematical foundations of ultrasonic phased array measurements.?The book uses linear systems theory to develop a comprehensive model of the signals and images that can be formed with phased arrays. Engineers working in the field of ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) will find in this approach a wealth of information on how to design, optimize and interpret ultrasonic inspections with phased arrays. The fundamentals and models described in the book will also be of significant interest to other fields, including the medical ultrasound and

  12. New Methods for Robotic Perception by Using in-Air Sonar Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicola Ivan Giannoccaro

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, the authors studied the possibility of using low frequency in-air ultrasonic sensors in several applications of robotic interest related to the perception and the reconstruction of the external environment. They introduced several methods based on innovative mathematical tools for solving problems, such as the position detection and orientation of a mobile robot with respect to a corridor wall, the correct reconstruction of two orthogonal panels in spite of the effect of multiple reflections affecting the data in the corner zone, and the reconstruction of the boundary walls of a room environment. All the proposed innovative strategies were tested on a designed mechatronic scanning system consisting of ultrasonic sensors rotated by a servo modular actuator and also with the data from a scanning validated model. In this review, the main steps and achievements will be presented so as to summarize the research work of recent years as well as reflect on the importance of appropriate and innovative techniques regarding ultrasonic data processing. The originality of the present work concerns the possibility of disposing all the developed approaches as a whole in order to use in-air ultrasonic sensors for robotic perception in several environmental situations.

  13. Simulation and fabrication of 0-3 composite PZT films for ultrahigh frequency (100-300 MHz) ultrasonic transducers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiaoyang; Fei, Chunlong; Chen, Zeyu; Chen, Ruimin; Yu, Ping; Chen, Zhongping; Shung, K. Kirk; Zhou, Qifa

    2016-03-01

    This paper presents simulation, fabrication, and characterization of single-element ultrahigh frequency (100-300-MHz) needle ultrasonic transducers based on 0-3 composite Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) films prepared by using composite ceramic sol-gel film and sol-infiltration technique. The center frequency of the developed transducer at 300-MHz was the highest frequency of PbTiO3 ceramic-based ultrasonic transducers ever reported. Furthermore, a brief description of the composite model was followed by the development of a new expression for predicting the longitudinal velocity, the clamped dielectric constant, and the complex electromechanical coupling coefficient kt of these films, which is very important in ultrasonic transducer design. Moreover, these parameters are difficult to obtain by measuring the frequency dependence of impedance and phase angle because of the weak signal of the previous 0-3 composite films transducer (>100 MHz). The modeling results show that the Cubes model with a geometric factor n = 0.05 fits well with the measured data. This model will be helpful for developing the 0-3 composite systems for ultrahigh frequency ultrasonic transducer design.

  14. Geothermally Coupled Well-Based Compressed Air Energy Storage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davidson, C L [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bearden, Mark D [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Horner, Jacob A [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Appriou, Delphine [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); McGrail, B Peter [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2015-12-01

    . This project assessed the technical and economic feasibility of implementing geothermally coupled well-based CAES for grid-scale energy storage. Based on an evaluation of design specifications for a range of casing grades common in U.S. oil and gas fields, a 5-MW CAES project could be supported by twenty to twenty-five 5,000-foot, 7-inch wells using lower-grade casing, and as few as eight such wells for higher-end casing grades. Using this information, along with data on geothermal resources, well density, and potential future markets for energy storage systems, The Geysers geothermal field was selected to parameterize a case study to evaluate the potential match between the proven geothermal resource present at The Geysers and the field’s existing well infrastructure. Based on calculated wellbore compressed air mass, the study shows that a single average geothermal production well could provide enough geothermal energy to support a 15.4-MW (gross) power generation facility using 34 to 35 geothermal wells repurposed for compressed air storage, resulting in a simplified levelized cost of electricity (sLCOE) estimated at 11.2 ¢/kWh (Table S.1). Accounting for the power loss to the geothermal power project associated with diverting geothermal resources for air heating results in a net 2-MW decrease in generation capacity, increasing the CAES project’s sLCOE by 1.8 ¢/kWh.

  15. Geothermally Coupled Well-Based Compressed Air Energy Storage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davidson, Casie L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bearden, Mark D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Horner, Jacob A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Cabe, James E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Appriou, Delphine [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); McGrail, B. Peter [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2015-12-20

    . This project assessed the technical and economic feasibility of implementing geothermally coupled well-based CAES for grid-scale energy storage. Based on an evaluation of design specifications for a range of casing grades common in U.S. oil and gas fields, a 5-MW CAES project could be supported by twenty to twenty-five 5,000-foot, 7-inch wells using lower-grade casing, and as few as eight such wells for higher-end casing grades. Using this information, along with data on geothermal resources, well density, and potential future markets for energy storage systems, The Geysers geothermal field was selected to parameterize a case study to evaluate the potential match between the proven geothermal resource present at The Geysers and the field’s existing well infrastructure. Based on calculated wellbore compressed air mass, the study shows that a single average geothermal production well could provide enough geothermal energy to support a 15.4-MW (gross) power generation facility using 34 to 35 geothermal wells repurposed for compressed air storage, resulting in a simplified levelized cost of electricity (sLCOE) estimated at 11.2 ¢/kWh (Table S.1). Accounting for the power loss to the geothermal power project associated with diverting geothermal resources for air heating results in a net 2-MW decrease in generation capacity, increasing the CAES project’s sLCOE by 1.8 ¢/kWh.

  16. Method and apparatus to characterize ultrasonically reflective contrast agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pretlow, Robert A., III (Inventor)

    1993-01-01

    A method and apparatus for characterizing the time and frequency response of an ultrasonically reflective contrast agent is disclosed. An ultrasonically reflective contrast agent is injected, under constant pressure, into a fluid flowing through a pump flow circuit. The fluid and the ultrasonically reflective contrast agent are uniformly mixed in a mixing chamber, and the uniform mixture is passed through a contrast agent chamber. The contrast agent chamber is acoustically and axially interposed between an ultrasonic transducer chamber and an acoustic isolation chamber. A pulse of ultrasonic energy is transmitted into the contrast agent chamber from the ultrasonic transducer chamber. An echo waveform is received from the ultrasonically reflective contrast agent, and it is analyzed to determine the time and frequency response of the ultrasonically reflective contrast agent.

  17. Coupling Network Computing Applications in Air-cooled Turbine Blades Optimization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Liang; Yan, Peigang; Xie, Ming; Han, Wanjin

    2018-05-01

    Through establishing control parameters from blade outside to inside, the parametric design of air-cooled turbine blade based on airfoil has been implemented. On the basis of fast updating structure features and generating solid model, a complex cooling system has been created. Different flow units are modeled into a complex network topology with parallel and serial connection. Applying one-dimensional flow theory, programs have been composed to get pipeline network physical quantities along flow path, including flow rate, pressure, temperature and other parameters. These inner units parameters set as inner boundary conditions for external flow field calculation program HIT-3D by interpolation, thus to achieve full field thermal coupling simulation. Referring the studies in literatures to verify the effectiveness of pipeline network program and coupling algorithm. After that, on the basis of a modified design, and with the help of iSIGHT-FD, an optimization platform had been established. Through MIGA mechanism, the target of enhancing cooling efficiency has been reached, and the thermal stress has been effectively reduced. Research work in this paper has significance for rapid deploying the cooling structure design.

  18. Improvement of Ultrasonic Distance Measuring System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiang Yu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper mainly introduces a kind of ultrasonic distance measuring system with AT89C51 single chip as the core component. The paper expounds the principle of ultrasonic sensor and ultrasonic ranging, hardware circuit and software program, and the results of experiment and analysis.The hardware circuit based on SCM, the software design adopts the advanced microcontroller programming language.The amplitude of the received signal and the time of ultrasonic propagation are regulated by closed loop control. [1,2]The double closed loop control technology for amplitude and time improves the measuring accuracy of the instrument. The experimental results show that greatly improves the measurement accuracy of the system.

  19. A Coupled Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Model of Jointed Hard Rock for Compressed Air Energy Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoying Zhuang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Renewable energy resources such as wind and solar are intermittent, which causes instability when being connected to utility grid of electricity. Compressed air energy storage (CAES provides an economic and technical viable solution to this problem by utilizing subsurface rock cavern to store the electricity generated by renewable energy in the form of compressed air. Though CAES has been used for over three decades, it is only restricted to salt rock or aquifers for air tightness reason. In this paper, the technical feasibility of utilizing hard rock for CAES is investigated by using a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM modelling of nonisothermal gas flow. Governing equations are derived from the rules of energy balance, mass balance, and static equilibrium. Cyclic volumetric mass source and heat source models are applied to simulate the gas injection and production. Evaluation is carried out for intact rock and rock with discrete crack, respectively. In both cases, the heat and pressure losses using air mass control and supplementary air injection are compared.

  20. Ultrasonic tests on materials with protective coatings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whaley, H.L.

    1977-01-01

    Protective coatings are applied to some nuclear components such as reactor vessels to inhibit surface corrosion. Since in-service ultrasonic inspection is required for such components, a study was performed to determine whether the use of protective coatings can affect ultrasonic tests. Two 2 in. thick steel plates were uniformly machined, sandblasted, and used as bases for two types of protective coatings. The type and thickness of the coating and the presence of contamination, such as fingerprints or mild oxidation under the paint, were the independent variables associated with the coating. Tests were run to determine the effects of the protective coatings on ultrasonic tests conducted on the steel plates. Significant variations in ultrasonic test sensitivity occurred as a function of the type and thickness of protective coating, couplant (material that conducts the ultrasound from the transducer into the test part, normally water or some type of oil), transducer wear plate, and ultrasonic test frequency. Ultrasonic tests can be strongly affected by a protective coating on the component to be inspected. As compared to the test sensitivity for an uncoated reference sample, the sensitivity may be dramatically shifted up or down on the coated surface. In certain coating thickness ranges, the sensitivity can fluctuate widely with small changes in coating thickness. If a coating is chosen properly, however, components with protective coatings can be tested ultrasonically with valid results. These results are for the case of ultrasonic input on the coated surface. It is not expected that an ultrasonic test conducted from the front surface would be appreciably affected by a coating on the rear surface

  1. A development of an automated ultrasonic TOFD inspection system using an welding line tracing robot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Hyun; Song, Sung Jin; Lee, Kang Won; Kim, Young Jin; Woo, Jong Sik

    2006-01-01

    Large scaled ships, manufactured inside of the country, should be passed welding inspection and painting film inspection. Normally, these kind of inspections are conducted by human inspectors manually, although it cause industrial disasters such as falling accidents and diving accidents frequently. In addition, Ship makers are not to give a full trust to shipowners because manual inspections cannot be conducted all over the welding parts. So, in this study we developed an automated ultrasonic TOFD inspection system using an welding line tracing robot. This system, controlled by an inspector at a remote field, can inspect welding parts of ship outer panel both under water and in air. In this paper we present the developed robot and ultrasonic TOFD inspection system and the inspection result.

  2. A development of an automated ultrasonic TOFD inspection system using an welding line tracing robot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Hyun; Song, Sung Jin; Lee, Kang Won; Kim, Young Jin; Woo, Jong Sik

    2006-01-01

    Large scaled ships, manufactured inside of the country, should be passed welding inspection and painting film inspection. Normally, these kind of inspections are conducted by human inspectors manually, although it cause industrial disasters such as falling accidents and diving accidents frequently. In addition, Ship makers are not to give a full trust to ship owners because manual inspections cannot be conducted all over the welding parts. So, in this study we developed an automated ultrasonic TOFD inspection system using an welding line tracing robot. This system, controlled by an inspector at a remote field, can inspect welding parts of ship outer panel both under water and in air. In this paper we present the developed robot and ultrasonic TOFD inspection system and the inspection result.

  3. High Performance Relaxor-Based Ferroelectric Single Crystals for Ultrasonic Transducer Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Chen

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystals Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT have drawn much attention in the ferroelectric field because of their excellent piezoelectric properties and high electromechanical coupling coefficients (d33~2000 pC/N, kt~60% near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB. Ternary Pb(In1/2Nb1/2O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT single crystals also possess outstanding performance comparable with PMN-PT single crystals, but have higher phase transition temperatures (rhombohedral to tetragonal Trt, and tetragonal to cubic Tc and larger coercive field Ec. Therefore, these relaxor-based single crystals have been extensively employed for ultrasonic transducer applications. In this paper, an overview of our work and perspectives on using PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT single crystals for ultrasonic transducer applications is presented. Various types of single-element ultrasonic transducers, including endoscopic transducers, intravascular transducers, high-frequency and high-temperature transducers fabricated using the PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT crystals and their 2-2 and 1-3 composites are reported. Besides, the fabrication and characterization of the array transducers, such as phased array, cylindrical shaped linear array, high-temperature linear array, radial endoscopic array, and annular array, are also addressed.

  4. Ultrasonic propulsion of kidney stones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    May, Philip C; Bailey, Michael R; Harper, Jonathan D

    2016-05-01

    Ultrasonic propulsion is a novel technique that uses short bursts of focused ultrasonic pulses to reposition stones transcutaneously within the renal collecting system and ureter. The purpose of this review is to discuss the initial testing of effectiveness and safety, directions for refinement of technique and technology, and opinions on clinical application. Preclinical studies with a range of probes, interfaces, and outputs have demonstrated feasibility and consistent safety of ultrasonic propulsion with room for increased outputs and refinement toward specific applications. Ultrasonic propulsion was used painlessly and without adverse events to reposition stones in 14 of 15 human study participants without restrictions on patient size, stone size, or stone location. The initial feasibility study showed applicability in a range of clinically relevant situations, including facilitating passage of residual fragments following ureteroscopy or shock wave lithotripsy, moving a large stone at the ureteropelvic junction with relief of pain, and differentiating large stones from a collection of small fragments. Ultrasonic propulsion shows promise as an office-based system for transcutaneously repositioning kidney stones. Potential applications include facilitating expulsion of residual fragments following ureteroscopy or shock wave lithotripsy, repositioning stones prior to treatment, and repositioning obstructing ureteropelvic junction stones into the kidney to alleviate acute renal colic.

  5. Investigation of magnetic transitions through ultrasonic measurements in double-layered CMR manganite La1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, Y. S.; Vishnuvardhan Reddy, C.

    2014-03-01

    A polycrystalline, double-layered, colossal magnetoresistive manganite La1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7 is synthesized by sol-gel process and its magnetic and ultrasonic properties were investigated in the temperature range 80-300 K. The sample has Curie temperature at 124 K, where the sample exhibits a transition from paramagnetic insulator to ferromagnetic metallic state. The longitudinal sound velocity measurements show a significant hardening of sound velocity below TC, which may be attributed to the coupling between ferromagnetic spins and longitudinal acoustic phonons. The magnetization and ultrasonic studies reveal the presence of secondary transition at ≈ 260 K in this sample. The present sound velocity measurement results confirm the reliability of ultrasonic investigations as an independent tool to probe magnetic transitions in manganites.

  6. Match properties of heat transfer and coupled heat and mass transfer processes in air-conditioning system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Tao; Liu Xiaohua; Zhang Lun; Jiang Yi

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Investigates match properties of heat or mass transfer processes in HVAC system. ► Losses are caused by limited transfer ability, flow and parameter mismatching. ► Condition of flow matching is the same heat capacity of the fluids. ► Parameter matching is only reached along the saturation line in air–water system. ► Analytical solutions of heat and mass transfer resistance are derived. - Abstract: Sensible heat exchangers and coupled heat and mass transfer devices between humid air and water/desiccant are commonly used devices in air-conditioning systems. This paper focuses on the match properties of sensible heat transfer processes and coupled heat and mass transfer processes in an effort to understand the reasons for performance limitations in order to optimize system performance. Limited heat transfer capability and flow mismatching resulted in heat resistance of the sensible heat transfer process. Losses occurred during the heat and mass transfer processes due to limited transfer capability, flow mismatching, and parameter mismatching. Flow matching was achieved when the heat capacities of the fluids were identical, and parameter matching could only be reached along the saturation line in air–water systems or the iso-concentration line in air–desiccant systems. Analytical solutions of heat transfer resistance and mass transfer resistance were then derived. The heat and mass transfer process close to the saturation line is recommended, and heating sprayed water resulted in better humidification performance than heating inlet air in the air humidifier.

  7. Ultrasound-Assisted Transient Liquid Phase Bonding of Magnesium Alloy Using Brass Interlayer in Air

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Zhiwei Lai; Ruishan Xie; Chuan Pan; Xiaoguang Chen; Lei Liu; Wenxian Wang; Guisheng Zou

    2017-01-01

    The microstructure evolution and oxide film behavior in ultrasound-assisted transient liquid phase (U-TLP) bonding of Mg alloy were investigated by applying different ultrasonic time at 460℃ withbrass interlayer in air.The results indicated that with increasing ultrasonic time,brass interlayer disappeared gradually and the Mg-Cu-Zn eutectic compounds were formed.The eutectic compounds in the joint decreased as the ultrasonic time increased further.The oxide removal process was divided into four steps.Continuous oxide film at the interface was partially fractured by ultrasonic vibration,and then suspended into liquid by undermining eutectic reaction.After that,the suspended oxide film was broken into small oxide fragments by ultrasonic cavitation effect,which was finally squeezed out of the joint by ultrasonic squeeze action.In addition,the mechanical properties of the joints were investigated.The maximum shear strength of the joint reached 105 MPa,which was 100% of base metal.

  8. Study on electrical impedance matching for broadband ultrasonic transducer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Geon Woo [University of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Ki Bok [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Center for Safety Measurement, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Baek, Kwang Sae [Elache Co., Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-02-15

    Ultrasonic transducers with high resolution and resonant frequency are required to detect small defects (less than hundreds of μm) by ultrasonic testing. The resonance frequency and resolution of an ultrasonic transducer are closely related to the thickness of piezo-electric materials, backing materials, and the electric impedance matching technique. Among these factors, electrical impedance matching plays an important role because it can reduce the loss and reflection of ultrasonic energy differences in electrical impedance between an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic defects detecting system. An LC matching circuit is the most frequently used electric matching method. It is necessary for the electrical impedance of an ultrasonic transducer to correspond to approximately 50 Ω to compensate the difference in electrical impedance between both connections. In this study, a 15 MHz immersion ultrasonic transducer was fabricated and an LC electrical impedance circuit was applied to that for having broad-band frequency characteristic.

  9. Ultrasonic inspection of austenitic welds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baikie, B.L.; Wagg, A.R.; Whittle, M.J.; Yapp, D.

    1976-01-01

    Optical and X-ray metallography combined with ultrasonic testing by compression waves was used for inspection of stainless steel weld metal produced by three different welding techniques. X-ray diffraction showed that each weld possessed a characteristic fibre textured structure which was shown by optical microscopy to be parallel to columnar grain boundaries. Metallographic evidence suggested that the development of fibre texture is due to the mechanism of competitive growth. From observations made as a result of optical metallographic examination the orientation of the fibre axis could be predicted if the weld geometry and welding procedure were known. Ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements as a continuous function of grain orientation, made on cylinders machined from weld samples, showed that attenuation was strongly orientation dependent. It was concluded that the sensitivity of ultrasonic inspection to small defects is unlikely to be as high for austenitic welds as for ferritic even when transmission is improved by modifying the welding procedure to improve the ultrasonic transmission. (U.K.)

  10. Rail inspection using noncontact laser ultrasonics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Nak Hyeon; Sohn, Hoon; Han, Soon Woo

    2012-01-01

    In this study, a noncontact laser ultrasonic system is proposed for rail defect detection. An Nd Yag pulse laser is used for generation of ultrasonic waves, and the corresponding ultrasonic responses are measured by a laser Doppler vibrometer. For the detection of rail surface damages, the shape of the excitation laser beam is transformed into a line. On the other hand, a point source laser beam is used for the inspection of defects inside a rail head. Then, the interactions of propagating ultrasonic waves with defects are examined using actual rail specimens. Amplitude attenuation was mainly observed for a surface crack, and reflections were most noticeable from an internal damage. Finally, opportunities and challenges associated with real time rail inspection from a high speed train are discussed

  11. Ultrasonic characterization of yogurt fermentation process

    OpenAIRE

    IZBAIM , DRIS; FAIZ , BOUAZZA; MOUDDEN , ALI; MALAININE , MOHAMED; ABOUDAOUD , Idriss

    2012-01-01

    International audience; The objective of this work is to characterize the fermentation of yogurt based on an ultrasonic technique. Conventionally, the acidity of the yogurt is measured by a pH meter to determine the progress of fermentation. However, the pH meter should be cleaned and calibrated for each measurement and, therefore, this method is not practical. In this regard, ultrasonic techniques are fast, non-invasive and inexpensive. The measurement of ultrasonic parameters such as amplit...

  12. Ultrasonic Characterization of Superhard Material: Osmium Diboride

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yadawa, P K

    2012-01-01

    Higher order elastic constants have been calculated in hexagonal structured superhard material OsB 2 at room temperature following the interaction potential model. The temperature variation of the ultrasonic velocities is evaluated along different angles with unique axis of the crystal using the second order elastic constants. The ultrasonic velocity decreases with the temperature along particular orientation with the unique axis. Temperature variation of the thermal relaxation time and Debye average velocities are also calculated along the same orientation. The temperature dependency of the ultrasonic properties is discussed in correlation with elastic, thermal and electrical properties. It has been found that the thermal conductivity is the main contributor to the behaviour of ultrasonic attenuation as a function of temperature and the responsible cause of attenuation is phonon-phonon interaction. The mechanical properties of OsB 2 at low temperature are better than at high temperature, because at low temperature it has low ultrasonic velocity and ultrasonic attenuation. Superhard material OsB 2 has many industrial applications, such as abrasives, cutting tools and hard coatings.

  13. Five years of testing using the simi-automated ultrasonic time of flight diffraction system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Webber, S.A.

    2002-01-01

    This paper provides a brief description of the Time of Flight Diffraction (TOFD) test system and also describes a couple of case histories where the system has been successfully applied. The T.O.F.D. system has been contrasted with the conventional manual ultrasonic technique. Whilst the T.O.F.D. system has proven potential, and is without doubt a valuable tool that will continue to gain market share in the inspection industry, conventional manual ultrasonics still has its part to play and will survive for some time to come. One of the outstanding issues facing the T.O.F.D. systems is the question of acceptance testing which is still the predominant convention specified in most standards. Training for a T.O.F.D. system technician is particularly important and the author suggests there are more traps for the unwary than with the conventional manual ultrasonic systems. The overall judgement of the T.O.F.D. system is that it is a most welcome and powerful tool in the hands of the right operator and will do much to boost the prominence of Non-Destructive Testing

  14. Guided waves and ultrasonic characterization of three-dimensional composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leymarie, Nicolas; Baste, Stéphane

    2000-05-01

    Ultrasonic NDE of anisotropic media appears nowadays as one of the best experimental approaches in studying mechanical properties. A complete identification of stiffness tensor can be performed with phase velocity measurements of obliquely incidence ultrasonic bulk waves from water onto a plate. The medium considered, however, has to be homogeneous with respect to wavelength used. In the case of 3D-composites, textures scales may reach one millimeter and their cut-off frequency is less than MHz. The dispersion curves observed in the considered range of frequencies are often very close and sometimes may be overlapped. Experimental studies show complex signals, which are due to a combination of both bulk and guided waves. Wave-speed measurements of the bulk wave and its detection become unreliable with classical techniques of signal processing (simple time or spectral analysis). Moreover, even if the coupled time-frequency analysis with wavelet transforms allows a better interpretation of the signal, the time delay estimation for the bulk wave and so the characterization of the material remains uncertain. To understand blended signals more accurately, different analytical and numerical models are proposed to show the advantages and disadvantages of methods used in NDE.

  15. A New High-Temperature Ultrasonic Transducer for Continuous Inspection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amini, Mohammad Hossein; Sinclair, Anthony N; Coyle, Thomas W

    2016-03-01

    A novel design of piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer is introduced, suitable for operation at temperatures of up to 700 °C-800 °C. Lithium niobate single crystal is chosen as the piezoelectric element primarily due to the high Curie temperature of 1200 °C. A backing element based on a porous ceramic is designed for which the pore volume fraction and average pore diameter in the ceramic matrix can be controlled in the manufacturing process; this enables the acoustic impedance and attenuation to be selected to match their optimal values as predicted by a one-dimensional transducer model of the entire transducer. Porous zirconia is selected as the ceramic matrix material of the backing element to obtain an ultrasonic signal with center frequency of 2.7-3 MHz, and 3-dB bandwidth of 90%-95% at the targeted operating temperature. Acoustic coupling of the piezocrystal to the backing element and matching layer is investigated using commercially available high-temperature adhesives and brazing alloys. The performance of the transducer as a function of temperature is studied. Stable bonding and clear signals were obtained using an aluminum brazing alloy as the bonding agent.

  16. Studies on Section XI ultrasonic repeatability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jamison, T.D.; McDearman, W.R.

    1981-05-01

    A block representative of a nuclear component has been welded containing intentional defects. Acoustic emission data taken during the welding correlate well with ultrasonic data. Repetitive ultrasonic examinations have been performed by skilled operators using a procedure based on that desribed in ASME Section XI. These examinations were performed by different examination teams using different ultrasonic equipment in such a manner that the effects on the repeatability of the ultrasonic test method caused by the operator and by the use of different equipment could be estimated. It was tentatively concluded that when considering a large number of inspections: (1) there is no significant difference in indication sizing between operators, and (2) there is a significant difference in amplitude and defect sizing when instruments having different, Code acceptable operating characteristics are used. It was determined that the Section XI sizing parameters follow a bivariate normal distribution. Data derived from ultrasonically and physically sizing indications in nuclear components during farication show that the Section XI technique tends to overestimate the size of the reflectors

  17. Uncertainty estimation of ultrasonic thickness measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yassir Yassen, Abdul Razak Daud; Mohammad Pauzi Ismail; Abdul Aziz Jemain

    2009-01-01

    The most important factor that should be taken into consideration when selecting ultrasonic thickness measurement technique is its reliability. Only when the uncertainty of a measurement results is known, it may be judged if the result is adequate for intended purpose. The objective of this study is to model the ultrasonic thickness measurement function, to identify the most contributing input uncertainty components, and to estimate the uncertainty of the ultrasonic thickness measurement results. We assumed that there are five error sources significantly contribute to the final error, these sources are calibration velocity, transit time, zero offset, measurement repeatability and resolution, by applying the propagation of uncertainty law to the model function, a combined uncertainty of the ultrasonic thickness measurement was obtained. In this study the modeling function of ultrasonic thickness measurement was derived. By using this model the estimation of the uncertainty of the final output result was found to be reliable. It was also found that the most contributing input uncertainty components are calibration velocity, transit time linearity and zero offset. (author)

  18. Experimental investigation of ultrasonic velocity anisotropy in ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/pram/077/02/0345-0355. Keywords. Magnetic fluids; ultrasonic wave; sound velocity; anisotropy. Abstract. Magnetic field-induced dispersion of ultrasonic velocity in a Mn0.7Zn0.3Fe2O4 fluid (applied magnetic field is perpendicular to the ultrasonic propagation vector) is ...

  19. Low-Temperature Preparation of Tungsten Oxide Anode Buffer Layer via Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis Method for Large-Area Organic Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ran Ji

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Tungsten oxide (WO3 is prepared by a low-temperature ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method in air atmosphere, and it is used as an anode buffer layer (ABL for organic solar cells (OSCs. The properties of the WO3 transition metal oxide material as well as the mechanism of ultrasonic spray pyrolysis processes are investigated. The results show that the ultrasonic spray pyrolysized WO3 ABL exhibits low roughness, matched energy level, and high conductivity, which results in high charge transport efficiency and suppressive recombination in OSCs. As a result, compared to the OSCs based on vacuum thermal evaporated WO3, a higher power conversion efficiency of 3.63% is reached with low-temperature ultrasonic spray pyrolysized WO3 ABL. Furthermore, the mostly spray-coated OSCs with large area was fabricated, which has a power conversion efficiency of ~1%. This work significantly enhances our understanding of the preparation and application of low temperature-processed WO3, and highlights the potential of large area, all spray coated OSCs for sustainable commercial fabrication.

  20. Ultrasonic Waveguide Sensor with a Layer-Structured Plate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joo, Young Sang; Bae, Jin Ho; Kim, Jong Bum

    2010-01-01

    In-vessel structures of a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) are submerged in opaque liquid sodium in reactor vessel. The ultrasonic inspection techniques should be applied for observing the in-vessel structures under hot liquid sodium. Ultrasonic sensors such as immersion sensors and rod-type waveguide sensors had developed in order to apply under-sodium viewing of the in-vessel structures of SFR. Recently the novel plate-type ultrasonic waveguide sensor has been developed for the versatile application of under-sodium viewing in SFR. In the previous studies, the Ultrasonic waveguide sensor module had been designed and manufactured. And the feasibility study of the ultrasonic waveguide sensor has been performed. To Improve the performance of the ultrasonic waveguide sensor module in the under-sodium application, the dispersion effect due to the 10 m long distance propagation of the A 0 -mode Lamb wave should be minimized and the longitudinal leaky wave in a liquid sodium should be generated within the range of the effective radiation angle. In this study, a new concept of ultrasonic waveguide sensor with a layered-structured plate is suggested for the non-dispersive propagation of A 0 -mode Lamb wave in an ultrasonic waveguide sensor and the effective generation of leaky wave in a liquid sodium

  1. 21 CFR 882.1925 - Ultrasonic scanner calibration test block.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ultrasonic scanner calibration test block. 882... Ultrasonic scanner calibration test block. (a) Identification. An ultrasonic scanner calibration test block is a block of material with known properties used to calibrate ultrasonic scanning devices (e.g., the...

  2. Mechanical performance of SiC based MEMS capacitive microphone for ultrasonic detection in harsh environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zawawi, S. A.; Hamzah, A. A.; Mohd-Yasin, F.; Majlis, B. Y.

    2017-08-01

    In this project, SiC based MEMS capacitive microphone was developed for detecting leaked gas in extremely harsh environment such as coal mines and petroleum processing plants via ultrasonic detection. The MEMS capacitive microphone consists of two parallel plates; top plate (movable diaphragm) and bottom (fixed) plate, which separated by an air gap. While, the vent holes were fabricated on the back plate to release trapped air and reduce damping. In order to withstand high temperature and pressure, a 1.0 μm thick SiC diaphragm was utilized as the top membrane. The developed SiC could withstand a temperature up to 1400°C. Moreover, the 3 μm air gap is invented between the top membrane and the bottom plate via wafer bonding. COMSOL Multiphysics simulation software was used for design optimization. Various diaphragms with sizes of 600 μm2, 700 μm2, 800 μm2, 900 μm2 and 1000 μm2 are loaded with external pressure. From this analysis, it was observed that SiC microphone with diaphragm width of 1000 μm2 produced optimal surface vibrations, with first-mode resonant frequency of approximately 36 kHz. The maximum deflection value at resonant frequency is less than the air gap thickness of 8 mu;m, thus eliminating the possibility of shortage between plates during operation. As summary, the designed SiC capacitive microphone has high potential and it is suitable to be applied in ultrasonic gas leaking detection in harsh environment.

  3. Ultrasonic attenuation in superconducting zinc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Auluck, S.

    1978-01-01

    The differences in the Zn ultrasonic attenuation data of different workers are analyzed. The superconducting energy gaps deduced from our analysis of the ultrasonic-attenuation data of Cleavelin and Marshall are consistent with the gaps deduced from the knowledge of the Fermi surface and the electron-phonon mass enhancement factor

  4. Ultrasonic scanner for stainless steel weld inspections. [LMFBR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kupperman, D. S.; Reimann, K. J.

    1978-09-01

    The large grain size and anisotropic nature of stainless steel weld metal make conventional ultrasonic testing very difficult. A technique is evaluated for minimizing the coherent ultrasonic noise in stainless steel weld metal. The method involves digitizing conventional ''A-scan'' traces and averaging them with a minicomputer. Results are presented for an ultrasonic scanner which interrogates a small volume of the weld metal while averaging the coherent ultrasonic noise.

  5. Ultrasonic assisted hot metal powder compaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abedini, Rezvan; Abdullah, Amir; Alizadeh, Yunes

    2017-09-01

    Hot pressing of metal powders is used in production of parts with similar properties to wrought materials. During hot pressing processes, particle rearrangement, plastic deformation, creep, and diffusion are of the most effective powder densification mechanisms. Applying ultrasonic vibration is thought to result in great rates of densification and therefore higher efficiency of the process is expected. This paper deals with the effects of power ultrasonic on the densification of AA1100 aluminum powder under constant applied stress. The effects of particle size and process temperature on the densification behavior are discussed. The results show that applying ultrasonic vibration leads to an improved homogeneity and a higher relative density. Also, it is found that the effect of ultrasonic vibration is greater for finer particles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Direct-current nanogenerator driven by ultrasonic waves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xudong; Song, Jinhui; Liu, Jin; Wang, Zhong Lin

    2007-04-06

    We have developed a nanowire nanogenerator that is driven by an ultrasonic wave to produce continuous direct-current output. The nanogenerator was fabricated with vertically aligned zinc oxide nanowire arrays that were placed beneath a zigzag metal electrode with a small gap. The wave drives the electrode up and down to bend and/or vibrate the nanowires. A piezoelectric-semiconducting coupling process converts mechanical energy into electricity. The zigzag electrode acts as an array of parallel integrated metal tips that simultaneously and continuously create, collect, and output electricity from all of the nanowires. The approach presents an adaptable, mobile, and cost-effective technology for harvesting energy from the environment, and it offers a potential solution for powering nanodevices and nanosystems.

  7. Ultrasonic nondestructive materials characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, R. E., Jr.

    1986-01-01

    A brief review of ultrasonic wave propagation in solid materials is presented with consideration of the altered behavior in anisotropic and nonlinear elastic materials in comparison with isotropic and linear elastic materials. Some experimental results are described in which ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements give insight into materials microstructure and associated mechanical properties. Recent developments with laser beam non-contact generation and detection of ultrasound are presented. The results of several years of experimental measurements using high-power ultrasound are discussed, which provide substantial evidence of the inability of presently accepted theories to fully explain the interaction of ultrasound with solid materials. Finally, a special synchrotron X-ray topographic system is described which affords the possibility of observing direct interaction of ultrasonic waves with the microstructural features of real crystalline solid materials for the first time.

  8. Ultrasonic colour Doppler imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Evans, David H.; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt; Nielsen, Michael Bachmann

    2011-01-01

    Ultrasonic colour Doppler is an imaging technique that combines anatomical information derived using ultrasonic pulse-echo techniques with velocity information derived using ultrasonic Doppler techniques to generate colour-coded maps of tissue velocity superimposed on grey-scale images of tissue...... anatomy. The most common use of the technique is to image the movement of blood through the heart, arteries and veins, but it may also be used to image the motion of solid tissues such as the heart walls. Colour Doppler imaging is now provided on almost all commercial ultrasound machines, and has been...... vectors. This review briefly introduces the principles behind colour Doppler imaging and describes some clinical applications. It then describes the basic components of conventional colour Doppler systems and the methods used to derive velocity information from the ultrasound signal. Next, a number of new...

  9. Freeze-thaw-induced embolism in Pinus contorta: centrifuge experiments validate the 'thaw-expansion hypothesis' but conflict with ultrasonic emission data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayr, Stefan; Sperry, John S

    2010-03-01

    *The 'thaw-expansion hypothesis' postulates that xylem embolism is caused by the formation of gas bubbles on freezing and their expansion on thawing. We evaluated the hypothesis using centrifuge experiments and ultrasonic emission monitoring in Pinus contorta. *Stem samples were exposed to freeze-thaw cycles at varying xylem pressure (P) in a centrifuge before the percentage loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC) was measured. Ultrasonic acoustic emissions were registered on samples exposed to freeze-thaw cycles in a temperature chamber. *Freeze-thaw exposure of samples spun at -3 MPa induced a PLC of 32% (one frost cycle) and 50% (two cycles). An increase in P to -0.5 MPa during freezing had no PLC effect, whereas increased P during thaw lowered PLC to 7%. Ultrasonic acoustic emissions were observed during freezing and thawing at -3 MPa, but not in air-dried or water-saturated samples. A decrease in minimum temperature caused additional ultrasonic acoustic emissions, but had no effect on PLC. *The centrifuge experiments indicate that the 'thaw-expansion hypothesis' correctly describes the embolization process. Possible explanations for the increase in PLC on repeated frost cycles and for the ultrasonic acoustic emissions observed during freezing and with decreasing ice temperature are discussed.

  10. Study on Effect of Ultrasonic Vibration on Grinding Force and Surface Quality in Ultrasonic Assisted Micro End Grinding of Silica Glass

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Jianhua

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Ultrasonic vibration assisted micro end grinding (UAMEG is a promising processing method for micro parts made of hard and brittle materials. First, the influence of ultrasonic assistance on the mechanism of this processing technology is theoretically analyzed. Then, in order to reveal the effects of ultrasonic vibration and grinding parameters on grinding forces and surface quality, contrast grinding tests of silica glass with and without ultrasonic assistance using micro radial electroplated diamond wheel are conducted. The grinding forces are measured using a three-component dynamometer. The surface characteristics are detected using the scanning electron microscope. The experiment results demonstrate that grinding forces are significantly reduced by introducing ultrasonic vibration into conventional micro end grinding (CMEG of silica glass; ultrasonic assistance causes inhibiting effect on variation percentages of tangential grinding force with grinding parameters; ductile machining is easier to be achieved and surface quality is obviously improved due to ultrasonic assistance in UAMEG. Therefore, larger grinding depth and feed rate adopted in UAMEG can lead to the improvement of removal rate and machining efficiency compared with CMEG.

  11. Enhanced Removal of Hydrophobic Gas by Aerial Ultrasonic Waves and Two Kinds of Water Mists of Different Particle Sizes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsumoto, Keisuke; Miura, Hikaru

    2012-07-01

    Air pollutants can cause health problems, such as bronchitis and cancer, and are now recognized as a social problem. Hence, a method is proposed for the collection and removal of gaseous air pollutants by aerial ultrasonic waves and water mist. Typically, gas removal effects are studied using lemon oil vapor (“lemon gas”), which is a hydrophobic gas. Previous experiments using lemon gas have shown that a removal rate of up to 40% can be achieved in an intense standing wave at 20 kHz, for an amount of water mist of 1.39 cm3/s and an electrical input power of 50 W. Increasing the surface area of the water mist leads to greater removal of hydrophobic gas. In this study, the effects of gas removal are examined by conducting experiments using intense aerial ultrasonic waves to disperse two kinds of water mists, each composed of particles of different sizes: small particles (diameter: ≈3 µm) and conventional large particles (diameter: ≈60 µm).

  12. Lumber defect detection by ultrasonics

    Science.gov (United States)

    K. A. McDonald

    1978-01-01

    Ultrasonics, the technology of high-frequency sound, has been developed as a viable means for locating most defects In lumber for use in digital form in decision-making computers. Ultrasonics has the potential for locating surface and internal defects in lumber of all species, green or dry, and rough sawn or surfaced.

  13. Computer simulation of ultrasonic testing for aerospace vehicle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamawaki, H [National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1, Sengen, 305-0047 Tsukuba (Japan); Moriya, S; Masuoka, T [Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 1 Koganesawa, Kimigawa, 981-1525 Kakuda (Japan); Takatsubo, J, E-mail: yamawaki.hisashi@nims.go.jp [Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, AIST Tsukuba Central 2, 1-1-1 Umezono, 305-8568 Tsukuba (Japan)

    2011-01-01

    Non-destructive testing techniques are developed to secure reliability of aerospace vehicles used repetitively. In the case of cracks caused by thermal stress on walls in combustion chambers of liquid-fuel rockets, it is examined by ultrasonic waves visualization technique developed in AIST. The technique is composed with non-contact ultrasonic generation by pulsed-laser scanning, piezoelectric transducer for the ultrasonic detection, and image reconstruction processing. It enables detection of defects by visualization of ultrasonic waves scattered by the defects. In NIMS, the condition of the detection by the visualization is investigated using computer simulation for ultrasonic propagation that has capability of fast 3-D calculation. The simulation technique is based on finite-difference method and two-step elastic wave equations. It is reported about the investigation by the calculation, and shows availability of the simulation for the ultrasonic testing technique of the wall cracks.

  14. Fundamentals and applications of ultrasonic waves

    CERN Document Server

    Cheeke, J David N

    2002-01-01

    Ultrasonics. A subject with applications across all the basic sciences, engineering, medicine, and oceanography, yet even the broader topic of acoustics is now rarely offered at undergraduate levels. Ultrasonics is addressed primarily at the doctoral level, and texts appropriate for beginning graduate students or newcomers to the field are virtually nonexistent.Fundamentals and Applications of Ultrasonic Waves fills that void. Designed specifically for senior undergraduates, beginning graduate students, and those just entering the field, it begins with the fundamentals, but goes well beyond th

  15. Ultrasonic flow measurements for irrigation process monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziani, Elmostafa; Bennouna, Mustapha; Boissier, Raymond

    2004-02-01

    This paper presents the state of the art of the general principle of liquid flow measurements by ultrasonic method, and problems of flow measurements. We present an ultrasonic flowmeter designed according to smart sensors concept, for the measurement of irrigation water flowing through pipelines or open channels, using the ultrasonic transit time approach. The new flowmeter works on the principle of measuring time delay differences between sound pulses transmitted upstream and downstream in the flowing liquid. The speed of sound in the flowing medium is eliminated as a variable because the flowrate calculations are based on the reciprocals of the transmission times. The transit time difference is digitally measured by means of a suitable, microprocessor controlled logic. This type of ultrasonic flowmeter will be widely used in industry and water management, it is well studied in this work, followed by some experimental results. For pressurized channels, we use one pair of ultrasonic transducer arranged in proper positions and directions of the pipe, in this case, to determine the liquid velocity, a real time on-line analysis taking account the geometries of the hydraulic system, is applied to the obtained ultrasonic data. In the open channels, we use a single or two pairs of ultrasonic emitter-receiver according to the desired performances. Finally, the goals of this work consist in integrating the smart sensor into irrigation systems monitoring in order to evaluate potential advantages and demonstrate their performance, on the other hand, to understand and use ultrasonic approach for determining flow characteristics and improving flow measurements by reducing errors caused by disturbances of the flow profiles.

  16. Enhancement of ultrasonic disintegration of sewage sludge by aeration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, He; Zhang, Panyue; Zhang, Guangming; Cheng, Rong

    2016-04-01

    Sonication is an effective way for sludge disintegration, which can significantly improve the efficiency of anaerobic digestion to reduce and recycle use of sludge. But high energy consumption limits the wide application of sonication. In order to improve ultrasonic sludge disintegration efficiency and reduce energy consumption, aeration was introduced. Results showed that sludge disintegration efficiency was improved significantly by combining aeration with ultrasound. The aeration flow rate, gas bubble size, ultrasonic density and aeration timing had impacts on sludge disintegration efficiency. Aeration that used in later stage of ultrasonic irradiation with low aeration flow rate, small gas bubbles significantly improved ultrasonic disintegration sludge efficiency. At the optimal conditions of 0.4 W/mL ultrasonic irradiation density, 30 mL/min of aeration flow rate, 5 min of aeration in later stage and small gas bubbles, ultrasonic sludge disintegration efficiency was increased by 45% and one third of ultrasonic energy was saved. This approach will greatly benefit the application of ultrasonic sludge disintegration and strongly promote the treatment and recycle of wastewater sludge. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Ultrasonic sectional imaging for crack identification. Part 1. Confirmation test of essential factors for ultrasonic imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasahara, Toshihiko

    2008-01-01

    Since the first reports of inter-granular stress corrosion crack (IGSCC) in boiling water reactor (BWR) pipe in the 1970s, nuclear power industry has focused considerable attention on service induced crack detection and sizing using ultrasonic examination. In recent years, phased array systems, those reconstruct high quality flaw images at real time are getting to apply for crack detection and sizing. But because the price of phased array systems are expensive for inspection vendors, field application of phased array systems are limited and reliable ultrasonic imaging systems with reasonable price are expected. This paper will discuss cost effective ultrasonic equipment with sectional image (B-scan) presentation as the simplified imaging system for assisting ultrasonic examination personnel. To develop the simplified B-scan imaging system, the frequency characteristics of IGSCC echoes and neighboring geometry echoes such as base-metal to weld interface and inner surface of a pipe are studied. The experimental study confirmed the reflectors have different frequency characteristics and 2MHz is suitable to visualize IGSCC and 5MHz and higher frequency are suitable to reconstruct geometry images. The other study is the amplifier selection for the imaging system. To reconstruct images of IGSCC and geometry echoes, the ultrasonic imaging instrument with linear amplifier has to adjust gain setting to the target. On the other hand, the ultrasonic imaging instrument with logarithmic amplifier can collect and display wider dynamic range on a screen and this wider dynamic range are effective to visualize IGSCC and geometry echoes on a B-scan presentation at a time. (author)

  18. Resonant difference-frequency atomic force ultrasonic microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantrell, John H. (Inventor); Cantrell, Sean A. (Inventor)

    2010-01-01

    A scanning probe microscope and methodology called resonant difference-frequency atomic force ultrasonic microscopy (RDF-AFUM), employs an ultrasonic wave launched from the bottom of a sample while the cantilever of an atomic force microscope, driven at a frequency differing from the ultrasonic frequency by one of the contact resonance frequencies of the cantilever, engages the sample top surface. The nonlinear mixing of the oscillating cantilever and the ultrasonic wave in the region defined by the cantilever tip-sample surface interaction force generates difference-frequency oscillations at the cantilever contact resonance. The resonance-enhanced difference-frequency signals are used to create images of nanoscale near-surface and subsurface features.

  19. Recent progress in online ultrasonic process monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Szu-Sheng L.; Chen, Tzu-Fang; Ramos-Franca, Demartonne; Nguyen, Ky T.; Jen, Cheng-Kuei; Ihara, Ikuo; Derdouri, A.; Garcia-Rejon, Andres

    1998-03-01

    On-line ultrasonic monitoring of polymer co-extrusion and gas-assisted injection molding are presented. During the co- extrusion of high density polyethylene and Santoprene ultrasonic sensors consisting of piezoelectric transducers and clad ultrasonic buffer rods are used to detect the interface between these two polymers and the stability of the extrusion. The same ultrasonic sensor also measures the surface temperature of the extruded polymer. The results indicate that temperature measurements using ultrasound have a faster response time than those obtained by conventional thermocouple. In gas-assisted injection molding the polymer and gas flow front positions are monitored simultaneously. This information may be used to control the plunger movement.

  20. Auto-positioning ultrasonic transducer system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buchanan, Randy K. (Inventor)

    2010-01-01

    An ultrasonic transducer apparatus and process for determining the optimal transducer position for flow measurement along a conduit outer surface. The apparatus includes a transmitting transducer for transmitting an ultrasonic signal, said transducer affixed to a conduit outer surface; a guide rail attached to a receiving transducer for guiding movement of a receiving transducer along the conduit outer surface, wherein the receiving transducer receives an ultrasonic signal from the transmitting transducer and sends a signal to a data acquisition system; and a motor for moving the receiving transducer along the guide rail, wherein the motor is controlled by a controller. The method includes affixing a transmitting transducer to an outer surface of a conduit; moving a receiving transducer on the conduit outer surface, wherein the receiving transducer is moved along a guide rail by a motor; transmitting an ultrasonic signal from the transmitting transducer that is received by the receiving transducer; communicating the signal received by the receiving transducer to a data acquisition and control system; and repeating the moving, transmitting, and communicating along a length of the conduit.

  1. Hand Gesture Recognition Using Ultrasonic Waves

    KAUST Repository

    AlSharif, Mohammed Hussain

    2016-04-01

    Gesturing is a natural way of communication between people and is used in our everyday conversations. Hand gesture recognition systems are used in many applications in a wide variety of fields, such as mobile phone applications, smart TVs, video gaming, etc. With the advances in human-computer interaction technology, gesture recognition is becoming an active research area. There are two types of devices to detect gestures; contact based devices and contactless devices. Using ultrasonic waves for determining gestures is one of the ways that is employed in contactless devices. Hand gesture recognition utilizing ultrasonic waves will be the focus of this thesis work. This thesis presents a new method for detecting and classifying a predefined set of hand gestures using a single ultrasonic transmitter and a single ultrasonic receiver. This method uses a linear frequency modulated ultrasonic signal. The ultrasonic signal is designed to meet the project requirements such as the update rate, the range of detection, etc. Also, it needs to overcome hardware limitations such as the limited output power, transmitter, and receiver bandwidth, etc. The method can be adapted to other hardware setups. Gestures are identified based on two main features; range estimation of the moving hand and received signal strength (RSS). These two factors are estimated using two simple methods; channel impulse response (CIR) and cross correlation (CC) of the reflected ultrasonic signal from the gesturing hand. A customized simple hardware setup was used to classify a set of hand gestures with high accuracy. The detection and classification were done using methods of low computational cost. This makes the proposed method to have a great potential for the implementation in many devices including laptops and mobile phones. The predefined set of gestures can be used for many control applications.

  2. Speciation of arsenic in marine food (Anemonia sulcata) by liquid chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and organic mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Contreras-Acuña, M; García-Barrera, T; García-Sevillano, M A; Gómez-Ariza, J L

    2013-03-22

    Arsenic species have been investigated in Anemonia sulcata, which is frequently consumed food staple in Spain battered in wheat flour and fried with olive oil. Speciation in tissue extracts was carried out by anion/cation exchange chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-(AEC/CEC)-ICP-MS). Three methods for the extraction of arsenic species were investigated (ultrasonic bath, ultrasonic probe and focused microwave) and the optimal one was applied. Arsenic speciation was carried out in raw and cooked anemone and the dominant species are dimethylarsinic acid (DMA(V)) followed by arsenobetaine (AB), As(V), monomethylarsonic acid (MA(V)), tetramethylarsonium ion (TETRA) and trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO). In addition, arsenocholine (AsC), glyceryl phosphorylarsenocholine (GPAsC) and dimethylarsinothioic acid (DMAS) were identified by liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). These results are interesting since GPAsC has been previously reported in marine organisms after experimental exposure to AsC, but not in natural samples. In addition, this paper reports for the first time the identification of DMAS in marine food. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Ultrasonic wave propagation in powders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Lashi, R. S.; Povey, M. J. W.; Watson, N. J.

    2018-05-01

    Powder clumps (cakes) has a significant effect on the flowability and stability of powders. Powder caking is mainly caused by moisture migration due to wetting and environmental (temperature and humidity) changes. The process of moisture migration caking involves creating liquid bridges between the particles during condensation which subsequently harden to form solid bridges. Therefore, an effective and reliable technique is required to quantitatively and non-invasively monitor caking kinetics and effective stiffness. This paper describes two ultrasonic instruments (ultrasonic velocity pulse and airborne ultrasound systems) that have been used to monitor the caking phenomenon. Also, it discusses the relationship between the ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements and tracking caking kinetics and the effective stiffness of powders.

  4. A novel large thrust-weight ratio V-shaped linear ultrasonic motor with a flexible joint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaoniu; Yao, Zhiyuan; Yang, Mojian

    2017-06-01

    A novel large thrust-weight ratio V-shaped linear ultrasonic motor with a flexible joint is proposed in this paper. The motor is comprised of a V-shaped transducer, a slider, a clamp, and a base. The V-shaped transducer consists of two piezoelectric beams connected through a flexible joint to form an appropriate coupling angle. The V-shaped motor is operated in the coupled longitudinal-bending mode. Longitudinal and bending movements are transferred by the flexible joint between the two beams. Compared with the coupled longitudinal-bending mode of the single piezoelectric beam or the symmetrical and asymmetrical modes of the previous V-shaped transducer, the coupled longitudinal-bending mode of the V-shaped transducer with a flexible joint provides higher vibration efficiency and more convenient mode conformance adjustment. A finite element model of the V-shaped transducer is created to numerically study the influence of geometrical parameters and to determine the final geometrical parameters. In this paper, three prototypes were then fabricated and experimentally investigated. The modal test results match well with the finite element analysis. The motor mechanical output characteristics of three different coupling angles θ indicate that V-90 (θ = 90°) is the optimal angle. The mechanical output experiments conducted using the V-90 prototype (Size: 59.4 mm × 30.7 mm × 4 mm) demonstrate that the maximum unloaded speed is 1.2 m/s under a voltage of 350 Vpp, and the maximum output force is 15 N under a voltage of 300 Vpp. The proposed novel V-shaped linear ultrasonic motor has a compact size and a simple structure with a large thrust-weight ratio (0.75 N/g) and high speed.

  5. Broadband and High Sensitive Time-of-Flight Diffraction Ultrasonic Transducers Based on PMNT/Epoxy 1–3 Piezoelectric Composite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongxu Liu

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available 5–6 MHz PMNT/epoxy 1–3 composites were prepared by a modified dice-and-fill method. They exhibit excellent properties for ultrasonic transducer applications, such as ultrahigh thickness electromechanical coupling coefficient kt (85.7%, large piezoelectric coefficient d33 (1209 pC/N, and relatively low acoustic impedance Z (1.82 × 107 kg/(m2·s. Besides, two types of Time-of-Flight Diffraction (TOFD ultrasonic transducers have been designed, fabricated, and characterized, which have different matching layer schemes with the acoustic impedance of 4.8 and 5.7 × 106 kg/(m2·s, respectively. In the detection on a backwall of 12.7 mm polystyrene, the former exhibits higher detectivity, the relative pulse-echo sensitivity and −6 dB relative bandwidth are −21.93 dB and 102.7%, respectively, while the later exhibits broader bandwidth, the relative pulse-echo sensitivity and −6 dB relative bandwidth are −24.08 dB and 117.3%, respectively. These TOFD ultrasonic transducers based on PMNT/epoxy 1–3 composite exhibit considerably improved performance over the commercial PZT/epoxy 1–3 composite TOFD ultrasonic transducer.

  6. THE APPLICATION OF LEAF ULTRASONIC RESONANCE TO VITIS VINIFERA L. SUGGESTS THE EXISTENCE OF A DIURNAL OSMOTIC ADJUSTMENT SUBJECTED TO PHOTOSYNTHESIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domingo Sancho-Knapik

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The main objective of this study was to apply the air-coupled broad-band ultrasonic spectroscopy in attached transpiring leaves of Vitis vinifera L. to monitor changes in leaf water potential (Y through the measurements of the standardized value of the resonant frequency associated with the maximum transmitance (f/fo. With this purpose, the response of grapevine to a drought stress period was investigated in terms of leaf water status, ultrasounds, gas exchange and sugar accumulation. Two strong correlations were obtained between f/fo and Y measured at predawn (pd and at midday (md with different slopes. This fact implied the existence of two values of Y for a given value of f/fo, which was taken as a sign that the ultrasonic technique was not directly related to the overall Y, but only to one of its components: the turgor pressure (P. The difference in Y at constant f/fo (d was found to be dependent on net CO2 assimilation (A and might be used as a rough estimator of photosynthetic activity. It was then, the other main component of Y, osmotic potential (π, the one that may have lowered the values of midday Y with respect to predawn Y by the accumulation of sugars associated to net CO2 assimilation. This phenomenon suggests the existence of a diurnal osmotic adjustment in this species associated to sugars production in well-watered plants.

  7. Standard practice for leaks using ultrasonics

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2011-01-01

    1.1 Practice A, Pressurization—This practice covers procedures for calibration of ultrasonic instruments, location, and estimated measurements of gas leakage to atmosphere by the airborne ultrasonic technique. 1.2 In general practice this should be limited to leaks detected by two classifications of instruments, Class I and Class II. Class I instruments should have a minimum detectable leak rate of 6.7 × 10−7 mol/s (1.5 × 10−2 std. cm3/s at 0°C) or more for the pressure method of gas leakage to atmosphere. Class II instruments should have a minimal detectable leak rate of 6.7 × 10−6 mol/s (1.5 × 10−1 std. cm3/s at 0°C) or more for the pressure method of gas leakage to atmosphere. Refer to Guide E432 for additional information. 1.3 Practice B, Ultrasonic Transmitter—For object under test not capable of being pressurized but capable of having ultrasonic tone placed/injected into the test area to act as an ultrasonic leak trace source. 1.3.1 This practice is limited to leaks producing leakage o...

  8. Applications of a nanocomposite-inspired in-situ broadband ultrasonic sensor to acousto-ultrasonics-based passive and active structural health monitoring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Menglong; Zeng, Zhihui; Xu, Hao; Liao, Yaozhong; Zhou, Limin; Zhang, Zhong; Su, Zhongqing

    2017-07-01

    A novel nanocomposite-inspired in-situ broadband ultrasonic sensor previously developed, with carbon black as the nanofiller and polyvinylidene fluoride as the matrix, was networked for acousto-ultrasonic wave-based passive and active structural health monitoring (SHM). Being lightweight and small, this kind of sensor was proven to be capable of perceiving strain perturbation in virtue of the tunneling effect in the formed nanofiller conductive network when acousto-ultrasonic waves traverse the sensor. Proof-of-concept validation was implemented, to examine the sensor performance in responding to acousto-ultrasonic waves in a broad frequency regime: from acoustic emission (AE) of lower frequencies to guided ultrasonic waves (GUWs) of higher frequencies. Results have demonstrated the high fidelity, ultrafast response and high sensitivity of the sensor to acousto-ultrasonic waves up to 400kHz yet with an ultra-low magnitude (of the order of micro-strain). The sensor is proven to possess sensitivity and accuracy comparable with commercial piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers, whereas with greater flexibility in accommodating curved structural surfaces. Application paradigms of using the sensor for damage evaluation have spotlighted the capability of the sensor in compromising "sensing cost" with "sensing effectiveness" for passive AE- or active GUW-based SHM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Development of an ultrasonic process for soil remediation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, J.M.; Huang, H.S.; Livengood, C.D.

    1995-01-01

    An ultrasonic process for the detoxification of carbon tetrachloride- (CCl 4 - ) contaminated soil was investigated in the laboratory by using a batch irradiation reactor equipped with a 600-W ultrasonic power supply operated at a frequency of 20 kHz. Key parameters studied included soil characteristics, irradiation time, CCl 4 concentration, steady-state operating temperature, applied ultrasonic-wave energy, and the ratio of soil to water in the system. The results of the experiments showed that (1) residual CCl 4 concentrations could be decreased with longer irradiation periods and (2) detoxification efficiency was proportional to steady-state operating temperature and applied ultrasonic-wave energy. The characteristics of the contaminated soil were found to be an important factor in the design of an ultrasonic detoxification system. A soil-phase CCl 4 concentration below 1 ppm (initial concentration of 56 ppm) was achieved through this process, indicating that the application of ultrasonic irradiation is feasible and effective in the detoxification of soil contaminated by organic compounds. On the basis of the experimental results, a schematic of a full-scale ultrasonic soil-detoxification system was developed. Improvements to this novel process are discussed

  10. Ultrasonic characterization of vegetable oil product

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sidek Hj Abd Aziz; Chow Sai Pew; Abdul Halim Shaari; Nor Azizah Shaari

    1992-01-01

    The ultrasonic wave velocity and attenuation of a number vegetable oil products were measured using an ultrasonic pulse echo overlap technique from room temperature up to 90 0 C. Among the liquid samples studied were refined bleach deodorized (RED) palm oil, palm olein, coconut oil, corn oil and soya bean oil. The velocity of sound in vegetable oil products varies from about 1200 to 200 ms-1 and decrease linearly as the temperature increases. The ultrasonic properties of the oil are much dependent on their viscosity, density, relaxation effect and vibrational anharmonicity

  11. Ultrasonic testing technique for users in practical application. Pt. 8

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corsepius, H.W.

    1978-01-01

    In the present, eighth part of ultrasonic testing technique for users in practical application, the two methods 1) testing by gap coupling and 2) testing by the dipping technique are treated. By the first method the probe is clamped in a holding device in such manner that a water-filled gap remains between probe and surface. Through this gap the sonic signal gets into the specimen without mechanical contact between probe and specimen taking place. By the dipping technique testing is performed in a tank filled with water, the probe being guided over the specimen under water. (RW) [de

  12. Vibration suppression in ultrasonic machining described by non-linear differential equations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamel, M. M.; El-Ganaini, W. A. A.; Hamed, Y. S.

    2009-01-01

    Vibrations are usually undesired phenomena as they may cause damage or destruction of the system. However, sometimes they are desirable, as in ultrasonic machining (USM). In such case, the problem is a complicated one, as it is required to reduce the vibration of the machine head and have reasonable amplitude for the tool. In the present work, the coupling of two non-linear oscillators of the tool holder and tool representing ultrasonic cutting process is investigated. This leads to a two-degree-of-freedom system subjected to multi-external excitation force. The aim of this work is to control the tool holder behavior at simultaneous primary and internal resonance condition and have high amplitude for the tool. Multiple scale perturbation method is applied to obtain a solution up to the second order approximations. Other different resonance cases are reported and studied numerically. The stability of the system is investigated applying both phase-plane and frequency response techniques. The effects of the different parameters of the tool on the system behavior are studied numerically. Comparison with the available published work is reported

  13. Remediation of Diesel Fuel Contaminated Sandy Soil using Ultrasonic Waves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wulandari P.S.

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Ultrasonic cleaning has been used in industry for some time, but the application of ultrasonic cleaning in contaminated soil is just recently received considerable attention, it is a very new technique, especially in Indonesia. An ultrasonic cleaner works mostly by energy released from the collapse of millions of microscopic cavitations near the dirty surface. This paper investigates the use of ultrasonic wave to enhance remediation of diesel fuel contaminated sandy soil considering the ultrasonic power, soil particle size, soil density, water flow rate, and duration of ultrasonic waves application.

  14. North Pacific Mesoscale Coupled Air-Ocean Simulations Compared with Observations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koracin, Darko; Cerovecki, Ivana; Vellore, Ramesh; Mejia, John; Hatchett, Benjamin; McCord, Travis; McLean, Julie; Dorman, Clive

    2013-04-11

    Executive summary The main objective of the study was to investigate atmospheric and ocean interaction processes in the western Pacific and, in particular, effects of significant ocean heat loss in the Kuroshio and Kuroshio Extension regions on the lower and upper atmosphere. It is yet to be determined how significant are these processes are on climate scales. The understanding of these processes led us also to development of the methodology of coupling the Weather and Research Forecasting model with the Parallel Ocean Program model for western Pacific regional weather and climate simulations. We tested NCAR-developed research software Coupler 7 for coupling of the WRF and POP models and assessed its usability for regional-scale applications. We completed test simulations using the Coupler 7 framework, but implemented a standard WRF model code with options for both one- and two-way mode coupling. This type of coupling will allow us to seamlessly incorporate new WRF updates and versions in the future. We also performed a long-term WRF simulation (15 years) covering the entire North Pacific as well as high-resolution simulations of a case study which included extreme ocean heat losses in the Kuroshio and Kuroshio Extension regions. Since the extreme ocean heat loss occurs during winter cold air outbreaks (CAO), we simulated and analyzed a case study of a severe CAO event in January 2000 in detail. We found that the ocean heat loss induced by CAOs is amplified by additional advection from mesocyclones forming on the southern part of the Japan Sea. Large scale synoptic patterns with anomalously strong anticyclone over Siberia and Mongolia, deep Aleutian Low, and the Pacific subtropical ridge are a crucial setup for the CAO. It was found that the onset of the CAO is related to the breaking of atmospheric Rossby waves and vertical transport of vorticity that facilitates meridional advection. The study also indicates that intrinsic parameterization of the surface fluxes

  15. Diastereoselective synthesis of trans-2,3-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]coumarins by MgO nanoparticles under ultrasonic irradiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javad Safaei-Ghomi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available MgO nanoparticles have been used as an efficient catalyst for the diastereoselective preparation of trans-2-benzoyl-3-(aryl-2H-furo[3,2-c]chromen-4(3H-ones by the multi-component reaction of 2,4′-dibromoacetophenone, pyridine, benzaldehydes and 4-hydroxycoumarin under ultrasonic irradiation. This interesting result revealed that the pyridiniumylide assisted tandem three-component coupling reaction is highly diastereoselective. Atom economy, wide range of products, high catalytic activity, excellent yields in short reaction times, diastereoselective synthesis and environmental benignity are some of the important features of this protocol. Keywords: Furo[3,2-c]coumarins, Ultrasonic irradiation, MgO nanoparticles, Diastereoselective, One-pot syntheses

  16. The Effect of Electrical Impedance Matching on the Electromechanical Characteristics of Sandwiched Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Transducers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuan Yang

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available For achieving the power maximum transmission, the electrical impedance matching (EIM for piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers is highly required. In this paper, the effect of EIM networks on the electromechanical characteristics of sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers is investigated in time and frequency domains, based on the PSpice model of single sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer. The above-mentioned EIM networks include, series capacitance and parallel inductance (I type and series inductance and parallel capacitance (II type. It is shown that when I and II type EIM networks are used, the resonance and anti-resonance frequencies and the received signal tailing are decreased; II type makes the electro-acoustic power ratio and the signal tailing smaller whereas it makes the electro-acoustic gain ratio larger at resonance frequency. In addition, I type makes the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient increase and II type makes it decrease; II type make the power spectral density at resonance frequency more dramatically increased. Specially, the electro-acoustic power ratio has maximum value near anti-resonance frequency, while the electro-acoustic gain ratio has maximum value near resonance frequency. It can be found that the theoretically analyzed results have good consistency with the measured ones.

  17. The Dynamic Performance of Flexural Ultrasonic Transducers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Feeney

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Flexural ultrasonic transducers are principally used as proximity sensors and for industrial metrology. Their operation relies on a piezoelectric ceramic to generate a flexing of a metallic membrane, which delivers the ultrasound signal. The performance of flexural ultrasonic transducers has been largely limited to excitation through a short voltage burst signal at a designated mechanical resonance frequency. However, a steady-state amplitude response is not generated instantaneously in a flexural ultrasonic transducer from a drive excitation signal, and differences in the drive characteristics between transmitting and receiving transducers can affect the measured response. This research investigates the dynamic performance of flexural ultrasonic transducers using acoustic microphone measurements and laser Doppler vibrometry, supported by a detailed mechanical analog model, in a process which has not before been applied to the flexural ultrasonic transducer. These techniques are employed to gain insights into the physics of their vibration behaviour, vital for the optimisation of industrial ultrasound systems.

  18. Triple degree-of-freedom piezoelectric ultrasonic micromotor via flexural-axial coupled vibration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khoo, Ter Fong; Dang, Dinh Huy; Friend, James; Oetomo, Denny; Yeo, Leslie

    2009-08-01

    Actuators remain a limiting factor in robotics, especially in microrobotics where the power density of actuators is a problem. A 3 x 3 x 8.7 mm 3-axis piezoelectric ultrasonic micromotor system is described here in an effort to help solve this problem. Formed from 4 bulk lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thickness-polarized elements placed around the periphery of a rectangular rod, the stator is designed to combine axial and flexural vibrations in a way that permits rotation of a hardened steel ball as a rotor about an arbitrary axis. A simple prototype of the micromotor was found to produce at least a rotation speed of 10.4 rad/s with 4 microN-m torque about all 3 orthogonal directions at an excitation frequency of about 221 kHz, demonstrating the feasibility of a 3 degree-of-freedom millimeter-scale piezoelectric motor.

  19. Lithium niobate ultrasonic transducer design for Enhanced Oil Recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhenjun; Xu, Yuanming; Gu, Yuting

    2015-11-01

    Due to the strong piezoelectric effect possessed by lithium niobate, a new idea that uses lithium niobate to design high-power ultrasonic transducer for Enhanced Oil Recovery technology is proposed. The purpose of this paper is to lay the foundation for the further research and development of high-power ultrasonic oil production technique. The main contents of this paper are as follows: firstly, structure design technique and application of a new high-power ultrasonic transducer are introduced; secondly, the experiment for reducing the viscosity of super heavy oil by this transducer is done, the optimum ultrasonic parameters for reducing the viscosity of super heavy oil are given. Experimental results show that heavy large molecules in super heavy oil can be cracked into light hydrocarbon substances under strong cavitation effect caused by high-intensity ultrasonic wave. Experiment proves that it is indeed feasible to design high-power ultrasonic transducer for ultrasonic oil production technology using lithium niobate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Effects of air-sea coupling over the North Sea and the Baltic Sea on simulated summer precipitation over Central Europe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho-Hagemann, Ha Thi Minh; Gröger, Matthias; Rockel, Burkhardt; Zahn, Matthias; Geyer, Beate; Meier, H. E. Markus

    2017-12-01

    This study introduces a new approach to investigate the potential effects of air-sea coupling on simulated precipitation inland over Central Europe. We present an inter-comparison of two regional climate models (RCMs), namely, the COSMO-CLM (hereafter CCLM) and RCA4 models, which are configured for the EURO-CORDEX domain in the coupled and atmosphere-only modes. Two versions of the CCLM model, namely, 4.8 and 5.0, join the inter-comparison being almost two different models while providing pronouncedly different summer precipitation simulations because of many changes in the dynamics and physics of CCLM in version 5.0. The coupling effect on the prominent summer dry bias over Central Europe is analysed using seasonal (JJA) mean statistics for the 30-year period from 1979 to 2009, with a focus on extreme precipitation under specific weather regimes. The weather regimes are compared between the coupled and uncoupled simulations to better understand the mechanism of the coupling effects. The comparisons of the coupled systems with the atmosphere-only models show that coupling clearly reduces the dry bias over Central Europe for CCLM 4.8, which has a large dry summer bias, but not for CCLM 5.0 and RCA4, which have smaller dry biases. This result implies that if the atmosphere-only model already yields reasonable summer precipitation over Central Europe, not much room for improvement exists that can be caused by the air-sea coupling over the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. However, if the atmosphere-only model shows a pronounced summer dry bias because of a lack of moisture transport from the seas into the region, the considered coupling may create an improved simulation of summer precipitation over Central Europe, such as for CCLM 4.8. For the latter, the benefit of coupling varies over the considered timescales. The precipitation simulations that are generated by the coupled system COSTRICE 4.8 and the atmosphere-only CCLM 4.8 are mostly identical for the summer mean

  1. New developments for the ultrasonic inspection of austenitic stainless steel welds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chassignole, Bertrand; Doudet, Loic; Dupond, Olivier; Fouquet, Thierry; Richard, Benoit

    2006-01-01

    EDF R and D undertakes studies in non destructive testing (NDT) for better understanding the influence of various parameters (material, type of defect, geometry) on the 'controllability' of the critical components for nuclear safety. In the field of ultrasonic testing, one of the principal research orientations is devoted to the study of the austenitic stainless steel welds of the primary cooling system. Indeed, the structure of these welds present characteristics making difficult their examination, for example: - a strong anisotropy of the properties of elasticity which, coupled with the heterogeneity of the grain orientations, can involve phenomena of skewing, division and distortion of the beam; - a significant scattering of the waves by the grains involving an high attenuation and sometimes backscattered signals. For several years, actions have been launched to improve comprehension of these disturbing phenomena and to evaluate the controllability of those welds. This work is based on the one hand on experimental analyses on representative mock-ups and on the other hand on the developments of modelling codes taking into account the characteristics of the materials. We present in this document a synthesis of this work by developing the following points in particular: - a description of the phenomena of propagation; - the works undertaken to characterize the structure of the welds; - an example of study coupling experimental and modelling analyses for a butt weld achieved by manual arc welding with coated electrodes. The paper has the following contents: 1. Context; 2. Presentation of the problem; 3. Characterization of austenitic welds; 4. From comprehension to industrial application; 5. Conclusion and perspectives; 5. Conclusion and perspectives. This synthesis shows that each austenitic stainless steel weld is a particular case for the ultrasonic testing. This work allowed to better apprehend the disturbances of the ultrasonic propagation in the welds and thus

  2. Degradation of acephate using combined ultrasonic and ozonation method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Wang

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The degradation of acephate in aqueous solutions was investigated with the ultrasonic and ozonation methods, as well as a combination of both. An experimental facility was designed and operation parameters such as the ultrasonic power, temperature, and gas flow rate were strictly controlled at constant levels. The frequency of the ultrasonic wave was 160 kHz. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis spectroscopic and Raman spectroscopic techniques were used in the experiment. The UV-Vis spectroscopic results show that ultrasonication and ozonation have a synergistic effect in the combined system. The degradation efficiency of acephate increases from 60.6% to 87.6% after the solution is irradiated by a 160 kHz ultrasonic wave for 60 min in the ozonation process, and it is higher with the combined method than the sum of the separated ultrasonic and ozonation methods. Raman spectra studies show that degradation via the combined ultrasonic/ozonation method is more thorough than photocatalysis. The oxidability of nitrogen atoms is promoted under ultrasonic waves. Changes of the inorganic ions and degradation pathway during the degradation process were investigated in this study. Most final products are innocuous to the environment.

  3. Modeling of coupled thermodynamic and geomechanical performance of underground compressed air energy storage in lined rock caverns

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rutqvist, Jonny; Kim, Hyung-Mok; Ryu, Dong-Woo; Synn, Joong-Ho; Song, Won-Kyong

    2012-06-01

    We applied coupled nonisothermal, multiphase fluid flow and geomechanical numerical modeling to study the coupled thermodynamic and geomechanical performance of underground compressed air energy storage (CAES) in concrete-lined rock caverns. The paper focuses on CAES in lined caverns at relatively shallow depth (e.g., 100 m depth) in which a typical CAES operational pressure of 5 to 8 MPa is significantly higher than both ambient fluid pressure and in situ stress. We simulated a storage operation that included cyclic compression and decompression of air in the cavern, and investigated how pressure, temperature and stress evolve over several months of operation. We analyzed two different lining options, both with a 50 cm thick low permeability concrete lining, but in one case with an internal synthetic seal such as steel or rubber. For our simulated CAES system, the thermodynamic analysis showed that 96.7% of the energy injected during compression could be recovered during subsequent decompression, while 3.3% of the energy was lost by heat conduction to the surrounding media. Our geomechanical analysis showed that tensile effective stresses as high as 8 MPa could develop in the lining as a result of the air pressure exerted on the inner surface of the lining, whereas thermal stresses were relatively smaller and compressive. With the option of an internal synthetic seal, the maximum effective tensile stress was reduced from 8 to 5 MPa, but was still in substantial tension. We performed one simulation in which the tensile tangential stresses resulted in radial cracks and air leakage though the lining. This air leakage, however, was minor (about 0.16% of the air mass loss from one daily compression) in terms of CAES operational efficiency, and did not significantly impact the overall energy balance of the system. However, despite being minor in terms of energy balance, the air leakage resulted in a distinct pressure increase in the surrounding rock that could be

  4. Ultrasonic Abrasive Removal Of EDM Recast

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandel, Johnny L.; Jacobson, Marlowe S.

    1990-01-01

    Ultrasonic abrasive process removes layer of recast material generated during electrical-discharge machining (EDM) of damper pocket on turbine blade. Form-fitted tool vibrated ultrasonically in damper pocket from which material removed. Vibrations activate abrasive in pocket. Amount of material removed controlled precisely.

  5. Fundamentals of Medical Ultrasonics

    CERN Document Server

    Postema, Michiel

    2011-01-01

    This book sets out the physical and engineering principles of acoustics and ultrasound as used for medical applications. It covers the basics of linear acoustics, wave propagation, non-linear acoustics, acoustic properties of tissue, transducer components, and ultrasonic imaging modes, as well as the most common diagnostic and therapeutic applications. It offers students and professionals in medical physics and engineering a detailed overview of the technical aspects of medical ultrasonic imaging, whilst serving as a reference for clinical and research staff.

  6. Assessing ultrasonic examination results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deutsch, V.; Vogt, M.

    1977-01-01

    Amongst nondestructive examination methods, the ultrasonic examination plays an important role. The reason why its scope of application is so wide is because the sound conducting capacity is the only property the material of a test specimen has to have. As the fields are so manifold, only main aspects can be described briefly. The list of references, however, is very extensive and gives plenty of information of all the problems concerning the assessment of ultrasonic examination results. (orig./RW) [de

  7. An experimental study on the structural alteration of C3H8-air premixed flame affected by ultrasonic standing waves of various frequencies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sang Shin; Kim, Jeong Soo; Kim, Heuy Dong

    2015-01-01

    This experimental study scrutinizes the structural variation of a premixed propane-air flame according to the frequency change of ultrasonic standing waves (USWs) at various equivalence ratios. Visualization technique via Schlieren photography is employed in the observation of the flame structure and in the analysis of the flame velocities along the propagation. A distorted flame front and horizontal splitting in the burnt zone result from the USW. The vertical locations of the distortion and horizontal stripes are closely dependent on the frequency of the USW. In addition, the propagation velocity of the flame front floored by the standing wave is greater than that in the case without the excitation by the standing wave. As expected, the influence of the USW on the premixed-flame propagation becomes prominent as the frequency increases. The results suggest that a well-defined USW may be applied to combustion devices, such as gas turbines and chemical rocket engines, to achieve an active control of the instability that frequently intervenes in such systems.

  8. [Effects of ultrasonic pretreatment on drying characteristics of sewage sludge].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Run-Dong; Yang, Yu-Ting; Li, Yan-Long; Niu, Hui-Chang; Wei, Li-Hong; Sun, Yang; Ke, Xin

    2009-11-01

    The high water content of sewage sludge has engendered many inconveniences to its treatment and disposal. While ultrasonic takes on unique advantages on the sludge drying because of its high ultrasonic power, mighty penetrating capability and the ability of causing cavitations. Thus this research studies the characteristics influences of ultrasonic bring to the sludge drying and effects of the exposure time, ultrasonic generator power, temperatures of ultrasonic and drying temperature on the drying characteristics of dewatered sludge. Results indicate that ultrasonic pretreatment could speed up evaporation of the free water in sludge surface and help to end the drying stage with constant speed. In addition, ultrasonic treatment can effectively improve the sludge drying efficiency which could be more evident with the rise of the ultrasonic power (100-250 W), ultrasonic temperature and drying temperature. If dried under low temperature such as 105 degrees C, sludge will have premium drying characteristics when radiated under ultrasound for a shorter time such as 3 min. In the end, the ultrasonic treatment is expected to be an effective way to the low-cost sludge drying and also be an important reference to the optimization of the sludge drying process because of its effects on the increase of sludge drying efficiency.

  9. Development of an intelligent ultrasonic welding defect classification software

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Sung Jin; Kim, Hak Joon; Jeong, Hee Don

    1997-01-01

    Ultrasonic pattern recognition is the most effective approach to the problem of discriminating types of flaws in weldments based on ultrasonic flaw signals. In spite of significant progress in the research on this methodology, it has not been widely used in many practical ultrasonic inspections of weldments in industry. Hence, for the convenient application of this approach in many practical situations, we develop an intelligent ultrasonic signature classification software which can discriminate types of flaws in weldments based on their ultrasonic signals using various tools in artificial intelligence such as neural networks. This software shows the excellent performance in an experimental problem where flaws in weldments are classified into two categories of cracks and non-cracks. This performance demonstrates the high possibility of this software as a practical tool for ultrasonic flaw classification in weldments.

  10. Using the analysis of stress waves to build research for experimentation on ultrasonic film measurement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Shi-Shing; Wu, John H.

    1993-09-01

    After the 2th world war, although the application of ultrasonic wave in industries is becoming more and more popular. But due to the restriction of the precise equivelent , experimental method and the support of the basic theoremsetc. Ultrasonic wave is not applied in precise measurement. Nowadays due to many conditions - the improvement in the production technic, the precise of the equivelent, causes to increase the application of ultrasonic wave. But it's still limited due to the lack of measurement and analysis theorem. In this paper, first we caculate translation of the stress wave (elastic wave) in material for the free surface of material by a normal impulse load. as the theorem analysis base in real application. It is applied to an experiment of film measurement. We can find the partical motion in material and the arriving time of wave front. Then we can estimate the thickness of layers and can prove the actual condition with the result of experiment. This resarch is not only in the theoretical investigation but also in setting overall the measurement system, and excutes the following three experiments: the thickness measurement of two layers, the thickness measurement of film material. the thickness measurement of air propagation. About the data processing, we relied on the frequency analysis to evalute the time difference of two overlapped ultrasonic wave signal. in the meanwhile. we also designed several computer programs to assist the sonic wave identification and signal analysis.

  11. Ultrasonic Transducer Fabricated Using Lead-Free BFO-BTO+Mn Piezoelectric 1-3 Composite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Chen

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Mn-doped 0.7BiFeO3-0.3BaTiO3 (BFO-0.3BTO+Mn 1% mol lead-free piezoelectric ceramic were fabricated by traditional solid state reaction. The phase structure, microstructure, and ferroelectric properties were investigated. Additionally, lead-free 1–3 composites with 60% volume fraction of BFO-BTO+Mn ceramic were fabricated for ultrasonic transducer applications by a conventional dice-and-fill method. The BFO-BTO+Mn 1-3 composite has a higher electromechanical coupling coefficient (kt = 46.4% and lower acoustic impedance (Za ~ 18 MRayls compared with that of the ceramic. Based on this, lead-free piezoelectric ceramic composite, single element ultrasonic transducer with a center frequency of 2.54 MHz has been fabricated and characterized. The single element transducer exhibits good performance with a broad bandwidth of 53%. The insertion loss of the transducer was about 33.5 dB.

  12. Backward ray tracing for ultrasonic imaging

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Breeuwer, R.

    1990-01-01

    Focused ultrasonic beams frequently pass one or more media interfaces, strongly affecting the ultrasonic beamshape and focusing. A computer program, based on backward ray tracing was developed to compute the shape of a corrected focusing mirror. This shape is verified with another program; then the

  13. Ultrasonic imaging of metastatic carcinoma in thyroid gland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bai Ling; Yang Tao; Tang Ying; Mao Jingning; Chen Wei; Wang Wei

    2008-01-01

    Objectives: To explore the ultrasonic findings of metastatic thyroid carcinoma and to evaluate the diagnostic value of the ultrasonic imaging for patients with metastatic thyroid neoplasm. Methods: The ultrasonic imaging characteristics of ten patients who were diagnosed with metastatic thyroid carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. In all the cases, fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the thyroid was performed during the clinical diagnosis. Results: The ultrasonic images of the ten patients fell into four types: multiple nodules in the thyroid, single nodule in the thyroid, diffuse calcification and heterogeneous echo. Seven cases showed speckled calcific foci. Abnormal blood flow signal was found in 9 cases. Conclusion: The ultrasonic findings of metastatic carcinoma in the thyroid gland are various and non-specific. Color Doppler ultrasound may provide ample evidence. The diagnosis depends on FNAC. (authors)

  14. Ultrasonic slurry sampling electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the determination of Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in cereals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Shih-Yi [Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan (China); Jiang, Shiuh-Jen, E-mail: sjjiang@faculty.nsysu.edu.tw [Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan (China); Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan (China); Sahayam, A.C. [National Centre for Compositional Characterisation of Materials (CCCM), Hyderabad (India)

    2014-11-01

    Ultrasonic slurry sampling electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (USS-ETV-ICP-MS) has been applied to determine Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in several cereal samples. Thioacetamide was used as the modifier to enhance the ion signals. The background ions at the masses of interest were reduced in intensity significantly by using 1.0 mL min{sup −1} methane (CH{sub 4}) as reaction cell gas in the dynamic reaction cell (DRC). Since the sensitivities of Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in different matrices were quite different, standard addition and isotope dilution methods were used for the determination of Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in these cereal samples. The method detection limits estimated from standard addition curves were about 1, 10, 4, 12 and 2 ng g{sup −1} for Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se, respectively, in original cereal samples. This procedure has been applied to the determination of Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se whose concentrations are in μg g{sup −1} (except Cr and Se) in standard reference materials (SRM) of National institute of standards and technology (NIST), NIST SRM 1568a Rice Flour and NIST SRM 1567a Wheat Flour and two cereal samples purchased from a local market. The analysis results of reference materials agreed with certified values at 95% confidence level according to Student's T-test. The results for the real world cereal samples were also found to be in good agreement with the pneumatic nebulization DRC ICP-MS results of the sample solutions. - Highlights: • Determination of Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in cereal samples • Ultrasonic slurry sampling in combination with DRC-ICP-MS • Better sensitivity with thioacetamide modifier in ETV • Decreased sample preparation time with solid sampling • Validation with NIST SRM 1568a Rice Flour and NIST SRM 1567a Wheat Flour.

  15. Ultrasonic slurry sampling electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the determination of Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in cereals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Shih-Yi; Jiang, Shiuh-Jen; Sahayam, A.C.

    2014-01-01

    Ultrasonic slurry sampling electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (USS-ETV-ICP-MS) has been applied to determine Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in several cereal samples. Thioacetamide was used as the modifier to enhance the ion signals. The background ions at the masses of interest were reduced in intensity significantly by using 1.0 mL min −1 methane (CH 4 ) as reaction cell gas in the dynamic reaction cell (DRC). Since the sensitivities of Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in different matrices were quite different, standard addition and isotope dilution methods were used for the determination of Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in these cereal samples. The method detection limits estimated from standard addition curves were about 1, 10, 4, 12 and 2 ng g −1 for Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se, respectively, in original cereal samples. This procedure has been applied to the determination of Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se whose concentrations are in μg g −1 (except Cr and Se) in standard reference materials (SRM) of National institute of standards and technology (NIST), NIST SRM 1568a Rice Flour and NIST SRM 1567a Wheat Flour and two cereal samples purchased from a local market. The analysis results of reference materials agreed with certified values at 95% confidence level according to Student's T-test. The results for the real world cereal samples were also found to be in good agreement with the pneumatic nebulization DRC ICP-MS results of the sample solutions. - Highlights: • Determination of Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in cereal samples • Ultrasonic slurry sampling in combination with DRC-ICP-MS • Better sensitivity with thioacetamide modifier in ETV • Decreased sample preparation time with solid sampling • Validation with NIST SRM 1568a Rice Flour and NIST SRM 1567a Wheat Flour

  16. Ultrasonic study of elastic creep in piezoceramics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsaplev, V M; Konovalov, R S

    2017-11-01

    Ultrasonic method and experimental setup for study the elastic creep of piezoelectric materials are described. The results of experimental studies of time behavior of the Young's modulus and the internal friction are presented as well as the longitudinal and transversal piezomoduli and the electromechanical coupling factor. Four compositions of piezoelectric ceramics both soft and hard, based on BaTiO 3 and PZT, were compressed for a long time (0÷10 7 s) by significant static loads (0÷120MPa). The possible physical mechanisms that cause the creep are briefly considered. The concept of a spectrum of activation energies of the corresponding processes is introduced. The upper and the lower boundaries of the relaxation times spectrum were measured and corresponding activation energies were found. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Overview of the ultrasonic instrumentation research in the MYRRHA project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dierckx, M.; Leysen, W.; Van Dyck, D. [Belgian Nuclear Research Center SCK.CEN (Belgium)

    2015-07-01

    The Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK.CEN is in the process of developing MYRRHA, a new generation IV fast flux research reactor to replace the aging BR2. MYRRHA is conceptualized as an accelerator driven system cooled with lead bismuth eutectic mixture (LBE). As LBE is opaque to visual light, ultrasonic measurement techniques are employed as the main technology to provide feedback where needed. This paper we will give an overview of the R and D at SCK.CEN with respect to ultrasonic instrumentation in heavy liquid metals. High temperature ultrasonic transducers are deployed into the reactor to generate and receive the required ultrasonic signals. The ultrasonic waves are generated and sensed by means of a piezo-electric disc at the heart of the transducer. The acoustic properties of commonly used piezo-electric materials match rather well with the acoustic properties of heavy liquid metals, simplifying the design and construction of high bandwidth ultrasonic transducers for use in heavy liquid metals. The ultrasonic transducers will operate in a liquid metal environment, where radiation and high temperature limit the choice of materials for construction. Moreover, the high surface tension of the liquid metal hinders proper wetting of the transducer, required for optimal transmission and reception of the ultrasonic waves. In a first part of the paper, we will discuss the effect of these parameters on the performance of the overall ultrasonic system. In the second part of the paper, past, present and future ultrasonic experiments in LBE will be reviewed. We will show the results of an experiment where a transducer is scanned near the free surface of an LBE pool to render ultrasonic images of objects submerged in the heavy liquid metal. Additionally, the preliminary results of an ongoing experiment that measures the evolution of LBE wetting on different types of metals and various surface conditions will be reported. The evolution of wetting is an important

  18. Ultrasonic testing of materials at level 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-06-01

    Ultrasonic inspection is a nondestructive method in which high frequency sound waves are introduced into the material being inspected. Ultrasonic testing has a superior penetrating power to radiography and can detect flaws deep in the test specimen (say up to about 6 to 7 meters of steel). It is quite sensitive to small flaws and allows the precise determination of the location and size of the flaws. Basic ultrasonic test methods such as the through transmission method and the resonance method, sensors and testing techniques are described. Pulse echo type flaw detectors and their applications for inspection of welds are surveyed. Ultrasonic standards, calibration of the equipment and evaluation methods are presented. Examples of practical applications in welding, casting and forging processes are given. Figs and tabs

  19. Note: high precision angle generator using multiple ultrasonic motors and a self-calibratable encoder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jong-Ahn; Kim, Jae Wan; Kang, Chu-Shik; Jin, Jonghan; Eom, Tae Bong

    2011-11-01

    We present an angle generator with high resolution and accuracy, which uses multiple ultrasonic motors and a self-calibratable encoder. A cylindrical air bearing guides a rotational motion, and the ultrasonic motors achieve high resolution over the full circle range with a simple configuration. The self-calibratable encoder can compensate the scale error of a divided circle (signal period: 20") effectively by applying the equal-division-averaged method. The angle generator configures a position feedback control loop using the readout of the encoder. By combining the ac and dc operation mode, the angle generator produced stepwise angular motion with 0.005" resolution. We also evaluated the performance of the angle generator using a precision angle encoder and an autocollimator. The expanded uncertainty (k = 2) in the angle generation was estimated less than 0.03", which included the calibrated scale error and the nonlinearity error. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

  20. Analysis of Ultrasonic Resonance Signal in Multi-Layered Structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jae Hoon; Kim, Dong Ryun

    2012-01-01

    Ultrasonic testing are far superior to other nondestructive tests for detecting the disbond interface which occurred in adhesive interface. However, a solid rocket motor consisting of a steel case, rubber insulation, liner, and propellant poses many difficulties for analyzing ultrasonic waves because of the superposition of reflected waves and large differences in acoustic impedance of various materials. Therefore, ultrasonic tests for detecting the disbond interface in solid rocket motor have been applied in very limited areas between the steel case and rubber insulation using an automatic C-scan system. The existing ultrasonic test cannot detect the disbond interface between the liner and propellant of a solid rocket motor because most of the ultrasonic waves are absorbed in the rubber material which has low acoustic impedance. This problem could be overcome by analyzing the resonance frequency from the frequency spectrum using the ultrasonic resonance method. In this paper, a new technique to detect the disbond interface between the liner and propellant using ultrasonic resonance characteristics is discussed in detail.

  1. Analysis of Ultrasonic Resonance Signal in Multi-Layered Structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Jae Hoon [Dept. of Mechanical Design Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dong Ryun [Agency for Defense Development, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-08-15

    Ultrasonic testing are far superior to other nondestructive tests for detecting the disbond interface which occurred in adhesive interface. However, a solid rocket motor consisting of a steel case, rubber insulation, liner, and propellant poses many difficulties for analyzing ultrasonic waves because of the superposition of reflected waves and large differences in acoustic impedance of various materials. Therefore, ultrasonic tests for detecting the disbond interface in solid rocket motor have been applied in very limited areas between the steel case and rubber insulation using an automatic C-scan system. The existing ultrasonic test cannot detect the disbond interface between the liner and propellant of a solid rocket motor because most of the ultrasonic waves are absorbed in the rubber material which has low acoustic impedance. This problem could be overcome by analyzing the resonance frequency from the frequency spectrum using the ultrasonic resonance method. In this paper, a new technique to detect the disbond interface between the liner and propellant using ultrasonic resonance characteristics is discussed in detail.

  2. Training methods in non-destructive examination with ultrasonic testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walte, F.

    1986-01-01

    German concept for inspection of LWR, leak before break, basic safety; General inspection methods; Ultrasonic inspection - basic principle, generation of ultrasound, bulk and surface waves, piezo electric and electromagnetic transducers, energy balance, scattering and adsorption, divergence; Ultra techniques in compliance with KTA-rules - pulse-echo, tandem, throughtransmission; Valuation of ultrasonic indications; Pre- and in-service inspection; Practical part - ultrasonic equipment, ultrasonic piezo electric transducers, wall thickness measurement, crack depth measurement with potential drop technique. (orig.)

  3. Ultrasonic Cleaning of Nuclear Steam Generator by Micro Bubble

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeong, Woo Tae [Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sang Tae; Yoon, Sang Jung [Sae-An Engineering Co., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-05-15

    In this paper, we present ultrasonic cleaning technology for a nuclear steam generator using micro bubble. We could extend the boundary of ultrasonic cleaning by using micro bubbles in water. Ultrasonic energy measured was increased about 5 times after the generation of micro bubbles in water. Furthermore, ultrasound energy was measured to be strong enough to create cavitation even though the ultrasound sensor was about 2 meters away from the ultrasonic transducer

  4. Ultrasonic destruction of albumin microbubbles enhances gene transfection and expression in cardiac myocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Guo-zhong; Liu, Jing-hua; Lü, Shu-zheng; Lü, Yun; Guo, Cheng-jun; Zhao, Dong-hui; Fang, Dong-ping; He, Dong-fang; Zhou, Yuan; Ge, Chang-jiang

    2011-05-01

    It has been proven that ultrasonic destruction of microbubbles can enhance gene transfection efficiency into the noncardiac cells, but there are few reports about cardiac myocytes. Moreover, the exact mechanisms are not yet clear; whether the characteristic of microbubbles can affect the gene transfection efficiency or not is still controversial. This study was designed to investigate whether the ultrasound destruction of gene-loaded microbubbles could enhance the plasmids carried reporter gene transfection in primary cultured myocardial cell, and evaluate the effects of microbubbles characteristics on the transgene expression in cardiac myocytes. The β-galactosidase plasmids attached to the two types of microbubbles, air-contained sonicated dextrose albumin (ASDA) and perfluoropropane-exposed sonicated dextrose albumin (PESDA) were prepared. The gene transfection into cardiac myocytes was performed in vitro by naked plasmids, ultrasound exposure, ultrasonic destruction of gene-loaded microbubbles and calcium phosphate precipitation, and then the gene expression and cell viability were analyzed. The ultrasonic destruction of gene-loaded microbubbles enhanced gene expression in cardiac myocytes compared with naked plasmid transfection ((51.95 ± 2.41) U/g or (29.28 ± 3.65) U/g vs. (0.84 ± 0.21) U/g, P ASDA ((51.95 ± 2.41) U/g vs. (29.28 ± 3.65) U/g, P < 0.05). Ultrasonic destruction of microbubbles during calcium phosphate precipitation gene transfection enhanced β-galactosidase activity nearly 8-fold compared with calcium phosphate precipitation gene transfection alone ((111.35 ± 11.21) U/g protein vs. (14.13 ± 2.58) U/g protein, P < 0.01). Even 6 hours after calcium phosphate precipitation gene transfection, ultrasound-mediated microbubbles destruction resulted in more intense gene expression ((35.63 ± 7.65) U/g vs. (14.13 ± 2.58) U/g, P < 0.05). Ultrasonic destruction of microbubbles might be a promising method for the delivery of non-viral DNA into

  5. Effect of decision making on ultrasonic examination performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harris, D.H.

    1992-05-01

    A decision aid was developed to overcome examiner limitations in information processing and decision making during ultrasonic examinations. The aid provided a means of noting signal characteristics as they were observed during the examination, and of presenting them simultaneously for decision making. The aid also served as a way of providing detailed feedback on examination performance during training. The aid was incorporated into worksheets used for the conduct of practice examinations during ultrasonic examination training. To support the introduction and use of the decision aid, one hour of supplementary training was inserted in an existing 64-hour training course on ultrasonic detection of defects. This study represented a modest step in improving the performance of ultrasonic examinations in nuclear power plants. Findings indicated that aided decision making supported by limited training can significantly improve ultrasonic detection performance

  6. Viscoacoustic model for near-field ultrasonic levitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melikhov, Ivan; Chivilikhin, Sergey; Amosov, Alexey; Jeanson, Romain

    2016-11-01

    Ultrasonic near-field levitation allows for contactless support and transportation of an object over vibrating surface. We developed an accurate model predicting pressure distribution in the gap between the surface and levitating object. The formulation covers a wide range of the air flow regimes: from viscous squeezed flow dominating in small gap to acoustic wave propagation in larger gap. The paper explains derivation of the governing equations from the basic fluid dynamics. The nonreflective boundary conditions were developed to properly define air flow at the outlet. Comparing to direct computational fluid dynamics modeling our approach allows achieving good accuracy while keeping the computation cost low. Using the model we studied the levitation force as a function of gap distance. It was shown that there are three distinguished flow regimes: purely viscous, viscoacoustic, and acoustic. The regimes are defined by the balance of viscous and inertial forces. In the viscous regime the pressure in the gap is close to uniform while in the intermediate viscoacoustic and the acoustic regimes the pressure profile is wavy. The model was validated by a dedicated levitation experiment and compared to similar published results.

  7. Ultrasonic flaw detection in a monorail box beam

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Peng; Greve, David W.; Oppenheim, Irving J.

    2009-03-01

    A steel box beam in a monorail application is constructed with an epoxy grout wearing surface, precluding visual inspection of its top flange. This paper describes a sequence of experimental research tasks to develop an ultrasonic system to detect flaws (such as fatigue cracks) in that flange, and the results of a field test to demonstrate system performance. The problem is constrained by the fact that the flange is exposed only along its longitudinal edges, and by the fact that permanent installation of transducers at close spacing was deemed to be impractical. The system chosen for development, after experimental comparison of alternate technologies, features angle-beam ultrasonic transducers with fluid coupling to the flange edge; the emitting transducers create transverse waves that travel diagonally across the width of the flange, where an array of receiving transducers detect flaw reflections and flaw shadows. The system rolls along the box beam, surveying (screening) the top flange for the presence of flaws. In a first research task, conducted on a full-size beam specimen, we compared waves generated from different transducer locations, either the flange edge or the web face, and at different frequency ranges. At relatively low frequencies, such as 100 kHz, we observed Lamb wave modes, and at higher frequency, in the MHz range, we observed nearlylongitudinal waves with trailing pulses. In all cases we observed little attenuation by the wearing surface and little influence of reflection at the web-flange joints. At the conclusion of this task we made the design decision to use edgemounted transducers at relatively high frequency, with correspondingly short wavelength, for best scattering from flaws. In a second research task we conducted experiments at 55% scale on a steel plate, with machined flaws of different size, and detected flaws of target size for the intended application. We then compared the performance of bonded transducers, fluid-coupled

  8. Attached cavitation at a small diameter ultrasonic horn tip

    Science.gov (United States)

    Žnidarčič, Anton; Mettin, Robert; Cairós, Carlos; Dular, Matevž

    2014-02-01

    Ultrasonic horn transducers are frequently used in applications of acoustic cavitation in liquids, for instance, for cell disruption or sonochemical reactions. They are operated typically in the frequency range up to about 50 kHz and have tip diameters from some mm to several cm. It has been observed that if the horn tip is sufficiently small and driven at high amplitude, cavitation is very strong, and the tip can be covered entirely by the gas/vapor phase for longer time intervals. A peculiar dynamics of the attached cavity can emerge with expansion and collapse at a self-generated frequency in the subharmonic range, i.e., below the acoustic driving frequency. Here, we present a systematic study of the cavitation dynamics in water at a 20 kHz horn tip of 3 mm diameter. The system was investigated by high-speed imaging with simultaneous recording of the acoustic emissions. Measurements were performed under variation of acoustic power, air saturation, viscosity, surface tension, and temperature of the liquid. Our findings show that the liquid properties play no significant role in the dynamics of the attached cavitation at the small ultrasonic horn. Also the variation of the experimental geometry, within a certain range, did not change the dynamics. We believe that the main two reasons for the peculiar dynamics of cavitation on a small ultrasonic horn are the higher energy density on a small tip and the inability of the big tip to "wash" away the gaseous bubbles. Calculation of the somewhat adapted Strouhal number revealed that, similar to the hydrodynamic cavitation, values which are relatively low characterize slow cavitation structure dynamics. In cases where the cavitation follows the driving frequency this value lies much higher - probably at Str > 20. In the spirit to distinguish the observed phenomenon with other cavitation dynamics at ultrasonic transducer surfaces, we suggest to term the observed phenomenon of attached cavities partly covering the full horn

  9. Development of an ultrasonic nondestructive inspection method for impact damage detection in composite aircraft structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capriotti, M.; Kim, H. E.; Lanza di Scalea, F.; Kim, H.

    2017-04-01

    High Energy Wide Area Blunt Impact (HEWABI) due to ground service equipment can often occur in aircraft structures causing major damages. These Wide Area Impact Damages (WAID) can affect the internal components of the structure, hence are usually not visible nor detectable by typical one-sided NDE techniques and can easily compromise the structural safety of the aircraft. In this study, the development of an NDI method is presented together with its application to impacted aircraft frames. The HEWABI from a typical ground service scenario has been previously tested and the desired type of damages have been generated, so that the aircraft panels could become representative study cases. The need of the aircraft industry for a rapid, ramp-friendly system to detect such WAID is here approached with guided ultrasonic waves (GUW) and a scanning tool that accesses the whole structure from the exterior side only. The wide coverage of the specimen provided by GUW has been coupled to a differential detection approach and is aided by an outlier statistical analysis to be able to inspect and detect faults in the challenging composite material and complex structure. The results will be presented and discussed with respect to the detection capability of the system and its response to the different damage types. Receiving Operating Characteristics curves (ROC) are also produced to quantify and assess the performance of the proposed method. Ongoing work is currently aimed at the penetration of the inner components of the structure, such as shear ties and C-frames, exploiting different frequency ranges and signal processing techniques. From the hardware and tool development side, different transducers and coupling methods, such as air-coupled transducers, are under investigation together with the design of a more suitable scanning technique.

  10. Differentiate low impedance media in closed steel tank using ultrasonic wave tunneling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chunying; Chen, Zhaojiang; Cao, Wenwu

    2018-01-01

    Ultrasonic wave tunneling through seriously mismatched media, such as steel and water, is possible only when the frequency matches the resonance of the steel plate. But it is nearly impossible to realize continuous wave tunneling if the low acoustic impedance media is air because the transducer frequency cannot be made so accurate. The issue might be resolved using tone-burst signals. Using finite element simulations, we found that for air media when the cycle number is 20, the -6dB bandwidth of energy transmission increased from 0.001% to 5.9% compared with that of continuous waves. We show that the tunneling waves can give us enough information to distinguish low acoustic impedance media inside a steel tank. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. On-line ultrasonic gas entrainment monitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Day, C.K.; Pedersen, H.N.

    1978-01-01

    Apparatus employing ultrasonic energy for detecting and measuring the quantity of gas bubbles present in liquids being transported through pipes is described. An ultrasonic transducer is positioned along the longitudinal axis of a fluid duct, oriented to transmit acoustic energy radially of the duct around the circumference of the enclosure walls. The back-reflected energy is received centrally of the duct and interpreted as a measure of gas entrainment. One embodiment employs a conical reflector to direct the transmitted acoustic energy radially of the duct and redirect the reflected energy back to the transducer for reception. A modified embodiment employs a cylindrical ultrasonic transducer for this purpose

  12. Treatment of ammonia in waste air using packed column coupling with chemical reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thepchai, R.

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Ammonia is a common chemical used in various industries. Emission of air contaminated with ammonia to the atmosphere without any treatment causes several effects on human health and environment.A high efficiency method for ammonia removal from waste air is then necessary. In this research, an absorption coupling with chemical reaction was investigated for ammonia removal from waste air using a packedcolumn. The packed column of 10 cm diameter and 200 cm height was packed with 1.4x1.4 cm Raschig rings. Three liquids including water, NaOCl and H2SO4 solution were used as an absorbent for the investigation.The objectives of this research were to determine a suitable absorbent and the optimum condition for ammonia removal from waste air. The packed column was operated at room temperature and atmosphericpressure. The tested conditions were as follows: the gas to liquid ratio (G:L ratio was 35-90 m3 gas/m3 liquid, the inlet concentration of ammonia was 150-500 ppm and the air flow rate was 18 m3/h. The results showedthat the ammonia removal efficiency depends on type of the absorbent and the operating condition. The efficiencies increased with decreasing of G:L ratio and with increasing absorbent concentration. They were70%, 80-92%, and 95-100% for pure water, sodium hypochlorite solution and sulphuric acid solution, respectively. The efficiency decreased with time when water was used as an absorbent while it was almostconstant when NaOCl and H2SO4 solution were applied. The ammonia removal efficiency when using H2SO4 as the absorbent was not dependent on G:L ratio and inlet ammonia concentration, in the range used in thisinvestigation. Since H2SO4 solution gave the highest removal efficiency and can reduce ammonia concentration in waste air to levels which meet the TLV-TWA standard, it is recommended as an absorbent solution forammonia removal from waste air.

  13. Mechanochemical degradation of potato starch paste under ultrasonic irradiation

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LI Jian-bin; LI Lin; LI Bing; CHEN Ling; GUI Lin

    2006-01-01

    In the paper, changes in the molecular weight, the intrinsic viscosity and the polydispersity (molecular mass distribution) of treated potato starch paste were studied under different ultrasonic conditions which include irradiation time, ultrasonic intensity, potato starch paste concentration, and distance from probe tip on the degradation of potato starch paste. Intrinsic viscosity of potato starch paste was determined following the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standard practice for dilute solution viscosity of polymers. Molecular mass and polydispersity of potato starch paste were measured on GPC (Gel Permeation Chromatography). The results showed that the average molecular mass and the intrinsic viscosity of starch strongly depended on irradiation time. Degradation increased with prolonged ultrasonic irradiation time, and the increase of ultrasonic intensity could accelerate the degradation, resulting in a faster degradation rate, a lower limiting value and a higher degradation extent. Starch samples were degraded faster in dilute solutions than in concentrated solutions. The molecular mass and the intrinsic viscosity of starch increased with the increase of distance from probe tip. Our results also showed that the polydispersity decreased with ultrasonic irradiation under all ultrasonic conditions. Ultrasonic degradation of potato starch paste occured based on the mechanism of molecular relaxation of starch paste. In the initial stage, ultrasonic degradation of potato starch paste was a random process, and the molecular mass distribution was broad. After that, ultrasonic degradation of potato starch paste changed to a nonrandom process, and the molecular mass distribution became narrower. Finally, molecular mass distribution tended toward a saturation value.

  14. Assessment of microstructure stability of cold worked Ti-modified austenitic stainless steel during aging using ultrasonic velocity measurements and correlation with mechanical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasudevan, M.; Palanichamy, P.

    2003-01-01

    As ultrasonic velocity is sensitive to the changes in texture, it is a more reliable technique than mechanical property measurements for assessment of microstructural stability (recrystallization behaviour) of cold worked alloy where recrystallization is coupled with precipitation. Hence ultrasonic velocity measurements have been employed for studying the influence of Ti/C ratio on the microstructural stability of cold worked Ti-modified austenitic stainless steel during isochronal aging. In this alloy precipitation of TiC is known to retard recovery and recrystallization. The variation in ultrasonic velocity with aging temperature exhibited a three stage behaviour at all three frequencies employed (2, 10 and 20 MHz) and correlated well with the microstructural changes. Based on the microstructural investigations, the three stages have been identified to be recovery, progress of recrystallization and completion of recrystallization. There was one to one correspondence between the variation in the hardness, strength values and the variation in the ultrasonic velocity values as a function of aging temperature in assessing the microstructural changes, except when the interaction between the TiC precipitation and recrystallization is stronger

  15. Microscopic theory of ultrasonic attenuation in high-Tc superconductors in normal state

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bishoyi, K.C.; Rout, G.C.; Behera, S.N.

    2001-01-01

    The mechanism of the ultrasonic attenuation in high temperature superconductors is not yet studied thoroughly both experimentally and theoretically. A microscopic theoretical model is proposed here to study the attenuation in the electron doped and hole doped compounds like L 2-x M x CuO 4 (L=La,Nd; M=Sr,Ca,Ce). The model Hamiltonian contains the staggered magnetic field in the d-electrons of copper, the doped f-electrons term and the hybridisation between d- and f-electrons. The electron-phonon interaction arises due to the volume strain dependence of the hybridisation. The phonon Green's function is calculated by equations of motion of Zubarev technique. The temperature dependence of the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient (α) is calculated from the imaginary part of the phonon self energy and the velocity of sound in the dynamic and long wavelength limit. The dimensionless parameters involved in the calculations are the electron-phonon coupling (g), staggered magnetic field (h) , hybridization (υ), position of the f-level (d), frequency (ω), and temperature (t). The results are discussed. (author)

  16. Ultrasonic Histotripsy for Tissue Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pahk, K. J.; Dhar, D. K.; Malago, M.; Saffari, N.

    2015-01-01

    Hepatocyte transplantation has been considered and investigated as a promising and alternative method to liver transplantation for treating liver-based metabolic disorder in newborns over the past two decades. Although some clinical trials have been conducted and shown clinical benefits and outcomes, it is difficult to deliver and achieve a desired level of integration and transplantation of hepatocytes in the liver parenchyma. To overcome this problem, this work introduces an alternative method to a portal-infused-hepatocyte cell transplantation. To improve the level of engraftment of transplantable hepatocytes, these are injected directly into cavities generated by ultrasonic histotripsy. Histotripsy is an extracorporeal noninvasive technique which has been recently developed using high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for inducing tissue fractionation with no coagulative necrosis. The exact mechanisms for the tissue fractionation are not well understood yet; but the possible mechanisms are thought to be a combination of nonlinear wave propagation effect, explosive bubble growth and ultrasonic atomization. The main objectives of this work are to demonstrate the feasibility of this new cell therapy and evaluate and distinguish between the different types of cavitation activity for either a thermally or a mechanically induced lesion. In the present work, numerical studies on the bubble dynamics (the Gilmore-Akulichev bubble model coupled with the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov equation) and both ex- and in vivo liver experiments are conducted with histological analysis (haematoxylin and eosin stain). The numerical and the experimental results suggest that (a) the acoustic emissions emitted during the thermal ablation and the histotripsy exposure can be distinguished both numerically and experimentally and (b) the proposed cell therapy may potentially form an effective and safe clinical treatment for replacing and correcting disordered hepatocytes, although the

  17. Ultrasonic Histotripsy for Tissue Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pahk, K J; Saffari, N; Dhar, D K; Malago, M

    2015-01-01

    Hepatocyte transplantation has been considered and investigated as a promising and alternative method to liver transplantation for treating liver-based metabolic disorder in newborns over the past two decades. Although some clinical trials have been conducted and shown clinical benefits and outcomes, it is difficult to deliver and achieve a desired level of integration and transplantation of hepatocytes in the liver parenchyma. To overcome this problem, this work introduces an alternative method to a portal-infused-hepatocyte cell transplantation. To improve the level of engraftment of transplantable hepatocytes, these are injected directly into cavities generated by ultrasonic histotripsy. Histotripsy is an extracorporeal noninvasive technique which has been recently developed using high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for inducing tissue fractionation with no coagulative necrosis. The exact mechanisms for the tissue fractionation are not well understood yet; but the possible mechanisms are thought to be a combination of nonlinear wave propagation effect, explosive bubble growth and ultrasonic atomization. The main objectives of this work are to demonstrate the feasibility of this new cell therapy and evaluate and distinguish between the different types of cavitation activity for either a thermally or a mechanically induced lesion. In the present work, numerical studies on the bubble dynamics (the Gilmore-Akulichev bubble model coupled with the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov equation) and both ex- and in vivo liver experiments are conducted with histological analysis (haematoxylin and eosin stain). The numerical and the experimental results suggest that (a) the acoustic emissions emitted during the thermal ablation and the histotripsy exposure can be distinguished both numerically and experimentally and (b) the proposed cell therapy may potentially form an effective and safe clinical treatment for replacing and correcting disordered hepatocytes, although the

  18. Continuous ultrasonic waves to detect steam bubbles in water under high pressure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hulshof, H J.M.; Schurink, F

    1985-01-01

    Steam in the recirculation circuit of boilers may lead to unacceptable high thermal loads on the evaporator tubes. The ability to detect steam in the recirculation circuit during process transients is therefore important. A simple detector using continuous ultrasonic waves and able to detect bubbles in water contained in steel tubes is described in this paper. The variation of the transmitted wave caused by the bubbles was determined by demodulation. The results have met the objectives set for cold water with air bubbles. A clear indication of the presence of steam bubbles was found in fast-flowing hot water in a steel tube with a diameter of 60 mm. A change in the low-frequency region of the modulation was the only indication of the presence of steam bubbles in the large-diameter downcomer of the water-separator drum of a boiler in an electrical power plant. Possible causes of the differences in the results obtained are discussed on the basis of differences in bubble sizes and in focusing and reflection of the ultrasonic waves. (orig.). 11 refs.; 10 figs.

  19. Continuous ultrasonic waves to detect steam bubbles in water under high pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hulshof, H.J.M.; Schurink, F.

    1985-01-01

    Steam in the recirculation circuit of boilers may lead to unacceptable high thermal loads on the evaporator tubes. The ability to detect steam in the recirculation circuit during process transients is therefore important. A simple detector using continuous ultrasonic waves and able to detect bubbles in water contained in steel tubes is described in this paper. The variation of the transmitted wave caused by the bubbles was determined by demodulation. The results have met the objectives set for cold water with air bubbles. A clear indication of the presence of steam bubbles was found in fast-flowing hot water in a steel tube with a diameter of 60 mm. A change in the low-frequency region of the modulation was the only indication of the presence of steam bubbles in the large-diameter downcomer of the water-separator drum of a boiler in an electrical power plant. Possible causes of the differences in the results obtained are discussed on the basis of differences in bubble sizes and in focusing and reflection of the ultrasonic waves. (orig.)

  20. A flow meter for ultrasonically measuring the flow velocity of fluids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2015-01-01

    The invention regards a flow meter for ultrasonically measuring the flow velocity of fluids comprising a duct having a flow channel with an internal cross section comprising variation configured to generate at least one acoustic resonance within the flow channel for a specific ultrasonic frequency......, and at least two transducers for generating and sensing ultrasonic pulses, configured to transmit ultrasonic pulses at least at said specific ultrasonic frequency into the flow channel such that the ultrasonic pulses propagate through a fluid flowing in the flow channel, wherein the flow meter is configured...

  1. Bulk viscosity and ultrasonic attenuation in liquid metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Awasthi, O.N.; Murthy, B.V.S.

    1984-11-01

    Ultrasonic attenuation in simple liquid metals has been investigated using the thermodynamic theory of relaxation processes incorporating the concept of a two state model for the liquid near the melting point. Agreement of the results with the experimental values of the ultrasonic attenuation and bulk viscosity indicates that this might be an appropriate approach to explain the excess attenuation of ultrasonic waves in liquid metals. (author)

  2. Ultrasonic techniques for fluids characterization

    CERN Document Server

    Povey, Malcolm J W

    1997-01-01

    This book is a comprehensive and practical guide to the use of ultrasonic techniques for the characterization of fluids. Focusing on ultrasonic velocimetry, the author covers the basic topics and techniques necessaryfor successful ultrasound measurements on emulsions, dispersions, multiphase media, and viscoelastic/viscoplastic materials. Advanced techniques such as scattering, particle sizing, and automation are also presented. As a handbook for industrial and scientific use, Ultrasonic Techniques for Fluids Characterization is an indispensable guide to chemists and chemical engineers using ultrasound for research or process monitoring in the chemical, food processing, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, biotechnology,and fuels industries. Key Features * Appeals to anyone using ultrasound to study fluids * Provides the first detailed description of the ultrasound profiling technique for dispersions * Describes new techniques for measuring phase transitions and nucleation, such as water/ice and oil/fat * Presents the l...

  3. Beat-Frequency/Microsphere Medical Ultrasonic Imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yost, William T.; Cantrell, John H.; Pretlow, Robert A., III

    1995-01-01

    Medical ultrasonic imaging system designed to provide quantitative data on various flows of blood in chambers, blood vessels, muscles, and tissues of heart. Sensitive enough to yield readings on flows of blood in heart even when microspheres used as ultrasonic contrast agents injected far from heart and diluted by circulation of blood elsewhere in body.

  4. Ultrasonic sensor for sodium perspective device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, Fujio; Onuki, Koji.

    1995-01-01

    The present invention concerns an ultrasonic wave sensor for a sodium perspective device disposed in an FBR type reactor, which can change the directing angle of the ultrasonic sensor irrespective of the external conditions in liquid sodium. Namely, the sensor comprises (1) a sensor main body, (2) a diaphragm disposed on an oscillating surface of ultrasonic waves generated from the sensor main body, (3) a pressurizing and depressurizing nozzle connected to the sensor main body, and (4) a pressure detector disposed to these nozzles. A gas is charged/discharged to and from the sensor main body to control a gas pressure in the main body. If the gas pressure is made higher, the diaphragm is deformed convexly. If the gas pressure is lowered, the diaphragm is deformed concavely. The directing angle is greater when it is deformed a convexly, and it is smaller when it is deformed concavely. Accordingly, ultrasonic wave receiving/sending range in the sodium can be varied optionally by controlling the gas pressure in the main body. (I.S.)

  5. Designing an in-situ ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation system for ultrasonic additive manufacturing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nadimpalli, Venkata K.; Nagy, Peter B.

    2018-04-01

    Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM) is a solid-state layer by layer manufacturing process that utilizes vibration induced plastic deformation to form a metallurgical bond between a thin layer and an existing base structure. Due to the vibration based bonding mechanism, the quality of components at each layer depends on the geometry of the structure. In-situ monitoring during and between UAM manufacturing steps offers the potential for closed-loop control to optimize process parameters and to repair existing defects. One interface that is most prone to delamination is the base/build interface and often UAM component height and quality are limited by failure at the base/build interface. Low manufacturing temperatures and favorable orientation of typical interface defects in UAM make ultrasonic NDE an attractive candidate for online monitoring. Two approaches for in-situ NDE are discussed and the design of the monitoring system optimized so that the quality of UAM components is not affected by the addition of the NDE setup. Preliminary results from in-situ ultrasonic NDE indicate the potential to be utilized for online qualification, closed-loop control and offline certification of UAM components.

  6. Computer simulation of ultrasonic waves in solids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thibault, G.A.; Chaplin, K.

    1992-01-01

    A computer model that simulates the propagation of ultrasonic waves has been developed at AECL Research, Chalk River Laboratories. This program is called EWE, short for Elastic Wave Equations, the mathematics governing the propagation of ultrasonic waves. This report contains a brief summary of the use of ultrasonic waves in non-destructive testing techniques, a discussion of the EWE simulation code explaining the implementation of the equations and the types of output received from the model, and an example simulation showing the abilities of the model. (author). 2 refs., 2 figs

  7. Determine bond strength by ultrasonic measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, C.M.

    1978-01-01

    Application of ultrasonic methods for the evaluation and measurement of bond strength has been the object of numerous investigations in the last fifteen years. Some investigators have reported good success (in limited application) while others have experienced dismal failure. One problem common to all investigations was the difficulty in extracting and isolating the many components which comprise the ultrasonic signal reflected from a bonded interface. Part of this problem was due to manually extracting individual parameters from large volumes of raw data. However, with the vast technology now available in the field of signal analysis and computerized data processing, it is feasible to isolate and analyze individual parameters within the ultrasonic signal for great volumes of raw data

  8. Numerical shaping of the ultrasonic wavelet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonis, M.

    1991-01-01

    Improving the performance and the quality of ultrasonic testing requires the numerical control of the shape of the driving signal applied to the piezoelectric transducer. This allows precise shaping of the ultrasonic field wavelet and corrections for the physical defects of the transducer, which are mainly due to the damper or the lens. It also does away with the need for an accurate electric matching. It then becomes feasible to characterize, a priori, the ultrasonic wavelet by means of temporal and/or spectral specifications and to use, subsequently, an adaptative algorithm to calculate the corresponding driving wavelet. Moreover, the versatility resulting from the numerical control of this wavelet allows it to be changed in real time during a test

  9. Ultrasonic monitoring system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLain, R.E.

    1975-01-01

    The ultrasonic monitoring system is used in LMFBR's, BWR's or PWR's. A remotely controlled, movable instrument carrier may be used which contains the piezo-electric transducer and is connected to the main control console by a transmission cable. An excitation pulse coming from a pulse generator is used to excite the transducer with a maximum of energy, independent of the length of the transmission line. Pulse width and pulse amplitude can be set without any direct interference into the transducer. For this purpose, a resistor whose impedance has been matched to that of the transmission line is connected to the input of the transmission line. Moreover, a capacitor for generation of the excitation pulse is coupled with the transmission line by means of a four-layer switching diode and is discharged. For termination of the excitation and the control pulses, respectively, another four-layer switching diode connected parallel to the capacitor quickly discharges the capacitor. The capacitor and the capacitance of the line constitute a voltage divider. In this way it is possible to change the length of the transmission line and, to safeguard the generation of a pulse of the desired amplitude, only vary the capacitance of the capacitor. (DG/RF) [de

  10. Review of ultrasonic irrigation in endodontics: increasing action of irrigating solutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mozo, Sandra; Llena, Carmen

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: Effective irrigant delivery and agitation are prerequisites for successful endodontic treatment. Ultrasonic irrigation can be performed with or without simultaneous ultrasonic instrumentation. Existing literature reveals that ultrasonic irrigation may have a very positive effect on chemical, biological and physical debridement of the root canal system as investigated in many in vitro studies. Objective: The purpose of this review article was to summarize and discuss the available information concerning ultrasonic irrigation in endodontics. Methods: This article presents an overview of ultrasonic irrigation methods and their debridement efficacy. In this paper the relevant literature on passive ultrasonic irrigation is reviewed. Information from original scientific papers or reviews listed in MEDLINE and Cochrane were included in the review. Results: The use of ultrasound in the irrigation procedure results in improved canal cleanliness, better irrigant transfer to the canal system, soft tissue debridement, and removal of smear layer and bacteria. There are many in vitro studies, but there is a need to standardize protocols, and correlate the clinical efficacy of ultrasonic devices with improved treatment outcomes. Understanding the basis of ultrasonic irrigation is fundamental for clinicians and researchers to improve the design and use of ultrasonic irrigation. Key words:Ultrasonic irrigation, ultrasound, smear layer, endodontics. PMID:22143738

  11. Contact-free ultrasonic testing: applications to metrology and NDT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Brun, A.

    1988-01-01

    In some cases classical ultrasonic testing is impossible because of adverse environment (high temperature, ionizing radiations, etc). Ultrasonic waves are created by laser impact and detected by electromagneto-acoustic transducers or laser interferometry. Association of ultrasonics generation by photoacoustic effect and reception by heterodyne interferometer is promising for the future [fr

  12. Ultrasonic actuation for MEMS dormancy-related stiction reduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaajakari, Ville; Kan, Shyi-Herng; Lin, Li-Jen; Lal, Amit; Rodgers, M. Steven

    2000-08-01

    The use of ultrasonic pulses incident on surface micromachines has been shown to reduce dormancy-related failure. We applied ultrasonic pulses from the backside of a silicon substrate carrying SUMMiT processed surface micromachined rotors, used earlier as ultrasonic motors. The amplitude of the pulses was less than what is required to actuate the rotor (sub-threshold actuation). By controlling the ultrasonic pulse exposure time it was found that pulsed samples had smaller actuation voltages as compared to non-pulsed samples after twelve-hour dormancy. This result indicates that the micromachine stiction to surfaces during dormant period can be effectively eliminated, resulting in long-term stability of surface micromachines in critical applications.

  13. Impacts of ozone-vegetation coupling and feedbacks on global air quality, ecosystems and food security

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tai, A. P. K.

    2016-12-01

    Surface ozone is an air pollutant of significant concerns due to its harmful effects on human health, vegetation and crop productivity. Chronic ozone exposure is shown to reduce photosynthesis and interfere with gas exchange in plants, thereby influencing surface energy balance and biogeochemical fluxes with important ramifications for climate and atmospheric composition, including possible feedbacks onto ozone itself that are not well understood. Ozone damage on crops has been well documented, but a mechanistic understanding is not well established. Here we present several results pertaining to the effects of ozone-vegetation coupling on air quality, ecosystems and agriculture. Using the Community Earth System Model (CESM), we find that inclusion of ozone damage on plants reduces the global land carbon sink by up to 5%, while simulated ozone is enhanced by up to 6 ppbv North America, Europe and East Asia. This strong positive feedback on ozone air quality via ozone-vegetation coupling arises mainly from reduced stomatal conductance, which induces two feedback pathways: 1) reduced dry deposition and ozone uptake; and 2) reduced evapotranspiration that enhances vegetation temperature and thus isoprene emission. Using the same ozone-vegetation scheme in a crop model within CESM, we further examine the impacts of historical ozone exposure on global crop production. We contrast our model results with a separate statistical analysis designed to characterize the spatial variability of crop-ozone-temperature relationships and account for the confounding effect of ozone-temperature covariation, using multidecadal global datasets of crop yields, agroclimatic variables and ozone exposures. We find that several crops (especially C4 crops such as maize) exhibit stronger sensitivities to ozone than found by field studies or in CESM simulations. We also find a strong anticorrelation between crop sensitivities and average ozone levels, reflecting biological adaptive ozone

  14. NEET In-Pile Ultrasonic Sensor Enablement-Final Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    J. Daw; J. Rempe; J. Palmer; P. Ramuhalli; R. Montgomery; H.T. Chien; B. Tittmann; B. Reinhardt; P. Keller

    2014-09-01

    Ultrasonic technologies offer the potential to measure a range of parameters during irradiation of fuels and materials, including geometry changes, temperature, crack initiation and growth, gas pressure and composition, and microstructural changes under harsh irradiation test conditions. There are two primary issues that currently limit in-pile deployment of ultrasonic sensors. The first is transducer survivability. The ability of ultrasonic transducer materials to maintain their useful properties during an irradiation must be demonstrated. The second issue is signal processing. Ultrasonic testing is typically performed in a lab or field environment, where the sensor and sample are accessible. The harsh nature of in-pile testing and the variety of desired measurements demand that an enhanced signal processing capability be developed to make in-pile ultrasonic sensors viable. To address these issues, the NEET ASI program funded a three year Ultrasonic Transducer Irradiation and Signal Processing Enhancements project, which is a collaborative effort between the Idaho National Laboratory, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Argonne National Laboratory, and the Pennsylvania State University. The objective of this report is to document the objectives and accomplishments from this three year project. As summarized within this document, significant work has been accomplished during this three year project.

  15. Extrinsic Fabry-Perot ultrasonic detector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kidwell, J. J.; Berthold, John W., III

    1996-10-01

    We characterized the performance of a commercial fiber optic extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer for use as an ultrasonic sensor, and compared the performance with a standard lead zirconate titanate (PZT) detector. The interferometer was unstabilized. The results showed that the fiber sensor was about 12 times less sensitive than the PZT detector. Ultrasonic frequency response near 100 kHz was demonstrated. We describe the design of the fiber sensor, the details of the tests performed, and potential applications.

  16. Internal properties assessment in agar wood trees using ultrasonic velocity measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohd Noorul Ikhsan Mohamed; Mohamad Pauzi Ismail; Mat Rasol Awang; Mohd Fajri Osman; Fakhruzi, M.; Hashim, M.M.

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents the application of ultrasonic velocity in agar wood trees (Aquilaria crassna) with the purpose of evaluating the relationship of the ultrasonic velocity to the variations of internal properties of trees. In this study, three circular cross-sectional discs from the freshly cut tree were selected as samples. First sample with a big hole (decay) in the middle, second sample with internal resinous and the last one is the sample with no defects. The through transmission ultrasonic testing method was carried out using Tico ultrasonic pulse velocity tester which is from Switzerland. Two-dimensional image of internal properties evaluation by an ultrasonic investigation was obtained using Matlab. The results showed that the ultrasonic wave cannot pass through the internal decay or resinous so that the wave went round it and thus ultrasonic wave velocity significantly decreased by increasing the hole or resinous. The difference in color of the image generated by Matlab software based on variation of ultrasonic velocity between the internal decay area and its surrounding area was obvious. Therefore, the properties of internal properties of the three could be detected by ultrasonic line imaging technique. (author)

  17. Performance analysis of a novel heat pump type air conditioner coupled with a liquid dehumidification/humidification cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cai, Dehua; Qiu, Chengbo; Zhang, Jiazheng; Liu, Yue; Liang, Xiao; He, Guogeng

    2017-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Cycle performance of a small scale heat pump type air conditioner coupled with a liquid desiccant/humidification cycle has been theoretically and experimentally evaluated by the present study. The liquid desiccant and humidification cycle is driven by the exhaust heat of the compressor. LDAC not only greatly improves the indoor air quality by controlling the humidity and temperature independently, but also decrease the electrical energy consumption of the traditional air conditioner. Parametric analysis on cycle performance of the present cycle based on both theoretical and experimental methods are carried out. - Highlights: • Hybrid cycle consists of refrigeration cycle and liquid desiccant cycle is proposed. • Liquid desiccant cycle is driven by the compressor exhaust heat. • Theoretical and experimental studies on cycle performance are provided. • Energy consumption decreases about 22.64% compared with the conventional one. - Abstract: In recent years, liquid desiccant air-conditioning system (LDAC) has shown a great potential alternative to the conventional vapor compression systems. LDAC not only greatly improves the indoor air quality by controlling the humidity and temperature independently, but also deceases the electrical energy consumption of the conventional air conditioner. In this work, the liquid desiccant and humidification cycle is driven by the exhaust heat of the compressor. Cycle performance of a small-scale heat pump type air conditioner coupled with a liquid desiccant/humidification cycle has been theoretically and experimentally evaluated by the present study. Parametric analysis on cycle performance of the present cycle is carried out through both theoretical and experimental methods, and lithium chloride aqueous solution is used as the working fluid of the solution cycle. The thermodynamic analysis results show that while the evaporating temperature of the present cycle increases to 15 °C, the energy consumption

  18. Experimental vibration study of in-air and fluid coupled co-axial cylinders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chu, M.; Brown, S.; Lestingi, J.

    1979-01-01

    It was the objective of this study to develop and carry out an experimental program which would provide additional insight into the mechanics of fluid--solid interaction with respect to the response of a set of coaxial cylinders with water in the annulus. Such configurations are found in nuclear reactors in the vessel wall-thermal liner. The effects of cylinder thickness and the fluid filled annulus gap size on the resonant frequencies and mode shapes of the cylinders (either singly or coupled in air and a water environment) are presented in this paper; also included is an evaluation of damping for selected gaps and cylinder thicknesses. Details of the experimental setup and procedures are also outlined

  19. Characterization of nuclear graphite elastic properties using laser ultrasonic methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Fan W.; Han, Karen; Olasov, Lauren R.; Gallego, Nidia C.; Contescu, Cristian I.; Spicer, James B.

    2015-05-01

    Laser ultrasonic methods have been used to characterize the elastic behaviors of commercially-available and legacy nuclear graphites. Since ultrasonic techniques are sensitive to various aspects of graphite microstructure including preferred grain orientation, microcrack orientation and porosity, laser ultrasonics is a candidate technique for monitoring graphite degradation and structural integrity in environments expected in high-temperature, gas-cooled nuclear reactors. Aspects of materials texture can be assessed by studying ultrasonic wavespeeds as a function of propagation direction and polarization. Shear wave birefringence measurements, in particular, can be used to evaluate elastic anisotropy. In this work, laser ultrasonic measurements of graphite moduli have been made to provide insight into the relationship between the microstructures and the macroscopic stiffnesses of these materials. In particular, laser ultrasonic measurements have been made using laser line sources to produce shear waves with specific polarizations. By varying the line orientation relative to the sample, shear wave birefringence measurements have been recorded. Results from shear wave birefringence measurements show that an isostatically molded graphite, such as PCIB, behaves isotropically, while an extruded graphite, such as H-451, displays significant ultrasonic texture. Graphites have complicated microstructures that depend on the manufacturing processes used, and ultrasonic texture in these materials could originate from grain orientation and preferred microcrack alignment. Effects on material isotropy due to service related microstructural changes are possible and the ultimate aim of this work is to determine the degree to which these changes can be assessed nondestructively using laser ultrasonics measurements.

  20. Ultrasonically triggered ignition at liquid surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Lars Hendrik; Meyer, Lennart; Wilkens, Volker; Beyer, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Ultrasound is considered to be an ignition source according to international standards, setting a threshold value of 1mW/mm(2) [1] which is based on theoretical estimations but which lacks experimental verification. Therefore, it is assumed that this threshold includes a large safety margin. At the same time, ultrasound is used in a variety of industrial applications where it can come into contact with explosive atmospheres. However, until now, no explosion accidents have been reported in connection with ultrasound, so it has been unclear if the current threshold value is reasonable. Within this paper, it is shown that focused ultrasound coupled into a liquid can in fact ignite explosive atmospheres if a specific target positioned at a liquid's surface converts the acoustic energy into a hot spot. Based on ignition tests, conditions could be derived that are necessary for an ultrasonically triggered explosion. These conditions show that the current threshold value can be significantly augmented. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Analysis of Ultrasonic Transmitted Signal for Apple using Wavelet Transform

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Ki Bok; Lee, Sang Dae; Choi, Man Yong; Kim, Man Soo

    2005-01-01

    This study was conducted to analyze the ultrasonic transmitted signal for apple using wavelet transform. Fruit consists of nonlinear visco-elastic properties such as flesh, an ovary and rind and lienee most ultrasonic wave is attenuated and its frequency is shifted during passing the fruit. Thus it is not easy to evaluate the internal quality of the fruit using typical ultrasonic parameters such as wave velocity, attenuation, and frequency spectrum. The discrete wavelet transform was applied to the ultrasonic transmitted signal for apple. The magnitude of the first peak frequency of the wavelet basis from the ultrasonic transmitted signal showed a close correlation to the storage time of apple

  2. Ultrasonic filtration of industrial chemical solutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosma, T.

    1974-01-01

    The practical results obtained as a result of filtering industrial chemical solutions under continuous flow conditions with the aid of an ultrasonic filter are presented. The main part of the assembly consists of an ultrasonic generator with an output power of about 400 W and the filtration assembly, in which there is a magnetostrictive amplifier constructed for 20.5 kHz. In addition to ensuring a continuous flow of filtered solution, ultrasonic filters can be replaced or cleaned at intervals of time that are 8-10 times greater than in the case of mechanical filters. They yield considerably better results as far as the size of the filtered particles is concerned. The parameters on which filtration quality depends are also presented.

  3. Ultrasonic imaging in LMFBRs using digital techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fothergill, J.R.; McKnight, J.A.; Barrett, L.M.

    Ultrasonic technology for providing images of components immersed in the opaque sodium of LMFBRs is being developed at RNL. For many years the application has been restricted by the unavailability of convenient ultrasonic sources and receivers capable of withstanding the reactor environment. Until recently, for example, important ultrasonic instrument design, such as for future sweep arms, had to be based on waveguided ultrasonics. RNL have developed an economic immersible transducer that can be deployed during reactor shut-down, when many demands for ultrasonic imaging are made. The transducer design is not suited at present to the sophisticated techniques of phased arrays; consequently image formation must depend on the physical scanning of a target using one or more transducers in pulse-echo mode. The difficulties of access into a fast reactor impose further restrictions. Some applications may involve easy scanning sequences, thus the sweep arm requires only a rotation to provide a map of the reactor core area. For a more detailed examination of the same area, however, special engineering solutions are needed to provide a more satisfactory scanning sequence. A compromise solution involving the rotating shield movement is being used for a PFR experiment to examine a limited area of the core. (author)

  4. An Ultrasonic Contactless Sensor for Breathing Monitoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philippe Arlotto

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The monitoring of human breathing activity during a long period has multiple fundamental applications in medicine. In breathing sleep disorders such as apnea, the diagnosis is based on events during which the person stops breathing for several periods during sleep. In polysomnography, the standard for sleep disordered breathing analysis, chest movement and airflow are used to monitor the respiratory activity. However, this method has serious drawbacks. Indeed, as the subject should sleep overnight in a laboratory and because of sensors being in direct contact with him, artifacts modifying sleep quality are often observed. This work investigates an analysis of the viability of an ultrasonic device to quantify the breathing activity, without contact and without any perception by the subject. Based on a low power ultrasonic active source and transducer, the device measures the frequency shift produced by the velocity difference between the exhaled air flow and the ambient environment, i.e., the Doppler effect. After acquisition and digitization, a specific signal processing is applied to separate the effects of breath from those due to subject movements from the Doppler signal. The distance between the source and the sensor, about 50 cm, and the use of ultrasound frequency well above audible frequencies, 40 kHz, allow monitoring the breathing activity without any perception by the subject, and therefore without any modification of the sleep quality which is very important for sleep disorders diagnostic applications. This work is patented (patent pending 2013-7-31 number FR.13/57569.

  5. Hardware Developments of an Ultrasonic Tomography Measurement System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hudabiyah ARSHAD AMARI

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This research provides new technique in ultrasonic tomography by using ultrasonic transceivers instead of using separate transmitter-receiver pair. The numbers of sensors or transducers used to acquire data plays an important role to generate high resolution tomography images. The configuration of these sensors is a crucial factor in the efficiency of data acquisition. Instead of using common separated transmitter – receiver, an alternative approach has been taken to use dual functionality ultrasonic transceiver. A prototype design of sensor’s jig that will hold 16 transceivers of 14.1mm has been design. Transmission-mode approach with fan beam technique has been used for sensing the flow of gas, liquid and solid. This paper also explains the circuitry designs for the Ultrasonic Tomography System.

  6. Ultrasonic system for NDE of fruits and vegetables

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jhang, Kyung Young; Jung, Gyoo Hong; Kim, Man Soo

    1999-01-01

    The nondestructive internal quality evaluation of agricultural products has been strongly required from the needs for individual inspection. In recent, ultrasonic wave has been considered as a solution for this problem. This study is to construct the ultrasonic inspection system for fruits and vegetables on the basis of pre-knowledge that general frequency band(higher than 100 kHz) ultrasonic waves do not transmitted well due to severe attenuation. Our system includes ultrasonic pulser and receiver, transducers(50 kHz), acoustic hem, pneumatic controller and signal processing units (PC). In order to confirm the performance, several samples (apple, pear, persimmon, kiwi fruit, potato and radish) were tested, and the results showed sufficient possibility to apply to NDE of fruits and vegetables.

  7. Ultrasonic trap for light scattering measurement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Petr; Pavlu, Jiri

    2017-04-01

    Light scattering is complex phenomenon occurring widely in space environments, including the dense dusty clouds, nebulas or even the upper atmosphere of the Earth. However, when the size of the dust (or of other scattering center) is close to the incident light wavelength, theoretical determination is difficult. In such case, Mie theory is to be used but there is a lack of the material constants for most space-related materials. For experimental measurement of light scattering, we designed unique apparatus, based on ultrasonic trap. Using acoustic levitation we are able to capture the dust grain in midair, irradiate it with laser, and observe scattering directly with goniometer-mounted photodiode. Advantage of this approach is ability to measure directly in the air (thus, no need for the carrier medium) and possibility to study non-spherical particles. Since the trap development is nearly finished and initial experiments are carried out, the paper presents first tests on water droplets.

  8. On line ultrasonic integrated backscatter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Landini, L.; Picano, E.; Mazzarisi, A.; Santarelli, F.; Benassi, A.; De Pieri, G.

    1988-01-01

    A new equipment for on-line evaluation of index based on two-dimensional integrated backscatter from ultrasonic images is described. The new equipment is fully integrated into a B-mode ultrasonic apparatus which provides a simultaneous display of conventional information together with parameters of tissue characterization. The system has been tested with a backscattering model of microbubbles in polysaccharide solution, characterized by a physiological exponential time decay. An exponential fitting to the experimental data was performed which yielded r=0.95

  9. Ultrasonic-assisted manufacturing processes: Variational model and numerical simulations

    KAUST Repository

    Siddiq, Amir

    2012-04-01

    We present a computational study of ultrasonic assisted manufacturing processes including sheet metal forming, upsetting, and wire drawing. A fully variational porous plasticity model is modified to include ultrasonic softening effects and then utilized to account for instantaneous softening when ultrasonic energy is applied during deformation. Material model parameters are identified via inverse modeling, i.e. by using experimental data. The versatility and predictive ability of the model are demonstrated and the effect of ultrasonic intensity on the manufacturing process at hand is investigated and compared qualitatively with experimental results reported in the literature. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Study on the coupling performance of a turboexpander compressor applied in cryogenic reverse Brayton air refrigerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Shanju; Chen, Shuangtao; Chen, Xingya; Zhang, Xingqun; Hou, Yu

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Numerical simulations on expansion and compression processes were carried out. • A coupling model was built based on analysis and simulation and verified by test. • Relations and interactions among coupling parameters were quantitatively described. • When T_0_C = 0.39 MPa, the cooling capacity of refrigerator reached 221 W at 129.6 K. - Abstract: A small cryogenic reverse Brayton air refrigerator with turboexpander compressor (TEC) is presented in this study. Because of stable process, simple matching between expander and brake blower, and easy regulation, a turboexpander with brake blower is usually used in small reverse Brayton refrigerator. However, a turboexpander with brake blower just consumes and wastes the output energy during the enthalpy drop. In contrast, the output energy of TEC is absorbed by its coupled compressor for recycling. Thus when employing a TEC, the reverse Brayton refrigerator will achieve lower refrigeration temperature, larger cooling capacity and more effective energy use. TEC overall performance, which has an important impact on the refrigerator thermal performance, is mainly determined by the coupling between expander and compressor. In a TEC, the compressor and expander should seek balance among energy, rotating speed, mass flow rate and pressure, though restricted by individual working characteristics. The coupling relations among compressor efficiency, expander efficiency, compressor pressure ratio and expander expansion ratio are quite complex. In this study, theoretical coupling analysis between expander and compressor was conducted. The aerodynamic performances of compressor and expander were calculated using CFX simulation with SST model. The performance curves of compressor and expander were obtained through simulation results, which were validated by experimental data. Based on the coupling analysis and numerical simulations, the automatic coupling model between compression process and expansion process

  11. Computer-aided ultrasonic inspection of steam turbine rotors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mayer, K H; Weber, M; Weiss, M [GEC ALSTHOM Energie GmbH, Nuremberg (Germany)

    1999-12-31

    As the output and economic value of power plants increase, the detection and sizing of the type of flaws liable to occur in the rotors of turbines using ultrasonic methods assumes increasing importance. An ultrasonic inspection carried out at considerable expense is expected to bring to light all safety-relevant flaws and to enable their size to be determined so as to permit a fracture-mechanics analysis to assess the reliability of the rotor under all possible stresses arising in operation with a high degree of accuracy. The advanced computer-aided ultrasonic inspection of steam turbine rotors have improved reliability, accuracy and reproducibility of ultrasonic inspection. Further, there has been an improvement in the resolution of resolvable group indications by applying reconstruction and imagine methods. In general, it is also true for the advanced computer-aided ultrasonic inspection methods that, in the case of flaw-affected forgings, automated data acquisition provides a substantial rationalization and a significant documentation of the results for the fracture mechanics assessment compared to manual inspection. (orig.) 8 refs.

  12. Computer-aided ultrasonic inspection of steam turbine rotors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mayer, K.H.; Weber, M.; Weiss, M. [GEC ALSTHOM Energie GmbH, Nuremberg (Germany)

    1998-12-31

    As the output and economic value of power plants increase, the detection and sizing of the type of flaws liable to occur in the rotors of turbines using ultrasonic methods assumes increasing importance. An ultrasonic inspection carried out at considerable expense is expected to bring to light all safety-relevant flaws and to enable their size to be determined so as to permit a fracture-mechanics analysis to assess the reliability of the rotor under all possible stresses arising in operation with a high degree of accuracy. The advanced computer-aided ultrasonic inspection of steam turbine rotors have improved reliability, accuracy and reproducibility of ultrasonic inspection. Further, there has been an improvement in the resolution of resolvable group indications by applying reconstruction and imagine methods. In general, it is also true for the advanced computer-aided ultrasonic inspection methods that, in the case of flaw-affected forgings, automated data acquisition provides a substantial rationalization and a significant documentation of the results for the fracture mechanics assessment compared to manual inspection. (orig.) 8 refs.

  13. The outcome of laparoscopic cholecystectomy by ultrasonic dissection.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Sasi, Walid

    2010-04-01

    Electrocautery remains the main energy form used for dissection in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, due to its many risks the search continues for safer and more efficient forms of energy. This chapter assesses the outcomes of dissection using ultrasonic energy as compared to monopolar electrocautery during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Studies included are trials of prospectively randomized adult patients with symptomatic gallstone disease subject either ultrasonic or monopolar electrocautery dissection during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Seven trials were included in this review, with a total patient number of 695 randomized to two dissection methods: 340 in the electrocautery group and 355 in the ultrasonic group. Ultrasonic dissection is shown to be superior to monopolar electrocautery in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Disadvantages include a difficult maneuvering technique and overall cost. Appropriate training programs may be implemented to overcome the first disadvantage, and it might be argued that given the combined cost of factors associated with standard clip and cautery technique, cost issues may be outweighed by the benefits of ultrasonic dissection. However, this necessitates further cost-benefit analysis.

  14. Ultrasonic extraction of flavonoids and phenolics from loquat ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    2011-06-08

    Jun 8, 2011 ... ultrasonic pharmaceutical managing machine (Sinobest electronic. Co. Ltd., Jining, Shangdong ... During the ultrasonic treatment, the temperature ..... essential oil extraction by a hydrodistillation process using a 2(4) complete ...

  15. Nondestructive control of materials by ultrasonic tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mercier, Noelle.

    1974-01-01

    A bibliographic study of nondestructive control methods of solids by ultrasonic tests, and of the ultrasonic emission of a transducer of finite dimension, is first presented. The principle of two of these methods is verified experimentally; they should permit the measurement of various physical parameters of solids, and the detection of local inhomogeneities. The first method calls upon the analysis of the ultrasonic signal (amplitude and phase), after it has crossed a constant thickness of a metallic specimen. This analysis reveals variations of attenuation and of ultrasonic propagation velocity within the specimen. A good spatial resolution is obtained by using 1mm-diameter probes. The second method leads, thanks to a test rig equipped with broad frequency band electrostatic transducers, to the knowledge of the attenuation law of the specimens as a function of frequency (present range: 5 to 15MHz); from this a classification of these specimens as regards their granulometry is deduced [fr

  16. Advanced ultrasonic technology for natural gas measurement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2011-11-15

    In recent years, due to rising environmental and safety concerns, increasing commodity prices, and operational inefficiencies, a paradigm shift has been taking place with respect to gas measurement. The price of natural gas depends on the location, time of the year, and type of consumer. There is wide uncertainty associated with an orifice meter. This paper presents the use of advanced ultrasonic technology for the measurement of natural gas. For many years, multi-path ultrasonic meters with intelligent sensor technology have been used for gas measurement. This paper gives the various applications of ultrasonic technology along with their advantages and a draws a comparison with orifice meters. From the study it can be concluded that extensive advances in the use of ultrasonic technology for gas measurement have widened the areas of application and that varying frequencies combined with sealed transducer designs make it possible to measure atmospheric and sour gas in custody transfer process control and flaring accurately.

  17. Investigation of Ultrasonics as a tool for energy efficient recycling of Lactic acid from postconsumer PLA products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinivasan, Gowrishankar

    The growing use of "ecofriendly," biodegradable polymers have created a need for a suitable recycling technique because, unlike petroleum derived plastics, their properties deteriorate during conventional recycling. These new techniques must be cost efficient and yield material properties same as virgin polymer. This research investigates the effectiveness of high-power ultrasonics as an efficient technique to recover lactic acid from postconsumer polylactic acid (PLA) products. Polylactic acid is a commercially available bioplastic derived from corn starch and/or sugar cane that is biorenewable and compostable (biodegradable). The various ongoing researches to recover lactic acid from PLA employ a common platform of high temperature, high pressure (HTHP) to effect polymer hydrolysis. The energy intensiveness of these HTHP processes prompted this work to investigate ultrasonics as an low energy alternative process to cause PLA depolymerization. The energy consumption and the time required for depolymerization were utilized as the metrics to quantify and compare depolymerization enhanced by ultrasonics with hot-bath technique. The coupled effect of catalysts concentration and different solvents, along with ultrasonic were studied based on preliminary trial results. In addition, the correlation between the rates of de-polymerization was analyzed for ultrasonic amplitude, treatment time, and catalyst concentration and types. The results indicate that depolymerization of PLA was largely effected by heating caused by ultrasonic-induced cavitations. Other effects of ultrasonics, namely cavitations and acoustic streaming, were shown to have minimal effects in enhancing depolymerization. In fact, thermal energy predominately affected the reaction kinetics; the heat introduced by conventional method (i.e., electrical heaters) was more efficient than ultrasonic heating in terms of energy (for depolymerization) per unit mass of PLA and depolymerizing time. The degree of

  18. Frequency and amplitude dependences of molding accuracy in ultrasonic nanoimprint technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mekaru, Harutaka; Takahashi, Masaharu

    2009-01-01

    We use neither a heater nor ultraviolet lights, and are researching and developing an ultrasonic nanoimprint as a new nano-patterning technology. In our ultrasonic nanoimprint technology, ultrasonic vibration is not used as a heat generator instead of the heater. A mold is connected with an ultrasonic generator, and mold patterns are pushed down and pulled up at a high speed into a thermoplastic. Frictional heat is generated by ultrasonic vibration between mold patterns and thermoplastic patterns formed by an initial contact force. However, because frictional heat occurs locally, the whole mold is not heated. Therefore, a molding material can be comprehensively processed at room temperature. A magnetostriction actuator was built into our ultrasonic nanoimprint system as an ultrasonic generator, and the frequency and amplitude can be changed between dc–10 kHz and 0–4 µm, respectively. First, the ultrasonic nanoimprint was experimented by using this system on polyethylene terephthalate (PET, T g = 69 °C), whose the glass transition temperature (T g ) is comparatively low in engineering plastics, and it was ascertained that the most suitable elastic material for this technique was an ethyl urethane rubber. In addition, we used a changeable frequency of the magnetostriction actuator, and nano-patterns in an electroformed-Ni mold were transferred to a 0.5 mm thick sheet of PET, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC), which are typical engineering plastics, under variable molding conditions. The frequency and amplitude dependence of ultrasonic vibration to the molding accuracy were investigated by measuring depth and width of imprinted patterns. As a result, regardless of the molding material, the imprinted depth was changed drastically when the frequency exceeded 5 kHz. On the other hand, when the amplitude of ultrasonic vibration grew, the imprinted depth gradually deepened. Influence of the frequency and amplitude of ultrasonic vibration was not

  19. [Air humidifier--benefit or risk?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fidler, A H

    1989-12-01

    Indoor air pollution has become an issue of growing importance for the scientific community. A recent publication of a report of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed evidence that portable ultrasonic humidifiers may play a significant role as health hazards as far as indoor air pollution with heavy metal particles is concerned. Especially if the manufacturers' guidelines are not followed strictly and the device is operated with tap water, indoor particle concentrations may reach up to 50 times US outdoor standards for toxic particle concentration. This paper highlights potential risks and benefits of various types of humidifiers, both in private and hospital settings, emphasizing that risks of air humidification in certain situations might outweigh anticipated benefits. The health policy implication of these findings should lead to a more critical application of air humidification in the health care environment and in addition to that, promote better information of the customer about safe operation and useful indications of such devices.

  20. An experimental study on the structural alteration of C{sub 3}H{sub 8}-air premixed flame affected by ultrasonic standing waves of various frequencies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Sang Shin [SK E and S, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jeong Soo [Pukyong National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Heuy Dong [Andong National University, Andong (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-03-15

    This experimental study scrutinizes the structural variation of a premixed propane-air flame according to the frequency change of ultrasonic standing waves (USWs) at various equivalence ratios. Visualization technique via Schlieren photography is employed in the observation of the flame structure and in the analysis of the flame velocities along the propagation. A distorted flame front and horizontal splitting in the burnt zone result from the USW. The vertical locations of the distortion and horizontal stripes are closely dependent on the frequency of the USW. In addition, the propagation velocity of the flame front floored by the standing wave is greater than that in the case without the excitation by the standing wave. As expected, the influence of the USW on the premixed-flame propagation becomes prominent as the frequency increases. The results suggest that a well-defined USW may be applied to combustion devices, such as gas turbines and chemical rocket engines, to achieve an active control of the instability that frequently intervenes in such systems.

  1. The digital ultrasonic test unit for automatic equipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hiraoka, T.; Matsuyama, H.

    1976-01-01

    The operations and features of the ultrasonic test unit used and the digital data processing techniques employed are described. This unit is used for a few hundred multi-channel automatic ultrasonic test equipment

  2. Acoustofluidics 4: Piezoelectricity and application in the excitation of acoustic fields for ultrasonic particle manipulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dual, Jurg; Möller, Dirk

    2012-02-07

    Piezoelectric materials are widely used in the excitation of MHz frequency vibrations in devices for ultrasonic manipulation. An applied electrical voltage is transformed into mechanical stress, strain and displacement. Piezoelectric elements can be used in either a resonant or non-resonant manner. Depending on the desired motion the piezoelectric longitudinal, transverse or shear effects are exploited. Because of the coupling between electrical and mechanical quantities in the constitutive law the modelling of devices turns out to be quite complex. In this paper, the general equations that need to be used are delineated. For a one-dimensional actuator the underlying physics is described, including the consequences resulting for the characterization of devices. For a practical setup used in ultrasonic manipulation, finite element models are used to model the complete system, including piezoelectric excitation, solid motion and acoustic field. It is shown, how proper tailoring of transducer and electrodes allows selective excitation of desired modes.

  3. Design of ultrasonic probe and evaluation of ultrasonic waves on E.coli in Sour Cherry Juice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B Hosseinzadeh Samani

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The common method used for juice pasteurization is the thermal method since thermal methods contribute highly to inactivating microbes. However, applying high temperatures would lead to inefficient effects on nutrition and food value. Such effects may include vitamin loss, nutritional flavor loss, non-enzyme browning, and protein reshaping (Kuldiloke, 2002. In order to decrease the adverse effects of the thermal pasteurization method, other methods capable of inactivation of microorganisms can be applied. In doing so, non-thermal methods including pasteurization using high hydrostatic pressure processing (HPP, electrical fields, and ultrasound waves are of interest (Chen and Tseng, 1996. The reason for diminishing microbial count in the presence of ultrasonic waves could be due to the burst of very tiny bubbles developed by ultrasounds which expand quickly and burst in a short time. Due to this burst, special temperature and pressure conditions are developed which could initiate or intensify several physical and/or chemical reactions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the non-thermal ultrasonic method and its effective factors on the E.coli bacteria of sour cherry. Materials and methods: In order to supply uniform ultrasonic waves, a 1000 W electric generator (Model MPI, Switzerland working at 20±1 kHz frequency was used. The aim of this study is to evaluate the non-thermal ultrasonic method and its effective factors on the E.coli bacteria of sour cherry. For this purpose, a certain amount of sour cherry fruit was purchased from local markets. First, the fruits were washed, cleaned and cored. The prepared fruits were then dewatered using an electric juicer. In order to separate pulp suspensions and tissue components, the extracted juice was poured into a centrifuge with the speed of 6000 rpm for 20 min. For complete separation of the remaining suspended particles, the transparent portion of the extract was passed through a

  4. Miniaturized and general purpose fiber optic ultrasonic sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biagi, E.; Fontani, S.; Masotti, L.; Pieraccini, M.

    1997-01-01

    Innovative photoacoustic sources for ultrasonic NDE, smart structure, and clinical diagnosis are proposed. The working principle is based on thermal conversion of laser pulses into a metallic film evaporated directly onto the tip of a fiber optic. Unique features of the proposed transducers are very high miniaturization and potential easy embedding in smart structure. Additional advantages, high bedding in smart structure. Additional advantages, high ultrasonic frequency, large and flat bandwidth. All these characteristics make the proposed device an ideal ultrasonic source

  5. Evaluation of operational on-line-coupled regional air quality models over Europe and North America in the context of AQMEII phase 2. Part I: Ozone

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Im, U.; Bianconi, R.; Solazzo, E.; Kioutsioukis, I.; Badia, A.; Balzarini, A.; Baró, R.; Bellasio, R.; Brunner, D.; Chemel, C.; Curci, G.; Flemming, J.; Forkel, R.; Giordano, L.; Jiménez-Guerrero, P.; Hirtl, M.; Hodzic, A.; Honzak, L.; Jorba, O.; Knote, C.; Kuenen, J.J.P.; Makar, P.A.; Manders-Groot, A.; Neal, L.; Pérez, J.L.; Pirovano, G.; Pouliot, G.; San Jose, R.; Savage, N.; Schroder, W.; Sokhi, R.S.; Syrakov, D.; Torian, A.; Tuccella, P.; Werhahn, J.; Wolke, R.; Yahya, K.; Zabkar, R.; Zhang, Y.; Zhang, J.; Hogrefe, C.; Galmarini, S.

    2015-01-01

    The second phase of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) brought together sixteen modeling groups from Europe and North America, running eight operational online-coupled air quality models over Europe and North America on common emissions and boundary conditions. With

  6. Considerations for ultrasonic testing application for on-orbit NDE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koshti, Ajay M.

    2015-04-01

    The paper addresses some on-orbit nondestructive evaluation (NDE) needs of NASA for International Space Station (ISS). The presentation gives NDE requirements for inspecting suspect damage due to micro-meteoroids and orbital debris (MMOD) impact on the pressure wall of the ISS. This inspection is meant to be conducted from inside of the ISS module. The metallic wall of the module has a fixed wall thickness but also has integral orthogrid ribs for reinforcement. Typically, a single MMOD hit causes localized damage in a small area causing loss of material similar to pitting corrosion, but cracks may be present too. The impact may cause bulging of the wall. Results of the ultrasonic and eddy current demonstration scans on test samples are provided. The ultrasonic technique uses shear wave scans to interrogate the localized damage area from the surrounding undamaged area. The scanning protocol results in multiple scans, each with multiple "vee" paths. A superimposition and mosaic of the three-dimensional ultrasonic data from individual scans is desired to create C-scan images of the damage. This is a new data reduction process which is not currently implemented in state-of-art ultrasonic instruments. Results of ultrasonic scans on the simulated MMOD damage test plates are provided. The individual C-scans are superimposed manually creating mosaic of the inspection. The resulting image is compared with visibly detected damage boundaries, X-ray images, and localized ultrasonic and eddy current scans for locating crack tips to assess effectiveness of the ultrasonic scanning. The paper also discusses developments needed in improving ergonomics of the ultrasonic testing for on-orbit applications.

  7. Process Stability of Ultrasonic-Wave-Assisted Gas Metal Arc Welding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Chenglei; Xie, Weifeng; Yang, Chunli; Lin, Sanbao; Fan, Yangyang

    2017-10-01

    As a newly developed arc welding method, ultrasonic-wave-assisted arc welding successfully introduced power ultrasound into the arc and weld pool, during which the ultrasonic acts on the top of the arc in the coaxial alignment direction. The advanced process for molten metals can be realized by using an additional ultrasonic field. Compared with the conventional gas metal arc welding (GMAW), the welding arc is compressed, the droplet size is decreased, and the droplet transfer frequency is increased significantly in ultrasonic-wave-assisted GMAW (U-GMAW). However, the stability of the metal transfer has deep influence on the welding quality equally, and the ultrasonic wave effect on the stability of the metal transfer is a phenomenon that is not completely understood. In this article, the stabilities of the short-circuiting transfer process and globular transfer process are studied systematically, and the effect of ultrasonic wave on the metal transfer is analyzed further. The transfer frequency and process stability of the U-GMAW process are much higher than those of the conventional GMAW. Analytical results show that the additional ultrasonic wave is helpful for improving welding stability.

  8. Laboratory ultrasonic pulse velocity logging for determination of elastic properties from rock core

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blacklock, Natalie Erin

    During the development of deep underground excavations spalling and rockbursting have been recognized as significant mechanisms of violent brittle failure. In order to predict whether violent brittle failure will occur, it is important to identify the location of stiffness transitions that are associated with geologic structure. One approach to identify the effect of geologic structures is to apply borehole geophysical tools ahead of the tunnel advance. Stiffness transitions can be identified using mechanical property analysis surveys that combine acoustic velocity and density data to calculate acoustic estimates of elastic moduli. However, logistical concerns arise since the approach must be conducted at the advancing tunnel face. As a result, borehole mechanical property analyses are rarely used. Within this context, laboratory ultrasonic pulse velocity testing has been proposed as a potential alternative to borehole mechanical property analysis since moving the analysis to the laboratory would remove logistical constraints and improve safety for the evaluators. In addition to the traditional method of conducting velocity testing along the core axis, two new methodologies for point-focused testing were developed across the core diameter, and indirectly along intact lengths of drill core. The indirect test procedure was implemented in a continuous ultrasonic velocity test program along 573m of drill core to identify key geologic structures that generated transitions in ultrasonic elastic moduli. The test program was successful at identifying the location of geologic contacts, igneous intrusions, faults and shear structures. Ultrasonic values of Young's modulus and bulk modulus were determined at locations of significant velocity transitions to examine the potential for energy storage and energy release. Comparison of results from different ultrasonic velocity test configurations determined that the indirect test configuration provided underestimates for values of

  9. A sensitive method using SPME pre-concentration for the quantification of aromatic amines in indoor air.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucaire, Vincent; Schwartz, Jean-Jacques; Delhomme, Olivier; Ocampo-Torres, Ruben; Millet, Maurice

    2018-03-01

    Monitoring the levels of aliphatic and aromatic amines (AA) in indoor air is important to protect human health because of exposure to these compounds through diet and inhalation. A sampling and analytical method using XAD-2 cartridges and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry used for assessing 25 AA in different smoking and non-smoking indoor environment was developed. After sampling and delivering 1 m 3 of air (6-8 h sampling), an adsorbent was ultrasonically extracted with acetonitrile, concentrated to 1 mL and diluted in 25 mL of water (pH = 9; 5% NaCl), and then extracted for 40 min at 80 °C using a divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) fiber and injected in a GC/MS system. With this method, 22 of the 25 AA can be analyzed with detection limits up to five times lower than that of classic liquid injection. Benzylamine, 3-aminophenol, and 4-aminophenol were not detected with the solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) method. It can be assumed that aminophenols required a derivatization step for their analysis by GC as these molecules were not detected regardless of the injection mode used. Graphical abstract Analysis of aromatic amines in indoor air by SPME-GC/MS.

  10. Study on the development of ultrasonic gas flowmeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, Won Ho; Park, Sang Gug; Yang, Kyu Hong; Jhang, Kyung Young

    2001-01-01

    Ultrasonic flowmeters have more advantages than the conventional method using pressure-difference. In these reasons, many advanced nations are already selling the commercial model. In RIST, we have been developed ultrasonic gas flow meter for the localization since a project was been contracted with POSCO in 1997. This paper describes a new ultrasonic gas flowmeter. This ultrasonic gas flowmeter is developed for accurate measurement of gases in a harsh environmental conditions. It is especially suited for measuring LDG, COG, BFG gases produced in iron and steel making process. In this study, we had developed the commercial model about the first tested model and applied a completed system to the POSCO gas line. Its performance has already well been proven by extensive field tests for several months in POSCO, iron and steel making company

  11. Method of noncontacting ultrasonic process monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Gabriel V.; Walter, John B.; Telschow, Kenneth L.

    1992-01-01

    A method of monitoring a material during processing comprising the steps of (a) shining a detection light on the surface of a material; (b) generating ultrasonic waves at the surface of the material to cause a change in frequency of the detection light; (c) detecting a change in the frequency of the detection light at the surface of the material; (d) detecting said ultrasonic waves at the surface point of detection of the material; (e) measuring a change in the time elapsed from generating the ultrasonic waves at the surface of the material and return to the surface point of detection of the material, to determine the transit time; and (f) comparing the transit time to predetermined values to determine properties such as, density and the elastic quality of the material.

  12. Fast synthesize ZnO quantum dots via ultrasonic method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Weimin; Zhang, Bing; Ding, Nan; Ding, Wenhao; Wang, Lixi; Yu, Mingxun; Zhang, Qitu

    2016-05-01

    Green emission ZnO quantum dots were synthesized by an ultrasonic sol-gel method. The ZnO quantum dots were synthesized in various ultrasonic temperature and time. Photoluminescence properties of these ZnO quantum dots were measured. Time-resolved photoluminescence decay spectra were also taken to discover the change of defects amount during the reaction. Both ultrasonic temperature and time could affect the type and amount of defects in ZnO quantum dots. Total defects of ZnO quantum dots decreased with the increasing of ultrasonic temperature and time. The dangling bonds defects disappeared faster than the optical defects. Types of optical defects first changed from oxygen interstitial defects to oxygen vacancy and zinc interstitial defects. Then transformed back to oxygen interstitial defects again. The sizes of ZnO quantum dots would be controlled by both ultrasonic temperature and time as well. That is, with the increasing of ultrasonic temperature and time, the sizes of ZnO quantum dots first decreased then increased. Moreover, concentrated raw materials solution brought larger sizes and more optical defects of ZnO quantum dots. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Ultrasonic monitoring of Iberian fat crystallization during cold storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corona, E; García-Pérez, J V; Santacatalina, J V; Peña, R; Benedito, J

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of ultrasonic measurements to characterize the crystallization process and to assess the textural changes of Iberian fat and Iberian ham during cold storage. The ultrasonic velocity was measured in two types of Iberian fats (Montanera and Cebo) during cold storage (0, 2, 5, 7 and 10 °C) and in vacuum packaged Iberian ham stored at 6°C for 120 days. The fatty acid profile, thermal behaviour and textural properties of fat were determined. The ultrasonic velocity and textural measurements showed a two step increase during cold storage, which was related with the separate crystallization of two fractions of triglycerides. It was observed that the harder the fat, the higher the ultrasonic velocity. Likewise, Cebo fat resulted harder than Montanera due to a higher content of saturated triglycerides. The ultrasonic velocity in Iberian ham showed an average increase of 55 m/s after 120 days of cold storage due to fat crystallization. Thus, non-destructive ultrasonic technique could be a reliable method to follow the crystallization of fats and to monitor the changes in the textural properties of Iberian ham during cold storage.

  14. Improving Air Quality (and Weather) Predictions using Advanced Data Assimilation Techniques Applied to Coupled Models during KORUS-AQ

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carmichael, G. R.; Saide, P. E.; Gao, M.; Streets, D. G.; Kim, J.; Woo, J. H.

    2017-12-01

    Ambient aerosols are important air pollutants with direct impacts on human health and on the Earth's weather and climate systems through their interactions with radiation and clouds. Their role is dependent on their distributions of size, number, phase and composition, which vary significantly in space and time. There remain large uncertainties in simulated aerosol distributions due to uncertainties in emission estimates and in chemical and physical processes associated with their formation and removal. These uncertainties lead to large uncertainties in weather and air quality predictions and in estimates of health and climate change impacts. Despite these uncertainties and challenges, regional-scale coupled chemistry-meteorological models such as WRF-Chem have significant capabilities in predicting aerosol distributions and explaining aerosol-weather interactions. We explore the hypothesis that new advances in on-line, coupled atmospheric chemistry/meteorological models, and new emission inversion and data assimilation techniques applicable to such coupled models, can be applied in innovative ways using current and evolving observation systems to improve predictions of aerosol distributions at regional scales. We investigate the impacts of assimilating AOD from geostationary satellite (GOCI) and surface PM2.5 measurements on predictions of AOD and PM in Korea during KORUS-AQ through a series of experiments. The results suggest assimilating datasets from multiple platforms can improve the predictions of aerosol temporal and spatial distributions.

  15. [Destruction of synovial pannus of antigen-induced arthritis by ultrasonic cavitation in rabbits].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ling-yan; Qiu, Li; Wang, Lei; Lin, Ling; Wen, Xiao-rong

    2011-11-01

    To optimize the conditions of ultrasonic irradiation and microbubble of ultrasound cavitation on destruction of synovial pannus of antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) in rabbits. Antigen-induced arthritis was successfully induced on bilateral knee joints of 85 rabbits. Each 10 AIA rabbits were divided into two groups to compare various peak negative pressures, different ultrasonic pulse durations, various pulse repetition frequencies, different irradiance duration, different dosages of microbubble contrast agents, different ultrasonic irradiance times. With intravenous infusion of Sonovue to the rabbits, ultrasonic irradiance was performed on the right knee joint using the above condition of ultrasound cavitation. At the day 1 after ultrasonic irradiance, MRI and pathological examination were employed to evaluate the optimal conditions. The optimal parameters and conditions for ultrasonic irradiance included intermittent ultrasonic application (in 6 s intervals), 0.6 mL/kg of microbubble contrast agent, 4.6 MPa of ultrasonic peak negative pressure, 100 cycles of pulse duration, 50 Hz of pulse repetition frequency, 5 min of ultrasonic duration, 0.6 mL/kg of dosages of microbubble contrast agents and multi-sessional ultrasonic irradiance. After the ultrasonic irradiance, the thickness of right knee synovium measured by MRI was thinner than that of left knee and synovial necrosis was confirmed by the pathological finding. Under optimal ultrasonic irradiation and microbubble conditions, ultrasonic cavitation could destroy synovial pannus of AIA in rabbits.

  16. Satellite Observations of Imprint of Oceanic Current on Wind Stress by Air-Sea Coupling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renault, Lionel; McWilliams, James C; Masson, Sebastien

    2017-12-18

    Mesoscale eddies are present everywhere in the ocean and partly determine the mean state of the circulation and ecosystem. The current feedback on the surface wind stress modulates the air-sea transfer of momentum by providing a sink of mesoscale eddy energy as an atmospheric source. Using nine years of satellite measurements of surface stress and geostrophic currents over the global ocean, we confirm that the current-induced surface stress curl is linearly related to the current vorticity. The resulting coupling coefficient between current and surface stress (s τ [N s m -3 ]) is heterogeneous and can be roughly expressed as a linear function of the mean surface wind. s τ expresses the sink of eddy energy induced by the current feedback. This has important implications for air-sea interaction and implies that oceanic mean and mesoscale circulations and their effects on surface-layer ventilation and carbon uptake are better represented in oceanic models that include this feedback.

  17. P-Scan provides accuracy and repeatability in ultrasonics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keys, R.L.

    1987-01-01

    The P-Scan (Projection image scanning technique) is an automated ultrasonic inspection technique, developed to overcome the problems with accuracy and repeatability experienced with manual ultrasonic systems. The equipment and its applications are described. (author)

  18. Combination of Ultrasonic Vibration and Cryogenic Cooling for Cutting Performance Improvement of Inconel 718 Turning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, S. Y.; Chung, C. T.; Cheng, Y. Y.

    2011-01-01

    The main objective of this study is to develop a thermo-elastic-plastic coupling model, based on a combination skill of ultrasonically assisted cutting and cryogenic cooling, under large deformation for Inconel 718 alloy machining process. The improvement extent on cutting performance and tool life promotion may be examined from this investigation. The critical value of the strain energy density of the workpiece will be utilized as the chip separation and the discontinuous chip segmentation criteria. The forced convection cooling and a hydrodynamic lubrication model will be considered and formulated in the model. Finite element method will be applied to create a complete numerical solution for this ultrasonic vibration cutting model. During the analysis, the cutting tool is incrementally advanced forward with superimposed ultrasonic vibration in a back and forth step-by-step manner, from an incipient stage of tool-workpiece engagement to a steady state of chip formation, a whole simulation of orthogonal cutting process under plane strain deformation is thus undertaken. High shear strength induces a fluctuation phenomenon of shear angle, high shear strain rate, variation of chip types and chip morphology, tool-chip contact length variation, the temperature distributions within the workpiece, chip and tool, periodic fluctuation in cutting forces can be determined from the developed model. A complete comparison of machining characteristics between some different combinations of ultrasonically assisted cutting and cryogenic cooling with conventional cutting operation can be acquired. Finally, the high-speed turning experiment for Inconel 718 alloy will be taken in the laboratory to validate the accuracy of the model, and the progressive flank wear, crater wear, notching and chipping of the tool edge can also be measured in the experiments.

  19. Ultrasonic experiment on hydrate formation of a synthesis gas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Shicai; Fan, Shuanshi; Liang, Deqing; Zhang, Junshe; Feng, Ziping

    2005-07-01

    The effect of ultrasonic on the induction time and formation rate of natural gas hydrates was investigated in a stainless steel cell in this study. The results show that the induction time with ultrasonic was about 1/6 of that without ultrasonic and only about 1/10 if rehydration after decomposition in water-gas system. In sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution-gas system, the critical micellar concentration (CMC) was not identified with ultrasonic. The formation rate and storage capacity of hydrate increased with increasing SDS concentration at a range of 0 to 800ppm. However, the increase was insignificant as the SDS concentration increased from 600 to 800ppm, (Author)

  20. Selective Bioparticle Retention and Characterization in a Chip-Integrated Confocal Ultrasonic Cavity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svennebring, J.; Manneberg, O.; Skafte-Pedersen, Peder

    2009-01-01

    We demonstrate selective retention and positioning of cells or other bioparticles by ultrasonic manipulation in a microfluidic expansion chamber during microfluidic perfusion. The chamber is designed as a confocal ultrasonic resonator for maximum confinement of the ultrasonic force field at the c......We demonstrate selective retention and positioning of cells or other bioparticles by ultrasonic manipulation in a microfluidic expansion chamber during microfluidic perfusion. The chamber is designed as a confocal ultrasonic resonator for maximum confinement of the ultrasonic force field...... sample feeding, a set of several manipulation functions performed in series is demonstrated: sample bypass-injection-aggregation and retention-positioning. Finally, we demonstrate transillumination microscopy imaging Of Ultrasonically trapped COS-7 cell aggregates. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;103: 323-328....

  1. Defect detection and sizing in ultrasonic imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moysan, J.; Benoist, P.; Chapuis, N.; Magnin, I.

    1991-01-01

    This paper introduces imaging processing developed with the SPARTACUS system in the field of ultrasonic testing. The aim of the imaging processing is to detect and to separate defects echoes from background noise. Image segmentation and particularities of ultrasonic images are the base of studied methods. 4 figs.; 6 refs [fr

  2. Reproducibility problems of in-service ultrasonic testing results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Honcu, E.

    1974-01-01

    The reproducibility of the results of ultrasonic testing is the basic precondition for its successful application in in-service inspection of changes in the quality of components of nuclear power installations. The results of periodic ultrasonic inspections are not satisfactory from the point of view of reproducibility. Regardless, the ultrasonic pulse-type method is suitable for evaluating the quality of most components of nuclear installations and often the sole method which may be recommended for inspection with regard to its technical and economic aspects. (J.B.)

  3. Development and application of the ultrasonic technologies in nuclear engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lebedev, Nikolay; Krasilnikov, Dmitry; Vasiliev, Albert; Dubinin, Gennady; Yurmanov, Viktor

    2012-09-01

    Efficiency of some traditional chemical technologies in different areas could be significantly increased by adding ultrasonic treatment. For example, ultrasonic treatment was found to improve make-up water systems, decontamination procedures, etc. Improvement of traditional chemical technologies with implementation of ultrasonic treatment has allowed to significantly reducing water waste, including harmful species and radioactive products. The report shows the examples of the recent ultrasonic technology development and application in Russian nuclear engineering. They are as follows: - Preliminary cleaning of surfaces of in-pile parts (e.g. control sensors) prior to their assemblage and welding - Decontamination of grounds and metal surfaces of components with a complex structure -Decrease in sliding friction between fuel rods and grids during VVER reactor fuel assembly manufacturing -Removal of deposits from reactor fuel surfaces in VVER-440s -Increasing the density and strength of pressed sintered items while making fuel pellets and fuel elements, especially mixed-oxide fuel Surface cleanness is very important for the fuel assembly manufacturing, especially prior to welding. An ultrasonic technology for surface cleaning (from graphite and other lubricants, oxides etc.) was developed and implemented. The ultrasonic cleaning is applicable to the parts having both simple shape and different holes. Ultrasonic technology has allowed to improve the surface quality and environmental safety. Ultrasonic treatment appears to be expedient to intensify the chemical decontamination of solid radioactive waste from grounds of different fractions to metallic components. Ultrasonic treatment reduces the decontamination process duration up to 100 times as much. Excellent decontamination factor was received even for the ground fractions below 1 mm. It should be noted that alternative decontamination techniques (e.g. hydraulic separation) are poorly applicable for such ground

  4. An inverse method for crack characterization from ultrasonic B-Scan images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faur, M.; Roy, O.; Benoist, PH.; Morisseau, PH.

    1996-01-01

    Concern has been expressed about the capabilities of performing non destructive evaluation (NDE) of flaws located near to the outer surface in nuclear pressurized water reactor (PWR) vessels. The ultrasonic examination of PWR is accomplished from the inside with ultrasonic focused transducers working in the pulse echo mode. By recording the echoes as a function of time, the Ascan representation may be obtained. Many ultrasonic flaw detectors used for NDE are based on the simple Ascan concept involving measuring a time interval called 'time of flight'. By combining the Ascan concept synchronized transducer scanning, one can produce Bscan images that are two dimensional descriptions of the flaw interaction with the ultrasonic field. In the following, the flaw is assumed to be an axially oriented crack (the most serious flaw to be found in a pressurized component). In the case of the outer surface cracks (OSC's), analyzing and interpreting ultrasonic Ascan images become difficult because of the various reflections of the ultrasonic beam on the crack and on the outer surface (the so-called corner effect). Methods for automatic interpretation of ultrasonic experimental data are currently under investigation. In this paper, we present an inverse method for determining the geometrical characteristics of OSC's from ultrasonic Bscan images. The direct model used for the inversion procedure predicts synthetic Bscan images of ultrasonic examination of blocks containing planar defects interrogated by focused probes. (authors)

  5. Ultrasonic calibration assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-01-01

    Ultrasonic transducers for in-service inspection of nuclear reactor vessels have several problems associated with them which this invention seeks to overcome. The first is that of calibration or referencing a zero start point for the vertical axis of transducer movement to locate a weld defect. The second is that of verifying the positioning (vertically or at a predetermined angle). Thirdly there is the problem of ascertaining the speed per unit distance in the operating medium of the transducer beam prior to the actual inspection. The apparatus described is a calibration assembly which includes a fixed, generally spherical body having a surface for reflecting an ultrasonic beam from one of the transducers which can be moved until the reflection from the spherical body is the highest amplitude return signal indicating radial alignment from the body. (U.K.)

  6. Effects of cloudy/clear air mixing and droplet pH on sulfate aerosol formation in a coupled chemistry/climate global model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Molenkamp, C.R.; Atherton, C.A. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); Penner, J.E.; Walton, J.J. [Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences

    1996-10-01

    In this paper we will briefly describe our coupled ECHAM/GRANTOUR model, provide a detailed description of our atmospheric chemistry parameterizations, and discuss a couple of numerical experiments in which we explore the influence of assumed pH and rate of mixing between cloudy and clear air on aqueous sulfate formation and concentration. We have used our tropospheric chemistry and transport model, GRANTOUR, to estimate the life cycle and global distributions of many trace species. Recently, we have coupled GRANTOUR with the ECHAM global climate model, which provides several enhanced capabilities in the representation of aerosol interactions.

  7. Sonochemical and high-speed optical characterization of cavitation generated by an ultrasonically oscillating dental file in root canal models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macedo, R G; Verhaagen, B; Fernandez Rivas, D; Gardeniers, J G E; van der Sluis, L W M; Wesselink, P R; Versluis, M

    2014-01-01

    Ultrasonically Activated Irrigation makes use of an ultrasonically oscillating file in order to improve the cleaning of the root canal during a root canal treatment. Cavitation has been associated with these oscillating files, but the nature and characteristics of the cavitating bubbles were not yet fully elucidated. Using sensitive equipment, the sonoluminescence (SL) and sonochemiluminescence (SCL) around these files have been measured in this study, showing that cavitation occurs even at very low power settings. Luminol photography and high-speed visualizations provided information on the spatial and temporal distribution of the cavitation bubbles. A large bubble cloud was observed at the tip of the files, but this was found not to contribute to SCL. Rather, smaller, individual bubbles observed at antinodes of the oscillating file with a smaller amplitude were leading to SCL. Confinements of the size of bovine and human root canals increased the amount of SL and SCL. The root canal models also showed the occurrence of air entrainment, resulting in the generation of stable bubbles, and of droplets, near the air-liquid interface and leading eventually to a loss of the liquid. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Very high temperature ultrasonic thermometer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jorzik, E.

    1983-01-01

    An ultrasonic thermometer comprises an electric pulse transducer head, a pulse transmission line, a notched sensor wire attached to and extending along the axis of said transmission line and a sheath enclosing the transmission line and the sensor wire, a portion of the interior face of the sheath being covered by a stuffing material along at least the length of the notched part of the sensor wire, such that contact between the sensor wire and the stuffing material does not substantially give rise to reflection of an ultrasonic pulse at the point of contact. (author)

  9. Ultrasonically assisted drilling of rocks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikhailova, N. V.; Onawumi, P. Y.; Roy, A.; Silberschmidt, V. V.

    2018-05-01

    Conventional drilling of rocks can generate significant damage in the drilled material; a material layer is often split off a back surface of a sample during drilling, negatively affecting its strength. To improve finish quality, ultrasonically assisted drilling (UAD) was employed in two rocks - sandstone and marble. Damage areas in both materials were reduced in UAD when compared to conventional drilling. Reductions in a thrust force and a torque reduction were observed only for UAD in marble; ultrasonic assistance in sandstone drilling did not result in improvements in this regard.

  10. Ultrasonic control of ceramic membrane fouling by particles: effect of ultrasonic factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Dong; Weavers, Linda K; Walker, Harold W

    2006-07-01

    Ultrasound at 20 kHz was applied to a cross-flow ultrafiltration system with gamma-alumina membranes in the presence of colloidal silica particles to systematically investigate how ultrasonic factors affect membrane cleaning. Based on imaging of the ultrasonic cavitation region, optimal cleaning occurred when the membrane was outside but close to the cavitation region. Increasing the filtration pressure increased the compressive forces driving cavitation collapse and resulted in fewer cavitation bubbles absorbing and scattering sound waves and increasing sound wave penetration. However, an increased filtration pressure also resulted in greater permeation drag, and subsequently less improvement in permeate flux compared to low filtration pressure. Finally, pulsed ultrasound with short pulse intervals resulted in permeate flux improvement close to that of continuous sonication.

  11. C-Scan Performance Test of Under-Sodium ultrasonic Waveguide Sensor in Sodium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joo, Young Sang; Bae, Jin Ho; Kim, Jong Bum

    2011-01-01

    Reactor core and in-vessel structures of a sodium-cooled fast (SFR) are submerged in opaque liquid sodium in the reactor vessel. The ultrasonic inspection techniques should be applied for observing the in-vessel structures under hot liquid sodium. Ultrasonic sensors such as immersion sensors and rod-type waveguide sensors have developed in order to apply under-sodium viewing of the in-vessel structures of SFR. Recently the novel plate-type ultrasonic waveguide sensor has been developed for the versatile application of under-sodium viewing in SFR. In previous studies, the ultrasonic waveguide sensor module was designed and manufactured, and the feasibility study of the ultrasonic waveguide sensor was performed. To improve the performance of the ultrasonic waveguide sensor in the under-sodium application, a new concept of ultrasonic waveguide sensors with a Be coated SS304 plate is suggested for the effective generation of a leaky wave in liquid sodium and the non-dispersive propagation of A 0 -mode Lamb wave in an ultrasonic waveguide sensor. In this study, the C-scan performance of the under-sodium ultrasonic waveguide sensor in sodium has been investigated by the experimental test in sodium. The under-sodium ultrasonic waveguide sensor and the sodium test facility with a glove box system and a sodium tank are designed and manufactured to carry out the performance test of under-sodium ultrasonic waveguide sensor in sodium environment condition

  12. Liquid ultrasonic flow meters for crude oil measurement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kalivoda, Raymond J.; Lunde, Per

    2005-07-01

    Liquid ultrasonic flow meters (LUFMs) are gaining popularity for the accurate measurement of petroleum products. In North America the first edition of the API standard ''Measurement of liquid hydrocarbons by ultrasonic flow meters using transit time technology'' was issued in February 2005. It addresses both refined petroleum products and crude oil applications. Its field of application is mainly custody transfer applications but it does provide general guidelines for the installation and operation of LUFM's other applications such as allocation, check meters and leak detection. As with all new technologies performance claims are at times exaggerated or misunderstood and application knowledge is limited. Since ultrasonic meters have no moving parts they appear to have fewer limitations than other liquid flow meters. Liquids ultrasonic flow meters, like turbine meters, are sensitive to fluid properties. It is increasingly more difficult to apply on high viscosity products then on lighter hydrocarbon products. Therefore application data or experience on the measurement of refined or light crude oil may not necessarily be transferred to measuring medium to heavy crude oils. Before better and more quantitative knowledge is available on how LUFMs react on different fluids, the arguments advocating reduced need for in-situ proving and increased dependency on laboratory flow calibration (e.g. using water instead of hydrocarbons) may be questionable. The present paper explores the accurate measurement of crude oil with liquid ultrasonic meters. It defines the unique characteristics of the different API grades of crude oils and how they can affect the accuracy of the liquid ultrasonic measurement. Flow testing results using a new LUFM design are discussed. The paper is intended to provide increased insight into the potentials and limitations of crude oil measurement using ultrasonic flow meters. (author) (tk)

  13. A study on Computer-controlled Ultrasonic Scanning Device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huh, H.; Park, C. S.; Hong, S. S.; Park, J. H.

    1989-01-01

    Since the nuclear power plants in Korea have been operated in 1979, the nondestructive testing (NDT) of pressure vessels and/or piping welds plays an important role for maintaining the safety and integrity of the plants. Ultrasonic method is superior to the other NDT method in the viewpoint of the detectability of small flaw and accuracy to determine the locations, sizes, orientations, and shapes. As the service time of the nuclear power plants is increased, the radiation level from the components is getting higher. In order to get more quantitative and reliable results and secure the inspector from the exposure to high radiation level, automation of the ultrasonic equipment has been one of the important research and development(R and D) subject. In this research, it was attempted to visualize the shape of flaws presented inside the specimen using a Modified C-Scan technique. In order to develop Modified C-Scan technique, an automatic ultrasonic scanner and a module to control the scanner were designed and fabricated. IBM-PC/XT was interfaced to the module to control the scanner. Analog signals from the SONIC MARK II were digitized by Analog-Digital Converter(ADC 0800) for Modified C-Scan display. A computer program has been developed and has capability of automatic data acquisition and processing from the digital data, which consist of maximum amplitudes in each gate range and locations. The data from Modified C-Scan results was compared with shape from artificial defects using the developed system. Focal length of focused transducer was measured. The automatic ultrasonic equipment developed through this study is essential for more accurate, reliable, and repeatable ultrasonic experiments. If the scanner are modified to meet to appropriate purposes, it can be applied to automation of ultrasonic examination of nuclear power plants and helpful to the research on ultrasonic characterization of the materials

  14. Chemical coloring on stainless steel by ultrasonic irradiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Zuohui; Xue, Yongqiang; Ju, Hongbin

    2018-01-01

    To solve the problems of high temperature and non-uniformity of coloring on stainless steel, a new chemical coloring process, applying ultrasonic irradiation to the traditional chemical coloring process, was developed in this paper. The effects of ultrasonic frequency and power density (sound intensity) on chemical coloring on stainless steel were studied. The uniformity of morphology and colors was observed with the help of polarizing microscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the surface compositions were characterized by X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy (XPS), meanwhile, the wear resistance and the corrosion resistance were investigated, and the effect mechanism of ultrasonic irradiation on chemical coloring was discussed. These results show that in the process of chemical coloring on stainless steel by ultrasonic irradiation, the film composition is the same as the traditional chemical coloring, and this method can significantly enhance the uniformity, the wear and corrosion resistances of the color film and accelerate the coloring rate which makes the coloring temperature reduced to 40°C. The effects of ultrasonic irradiation on the chemical coloring can be attributed to the coloring rate accelerated and the coloring temperature reduced by thermal-effect, the uniformity of coloring film improved by dispersion-effect, and the wear and corrosion resistances of coloring film enhanced by cavitation-effect. Ultrasonic irradiation not only has an extensive application prospect for chemical coloring on stainless steel but also provides an valuable reference for other chemical coloring. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Simulation of the Two-Phase Liquid – Gas Flow through Ultrasonic Transceivers Application in Ultrasonic Tomography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zulkarnay Zakaria

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, ultrasonic transmission mode tomography was used to visualize the two phase liquid/gas flow in a pipe/vessel. The sensing element consists of 8, 16 and 32 units ultrasonic transceivers were used to cover the pipe cross-section at different time. The motivation of this paper is to analyze the optimum numbers of transceivers which can give the best performance in providing better image of the two phase liquid/gas flow. This paper also details the development of the system including the ultrasonic transduction circuits, the electronic measurement circuits, the data acquisition system and the image reconstruction techniques. Ten conditions of liquid-gas flow have been simulated. The system was found capable of visualizing the internal characteristics and provides the concentration profile for the corresponding liquid and gas phases while the 32 transceivers has provided the best image for the ten conditions applied.

  16. Experiences in using ultrasonic holography with numerical and optical reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmitz, V.; Wosnitza, M.

    1978-01-01

    At present, ultrasonic holography can resolve and image faults of 1 mm and more and with distances of one ultrasonic wavelength. The main field of application is for thick-walled structural components. Depending on the expected orientation, test probe arrangements as in standard ultrasonic testing are chosen. (orig./RW) [de

  17. Improvement of solar ethanol distillation using ultrasonic waves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaruwat Jareanjit

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available This report presents a study on the use of ultrasonic waves in solar ethanol distillation to investigate the performance of ultrasonic waves at a frequency of 30 kHz and at 100 Watts that were installed in the inlet area of a 10-litre distillation tank. Based on the non-continuous distillation process (batch distillation, the experiment demonstrated that using ultrasonic waves in solar ethanol distillation caused the average concentration of hourly distilled ethanol to be higher than that of a normal system (solar ethanol distillation without ultrasonic wave at the same or higher distillation rate and hourly distillation volume. The ultrasonic wave was able to enhance the separation of ethanol from the solution (water-ethanol mixture through solar distillation. The amount of pure ethanol product from each distilled batch was clearly larger than the amount of product obtained from a normal system when the initial concentration of ethanol was lower than 50%v/v (% by volume, where an average of approximately 40% and 20% are obtained for an initial ethanol concentration of 10%v/v and 30%v/v, respectively. Furthermore, the distillation rate varied based on the solar radiation value.

  18. Failed fuel rod detection method by ultrasonic wave

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takamatsu, Masatoshi; Muraoka, Shoichi; Ono, Yukio; Yasojima, Yujiro.

    1990-01-01

    Ultrasonic wave signals sent from an ultrasonic receiving element are supplied to an evaluation circuit by way of a gate. A table for gate opening and closing timings at the detecting position in each of the fuel rods in a fuel assembly is stored in a memory. A fuel rod is placed between an ultrasonic transmitting element and the receiving element to determine the positions of the transmitting element and the receiving element by positional sensors. The opening and closing timings at the positions corresponding to the result of the detection are read out from the table, and the gates are opened and closed by the timing. This can introduce the ultrasonic wave signals transmitted through a control rod always to the evaluation circuit passing through the gate. Accordingly, the state of failure of the fuel rod can be detected accurately. (I.N.)

  19. Ultrasonic weld testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1970-12-01

    The study was broken down into two phases. Phase I consisted of a laboratory investigation of test specimens to determine the reliability of the ultrasonic equipment and testing procedure. Phase II was a field study where the knowledge, skills and ab...

  20. System and technique for ultrasonic determination of degree of cooking

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bond, Leonard J [Richland, WA; Diaz, Aaron A [W. Richland, WA; Judd, Kayte M [Richland, WA; Pappas, Richard A [Richland, WA; Cliff, William C [Richland, WA; Pfund, David M [Richland, WA; Morgen, Gerald P [Kennewick, WA

    2007-03-20

    A method and apparatus are described for determining the doneness of food during a cooking process. Ultrasonic signal are passed through the food during cooking. The change in transmission characteristics of the ultrasonic signal during the cooking process is measured to determine the point at which the food has been cooked to the proper level. In one aspect, a heated fluid cooks the food, and the transmission characteristics along a fluid-only ultrasonic path provides a reference for comparison with the transmission characteristics for a food-fluid ultrasonic path.

  1. Effect of acoustic softening on the thermal-mechanical process of ultrasonic welding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Kunkun; Zhang, Yansong; Wang, Hongze

    2017-03-01

    Application of ultrasonic energy can reduce the static stress necessary for plastic deformation of metallic materials to reduce forming load and energy, namely acoustic softening effect (ASE). Ultrasonic welding (USW) is a rapid joining process utilizing ultrasonic energy to form a solid state joint between two or more pieces of metals. Quantitative characterization of ASE and its influence on specimen deformation and heat generation is essential to clarify the thermal-mechanical process of ultrasonic welding. In the present work, experiments were set up to found out mechanical behavior of copper and aluminum under combined effect of compression force and ultrasonic energy. Constitutive model was proposed and numerical implemented in finite element model of ultrasonic welding. Thermal-mechanical analysis was put forward to explore the effect of ultrasonic energy on the welding process quantitatively. Conclusions can be drawn that ASE increases structural deformation significantly, which is beneficial for joint formation. Meanwhile, heat generation from both frictional work and plastic deformation is slightly influenced by ASE. Based on the proposed model, relationship between ultrasonic energy and thermal-mechanical behavior of structure during ultrasonic welding was constructed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. An ultrasonic waveguide for nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watkins, R.D.; Gillespie, A.B.; Deighton, M.O.; Pike, R.B.

    1983-01-01

    The value of ultrasonic techniques in nuclear plants is well established. However, in most cases nuclear power plants present an extremely hostile environment for an ultrasonic transducer. The paper presents a novel technique for introducing an ultrasound into hostile liquid environments using a new form of ultrasonic waveguide. Using this approach, a standard transducer arrangement is sited in a hospitable area and conveys the ultrasound along the guide to the required beam-emission collection position. The design of a single-mode ultrasonic waveguide is described. The ultrasound is conveyed along a stainless steel strip of rectangular cross-section. The transference of energy between the strip and the liquid is achieved through a highly efficient mode-conversion process. This process overcomes the usual problems of mis-match of acoustic impedances of stainless steel and liquids, and also produces a highly collimated beam of ultrasound. Tests of a 10-m-long waveguide using these techniques are described, achieving signal-to-noise ratios in the region of 40 dB. (author)

  3. Energy-Based Analysis of Ultrasonically Assisted Turning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.A. Volkov

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The process of ultrasonically-assisted turning (UAT is a superposition of vibration of a cutting tool on its standard movement in conventional turning (CT. The former technique has several advantages compared with the latter, one of the main being a significant decrease in the level of cutting forces. In this paper the effects observed in UAT are analysed employing ideas of dynamic fracture mechanics. The active stage of loading duration depends heavily on ultrasonic frequency and the cutting speed; he application of the fracture criterion based on the notion of incubation time makes it possible to calculate a dependence of this duration on its threshold amplitude. An estimation of energy, necessary to create a threshold pulse in the material, is made by solving the contact Hertz problem. The obtained time dependence of energy has a marked minimum. Thus, the existence of energy-efficient loading duration is demonstrated. This explains the decrease in the cutting force resulting from superimposed ultrasonic vibration. The obtained results are in agreement with experiments on ultrasonic assisted machining of aluminium and Inconel 718 alloy.

  4. Wear reduction through piezoelectrically-assisted ultrasonic lubrication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, Sheng; J Dapino, Marcelo

    2014-01-01

    Traditional lubricants are undesirable in harsh aerospace environments and certain automotive applications. Ultrasonic vibrations can be used to reduce and modulate the effective friction coefficient between two sliding surfaces. This paper investigates the relationship between friction force reduction and wear reduction in ultrasonically lubricated surfaces. A pin-on-disc tribometer is modified through the addition of a piezoelectric transducer which vibrates the pin at 22 kHz in the direction perpendicular to the rotating disc surface. Friction and wear metrics including volume loss, surface roughness, friction forces and apparent stick-slip effects are measured without and with ultrasonic vibrations at three different sliding velocities. SEM imaging and 3D profilometry are used to characterize the wear surfaces and guide model development. Over the range of speeds considered, ultrasonic vibrations reduce the effective friction force up to 62% along with a wear reduction of up to 49%. A simple cube model previously developed to quantify friction force reduction is implemented which describes wear reduction within 15% of the experimental data. (paper)

  5. Dog-Bone Horns for Piezoelectric Ultrasonic/Sonic Actuators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherrit, Stewart; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Chang, Zensheu; Bao, Xiaoqi

    2007-01-01

    A shape reminiscent of a dog bone has been found to be superior to other shapes for mechanical-amplification horns that are components of piezoelectrically driven actuators used in a series of related devices denoted generally as ultrasonic/sonic drill/corers (USDCs). The first of these devices was reported in Ultrasonic/Sonic Drill/Corers With Integrated Sensors (NPO-20856), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 25, No. 1 (January 2001), page 38. The dog-bone shape was conceived especially for use in a more recent device in the series, denoted an ultrasonic/ sonic gopher, that was described in Ultrasonic/Sonic Mechanisms for Drilling and Coring (NPO-30291), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 27, No. 9 (September 2003), page 65. The figure shows an example of a dog-bone-shaped horn and other components of an ultrasonic gopher. Prerequisite to a meaningful description of this development is an unavoidably lengthy recapitulation of the principle of operation of a USDC and, more specifically, of the ultrasonic/sonic gopher as described previously in NASA Tech Briefs. The ultrasonic actuator includes a stack of piezoelectric rings, the horn, a metal backing, and a bolt that connects the aforementioned parts and provides compressive pre-strain to the piezoelectric stack to prevent breakage of the rings during extension. The stack of piezoelectric rings is excited at the resonance frequency of the overall ultrasonic actuator. Through mechanical amplification by the horn, the displacement in the ultrasonic vibration reaches tens of microns at the tip of the horn. The horn hammers an object that is denoted the free mass because it is free to move longitudinally over a limited distance between hard stops: The free mass bounces back and forth between the ultrasonic horn and a tool bit (a drill bit or a corer). Because the longitudinal speed of the free mass is smaller than the longitudinal speed of vibration of the tip of the horn, contact between the free mass and the horn tip usually occurs at a

  6. High quantum yield ZnO quantum dots synthesizing via an ultrasonication microreactor method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Weimin; Yang, Huafang; Ding, Wenhao; Zhang, Bing; Zhang, Le; Wang, Lixi; Yu, Mingxun; Zhang, Qitu

    2016-11-01

    Green emission ZnO quantum dots were synthesized by an ultrasonic microreactor. Ultrasonic radiation brought bubbles through ultrasonic cavitation. These bubbles built microreactor inside the microreactor. The photoluminescence properties of ZnO quantum dots synthesized with different flow rate, ultrasonic power and temperature were discussed. Flow rate, ultrasonic power and temperature would influence the type and quantity of defects in ZnO quantum dots. The sizes of ZnO quantum dots would be controlled by those conditions as well. Flow rate affected the reaction time. With the increasing of flow rate, the sizes of ZnO quantum dots decreased and the quantum yields first increased then decreased. Ultrasonic power changed the ultrasonic cavitation intensity, which affected the reaction energy and the separation of the solution. With the increasing of ultrasonic power, sizes of ZnO quantum dots first decreased then increased, while the quantum yields kept increasing. The effect of ultrasonic temperature on the photoluminescence properties of ZnO quantum dots was influenced by the flow rate. Different flow rate related to opposite changing trend. Moreover, the quantum yields of ZnO QDs synthesized by ultrasonic microreactor could reach 64.7%, which is higher than those synthesized only under ultrasonic radiation or only by microreactor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Wavelet Analysis of Ultrasonic Echo Waveform and Application to Nondestructive Evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Ik Keun; Park, Un Su; Ahn, Hyung Keun; Kwun, Sook In; Byeon, Jai Won

    2000-01-01

    Recently, advanced signal analysis which is called 'time-frequency analysis' has been used widely in nondestructive evaluation applications. Wavelet transform(WT) and Wigner Distribution are the most advanced techniques for processing signals with time-varying spectra. Wavelet analysis method is an attractive technique for evaluation of material characterization nondestructively. Wavelet transform is applied to the time-frequency analysis of ultrasonic echo waveform obtained by an ultrasonic pulse-echo technique. In this study, the feasibility of noise suppression of ultrasonic flaw signal and frequency-dependent ultrasonic group velocity and attenuation coefficient using wavelet analysis of ultrasonic echo waveform have been verified experimentally. The Gabor function is adopted the analyzing wavelet. The wavelet analysis shows that the variations of ultrasonic group velocity and attenuation coefficient due to the change of material characterization can be evaluated at each frequency. Furthermore, to assure the enhancement of detectability and new sizing performance, both computer simulated results and experimental measurements using wavelet signal processing are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the noise suppression of ultrasonic flaw signal obtained from austenitic stainless steel weld including EDM notch

  8. Automated ultrasonic inspection using PULSDAT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naybour, P.J.

    1992-01-01

    PULSDAT (Portable Ultrasonic Data Acquisition Tool) is a system for recording the data from single probe automated ultrasonic inspections. It is one of a range of instruments and software developed by Nuclear Electric to carry out a wide variety of high quality ultrasonic inspections. These vary from simple semi-automated inspections through to multi-probe, highly automated ones. PULSDAT runs under the control of MIPS software, and collects data which is compatible with the GUIDE data display system. PULSDAT is therefore fully compatible with Nuclear Electric's multi-probe inspection systems and utilises all the reliability and quality assurance of the software. It is a rugged, portable system that can be used in areas of difficult access. The paper discusses the benefits of automated inspection and gives an outline of the main features of PULSDAT. Since April 1990 PULSDAT has been used in several applications within Nuclear Electric and this paper presents two examples: the first is a ferritic set-through nozzle and the second is an austenitic fillet weld. (Author)

  9. Regional air-sea coupled model simulation for two types of extreme heat in North China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Donghuan; Zou, Liwei; Zhou, Tianjun

    2018-03-01

    Extreme heat (EH) over North China (NC) is affected by both large scale circulations and local topography, and could be categorized into foehn favorable and no-foehn types. In this study, the performance of a regional coupled model in simulating EH over NC was examined. The effects of regional air-sea coupling were also investigated by comparing the results with the corresponding atmosphere-alone regional model. On foehn favorable (no-foehn) EH days, a barotropic cyclonic (anticyclonic) anomaly is located to the northeast (northwest) of NC, while anomalous northwesterlies (southeasterlies) prevail over NC in the lower troposphere. In the uncoupled simulation, barotropic anticyclonic bias occurs over China on both foehn favorable and no-foehn EH days, and the northwesterlies in the lower troposphere on foehn favorable EH days are not obvious. These biases are significantly reduced in the regional coupled simulation, especially on foehn favorable EH days with wind anomalies skill scores improving from 0.38 to 0.47, 0.47 to 0.61 and 0.38 to 0.56 for horizontal winds at 250, 500 and 850 hPa, respectively. Compared with the uncoupled simulation, the reproduction of the longitudinal position of Northwest Pacific subtropical high (NPSH) and the spatial pattern of the low-level monsoon flow over East Asia are improved in the coupled simulation. Therefore, the anticyclonic bias over China is obviously reduced, and the proportion of EH days characterized by anticyclonic anomaly is more appropriate. The improvements in the regional coupled model indicate that it is a promising choice for the future projection of EH over NC.

  10. Development of phased-array ultrasonic testing probe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawanami, Seiichi; Kurokawa, Masaaki; Taniguchi, Masaru; Tada, Yoshihisa

    2001-01-01

    Phased-array ultrasonic testing was developed for nondestructive evaluation of power plants. Phased-array UT scans and focuses an ultrasonic beam to inspect areas difficult to inspect by conventional UT. We developed a highly sensitive piezoelectric composite, and designed optimized phased-array UT probes. We are applying our phased-array UT to different areas of power plants. (author)

  11. Automated ultrasonic testing--capabilities, limitations and methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beller, L.S.; Mikesell, C.R.

    1977-01-01

    The requirements for precision and reproducibility of ultrasonic testing during inservice inspection of nuclear reactors are both quantitatively and qualitatively more severe than most current practice in the field can provide. An automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) system, which provides a significant advancement in field examination capabilities, is described. Properties of the system, its application, and typical results are discussed

  12. Ultrasonic guided wave for monitoring corrosion of steel bar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xi; Qin, Lei; Huang, Bosheng

    2018-01-01

    Steel corrosion of reinforced concrete structures has become a serious problem all over the word. In this paper, the work aims at monitoring steel corrosion using ultrasonic guided wave (UGW). Ultrasonic guided wave monitoring is a dynamic and non-destructive testing technology. The advantages of ultrasonic guided wave monitoring for reinforcement corrosion are real-time, online and continuous. In addition, it can judge the different stages of steel bar corrosion, which achieved non-destructive detection.

  13. Application of ground-to-air heat exchanger for preheating of supply air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorokins, Juris; Borodinecs, Anatolijs; Zemitis, Jurgis

    2017-10-01

    This study focuses on assessing the contribution of the passive ground-coupled air heat exchanger system to decreasing the energy consumption of air conditioning and ventilation systems for office buildings in the Latvian climate conditions. The theoretical part of the thesis deals with methods of office building ventilation, supply air preheating and heat recovery as well as particularities of using ground-coupled air heat exchangers, their design parameters and their joint impact on the thermal performance. The engineering project part includes a ventilation system for an office building with an integrated ground-coupled air heat exchanger. By simulating energy consumption of the ventilation system for a duration of one year, the thesis analyzes the contribution of the heat exchanger to the overall energy consumption, which totals 9.53 MWh and 4.02 MWh a year, according to the desired parameters of the indoor climate. The possible alternative heat recovery solutions are investigated to reach by European Regional Development Fund project Nr.1.1.1.1/16/A/048 “NEARLY ZERO ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR UNCLASSIFIED BUILDINGS”.

  14. Gas ultrasonic flow rate measurement through genetic-ant colony optimization based on the ultrasonic pulse received signal model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Huirang; Zheng, Dandan; Nie, Laixiao

    2015-04-01

    For gas ultrasonic flowmeters, the signals received by ultrasonic sensors are susceptible to noise interference. If signals are mingled with noise, a large error in flow measurement can be caused by triggering mistakenly using the traditional double-threshold method. To solve this problem, genetic-ant colony optimization (GACO) based on the ultrasonic pulse received signal model is proposed. Furthermore, in consideration of the real-time performance of the flow measurement system, the improvement of processing only the first three cycles of the received signals rather than the whole signal is proposed. Simulation results show that the GACO algorithm has the best estimation accuracy and ant-noise ability compared with the genetic algorithm, ant colony optimization, double-threshold and enveloped zero-crossing. Local convergence doesn’t appear with the GACO algorithm until -10 dB. For the GACO algorithm, the converging accuracy and converging speed and the amount of computation are further improved when using the first three cycles (called GACO-3cycles). Experimental results involving actual received signals show that the accuracy of single-gas ultrasonic flow rate measurement can reach 0.5% with GACO-3 cycles, which is better than with the double-threshold method.

  15. Actively adjustable step-type ultrasonic horns in longitudinal vibration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Shuyu; Guo, Hao; Xu, Jie

    2018-04-01

    Actively adjustable longitudinal step-type ultrasonic horns are proposed and studied. The horn is composed of a traditional ultrasonic horn and piezoelectric material. In practical applications, this kind of step-type ultrasonic horn is mechanically excited by an ultrasonic transducer and the piezoelectric material is connected to an adjustable electric impedance. In this research, the effects of the electric impedance and of the location of the piezoelectric material on the performance of the horn are studied. It is shown that when the electric resistance is increased, the resonance frequency of the horn is increased; the displacement magnification is increased when the piezoelectric material is located in the large end and decreased when the piezoelectric material is located in the small end of the horn. The displacement magnification for the piezoelectric material in the large end is larger than that for the piezoelectric material in the small end of the horn. Some step-type ultrasonic horns are designed and manufactured; the resonance frequency and the displacement magnification are measured by means of POLYTEC Laser Scanning vibrometer. It is shown that the theoretical resonance frequency and the displacement magnification are in good agreement with the measured results. It is concluded that by means of the insertion of the piezoelectric material in the longitudinal horn, the horn performance can be adjusted by changing the electric impedance and the location of the piezoelectric material in the horn. It is expected that this kind of adjustable ultrasonic horns can be used in traditional and potential ultrasonic technologies where the vibrational performance adjustment is needed.

  16. Mid-IR laser ultrasonic testing for fiber reinforced plastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusano, Masahiro; Hatano, Hideki; Oguchi, Kanae; Yamawaki, Hisashi; Watanabe, Makoto; Enoki, Manabu

    2018-04-01

    Ultrasonic testing is the most common method to detect defects in materials and evaluate their sizes and locations. Since piezo-electric transducers are manually handled from point to point, it takes more costs for huge products such as airplanes. Laser ultrasonic testing (LUT) is a breakthrough technique. A pulsed laser generates ultrasonic waves on a material surface due to thermoelastic effect or ablation. The ultrasonic waves can be detected by another laser with an interferometer. Thus, LUT can realize instantaneous inspection without contacting a sample. A pulse laser with around 3.2 μm wavelength (in the mid-IR range) is more suitable to generate ultrasonic waves for fiber reinforced plastics (FRPs) because the light is well absorbed by the polymeric matrix. On the other hand, such a laser is not available in the market. In order to emit the mid-IR laser pulse, we came up with the application of an optical parametric oscillator and developed an efficient wavelength conversion device by pumping a compact Nd:YAG solid-state laser. Our mid-IR LUT system is most suitable for inspection of FRPs. The signal-to-noise ratio of ultrasonic waves generated by the mid-IR laser is higher than that by the Nd:YAG laser. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the performance of the mid-IR LUT system in reflection mode. We investigated the effects of the material properties and the laser properties on the generated ultrasonic waves. In addition, C-scan images by the system were also presented.

  17. Method of case hardening depth testing by using multifunctional ultrasonic testing instrument

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salchak, Y A; Sednev, D A; Ardashkin, I B; Kroening, M

    2015-01-01

    The paper describes usability of ultrasonic case hardening depth control applying standard instrument of ultrasonic inspections. The ultrasonic method of measuring the depth of the hardened layer is proposed. Experimental series within the specified and multifunctional ultrasonic equipment are performed. The obtained results are compared with the results of a referent method of analysis. (paper)

  18. Proceedings of the specialists' meeting on reliability of the ultrasonic inspection of austenitic materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1980-07-01

    The contributions of this meeting addressed several topics: the fundamentals of ultrasonic examination of austenitic materials (effect of anisotropy on propagation, improvement of ultrasonic testing to thick bimetallic welds, aspects of the ultrasonic testing of austenitic steel structures, utilization of a Fisher linear discriminant function in intergranular stress corrosion cracking or IGSCC detection, case of coarse grain austenitic welds, efforts of the Argonne National Laboratory), instruments and methods (longitudinal wave ultrasonic inspection, Grass echo suppression technique during the ultrasonic inspection of fuel cladding tubes, inspections of fillet and butt welds, improvement by signal averaging techniques, multiple bearing angle crack detector for cladded pipes examinations, flow-to-grain echo enhancement by split-spectrum processing, ultrasonic imaging techniques, ultrasonic inspection of pipe weldments for IGSCC), industrial practice (ultrasonic testing techniques for fabrication and in-service inspection, experiences in ultrasonic examination of austenitic steel components, experience and practice on nuclear piping in Spain, detection of underclad defects, sizing of cracks perpendicular to stainless overlay), and reliability (survey of ultrasonic testing in austenitic weld material, examination of electron beam welds, factors affecting the reliability of ultrasonic examination, detectability of IGSCC, ultrasonic inspection reliability for primary piping systems)

  19. Proceedings of the specialists' meeting on reliability of the ultrasonic inspection of austenitic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-01-01

    The contributions of this meeting addressed several topics: the fundamentals of ultrasonic examination of austenitic materials (effect of anisotropy on propagation, improvement of ultrasonic testing to thick bimetallic welds, aspects of the ultrasonic testing of austenitic steel structures, utilization of a Fisher linear discriminant function in intergranular stress corrosion cracking or IGSCC detection, case of coarse grain austenitic welds, efforts of the Argonne National Laboratory), instruments and methods (longitudinal wave ultrasonic inspection, Grass echo suppression technique during the ultrasonic inspection of fuel cladding tubes, inspections of fillet and butt welds, improvement by signal averaging techniques, multiple bearing angle crack detector for cladded pipes examinations, flow-to-grain echo enhancement by split-spectrum processing, ultrasonic imaging techniques, ultrasonic inspection of pipe weldments for IGSCC), industrial practice (ultrasonic testing techniques for fabrication and in-service inspection, experiences in ultrasonic examination of austenitic steel components, experience and practice on nuclear piping in Spain, detection of underclad defects, sizing of cracks perpendicular to stainless overlay), and reliability (survey of ultrasonic testing in austenitic weld material, examination of electron beam welds, factors affecting the reliability of ultrasonic examination, detectability of IGSCC, ultrasonic inspection reliability for primary piping systems)

  20. Mining Environmental Data from a Coupled Modelling System to Examine the Impact of Agricultural Management Practices on Groundwater and Air Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, V.; Cooter, E. J.; Hayes, B.; Murphy, M. S.; Bash, J. O.

    2014-12-01

    Excess nitrogen (N) resulting from current agricultural management practices can leach into sources of drinking water as nitrate, increasing human health risks of 'blue baby syndrome', hypertension, and some cancers and birth defects. Nitrogen also enters the atmosphere from land surfaces forming air pollution increasing human health risks of pulmonary and cardio-vascular disease. Characterizing and attributing nitrogen from agricultural management practices is difficult due to the complex and inter-related chemical and biological reactions associated with the nitrogen cascade. Coupled physical process-based models, however, present new opportunities to investigate relationships among environmental variables on new scales; particularly because they link emission sources with meteorology and the pollutant concentration ultimately found in the environment. In this study, we applied a coupled meteorology (NOAA-WRF), agricultural (USDA-EPIC) and air quality modelling system (EPA-CMAQ) to examine the impact of nitrogen inputs from corn production on ecosystem and human health and wellbeing. The coupled system accounts for the nitrogen flux between the land surface and air, and the soil surface and groundwater, providing a unique opportunity to examine the effect of management practices such as type and timing of fertilization, tilling and irrigation on both groundwater and air quality across the conterminous US. In conducting the study, we first determined expected relationships based on literature searches and then identified model variables as direct or surrogate variables. We performed extensive and methodical multi-variate regression modelling and variable selection to examine associations between agricultural management practices and environmental condition. We then applied the regression model to predict and contrast pollution levels between two corn production scenarios (Figure 1). Finally, we applied published health functions (e.g., spina bifida and cardio

  1. Reinforcement of poly(amide-imide) containing N-trimellitylimido-L-phenylalanine by using nano α-Al2O3 surface-coupled with bromo-flame retardant under ultrasonic irradiation technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mallakpour, Shadpour; Khadem, Elham

    2014-10-01

    By the uniform dispersion of nanoparticles into a polymer matrix, a substantial improvement of physicochemical properties can be attained. In this study, a series of poly(amide-imide)/Al2O3 nanocomposites (PANC)s based on various amounts of modified α-Al2O3 nanoparticles (ANP)s were prepared using the ultrasonic irradiation method. In the process of manufacturing the nanocomposites (NC)s, severe agglomeration of ANPs into the polymer matrix can be reduced using 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-6-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)carbamoyl]benzoic acid as novel coupling agent. The effects of modified ANPs on the morphology and properties of the polymer matrix were studied by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The results obtained by TGA showed that the thermal stability of the NCs was improved with the addition of the small amounts of ANPs as effective thermal degradation resistant reinforcement.

  2. The method of waste liquid atomization/incineration by using ultrasonic industrial burners

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bartonek, Thomas

    1999-01-01

    The problem of burning a fuel is closely related to distributing that fuel and mixing it with the combustion air within a pre-designated space, the combustion chamber. For fuel engineers, the rule of thumb is unchanged: mix it and it will burn. That is why the burner designer focuses his attention on incorporating the best possible atomization and mixing, equipment, i.c. in the end, on the construction of the atomizer nozzle and the control of the combustion air. It was these considerations plus the inability of conventional burners to meet the tough demands of today's applications that led DUMAG to undertake an intensive program of research which has now been crowned with success. Below, basic points drawn from the fundamental knowledge of all fuel engineers have been included to bring into sharper focus the operating principles of the DUMAG Ultrasonic Industrial Burner, a world class Austrian product. This paper describes a plant which has been operating without incident since October 1977. Its level of operational effectiveness is at least equivalent to that of a standard oil burner plant. The plant is also in full compliance with current environmental standards following the installation of additional safety equipment such as pre-combustion chambers, sensors to monitor pre-combustion chamber temperatures, cut-off valves for reaction water and solvents to block their flow if no heating oil is being fed in, flue gas density monitor, and finer atomization and better mixing by means of an ultrasonic system - even with fluctuations in the viscosity. By eliminating disposal costs and recovering power from liquid waste materials, the entire plant pays for itself within one year. (Original)

  3. Ultrasonic testing using time of flight diffraction technique (TOFD)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khurram Shahzad; Ahmad Mirza Safeer Ahmad; Muhammad Asif Khan

    2009-04-01

    This paper describes the ultrasonic testing using Time Flight Diffraction (TOFD) Technique for welded samples having different types and sizes of defects. TOFD is a computerized ultrasonic system, able to scan, store and evaluate indications in terms of location, through thickness and length in a more easy and convenient. Time of Flight Diffraction Technique (TOFD) is more fast and easy technique for ultrasonic testing as we can examine a weld i a single scan along the length of the weld with two probes known as D-scan. It shows the image of the complete weld with the defect information. The examinations were performed on carbon steel samples used for ultrasonic testing using 70 degree probes. The images for different type of defects were obtained. (author)

  4. Ultrasonic Generation and Optimization for EMAT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jian, X.; Dixon, Steve; Edwards, Rachel S.

    2005-01-01

    A model for transient ultrasonic wave generation by EMATs in non-magnetic metals is presented. It combines analytical solutions currently available and FEM to calculate ultrasonic bulk and Rayleigh waves generated by the EMAT. Analytical solutions are used as they can be calculated quickly on a standard mathematical computer package. Calculations agree well with the experimental measurement. The model can be used to optimize EMAT design, and has explained some of the results from our previous published measurements

  5. Longitudinal ultrasonic waves dispersion in bars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suarez Antola, R.

    2001-01-01

    The exhibition intends to review some aspects of the propagation of the longitudinal ultrasonic pulses shortly in bars of traverse section uniform.Aspects they are part of the denominated geometric dispersion of the pulses.This phenomenon It can present like an additional complication in the ultrasonic essay of low frequency of thin pieces in structures and machines but takes place former ex professed in some applications of the wave guides been accustomed to in the prosecution of signs

  6. Ultrasonic hot powder compaction of Ti-6Al-4V.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abedini, Rezvan; Abdullah, Amir; Alizadeh, Yunes

    2017-07-01

    Power ultrasonic has been recently employed in a wide variety of manufacturing processes among which ultrasonic assisted powder compaction is a promising powder materials processing technique with significant industrial applications. The products manufactured by the powder metallurgy commonly consist of residual porosities, material impurities, structural non-homogeneities and residual stress. In this paper, it is aimed to apply power ultrasonic to the hot consolidation process of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy powder in order to improve mechanical properties. To do this, the effects of ultrasonic power and process temperature and pressure were considered and then deeply studied through a series of experiments. It was shown that the addition of ultrasonic vibration leads to a significant improvement in the consolidation performance and the mechanical strength of the fabricated specimens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Detecting accuracy of flaws by manual and automatic ultrasonic inspections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iida, K.

    1988-01-01

    As the final stage work in the nine year project on proving tests of the ultrasonic inspection technique applied to the ISI of LWR plants, automatic ultrasonic inspection tests were carried out on EDM notches, surface fatigue cracks, weld defects and stress corrosion cracks, which were deliberately introduced in full size structural components simulating a 1,100 MWe BWR. Investigated items are the performance of a newly assembled automatic inspection apparatus, detection limit of flaws, detection resolution of adjacent collinear or parallel EDM notches, detection reproducibility and detection accuracy. The manual ultrasonic inspection of the same flaws as inspected by the automatic ultrasonic inspection was also carried out in order to have comparative data. This paper reports how it was confirmed that the automatic ultrasonic inspection is much superior to the manual inspection in the flaw detection rate and in the detection reproducibility

  8. A Miniature Probe for Ultrasonic Penetration of a Single Cell

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingfei Xiao

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Although ultrasound cavitation must be avoided for safe diagnostic applications, the ability of ultrasound to disrupt cell membranes has taken on increasing significance as a method to facilitate drug and gene delivery. A new ultrasonic resonance driving method is introduced to penetrate rigid wall plant cells or oocytes with springy cell membranes. When a reasonable design is created, ultrasound can gather energy and increase the amplitude factor. Ultrasonic penetration enables exogenous materials to enter cells without damaging them by utilizing instant acceleration. This paper seeks to develop a miniature ultrasonic probe experiment system for cell penetration. A miniature ultrasonic probe is designed and optimized using the Precise Four Terminal Network Method and Finite Element Method (FEM and an ultrasonic generator to drive the probe is designed. The system was able to successfully puncture a single fish cell.

  9. Study of different ultrasonic focusing methods applied to non destructive testing; Etude de differentes methodes de focalisation ultrasonore appliquees au controle non destructif

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    El Amrani, M.

    1995-11-17

    The work presented in this thesis concerns the study of different ultrasonic focusing techniques applied to Nondestructive Testing (mechanical focusing and electronic focusing) and compares their capabilities. We have developed a model to predict the ultrasonic field radiated into a solid by water-coupled transducers. The model is based upon the Rayleigh integral formulation, modified to take account the refraction at the liquid-solid interface. The model has been validated by numerous experiments in various configurations. Running this model and the associated software, we have developed new methods to optimize focused transducers and studied the characteristics of the beam generated by transducers using various focusing techniques. (author). 120 refs., 95 figs., 4 appends.

  10. A study on the development of a real-time intelligent system for ultrasonic flaw classification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Sung Jin; Kim, Hak Joon; Lee, Hyun; Lee, Seung Seok

    1998-01-01

    In spite of significant progress in research on ultrasonic pattern recognition it is not widely used in many practical field inspection in weldments. For the convenience of field application of this methodology, following four key issues have to be suitably addressed; 1) a software where the ultrasonic pattern recognition algorithm is efficiently implemented, 2) a real-time ultrasonic testing system which can capture the digitized ultrasonic flaw signal so the pattern recognition software can be applied in a real-time fashion, 3) database of ultrasonic flaw signals in weldments, which is served as a foundation of the ultrasonic pattern recognition algorithm, and finally, 4) ultrasonic features which should be invariant to operational variables of the ultrasonic test system. Presented here is the recent progress in the development of a real-time ultrasonic flaw classification by the novel combination of followings; an intelligent software for ultrasonic flaw classification in weldments, a computer-base real-time ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation system, database of ultrasonic flaw signals, and invariant ultrasonic features called 'normalized features.'

  11. Research of the ultrasonic testing parts reconditioned by welding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Petriceanu

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the results obtained following the nondestructive ultrasonic testing of crankpin shaft of a crankshaft that were reconditioned by welding. After the ultrasonic testing, the reconditioned samples were cut and subjected to visual testing and microstructure examination. When the results obtained following the nondestructive tests were analyzed, it was observed that the ultrasonic nondestructive testing method is an efficient way to determine the conformity of the areas that were reconditioned by welding.

  12. Ultrasonic-assisted manufacturing processes: Variational model and numerical simulations

    KAUST Repository

    Siddiq, Amir; El Sayed, Tamer

    2012-01-01

    We present a computational study of ultrasonic assisted manufacturing processes including sheet metal forming, upsetting, and wire drawing. A fully variational porous plasticity model is modified to include ultrasonic softening effects

  13. A capacitive ultrasonic transducer based on parametric resonance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surappa, Sushruta; Satir, Sarp; Levent Degertekin, F.

    2017-07-01

    A capacitive ultrasonic transducer based on a parametric resonator structure is described and experimentally demonstrated. The transducer structure, which we call capacitive parametric ultrasonic transducer (CPUT), uses a parallel plate capacitor with a movable membrane as part of a degenerate parametric series RLC resonator circuit with a resonance frequency of fo. When the capacitor plate is driven with an incident harmonic ultrasonic wave at the pump frequency of 2fo with sufficient amplitude, the RLC circuit becomes unstable and ultrasonic energy can be efficiently converted to an electrical signal at fo frequency in the RLC circuit. An important characteristic of the CPUT is that unlike other electrostatic transducers, it does not require DC bias or permanent charging to be used as a receiver. We describe the operation of the CPUT using an analytical model and numerical simulations, which shows drive amplitude dependent operation regimes including parametric resonance when a certain threshold is exceeded. We verify these predictions by experiments with a micromachined membrane based capacitor structure in immersion where ultrasonic waves incident at 4.28 MHz parametrically drive a signal with significant amplitude in the 2.14 MHz RLC circuit. With its unique features, the CPUT can be particularly advantageous for applications such as wireless power transfer for biomedical implants and acoustic sensing.

  14. Ultrasonic imaging of material flaws exploiting multipath information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Xizhong; Zhang, Yimin D.; Demirli, Ramazan; Amin, Moeness G.

    2011-05-01

    In this paper, we consider ultrasonic imaging for the visualization of flaws in a material. Ultrasonic imaging is a powerful nondestructive testing (NDT) tool which assesses material conditions via the detection, localization, and classification of flaws inside a structure. Multipath exploitations provide extended virtual array apertures and, in turn, enhance imaging capability beyond the limitation of traditional multisensor approaches. We utilize reflections of ultrasonic signals which occur when encountering different media and interior discontinuities. The waveforms observed at the physical as well as virtual sensors yield additional measurements corresponding to different aspect angles. Exploitation of multipath information addresses unique issues observed in ultrasonic imaging. (1) Utilization of physical and virtual sensors significantly extends the array aperture for image enhancement. (2) Multipath signals extend the angle of view of the narrow beamwidth of the ultrasound transducers, allowing improved visibility and array design flexibility. (3) Ultrasonic signals experience difficulty in penetrating a flaw, thus the aspect angle of the observation is limited unless access to other sides is available. The significant extension of the aperture makes it possible to yield flaw observation from multiple aspect angles. We show that data fusion of physical and virtual sensor data significantly improves the detection and localization performance. The effectiveness of the proposed multipath exploitation approach is demonstrated through experimental studies.

  15. Sizing of small surface-breaking tight cracks by using laser-ultrasonics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ochiai, M.; Miura, T.; Kuroda, H.; Yamamoto, S.; Onodera, T.

    2004-01-01

    On the nondestructive testing, not only detection but also sizing of crack is desirable because the crack depth is one of the most important parameter to evaluate the impact of the crack to the material, to estimate crack growth and ultimately to predict lifetime of the component. Moreover, accurate measurement of the crack depth optimizes countermeasures and timing of repairs, and eventually reduces total cost for plant maintenance. Laser-ultrasonic is a technique that uses two laser beams; one with a short pulse for the generation of ultrasound and another one, long pulse or continuous, coupled to an optical interferometer for detection. The technique features a large detection bandwidth, which is important for small defect inspection. Another feature of laser-ultrasonics is the remote optical scanning of generation and detection points, which enables to inspect components in narrow space and/or having complex shapes. A purpose of this paper is to describe the performance of a laser-ultrasonic testing (LUT) system on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) inspection. We have developed a new technique for sizing shallow cracks, say 0.5-1.5mm, based on the laser-induced surface wave and its frequency analysis. First, sizing capability of the system will be demonstrated by using an artificial surface-breaking slot having depth of 0-2mm in a stainless steel plate. Evaluated depths show good agreement with the machined slot depths within the accuracy of about a few hundred micrometers. Then, SCCs in a stainless steel plate are examined by using the system. Depth of SCC is evaluated every 0.2mm over the crack aperture length. The evaluated depths are compared with the depths measured by the destructive testing. (author)

  16. Observations and Modeling of Turbulent Air-Sea Coupling in Coastal and Strongly Forced Condition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz-Suslow, David G.

    The turbulent fluxes of momentum, mass, and energy across the ocean-atmosphere boundary are fundamental to our understanding of a myriad of geophysical processes, such as wind-wave generation, oceanic circulation, and air-sea gas transfer. In order to better understand these fluxes, empirical relationships were developed to quantify the interfacial exchange rates in terms of easily observed parameters (e.g., wind speed). However, mounting evidence suggests that these empirical formulae are only valid over the relatively narrow parametric space, i.e. open ocean conditions in light to moderate winds. Several near-surface processes have been observed to cause significant variance in the air-sea fluxes not predicted by the conventional functions, such as a heterogeneous surfaces, swell waves, and wave breaking. Further study is needed to fully characterize how these types of processes can modulate the interfacial exchange; in order to achieve this, a broad investigation into air-sea coupling was undertaken. The primary focus of this work was to use a combination of field and laboratory observations and numerical modeling, in regimes where conventional theories would be expected to breakdown, namely: the nearshore and in very high winds. These seemingly disparate environments represent the marine atmospheric boundary layer at its physical limit. In the nearshore, the convergence of land, air, and sea in a depth-limited domain marks the transition from a marine to a terrestrial boundary layer. Under extreme winds, the physical nature of the boundary layer remains unknown as an intermediate substrate layer, sea spray, develops between the atmosphere and ocean surface. At these ends of the MABL physical spectrum, direct measurements of the near-surface processes were made and directly related to local sources of variance. Our results suggest that the conventional treatment of air-sea fluxes in terms of empirical relationships developed from a relatively narrow set of

  17. Analysis of ultrasonic techniques for the characterization of microfiltration polymeric membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lucas, Carla S.; Baroni, Douglas B.; Costa, Antonio M.L.M.; Bittencourt, Marcelo S.Q.

    2009-01-01

    The use of polymeric membranes is extremely important in several industries such as nuclear, biotechnology, chemical and pharmaceutical. In the nuclear area, for instance, systems based on membrane separation technologies are currently being used in the treatment of radioactive liquid effluent, and new technologies using membranes are being developed at a great rate. The knowledge of the physical characteristics of these membranes, such as, pore size and the pore size distribution, is very important to the membranes separation processes. Only after these characteristics are known is it possible to determine the type and to choose a particular membrane for a specific application. In this work, two ultrasonic non destructive techniques were used to determine the porosity of membranes: pulse echo and transmission. A 25 MHz immersion transducer was used. Ultrasonic signals were acquired, for both techniques, after the ultrasonic waves passed through a microfiltration polymeric membrane of pore size of 0.45 μm and thickness of 180 μm. After the emitted ultrasonic signal crossed the membrane, the received signal brought several information on the influence of the membrane porosity in the standard signal of the ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic signals were acquired in the time domain and changed to the frequency domain by application of the Fourier Fast Transform (FFT), thus generating the material frequency spectrum. For the pulse echo technique, the ultrasonic spectrum frequency changed after the ultrasonic wave crossed the membrane. With the transmission technique there was only a displacement of the ultrasonic signal at the time domain. (author)

  18. Nondestructive evaluation of a cermet coating using ultrasonic and eddy current techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roge, B.; Fahr, A.; Giguere, J.S.R.; McRae, K.I.

    2002-01-01

    This paper describes a series of experiments conducted to characterize cermet coatings using conventional ultrasonic and eddy current techniques as well as an ultrasonic leaky surface wave method. The results demonstrate the ability of these techniques to detect the presence of artificial defects on the surface or beneath the surface of the coating. In addition, ultrasonic tests in particular ultrasonic leaky surface waves demonstrate the ability to detect the presence of manufacturing flaws. Ultrasonic time-of-flight and eddy current quadrature measurements also show sensitivity to variations in coating thickness

  19. Reproducibility of the results in ultrasonic testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chalaye, M.; Launay, J.P.; Thomas, A.

    1980-12-01

    This memorandum reports on the conclusions of the tests carried out in order to evaluate the reproducibility of ultrasonic tests made on welded joints. FRAMATOME have started a study to assess the dispersion of results afforded by the test line and to characterize its behaviour. The tests covered sensors and ultrasonic generators said to be identical to each other (same commercial batch) [fr

  20. Artificial intelligence and ultrasonic tests in detection of defects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barrera Cardiel, G.; Fabian Alvarez, M. a.; Velez Martinez, M.; Villasenor, L.

    2001-01-01

    One of the most serious problems in the quality control of welded unions is the location, identification and classification of defects. As a solution to this problem, a technique for classification, applicable to welded unions done by electric arc welding as well as by friction, is proposed; it is based on ultrasonic signals. The neuronal networks proposed are Kohonen and Multilayer Percept ron, all in a virtual instrument environment. Currently the techniques most used in this field are: radiological analysis (X-rays) and ultrasonic analysis (ultrasonic waves). The X-ray technique in addition to being dangerous requires highly specialized personnel and equipment, therefore its use is restricted. The ultrasonic technique, in spite of being one of the most used for detection of discontinuities, requires personnel with wide experience in the interpretation of ultrasonic signals, this is a time-consuming process which necessarily increases its operation cost. The classification techniques that we propose turn out to be safe, reliable, inexpensive and easy to implement for the solution of this important problem. (Author) 8 refs

  1. Ultrasonic testing X gammagraphy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mello Campos, A.M. de

    1989-01-01

    The experience of 10 years for substituting gammagraphy tests by ultrasonic tests is related. A comparative evaluation of data obtained from both techniques applied to welded butt joints is presented. (author)

  2. Diastereoselective synthesis of trans-2,3-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]coumarins by MgO nanoparticles under ultrasonic irradiation

    OpenAIRE

    Javad Safaei-Ghomi; Pouria Babaei; Hossein Shahbazi-Alavi; Safura Zahedi

    2017-01-01

    MgO nanoparticles have been used as an efficient catalyst for the diastereoselective preparation of trans-2-benzoyl-3-(aryl)-2H-furo[3,2-c]chromen-4(3H)-ones by the multi-component reaction of 2,4â²-dibromoacetophenone, pyridine, benzaldehydes and 4-hydroxycoumarin under ultrasonic irradiation. This interesting result revealed that the pyridiniumylide assisted tandem three-component coupling reaction is highly diastereoselective. Atom economy, wide range of products, high catalytic activity, ...

  3. Effect of ultrasonic agitation on push-out bond strength and adaptation of root-end filling materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alcalde, Murilo Priori; Vivan, Rodrigo Ricci; Marciano, Marina Angélica; Duque, Jussaro Alves; Fernandes, Samuel Lucas; Rosseto, Mariana Bailo; Duarte, Marco Antonio Hungaro

    2018-05-01

    This study evaluated the effect of ultrasonic agitation of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), calcium silicate-based cement (CSC), and Sealer 26 (S26) on adaptation at the cement/dentin interface and push-out bond strength. Sixty maxillary canines were divided into 6 groups ( n = 10): MTA, S26, and CSC, with or without ultrasonic activation (US). After obturation, the apical portions of the teeth were sectioned, and retrograde cavities were prepared and filled with cement by hand condensation. In the US groups, the cement was activated for 60 seconds: 30 seconds in the mesio-distal direction and 30 seconds in the buccal-lingual direction, using a mini Irrisonic insert coupled with the ultrasound transducer. After the materials set, 1.5-mm thick sections were obtained from the apexes. The presence of gaps and the bond between cement and dentin were analyzed using low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy. Push-out bond strength was measured using a universal testing machine. Ultrasonic agitation increased the interfacial adaptation of the cements. The S26 US group showed a higher adaptation value than MTA ( p < 0.05). US improved the push-out bond strength for all the cements ( p < 0.05). The US of retrograde filling cements enhanced the bond to the dentin wall of the root-end filling materials tested.

  4. Ultrasonic partial discharge monitoring method on instrument transformers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kartalović Nenad

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Sonic and ultrasonic partial discharge monitoring have been applied since the early days of these phenomena monitoring. Modern measurement and partial discharge acoustic (ultrasonic and sonic monitoring method has been rapidly evolving as a result of new electronic component design, information technology and updated software solutions as well as the development of knowledge in the partial discharge diagnosis. Electrical discharges in the insulation system generate voltage-current pulses in the network and ultrasonic waves that propagate through the insulation system and structure. Amplitude-phase-frequency analysis of these signals reveals information about the intensity, type and location of partial discharges. The paper discusses the possibility of ultrasonic method selectivity improvement and the increase of diagnosis reliability in the field. Measurements were performed in the laboratory and in the field while a number of transformers were analysed for dissolved gases in the oil. A comparative review of methods for the partial discharge detection is also presented in this paper.

  5. Air-cathode structure optimization in separator-coupled microbial fuel cells

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Xiaoyuan

    2011-12-01

    Microbial fuel cells (MFC) with 30% wet-proofed air cathodes have previously been optimized to have 4 diffusion layers (DLs) in order to limit oxygen transfer into the anode chamber and optimize performance. Newer MFC designs that allow close electrode spacing have a separator that can also reduce oxygen transfer into the anode chamber, and there are many types of carbon wet-proofed materials available. Additional analysis of conditions that optimize performance is therefore needed for separator-coupled MFCs in terms of the number of DLs and the percent of wet proofing used for the cathode. The number of DLs on a 50% wet-proofed carbon cloth cathode significantly affected MFC performance, with the maximum power density decreasing from 1427 to 855mW/m 2 for 1-4 DLs. A commonly used cathode (30% wet-proofed, 4 DLs) produced a maximum power density (988mW/m 2) that was 31% less than that produced by the 50% wet-proofed cathode (1 DL). It was shown that the cathode performance with different materials and numbers of DLs was directly related to conditions that increased oxygen transfer. The coulombic efficiency (CE) was more affected by the current density than the oxygen transfer coefficient for the cathode. MFCs with the 50% wet-proofed cathode (2 DLs) had a CE of >84% (6.8A/m 2), which was substantially larger than that previously obtained using carbon cloth air-cathodes lacking separators. These results demonstrate that MFCs constructed with separators should have the minimum number of DLs that prevent water leakage and maximize oxygen transfer to the cathode. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

  6. Ultrasonic texture characterization of aluminum, zirconium and titanium alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, A.J.

    1997-01-01

    This work attempts to show the feasibility of nondestructive characterization of non-ferrous alloys. Aluminum alloys have a small single crystal anisotropy which requires very precise ultrasonic velocity measurements for derivation of orientation distribution coefficients (ODCs); the precision in the ultrasonic velocity measurement required for aluminum alloys is much greater than is necessary for iron alloys or other alloys with a large single crystal anisotropy. To provide greater precision, some signal processing corrections need to be applied to account for the inherent, half-bandwidth offset in triggered pulses when using a zero-crossing technique for determining ultrasonic velocity. In addition, alloys with small single crystal anisotropy show a larger dependence on the single crystal elastic constants (SCECs) when predicting ODCs which require absolute velocity measurements. Attempts were made to independently determine these elastics constants in an effort to improve correlation between ultrasonically derived ODCs and diffraction derived ODCs. The greater precision required to accurately derive ODCs in aluminum alloys using ultrasonic nondestructive techniques is easily attainable. Ultrasonically derived ODCs show good correlation with derivations made by Bragg diffraction techniques, both neutron and X-ray. The best correlation was shown when relative velocity measurements could be used in the derivations of the ODCs. Calculation of ODCs in materials with hexagonal crystallites can also be done. Because of the crystallite symmetries, more information can be extracted using ultrasonic techniques, but at a cost of requiring more physical measurements. Some industries which use materials with hexagonal crystallites, e.g. zirconium alloys and titanium, have traditionally used texture parameters which provide some specialized measure of the texture. These texture parameters, called Kearns factors, can be directly related to ODCs

  7. Quadrature demodulation based circuit implementation of pulse stream for ultrasonic signal FRI sparse sampling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shoupeng, Song; Zhou, Jiang

    2017-01-01

    Converting ultrasonic signal to ultrasonic pulse stream is the key step of finite rate of innovation (FRI) sparse sampling. At present, ultrasonic pulse-stream-forming techniques are mainly based on digital algorithms. No hardware circuit that can achieve it has been reported. This paper proposes a new quadrature demodulation (QD) based circuit implementation method for forming an ultrasonic pulse stream. Elaborating on FRI sparse sampling theory, the process of ultrasonic signal is explained, followed by a discussion and analysis of ultrasonic pulse-stream-forming methods. In contrast to ultrasonic signal envelope extracting techniques, a quadrature demodulation method (QDM) is proposed. Simulation experiments were performed to determine its performance at various signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). The circuit was then designed, with mixing module, oscillator, low pass filter (LPF), and root of square sum module. Finally, application experiments were carried out on pipeline sample ultrasonic flaw testing. The experimental results indicate that the QDM can accurately convert ultrasonic signal to ultrasonic pulse stream, and reverse the original signal information, such as pulse width, amplitude, and time of arrival. This technique lays the foundation for ultrasonic signal FRI sparse sampling directly with hardware circuitry. (paper)

  8. Using piezoelectric sensors for ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements in concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kee, Seong-Hoon; Zhu, Jinying

    2013-01-01

    The ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test has been a widely used non-destructive testing method for concrete structures. However, the conventional UPV test has limitations in consistency of results and applicability in hard-to-access regions of structures. The authors explore the feasibility of embedded piezoelectric (PZT) sensors for ultrasonic measurements in concrete structures. Two PZT sensors were embedded in a reinforced concrete specimen. One sensor worked as an actuator driven by an ultrasonic pulse-receiver, and another sensor worked as a receiver. A series of ultrasonic tests were conducted to investigate the performance of the embedded sensors in crack-free concrete and concrete specimens having a surface-breaking crack under various external loadings. Signals measured by the embedded sensors show a broad bandwidth with a centre frequency around 80 kHz, and very good coherence in the frequency range from 30 to 180 kHz. Furthermore, experimental variability in ultrasonic pulse velocity and attenuation is substantially reduced compared to previously reported values from conventional UPV equipment. Findings from this study demonstrate that the embedded sensors have great potential as a low-cost solution for ultrasonic transducers for health monitoring of concrete in structures. (paper)

  9. Fundamentals and Applications of Ultrasonic Waves

    CERN Document Server

    Cheeke, J David N

    2012-01-01

    Designed specifically for newcomers to the field, this fully updated second edition begins with fundamentals and quickly advances beyond general wave concepts into an in-depth treatment of ultrasonic waves in isotropic media. Focusing on the physics of acoustic waves, their propagation, technology, and applications, this accessible overview of ultrasonics includes accounts of viscoelasticity and multiple scattering. It examines new technologies, including atomic force acoustic microscopy, lasers, micro-acoustics, and nanotechnology. In addition, it highlights both direct and indirect applicati

  10. The ultrasonic shop map and its use in preservice inspection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caplan, J.S.

    1975-01-01

    Prior to the introduction of Section X1 of the ASME Code on Inservice Inspection, a plan was introduced by Westinghouse to perform ultrasonic examinations of areas of high stress and high fluence of reactor pressure vessels in the manufacturer's shop and subsequent to the shop hydrostatic test. The tests provided a shop reference map of ultrasonic responses to use in subsequent preservice and inservice inspections, and attempted to locate any ultrasonic reflections beyond the acceptance standards of ASME Section III and, later, of Section X1. The history of the program is reviewed. Thirty-six vessels were examined during 1970 to 1973. As a result of indications discovered during ultrasonic examination repairs were carried out on five of these. Details are given of inspections and repairs. A summary is also given of the indications detected and of the correlations between the ultrasonic evaluation and actual flow characteristics. (U.K.)

  11. Air-Sea Coupling Over The Equatorial Indian Ocean

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gopika, N.

    S, where thermocline domes, the ocean is tightly coupled to the atmosphere [Reverdin, 1987; Murtugudde and Busalacchi, 1999; Xie et al, 2002] and therefore expected to influence the regional climate variability. In recent years Saji et al. [1999] showed... the forcing- response pattern of the ocean-atmosphere as a coupled system. For example, the anomalous ocean-atmosphere coupled phenomena like Indian Ocean Dipole mode produces anomalous atmospheric and oceanic condition that influence regional climate...

  12. An intelligent software approach to ultrasonic flaw classification in weldments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Sung Jin; Kim, Hak Joon; Lee, Hyun

    1997-01-01

    Ultrasonic pattern recognition is the most effective approach to the problem of discriminating types of flaws in weldments based on ultrasonic flaw signals. In spite of significant progress on this methodology, it has not been widely used in practical ultrasonic inspection of weldments in industry. Hence, for the convenient application of this approach in many practical situations, we develop an intelligent ultrasonic signature classification software which can discriminate types of flaws in weldments using various tools in artificial intelligence such as neural networks. This software shows excellent performances in an experimental problem where flaws in weldments are classified into two categories of cracks and non-cracks.

  13. Schlieren imaging of the standing wave field in an ultrasonic acoustic levitator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rendon, Pablo Luis; Boullosa, Ricardo R.; Echeverria, Carlos; Porta, David

    2015-11-01

    We consider a model of a single axis acoustic levitator consisting of two cylinders immersed in air and directed along the same axis. The first cylinder has a flat termination and functions as a sound emitter, and the second cylinder, which is simply a refector, has the side facing the first cylinder cut out by a spherical surface. By making the first cylinder vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies a standing wave is produced in the air between the cylinders which makes it possible, by means of the acoustic radiation pressure, to levitate one or several small objects of different shapes, such as spheres or disks. We use schlieren imaging to observe the acoustic field resulting from the levitation of one or several objects, and compare these results to previous numerical approximations of the field obtained using a finite element method. The authors acknowledge financial support from DGAPA-UNAM through project PAPIIT IN109214.

  14. Ultrasonic testing device having an adjustable water column

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roach, Dennis P.; Neidigk, Stephen O.; Rackow, Kirk A.; Duvall, Randy L.

    2015-09-01

    An ultrasonic testing device having a variable fluid column height is disclosed. An operator is able to adjust the fluid column height in real time during an inspection to to produce optimum ultrasonic focus and separate extraneous, unwanted UT signals from those stemming from the area of interest.

  15. Ultrasonic examination of ceramics and composites for porosities in an automatic scanning system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gundtoft, H.E.

    1988-05-01

    Using a very precise scanning system and computer evaluation, we can get quantitative results from automatic ultrasonic examination. In this paper two examples dealing with nonmetallic materials are presented. In a ceramic plate (>1 inch thick) small spherical prorosities (down to 0.1 mm) would harm the final product. Several artificial defects made in the plate were used for calibration and optimisation of the technique. Areas with with a microscope. Good agreement with the predicted values from the ultrasonic examination was found. From the NDT-examination the exact position of a porosity is known in all 3 coordinates (x, y and z). The size of the defect can also be measured. A single porosity with a diameter of 0.1 mm can be detected. Carbon-reinforced composites were examined. 8 prepregs were stacked and hardened in an autoclave to form a sheet (1 mm thick). Air trapped in the material resulted in porosities in the final product. A double trough transmission-scanning technique was used for the examination. The porosity percentages were determined by the NDT-technique, and agreement with destructivly determined values on samples from the same sheet was found.

  16. Mid-infrared pulsed laser ultrasonic testing for carbon fiber reinforced plastics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusano, Masahiro; Hatano, Hideki; Watanabe, Makoto; Takekawa, Shunji; Yamawaki, Hisashi; Oguchi, Kanae; Enoki, Manabu

    2018-03-01

    Laser ultrasonic testing (LUT) can realize contactless and instantaneous non-destructive testing, but its signal-to-noise ratio must be improved in order to measure carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs). We have developed a mid-infrared (mid-IR) laser source optimal for generating ultrasonic waves in CFRPs by using a wavelength conversion device based on an optical parametric oscillator. This paper reports a comparison of the ultrasonic generation behavior between the mid-IR laser and the Nd:YAG laser. The mid-IR laser generated a significantly larger ultrasonic amplitude in CFRP laminates than a conventional Nd:YAG laser. In addition, our study revealed that the surface epoxy matrix of CFRPs plays an important role in laser ultrasonic generation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Dexterous ultrasonic levitation of millimeter-sized objects in air.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seah, Sue Ann; Drinkwater, Bruce W; Carter, Tom; Malkin, Rob; Subramanian, Sriram

    2014-07-01

    Acoustic levitation in air has applications in contactless handling and processing. Here a first-order Bessel function-shaped acoustic field, generated using an 8-element circular array operating at 40 kHz, traps millimeter-sized objects against gravity. The device can manipulate objects in a vertical plane over a few millimeters with an accuracy of ± 0.09 mm.

  18. Gas ultrasonic flow rate measurement through genetic-ant colony optimization based on the ultrasonic pulse received signal model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hou, Huirang; Zheng, Dandan; Nie, Laixiao

    2015-01-01

    For gas ultrasonic flowmeters, the signals received by ultrasonic sensors are susceptible to noise interference. If signals are mingled with noise, a large error in flow measurement can be caused by triggering mistakenly using the traditional double-threshold method. To solve this problem, genetic-ant colony optimization (GACO) based on the ultrasonic pulse received signal model is proposed. Furthermore, in consideration of the real-time performance of the flow measurement system, the improvement of processing only the first three cycles of the received signals rather than the whole signal is proposed. Simulation results show that the GACO algorithm has the best estimation accuracy and ant-noise ability compared with the genetic algorithm, ant colony optimization, double-threshold and enveloped zero-crossing. Local convergence doesn’t appear with the GACO algorithm until –10 dB. For the GACO algorithm, the converging accuracy and converging speed and the amount of computation are further improved when using the first three cycles (called GACO-3cycles). Experimental results involving actual received signals show that the accuracy of single-gas ultrasonic flow rate measurement can reach 0.5% with GACO-3 cycles, which is better than with the double-threshold method. (paper)

  19. Ultrasonic leak detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murphy, R.V.

    1977-01-01

    A scanning ultrasonic microphone was used to detect the presence and locate the sources of hydraulic noises in piping systems in a reactor environment. The intensity changes of the noises correspond to changes of flow conditions within the system caused by throttled valves, flow rate changes, and leaks. (author)

  20. EMATs for science and industry noncontacting ultrasonic measurements

    CERN Document Server

    Hirao, Masahiko

    2003-01-01

    EMATs for Science and Industry comprises the physical principles of electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) and the applications to scientific and industrial ultrasonic measurements on materials. The text is arranged in four parts: -PART I is intended to be a self-contained description of the basic elements of coupling mechanism along with practical designing of EMATs for various purposes. There are several implementations to compensate for the low transfer efficiency of the EMATs. Useful tips to make an EMAT are also presented. -PART II describes the principle of electromagnetic acoustic resonance (EMAR), which makes the most of contactless nature of EMATs and is the most successful amplification mechanism for precise velocity and attenuation measurements. -PART III applies EMAR to studying the physical acoustics. New measurements emerged on three major subjects; in situ monitoring of dislocation behavior, determination of anisotropic elastic constants, and acoustic nonlinearity evolution. -PART IV deal...