PMN-PT single crystal, high-frequency ultrasonic needle transducers for pulsed-wave Doppler application.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Qifa; Xu, Xiaochen; Gottlieb, Emanuel J; Sun, Lei; Cannata, Jonathan M; Ameri, Hossein; Humayun, Mark S; Han, Pengdi; Shung, K Kirk

2007-03-01

High-frequency needle ultrasound transducers with an aperture size of 0.4 mm were fabricated using lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-33% PT) as the active piezoelectric material. The active element was bonded to a conductive silver particle matching layer and a conductive epoxy backing through direct contact curing. An outer matching layer of parylene was formed by vapor deposition. The active element was housed within a polyimide tube and a 20-gauge needle housing. The magnitude and phase of the electrical impedance of the transducer were 47 omega and -38 degrees, respectively. The measured center frequency and -6 dB fractional bandwidth of the PMN-PT needle transducer were 44 MHz and 45%, respectively. The two-way insertion loss was approximately 15 dB. In vivo high-frequency, pulsed-wave Doppler patterns of blood flow in the posterior portion and in vitro ultrasonic backscatter microscope (UBM) images of the rabbit eye were obtained with the 44-MHz needle transducer.

Evaluation of Die-Attach Bonding Using High-Frequency Ultrasonic Energy for High-Temperature Application

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jong-Bum; Aw, Jie-Li; Rhee, Min-Woo

2014-09-01

Room-temperature die-attach bonding using ultrasonic energy was evaluated on Cu/In and Cu/Sn-3Ag metal stacks. The In and Sn-3Ag layers have much lower melting temperatures than the base material (Cu) and can be melted through the heat generated during ultrasonic bonding, forming intermetallic compounds (IMCs). Samples were bonded using different ultrasonic powers, bonding times, and forces and subsequently aged at 300°C for 500 h. After aging, die shear testing was performed and the fracture surfaces were inspected by scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that the shear strength of Cu/In joints reached an upper plateau after 100 h of thermal aging and remained stable with aging time, whereas that of the Cu/Sn-3Ag joints decreased with increasing aging time. η-Cu7In4 and (Cu,Au)11In9 IMCs were observed at the Cu/In joint, while Cu3Sn and (Ag,Cu)3Sn IMCs were found at the Cu/Sn-3Ag joint after reliability testing. As Cu-based IMCs have high melting temperatures, they are highly suitable for use in high-temperature electronics, but can be formed at room temperature using an ultrasonic approach.

High Frequency Longitudinal Damped Vibrations of a Cylindrical Ultrasonic Transducer

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Mihai Valentin Predoi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Ultrasonic piezoelectric transducers used in classical nondestructive testing are producing in general longitudinal vibrations in the MHz range. A simple mechanical model of these transducers would be very useful for wave propagation numerical simulations, avoiding the existing complicated models in which the real components of the transducer are modeled by finite elements. The classical model for longitudinal vibrations is not adequate because the generated longitudinal wave is not dispersive, the velocity being the same at any frequency. We have adopted the Rayleigh-Bishop model, which avoids these limitations, even if it is not converging to the first but to the second exact longitudinal mode in an elastic rod, as obtained from the complicated Pochhammer-Chree equations. Since real transducers have significant vibrations damping, we have introduced a damping term in the Rayleigh-Bishop model, increasing the imaginary part and keeping almost identical real part of the wavenumber. Common transducers produce amplitude modulated signals, completely attenuated after several periods. This can be modeled by two close frequencies, producing a “beat” phenomenon, superposed on the high damping. For this reason, we introduce a two-rod Rayleigh-Bishop model with damping. Agreement with measured normal velocity on the transducer free surface is encouraging for continuation of the research.

Microscale 1-3-Type (Na,K)NbO(3)-Based Pb-Free Piezocomposites for High-Frequency Ultrasonic Transducer Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Zong-Yang; Li, Jing-Feng; Chen, Ruimin; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K Kirk

2011-05-01

Fine-grained Pb-free (Na(0.535)K(0.485))(0.95)Li(0.05)(Nb(0.8)Ta(0.2))O(3) (NKLNT) piezoceramics prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique was used to fabricate NKLNT/epoxy 1-3 composites with a modified dice-fill method. Because of its good machinability, SPSed NKLNT ceramic rods could be miniaturized to a lateral width of 50 µm. After lapping down to 56 µm in thickness, the composite was used to fabricate an ultrasonic transducer as the active piezoelectric element. This composite transducer showed a bandwidth at -6 dB nearly 90%at a center frequency of 29 MHz, demonstrating that this Pb-free composite thick film is very promising for the fabrication of high-frequency ultrasonic transducers in medical imaging applications.

An adjustable multi-scale single beam acoustic tweezers based on ultrahigh frequency ultrasonic transducer.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiaoyang; Lam, Kwok Ho; Chen, Ruimin; Chen, Zeyu; Yu, Ping; Chen, Zhongping; Shung, K Kirk; Zhou, Qifa

2017-11-01

This paper reports the fabrication, characterization, and microparticle manipulation capability of an adjustable multi-scale single beam acoustic tweezers (SBAT) that is capable of flexibly changing the size of "tweezers" like ordinary metal tweezers with a single-element ultrahigh frequency (UHF) ultrasonic transducer. The measured resonant frequency of the developed transducer at 526 MHz is the highest frequency of piezoelectric single crystal based ultrasonic transducers ever reported. This focused UHF ultrasonic transducer exhibits a wide bandwidth (95.5% at -10 dB) due to high attenuation of high-frequency ultrasound wave, which allows the SBAT effectively excite with a wide range of excitation frequency from 150 to 400 MHz by using the "piezoelectric actuator" model. Through controlling the excitation frequency, the wavelength of ultrasound emitted from the SBAT can be changed to selectively manipulate a single microparticle of different sizes (3-100 μm) by using only one transducer. This concept of flexibly changing "tweezers" size is firstly introduced into the study of SBAT. At the same time, it was found that this incident ultrasound wavelength play an important role in lateral trapping and manipulation for microparticle of different sizes. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2637-2647. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Frequency-domain imaging algorithm for ultrasonic testing by application of matrix phased arrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dolmatov Dmitry

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Constantly increasing demand for high-performance materials and systems in aerospace industry requires advanced methods of nondestructive testing. One of the most promising methods is ultrasonic imaging by using matrix phased arrays. This technique allows to create three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging with high lateral resolution. Further progress in matrix phased array ultrasonic testing is determined by the development of fast imaging algorithms. In this article imaging algorithm based on frequency domain calculations is proposed. This approach is computationally efficient in comparison with time domain algorithms. Performance of the proposed algorithm was tested via computer simulations for planar specimen with flat bottom holes.

A digital, constant-frequency pulsed phase-locked-loop instrument for real-time, absolute ultrasonic phase measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Haldren, H. A.; Perey, D. F.; Yost, W. T.; Cramer, K. E.; Gupta, M. C.

2018-05-01

A digitally controlled instrument for conducting single-frequency and swept-frequency ultrasonic phase measurements has been developed based on a constant-frequency pulsed phase-locked-loop (CFPPLL) design. This instrument uses a pair of direct digital synthesizers to generate an ultrasonically transceived tone-burst and an internal reference wave for phase comparison. Real-time, constant-frequency phase tracking in an interrogated specimen is possible with a resolution of 0.000 38 rad (0.022°), and swept-frequency phase measurements can be obtained. Using phase measurements, an absolute thickness in borosilicate glass is presented to show the instrument's efficacy, and these results are compared to conventional ultrasonic pulse-echo time-of-flight (ToF) measurements. The newly developed instrument predicted the thickness with a mean error of -0.04 μm and a standard deviation of error of 1.35 μm. Additionally, the CFPPLL instrument shows a lower measured phase error in the absence of changing temperature and couplant thickness than high-resolution cross-correlation ToF measurements at a similar signal-to-noise ratio. By showing higher accuracy and precision than conventional pulse-echo ToF measurements and lower phase errors than cross-correlation ToF measurements, the new digitally controlled CFPPLL instrument provides high-resolution absolute ultrasonic velocity or path-length measurements in solids or liquids, as well as tracking of material property changes with high sensitivity. The ability to obtain absolute phase measurements allows for many new applications than possible with previous ultrasonic pulsed phase-locked loop instruments. In addition to improved resolution, swept-frequency phase measurements add useful capability in measuring properties of layered structures, such as bonded joints, or materials which exhibit non-linear frequency-dependent behavior, such as dispersive media.

Very high cycle fatigue testing of concrete using ultrasonic cycling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karr, Ulrike; Schuller, Reinhard; Fitzka, Michael; Mayer, Herwig [Univ. of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (Austria). Inst. of Physics and Materials Science; Denk, Andreas; Strauss, Alfred [Univ. of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (Austria)

2017-06-01

The ultrasonic fatigue testing method has been further developed to perform cyclic compression tests with concrete. Cylindrical specimens vibrate in resonance at a frequency of approximately 20 kHz with superimposed compressive static loads. The high testing frequency allows time-saving investigations in the very high cycle fatigue regime. Fatigue tests were carried out on ''Concrete 1'' (compressive strength f{sub c} = 80 MPa) and ''Concrete 2'' (f{sub c} = 107 MPa) under purely compressive loading conditions. Experiments at maximum compressive stresses of 0.44 f{sub c} (Concrete 1) and 0.38 f{sub c} (Concrete 2) delivered specimen failures above 109 cycles, indicating that no fatigue limit exists for concrete below one billion load cycles. Resonance frequency, power required to resonate the specimen and second order harmonics of the vibration are used to monitor fatigue damage in situ. Specimens were scanned by X-ray computed tomography prior to and after testing. Fatigue cracks were produced by ultrasonic cycling in the very high cycle fatigue regime at interfaces of grains as well as in cement. The possibilities as well as limitations of ultrasonic fatigue testing of concrete are discussed.

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.

Ultrasonic characterization of GRC with high percentage of fly ash substitution.

Science.gov (United States)

Genovés, V; Gosálbez, J; Miralles, R; Bonilla, M; Payá, J

2015-07-01

New applications of non-destructive techniques (NDT) with ultrasonic tests (attenuation and velocity by means of ultrasonic frequency sweeps) have been developed for the characterization of fibre-reinforced cementitious composites. According to new lines of research on glass-fibre reinforced cement (GRC) matrix modification, two similar GRC composites with high percentages of fly ash and different water/binder ratios will be studied. Conventional techniques have been used to confirm their low Ca(OH)(2) content (thermogravimetry), fibre integrity (Scanning Electron Microscopy), low porosity (Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry) and good mechanical properties (compression and four points bending test). Ultrasound frequency sweeps allowed the estimation of the attenuation and pulse velocity as functions of frequency. This ultrasonic characterization was correlated successfully with conventional techniques. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of morphology and phase composition of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles sonochemically synthesized with dual- or single-frequency ultrasonic reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Shi-ting; Yu, Hong; Liu, Di; Bi, Yong-guang

2017-10-01

To investigate how a dual- or single-frequency ultrasonic reactor changes the morphology and phase composition of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nHAPs), we designed and constructed the preparation of nHAPs using dual- or single-frequency ultrasonic devices, i.e., the single frequency ultrasonic generator with ultrasonic horn (25 kHz), the ultrasonic bath (40 kHz) and the dual-frequency sonochemical systems combined with the ultrasonic horn and the ultrasonic bath simultaneously (25 + 40 kHz). The results showed that the sonicated samples displayed a more uniform shape with less agglomeration than non-sonicated sample. The rod-shaped particles with 1.66 stoichiometry and without a second phase were synthesized successfully in the ultrasonic bath or horn systems. The nHAPs obtained from the dual-frequency ultrasonic systems exhibited a regular rod-shaped structure with better dispersion and more uniform shapes than those of obtained in either ultrasonic bath or horn systems. Additionally, the size of rod-shaped particles obtained in the dual-frequency ultrasound with a mean width of 35 nm and a mean length of 64 nm was smaller than other samples. A possible mechanism is that the dual-frequency ultrasound significantly enhances the cavitation yield over single frequency ultrasound and thus improves the dispersion of particles and reduces the size of the crystals. In addition, irregular holes can be observed in the nanoparticles obtained in the dual-frequency ultrasound. Therefore, the dual-frequency ultrasonic systems are expected to become a convenient, efficient and environmentally friendly synthetic technology to obtain well-defined nHAPs for specific biomedical applications.

Beat frequency ultrasonic microsphere contrast agent detection system

Science.gov (United States)

Pretlow, III, Robert A. (Inventor); Yost, William T. (Inventor); Cantrell, Jr., John H. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

A system for and method of detecting and measuring concentrations of an ultrasonically-reflective microsphere contrast agent involving detecting non-linear sum and difference beat frequencies produced by the microspheres when two impinging signals with non-identical frequencies are combined by mixing. These beat frequencies can be used for a variety of applications such as detecting the presence of and measuring the flow rates of biological fluids and industrial liquids, including determining the concentration level of microspheres in the myocardium.

Measuring the photodetector frequency response for ultrasonic applications by a heterodyne system with difference- frequency servo control.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Christian

2010-05-01

A technique for the calibration of photodiodes in ultrasonic measurement systems using standard and cost-effective optical and electronic components is presented. A heterodyne system was realized using two commercially available distributed feedback lasers, and the required frequency stability and resolution were ensured by a difference-frequency servo control scheme. The frequency-sensitive element generating the error signal for the servo loop comprised a delay-line discriminator constructed from electronic elements. Measurements were carried out at up to 450 MHz, and the uncertainties of about 5% (k = 2) can be further reduced by improved radio frequency power measurement without losing the feature of using only simple elements. The technique initially dedicated to the determination of the frequency response of photodetectors applied in ultrasonic applications can be transferred to other application fields of optical measurements.

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.

A computational modeling approach of the jet-like acoustic streaming and heat generation induced by low frequency high power ultrasonic horn reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Trujillo, Francisco Javier; Knoerzer, Kai

2011-11-01

High power ultrasound reactors have gained a lot of interest in the food industry given the effects that can arise from ultrasonic-induced cavitation in liquid foods. However, most of the new food processing developments have been based on empirical approaches. Thus, there is a need for mathematical models which help to understand, optimize, and scale up ultrasonic reactors. In this work, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to predict the acoustic streaming and induced heat generated by an ultrasonic horn reactor. In the model it is assumed that the horn tip is a fluid inlet, where a turbulent jet flow is injected into the vessel. The hydrodynamic momentum rate of the incoming jet is assumed to be equal to the total acoustic momentum rate emitted by the acoustic power source. CFD velocity predictions show excellent agreement with the experimental data for power densities higher than W(0)/V ≥ 25kWm(-3). This model successfully describes hydrodynamic fields (streaming) generated by low-frequency-high-power ultrasound. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Construction of a dog training device with high frequency and high power pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viaud Trejos, Rafael Alfonso

2013-01-01

An electronic device is built to produce high frequency and high power sound. The device is used in training and control of dogs. Commercial ultrasonic devices used for dog training are analyzed. The best strategies and components of the design are determined from an electronic device to produce sounds in frequency from 15kHz to 50Khz. Effectiveness tests are performed to establish the adequate design of the ultrasonic electronic device. The test results are analyzed to find opportunities of improvement in the design or construction of the device [es

Influence of a high vacuum on the precise positioning using an ultrasonic linear motor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Wan-Soo; Lee, Dong-Jin; Lee, Sun-Kyu

2011-01-01

This paper presents an investigation of the ultrasonic linear motor stage for use in a high vacuum environment. The slider table is driven by the hybrid bolt-clamped Langevin-type ultrasonic linear motor, which is excited with its different modes of natural frequencies in both lateral and longitudinal directions. In general, the friction behavior in a vacuum environment becomes different from that in an environment of atmospheric pressure and this difference significantly affects the performance of the ultrasonic linear motor. In this paper, to consistently provide stable and high power of output in a high vacuum, frequency matching was conducted. Moreover, to achieve the fine control performance in the vacuum environment, a modified nominal characteristic trajectory following control method was adopted. Finally, the stage was operated under high vacuum condition, and the operating performances were investigated compared with that of a conventional PI compensator. As a result, robustness of positioning was accomplished in a high vacuum condition with nanometer-level accuracy.

Influence of a high vacuum on the precise positioning using an ultrasonic linear motor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Wan-Soo; Lee, Dong-Jin; Lee, Sun-Kyu

2011-01-01

This paper presents an investigation of the ultrasonic linear motor stage for use in a high vacuum environment. The slider table is driven by the hybrid bolt-clamped Langevin-type ultrasonic linear motor, which is excited with its different modes of natural frequencies in both lateral and longitudinal directions. In general, the friction behavior in a vacuum environment becomes different from that in an environment of atmospheric pressure and this difference significantly affects the performance of the ultrasonic linear motor. In this paper, to consistently provide stable and high power of output in a high vacuum, frequency matching was conducted. Moreover, to achieve the fine control performance in the vacuum environment, a modified nominal characteristic trajectory following control method was adopted. Finally, the stage was operated under high vacuum condition, and the operating performances were investigated compared with that of a conventional PI compensator. As a result, robustness of positioning was accomplished in a high vacuum condition with nanometer-level accuracy.

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.

Methanolysis of triolein by low frequency ultrasonic irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanh, Hoang Duc; Starvarache, Carmen; Okitsu, Kenji; Maeda, Yasuaki; Nishimura, Rokuro [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University, Gakuen-cho 1-1, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan); Dong, Nguyen The [Institute of Environmental Technology, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi (Viet Nam)

2008-02-15

Methanolysis of triolein was investigated at room temperature by 40 kHz ultrasonic irradiation to make biodiesel fuel as methyl esters. It was found that the yield of methyl esters strongly depended on the amount of KOH and the molar ratio of methanol to triolein (M/T) and was highest at the M/T molar ratio of 6/1, KOH concentration of 1 wt% and irradiation time of 30 min. In addition, the effects of sonication on the methanolysis of triolein were discussed in comparison to the effects of stirring experiments. The optimum condition under stirring experiments showed that the molar ratio of M/T, KOH concentration and reaction time were 6/1, 1.5 wt% and 4 h, respectively. These results clearly indicated that the ultrasonic irradiation method would be a promising one compared to the conventional stirring method. The high yield under the ultrasonic irradiation condition would be due to high speed mixing and mass transfer between the methanol and triolein as well as the formation of a microemulsion resulting from the ultrasonic cavitation phenomenon. (author)

Methanolysis of triolein by low frequency ultrasonic irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoang Duc Hanh [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University, Gakuen-cho 1-1, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan)], E-mail: hoangduchanh75@yahoo.com; Nguyen The Dong [Institute of Environmental Technology, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Starvarache, Carmen; Okitsu, Kenji; Maeda, Yasuaki; Nishimura, Rokuro [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University, Gakuen-cho 1-1, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan)

2008-02-15

Methanolysis of triolein was investigated at room temperature by 40 kHz ultrasonic irradiation to make biodiesel fuel as methyl esters. It was found that the yield of methyl esters strongly depended on the amount of KOH and the molar ratio of methanol to triolein (M/T) and was highest at the M/T molar ratio of 6/1, KOH concentration of 1 wt% and irradiation time of 30 min. In addition, the effects of sonication on the methanolysis of triolein were discussed in comparison to the effects of stirring experiments. The optimum condition under stirring experiments showed that the molar ratio of M/T, KOH concentration and reaction time were 6/1, 1.5 wt% and 4 h, respectively. These results clearly indicated that the ultrasonic irradiation method would be a promising one compared to the conventional stirring method. The high yield under the ultrasonic irradiation condition would be due to high speed mixing and mass transfer between the methanol and triolein as well as the formation of a microemulsion resulting from the ultrasonic cavitation phenomenon.

Inactivation of Enterobacter aerogenes in reconstituted skim milk by high- and low-frequency ultrasound.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Shengpu; Hemar, Yacine; Lewis, Gillian D; Ashokkumar, Muthupandian

2014-11-01

The inactivation of Enterobacter aerogenes in skim milk using low-frequency (20kHz) and high-frequency (850kHz) ultrasonication was investigated. It was found that low-frequency acoustic cavitation resulted in lethal damage to E. aerogenes. The bacteria were more sensitive to ultrasound in water than in reconstituted skim milk having different protein concentrations. However, high-frequency ultrasound was not able to inactivate E. aerogenes in milk even when powers as high as 50W for 60min were used. This study also showed that high-frequency ultrasonication had no influence on the viscosity and particle size of skim milk, whereas low-frequency ultrasonication resulted in the decrease in viscosity and particle size of milk. The decrease in particle size is believed to be due to the breakup of the fat globules, and possibly to the cleavage of the κ-casein present at the surface of the casein micelles. Whey proteins were also found to be slightly affected by low-frequency ultrasound, with the amounts of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin slightly decreasing. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Variable-Frequency Ultrasonic Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of ZK60 Alloy during Large Diameter Semi-Continuous Casting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xingrui Chen

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Traditional fixed-frequency ultrasonic technology and a variable-frequency ultrasonic technology were applied to refine the as-cast microstructure and improve the mechanical properties of a ZK60 (Mg–Zn–Zr alloy during large diameter semi-continuous casting. The acoustic field propagation was obtained by numerical simulation. The microstructure of the as-cast samples was characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy. The variable-frequency ultrasonic technology shows its outstanding ability in grain refinement compared with traditional fixed-ultrasonic technology. The variable-frequency acoustic field promoted the formation of small α-Mg globular grains and changed the distribution and morphology of β-phases throughout the castings. Ultimate tensile strength and elongation are increased to 280 MPa and 8.9%, respectively, which are 19.1% and 45.9% higher than the values obtained from billets without ultrasonic treatment and are 11.6% and 18.7% higher than fixed-frequency ultrasound treated billets. Different refinement efficiencies appear in different districts of billets attributed to the sound attenuation in melt. The variable-frequency acoustic field improves the refinement effect by enhancing cavitation-enhanced heterogeneous nucleation and dendrite fragmentation effects.

Energetic balance in an ultrasonic reactor using focused or flat high frequency transducers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hallez, L; Touyeras, F; Hihn, J Y; Klima, J

2007-09-01

In order to undertake irradiation of polymer blocks or films by ultrasound, this paper deals with the measurements of ultrasonic power and its distribution within the cell by several methods. The electric power measured at the transducer input is compared to the ultrasonic power input to the cell evaluated by calorimetry and radiation force measurement for different generator settings. Results obtained in the specific case of new transducer types (composites and focused composites i.e., HIFU: high intensity focused ultrasound) provide an opportunity to conduct a discussion about measurement methods. It has thus been confirmed that these measurement techniques can be applied to HIFU transducers. For all cases, results underlined the fact that measurement of radiation pressure for power evaluation is more adapted to low powers (generator-transducer-liquid and sample.

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

Measurement of flaw size in a weld sample by ultrasonic frequency analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whaley, H.L. Jr.; Adler, L.; Cook, K.V.; McClung, R.W.

1975-05-01

An ultrasonic frequency analysis technique has been developed and applied to the measurement of flaws in an 8-in.-thick heavy-section steel specimen belonging to the Pressure Vessel Research Committee program. Using the technique the flaws occurring in the weld area were characterized in quantitative terms of both dimension and orientation. Several modifications of the technique were made during the study to include the application of several transducers and to consider ultrasonic mode conversion. (U.S.)

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.

New method to enhance the extraction yield of rutin from Sophora japonica using a novel ultrasonic extraction system by determining optimum ultrasonic frequency.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Jianqing; Qu, Baida; Liu, Da; Zheng, Naiqin

2015-11-01

A new method has been proposed for enhancing extraction yield of rutin from Sophora japonica, in which a novel ultrasonic extraction system has been developed to perform the determination of optimum ultrasonic frequency by a two-step procedure. This study has systematically investigated the influence of a continuous frequency range of 20-92 kHz on rutin yields. The effects of different operating conditions on rutin yields have also been studied in detail such as solvent concentration, solvent to solid ratio, ultrasound power, temperature and particle size. A higher extraction yield was obtained at the ultrasonic frequency of 60-62 kHz which was little affected under other extraction conditions. Comparative studies between existing methods and the present method were done to verify the effectiveness of this method. Results indicated that the new extraction method gave a higher extraction yield compared with existing ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and soxhlet extraction (SE). Thus, the potential use of this method may be promising for extraction of natural materials on an industrial scale in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The influence of ultrasonic waves on molecular structure of high impact polystyrene solutions in different solvents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Asaly, S.I.

1991-01-01

The aim of the this research is to study some physical properties of polymer solutions of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) solutions in two different solvents (carbon tetrachloride, xylene) by using ultrasonic technique. Absorption coefficient and velocity of ultrasonic waves through different concentrations of these solutions were measured using ultrasonic pulsed generator at constant frequency (800) KHz. The result implies that there is no chemical interaction between (HIPS) molecules and the solvents. 5 tabs.; 18 figs.; 59 refs

Automated Damage Assessment System for Ballistic Protective Inserts Using Low Frequency Ultrasonics

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Godinez-Azcuaga, Valery F; Ozevin, Didem; Finlayson, Richard D; Colanto, David

2006-01-01

.... Radiography and low frequency ultrasonics are two methods that can provide information about the condition of a BPI, with respect to cracking and porosity in the ceramic plate and debonding between layers...

An improved phase-locked loop method for automatic resonance frequency tracing based on static capacitance broadband compensation for a high-power ultrasonic transducer.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Hui-juan; Wu, Jian; Zhang, Guang-yu; Wu, Han-fu

2012-02-01

The phase-locked loop (PLL) method is widely used for automatic resonance frequency tracing (ARFT) of high-power ultrasonic transducers, which are usually vibrating systems with high mechanical quality factor (Qm). However, a heavily-loaded transducer usually has a low Qm because the load has a large mechanical loss. In this paper, a series of theoretical analyses is carried out to detail why the traditional PLL method could cause serious frequency tracing problems, including loss of lock, antiresonance frequency tracing, and large tracing errors. The authors propose an improved ARFT method based on static capacitance broadband compensation (SCBC), which is able to address these problems. Experiments using a generator based on the novel method were carried out using crude oil as the transducer load. The results obtained have demonstrated the effectiveness of the novel method, compared with the conventional PLL method, in terms of improved tracing accuracy (±9 Hz) and immunity to antiresonance frequency tracing and loss of lock.

Monitoring Protein Fouling on Polymeric Membranes Using Ultrasonic Frequency-Domain Reflectometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robin Fong

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Novel signal-processing protocols were used to extend the in situ sensitivity of ultrasonic frequency-domain reflectometry (UFDR for real-time monitoring of microfiltration (MF membrane fouling during protein purification. Different commercial membrane materials, with a nominal pore size of 0.2 µm, were challenged using bovine serum albumin (BSA and amylase as model proteins. Fouling induced by these proteins was observed in flat-sheet membrane filtration cells operating in a laminar cross-flow regime. The detection of membrane-associated proteins using UFDR was determined by applying rigorous statistical methodology to reflection spectra of ultrasonic signals obtained during membrane fouling. Data suggest that the total power reflected from membrane surfaces changes in response to protein fouling at concentrations as low as 14 μg/cm2, and results indicate that ultrasonic spectra can be leveraged to detect and monitor protein fouling on commercial MF membranes.

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.

Flaw-size measurement in a weld samples by ultrasonic frequency analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adler, L.; Cook, K.V.; Whaley, H.L. Jr.; McClung, R.W.

1975-01-01

An ultrasonic frequency-analysis technique was developed and applies to characterize flaws in an 8-in. (203-mm) thick heavy-section steel weld specimen. The technique applies a multitransducer system. The spectrum of the received broad-band signal is frequency analyzed at two different receivers for each of the flaws. From the two spectra, the size and orientation of the flaw are determined by the use of an analytic model proposed earlier. (auth)

Defectoscopy of direct laser sintered metals by low transmission ultrasonic frequencies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebersold Zoran

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on the improvement of ultrasonic defectoscopy used for machine elements produced by direct laser metal sintering. The direct laser metal sintering process introduces the mixed metal powder and performs its subsequent laser consolidation in a single production step. Mechanical elements manufactured by laser sintering often contain many hollow cells due to weight reduction. The popular pulse echo defectoscopy method employing very high frequencies of several GHz is not successful on these samples. The aim of this paper is to present quadraphonic transmission ultrasound defectoscopy which uses low range frequencies of few tens of kHz. Therefore, the advantage of this method is that it enables defectoscopy for honeycombed materials manufactured by direct laser sintering. This paper presents the results of testing performed on AlSi12 sample. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. OI 172057

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.

Warped frequency transform analysis of ultrasonic guided waves in long bones

Science.gov (United States)

De Marchi, L.; Baravelli, E.; Xu, K.; Ta, D.; Speciale, N.; Marzani, A.; Viola, E.

2010-03-01

Long bones can be seen as irregular hollow tubes, in which, for a given excitation frequency, many ultrasonic Guided Waves (GWs) can propagate. The analysis of GWs is potential to reflect more information on both geometry and material properties of the bone than any other method (such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, or quantitative computed tomography), and can be used in the assessment of osteoporosis and in the evaluation of fracture healing. In this study, time frequency representations (TFRs) were used to gain insights into the expected behavior of GWs in bones. To this aim, we implemented a dedicated Warped Frequency Transform (WFT) which decomposes the spectrotemporal components of the different propagating modes by selecting an appropriate warping map to reshape the frequency axis. The map can be designed once the GWs group velocity dispersion curves can be predicted. To this purpose, the bone is considered as a hollow cylinder with inner and outer diameter of 16.6 and 24.7 mm, respectively, and linear poroelastic material properties in agreement with the low level of stresses induced by the waves. Timetransient events obtained experimentally, via a piezoelectric ultrasonic set-up applied to bovine tibiae, are analyzed. The results show that WFT limits interference patterns which appear with others TFRs (such as scalograms or warpograms) and produces a sparse representation suitable for characterization purposes. In particular, the mode-frequency combinations propagating with minimal losses are identified.

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.

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.

Head Injury and Intracranial Pressure Monitor Using Ultrasonic and Low-Frequency (ULFA) Detection

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Vo-Dinh, Tuan

2000-01-01

The main objective of this research project is the development of a non-invasive method and instrument for head injury detection and monitoring using a new approach based on ultrasonic and low-frequency acoustic (ULFA...

The potential of high resolution ultrasonic in-situ methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuster, K.

2010-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. In the framework of geomechanical assessment of final repository underground openings the knowledge of geophysical rock parameters are of importance. Ultrasonic methods proved to be good geophysical tools to provide appropriate high resolution parameters for the characterisation of rock. In this context the detection and characterisation of rock heterogeneities at different scales, including the Excavation Damaged/disturbed Zone (EDZ/EdZ) features, play an important role. Especially, kinematic and dynamic parameters derived from ultrasonic measurements can be linked very close to rock mechanic investigations and interpretations. BGR uses high resolution ultrasonic methods, starting with emitted frequencies of about 1 kHz (seismic) and going up to about 100 kHz. The method development is going on and appropriate research and investigations are performed since many years at different European radioactive waste disposal related underground research laboratories in different potential host rocks. The most frequented are: Mont Terri Rock Laboratory, Switzerland (Opalinus Clay, OPA), Underground Research Laboratory Meuse/Haute- Marne, France (Callovo-Oxfordian, COX), Underground Research Facility Mol, Belgium (Boom Clay, BC), Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory, Sweden (granites), Rock Laboratory Grimsel, Switzerland (granites) and Asse salt mine, Germany (rock salt). The methods can be grouped into borehole based methods and noninvasive methods like refraction and reflection methods, which are performed in general from the drift wall. Additionally, as a combination of these both methods a sort of vertical seismic profiling (VSP) is applied. The best qualified method, or a combination of methods, have to be chosen according to the scientific questions and the local site conditions. The degree of spatial resolution of zones of interest or any kind of anomaly depends strongly on the distance of these objects to the ultrasonic

Study on the sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducer in thickness vibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Shuyu; Tian Hua

2008-01-01

A sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducer in thickness vibration is studied. The transducer consists of front and back metal masses, and coaxially segmented, thickness polarized piezoelectric ceramic thin rings. For this kind of sandwich piezoelectric transducers in thickness vibration, it is required that the lateral dimension of the transducer is sufficiently large compared with its longitudinal dimension so that no lateral displacements in the transducer can occur (laterally clamped). In this paper, the thickness vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic stack consisting of a number of identical piezoelectric ceramic thin rings is analysed and its electro-mechanical equivalent circuit is obtained. The resonance frequency equation for the sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducer in thickness vibration is derived. Based on the frequency equation, two sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducers are designed and manufactured, and their resonance frequencies are measured. It is shown that the measured resonance frequencies are in good agreement with the theoretical results. This kind of sandwich piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer is expected to be used in megasonic ultrasonic cleaning and sonochemistry where high power and high frequency ultrasound is needed

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.

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.

Welding characteristics of 27, 40 and 67 kHz ultrasonic plastic welding systems using fundamental- and higher-resonance frequencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsujino, Jiromaru; Hongoh, Misugi; Yoshikuni, Masafumi; Hashii, Hidekazu; Ueoka, Tetsugi

2004-04-01

The welding characteristics of 27, 40 and 67 kHz ultrasonic plastic welding systems that are driven at only the fundamental-resonance frequency vibration were compared, and also those of the welding systems that were driven at the fundamental and several higher resonance frequencies simultaneously were studied. At high frequency, welding characteristics can be improved due to the larger vibration loss of plastic materials. For welding of rather thin or small specimens, as the fundamental frequency of these welding systems is higher and the numbers of driven higher frequencies are driven simultaneously, larger welded area and weld strength were obtained.

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

Development of high frequency tungsten inert gas welding method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morisada, Yoshiaki; Fujii, Hidetoshi; Inagaki, Fuminori; Kamai, Masayoshi

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A new ultrasonic wave TIG welding method was developed. ► The area of the blowholes decreased to less than about 1/8 in the normal TIG weld. ► The number of blowholes decreased with the decreasing frequency. ► The number of blowholes increased when the frequency was less than 15 kHz. ► The microstructure of the weld was refined by ultrasonic wave. -- Abstract: A new welding method, called high frequency tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, was developed to decrease blowholes in a weld. A1050 aluminum alloy plates (100 mm l × 50 mm w × 5 mm t ) were welded at a frequency from 10 to 40 kHz. An Ar-1% hydrogen mixture was used as the shielding gas to generate blowholes in the experiments. The welding was performed in the horizontal position so that the blowholes can easily be a problem. For comparison, a normal TIG welding was also performed at 60 Hz. After welding, the distribution of the blowholes in the welds was observed in order to evaluate the effect of the sonic wave. The number of blowholes changed with the frequency. A frequency near 15 kHz is the most suitable to decrease the blowholes. Using this new method, the area of blowholes is decreased to less than about 1/8 of the normal TIG weld. This method is much more effective for decreasing the number of blowholes, compared with an ultrasonic wave vibrator which is directly fixed to the sample.

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.

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

Head Injury and Intracranial Pressure Monitor Using Ultrasonic and Low-Frequency Acoustic (ULFA) Detection

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Vo-Dinh, Tuan

2001-01-01

The main objective of this research project is the development of a non-invasive method and instrument for head injury detection and monitoring using a new approach based on ultrasonic and low-frequency acoustic (ULFA...

Anomalous effect of high-frequency ultrasound on radiation diffraction in deformed single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iolin, E.M.; Rajtman, Eh.A.; Kuvaldin, B.V.; Zolotoyabko, Eh.V.

1988-01-01

Results are presented of a theoretical and experimental study of neutron and X-ray diffraction in defromed single crystals on high-frequency ultrasonic excitation. It is demonstrated theoretically that at a frequency exceeding a certain threshold value the ultrasound violates the adiabatic conditions for the excitation point motion on the dispersion surface branches. This leads to an anomalous (compared to diffraction for a perfect crystal) dependence of the diffraction intensity on the ultrasonic wave amplitude. The experimental data for Si crystals are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions

Study of the influence of micro-structures and porosity of pellets alumina in the ultrasonic pulse in the frequency domain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, Antonio Mario Leal Martins

2009-01-01

This work is part of a study to the applicability of ultrasonic technique in the frequency domain for non-destructive characterization of ceramic pellets fuel, which is of great interest because of concern about the safety and efficacy in the nuclear industry. In this work it was analysed if there were changes in frequency spectrum, generated by the traveling of an ultrasonic pulse through ceramic pellets of aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ). Using the ultrasonic technique in the frequency domain, together with micro-structural analysis of pellets by scanning electron microscope, it was possible to associate the characteristics of the material inspected with its respective frequency spectrum. The characterization was performed on 40 pellets alumina sintered in the temperatures of 1150, 1400, 1480, 1540 and 1580 deg C with porosities, as measured by the Archimedes method, ranging from 5.09% to 37.3%. The results show that the ultrasonic technique is effective in determining the micro-structure of ceramic alumina pellets and can be applied in the characterization of other porous materials in a production line, where the format of the frequency spectrum generated by the structure of the material may determine if the pellets belong the required specifications. (author)

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.

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.

Ultrasonic analysis of UO{sub 2} pellets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bittencourt, Marcelo de S.Q.; Baroni, Douglas B.; Martorelli, Daniel S., E-mail: bittenc@ien.gov.br, E-mail: douglasbaroni@ien.gov.br, E-mail: daniel@ien.gov.br [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Lab. de Ultrassom; Dias, Fabio C.; Silva, Jose W.S. da, E-mail: fabio@ird.gov.br, E-mail: wanderley@ird.gov.br [Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Lab. de Salvaguardas

2013-07-01

Ceramic materials have been widely used for various purposes in many different industries due to certain characteristics, such as high melting point and high resistance to corrosion. In the nuclear area, ceramics are of great importance due to the process of fabrication of fuel pellets for nuclear reactors. Generally, high accuracy destructive techniques are used to characterize nuclear materials for fuel fabrication. These techniques usually require costly equipment and facilities, as well as experienced personnel. This paper aims at presenting an analysis methodology for UO2 pellets using a non-destructive ultrasonic technique for porosity measurement. This technique differs from traditional ultrasonic techniques in the sense it uses ultrasonic pulses in frequency domain instead of time domain. Therefore, specific characteristics of the analyzed material are associated with the obtained frequency spectrum. In the present work, four fuel grade UO2 pellets were analyzed and the corresponding results evaluated. (author)

A forward model and conjugate gradient inversion technique for low-frequency ultrasonic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

van Dongen, Koen W A; Wright, William M D

2006-10-01

Emerging methods of hyperthermia cancer treatment require noninvasive temperature monitoring, and ultrasonic techniques show promise in this regard. Various tomographic algorithms are available that reconstruct sound speed or contrast profiles, which can be related to temperature distribution. The requirement of a high enough frequency for adequate spatial resolution and a low enough frequency for adequate tissue penetration is a difficult compromise. In this study, the feasibility of using low frequency ultrasound for imaging and temperature monitoring was investigated. The transient probing wave field had a bandwidth spanning the frequency range 2.5-320.5 kHz. The results from a forward model which computed the propagation and scattering of low-frequency acoustic pressure and velocity wave fields were used to compare three imaging methods formulated within the Born approximation, representing two main types of reconstruction. The first uses Fourier techniques to reconstruct sound-speed profiles from projection or Radon data based on optical ray theory, seen as an asymptotical limit for comparison. The second uses backpropagation and conjugate gradient inversion methods based on acoustical wave theory. The results show that the accuracy in localization was 2.5 mm or better when using low frequencies and the conjugate gradient inversion scheme, which could be used for temperature monitoring.

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)

High frequency/ultrasonic communication in a critically endangered nocturnal primate, Claire's mouse lemur (Microcebus mamiratra).

Science.gov (United States)

Hasiniaina, Alida F; Scheumann, Marina; Rina Evasoa, Mamy; Braud, Diane; Rasoloharijaona, Solofonirina; Randrianambinina, Blanchard; Zimmermann, Elke

2018-05-02

The critically endangered Claire's mouse lemur, only found in the evergreen rain forest of the National Park Lokobe (LNP) and a few lowland evergreen rain forest fragments of northern Madagascar, was described recently. The present study provides the first quantified information on vocal acoustics of calls, sound associated behavioral context, acoustic niche, and vocal activity of this species. We recorded vocal and social behavior of six male-female and six male-male dyads in a standardized social-encounter paradigm in June and July 2016 at the LNP, Nosy Bé island. Over six successive nights per dyad, we audio recorded and observed behaviors for 3 hr at the beginning of the activity period. Based on the visual inspection of spectrograms and standardized multiparametric sound analysis, we identified seven different call types. Call types can be discriminated based on a combination of harmonicity, fundamental frequency variation, call duration, and degree of tonality. Acoustic features of tonal call types showed that for communication, mouse lemurs use the cryptic, high frequency/ultrasonic frequency niche. Two call types, the Tsak and the Grunt call, were emitted most frequently. Significant differences in vocal activity of the Tsak call were found between male-female and male-male dyads, linked primarily to agonistic conflicts. Dominant mouse lemurs vocalized more than subdominant ones, suggesting that signaling may present an honest indicator of fitness. A comparison of our findings of the Claire's mouse lemur with published findings of five bioacoustically studied mouse lemur species points to the notion that a complex interplay between ecology, predation pressure, and phylogenetic relatedness may shape the evolution of acoustic divergence between species in this smallest-bodied primate radiation. Thus, comparative bioacoustic studies, using standardized procedures, are promising to unravel the role of vocalization for primate species diversity and evolution

Ultrasonic flow-through filtration of microparticles in a microfluidic channel using frequency sweep technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Dae Cheol; Ahn, Bong Young; Cho, Seung Hyun; Siddique, A. K. M. Ariful Haque; Kim, Cheol Gi

2013-01-01

Many studies have been conducted on the filtration of microparticles using the acoustic radiation force of ultrasonic standing wave. The present work concerns a flow-through particle filtration method by utilizing frequency varying ultrasound. The periodical frequency sweep of the ultrasonic standing wave translocates particles across a microchannel, where particles in fluid flow are filtrated without barriers. The present filtration technique in a microfluidic channel was proposed conceptually in the 1990s. However, its experimental realization on actual particles in a microfluidic channel has not been carried out in a notable way. Several sizes of polystyrene microspheres (10 µm to 90 µm) and silicon carbide (SiC) particles (37 µm) suspended in water were applied as a test sample. For filtration of those particles, a Y-branched microfluidic channel with one inlet and two outlets was made out of steel and acrylic as a form of modulized device. Ultrasound of a few MHz in band frequency (1.75 MHz to 3.05 MHz) was transmitted into one side of the channel wall to generate a standing wave field in fluid flow. The periodical frequency sweep operation showed successful filtration performance, whereby particles in water flowed into one outlet and purified water flowed into the other outlet of the Y branch of the channel.

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.

Detection of tissue coagulation by decorrelation of ultrasonic echo signals in cavitation-enhanced high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshizawa, Shin; Matsuura, Keiko; Takagi, Ryo; Yamamoto, Mariko; Umemura, Shin-Ichiro

2016-01-01

A noninvasive technique to monitor thermal lesion formation is necessary to ensure the accuracy and safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. The purpose of this study is to ultrasonically detect the tissue change due to thermal coagulation in the HIFU treatment enhanced by cavitation microbubbles. An ultrasound imaging probe transmitted plane waves at a center frequency of 4.5 MHz. Ultrasonic radio-frequency (RF) echo signals during HIFU exposure at a frequency of 1.2 MHz were acquired. Cross-correlation coefficients were calculated between in-phase and quadrature (IQ) data of two B-mode images with an interval time of 50 and 500 ms for the estimation of the region of cavitation and coagulation, respectively. Pathological examination of the coagulated tissue was also performed to compare with the corresponding ultrasonically detected coagulation region. The distribution of minimum hold cross-correlation coefficient between two sets of IQ data with 50-ms intervals was compared with a pulse inversion (PI) image. The regions with low cross-correlation coefficients approximately corresponded to those with high brightness in the PI image. The regions with low cross-correlation coefficients in 500-ms intervals showed a good agreement with those with significant change in histology. The results show that the regions of coagulation and cavitation could be ultrasonically detected as those with low cross-correlation coefficients between RF frames with certain intervals. This method will contribute to improve the safety and accuracy of the HIFU treatment enhanced by cavitation microbubbles.

Effects of frequency and a radical scavenger on ultrasonic degradation of water-soluble polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Koda, Shinobu; Taguchi, Kimihiko; Futamura, Kazunori

2011-01-01

Ultrasonic degradation of methyl cellulose, pullulan, dextran and poly(ethylene oxide) in aqueous solutions was investigated at the frequencies of 20 and 500 kHz, where the ultrasonic power delivered into solutions was kept constant (22 W). The number average molecular mass and the polydispersity were obtained as a function of sonication time. The degradation under sonication at the 500 kHz frequency proceeded faster in comparison with the 20 kHz sonication for four polymers. The addition of a radical scavenger, t-BuOH, resulted in suppression of degradation of water-soluble polymers. The degradation rate constants were estimated from the plot of molecular weight against sonication time. The degradation rate of methyl cellulose was the largest one among the investigated polymers. The difference in the degradation rates was discussed in terms of the flexibility and the hydrodynamic radius of polymer chains in aqueous solutions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High frequency guided wave propagation in monocrystalline silicon wafers

OpenAIRE

Pizzolato, M.; Masserey, B.; Robyr, J. L.; Fromme, P.

2017-01-01

Monocrystalline silicon wafers are widely used in the photovoltaic industry for solar panels with high conversion efficiency. The cutting process can introduce micro-cracks in the thin wafers and lead to varying thickness. High frequency guided ultrasonic waves are considered for the structural monitoring of the wafers. The anisotropy of the monocrystalline silicon leads to variations of the wave characteristics, depending on the propagation direction relative to the crystal orientation. Full...

Crossed SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit for high frequency ultrasound transceivers and transducers.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hojong; Shung, K Kirk

2014-06-12

The ultrasonic transducer is one of the core components of ultrasound systems, and the transducer's sensitivity is significantly related the loss of electronic components such as the transmitter, receiver, and protection circuit. In an ultrasonic device, protection circuits are commonly used to isolate the electrical noise between an ultrasound transmitter and transducer and to minimize unwanted discharged pulses in order to protect the ultrasound receiver. However, the performance of the protection circuit and transceiver obviously degrade as the operating frequency or voltage increases. We therefore developed a crossed SMPS (Switching Mode Power Supply) MOSFET-based protection circuit in order to maximize the sensitivity of high frequency transducers in ultrasound systems.The high frequency pulse signals need to trigger the transducer, and high frequency pulse signals must be received by the transducer. We therefore selected the SMPS MOSFET, which is the main component of the protection circuit, to minimize the loss in high frequency operation. The crossed configuration of the protection circuit can drive balanced bipolar high voltage signals from the pulser and transfer the balanced low voltage echo signals from the transducer. The equivalent circuit models of the SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit are shown in order to select the proper device components. The schematic diagram and operation mechanism of the protection circuit is provided to show how the protection circuit is constructed. The P-Spice circuit simulation was also performed in order to estimate the performance of the crossed MOSFET-based protection circuit. We compared the performance of our crossed SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit with a commercial diode-based protection circuit. At 60 MHz, our expander and limiter circuits have lower insertion loss than the commercial diode-based circuits. The pulse-echo test is typical method to evaluate the sensitivity of ultrasonic transducers

Medium-high frequency ultrasound and ozone based advanced oxidation for amoxicillin removal in water.

Science.gov (United States)

Kıdak, Rana; Doğan, Şifa

2018-01-01

In this study, treatment of an antibiotic compound amoxicillin by medium-high frequency ultrasonic irradiation and/or ozonation has been studied. Ultrasonic irradiation process was carried out in a batch reactor for aqueous amoxicillin solutions at three different frequencies (575, 861 and 1141kHz). The applied ultrasonic power was 75W and the diffused power was calculated as 14.6W/L. The highest removal was achieved at 575kHz ultrasonic frequency (>99%) with the highest pseudo first order reaction rate constant 0.04min -1 at pH 10 but the mineralization achieved was around 10%. Presence of alkalinity and humic acid species had negative effect on the removal efficiency (50% decrease). To improve the poor outcomes, ozonation had been applied with or without ultrasound. Ozone removed the amoxicillin at a rate 50 times faster than ultrasound. Moreover, due to the synergistic effect, coupling of ozone and ultrasound gave rise to rate constant of 2.5min -1 (625 times higher than ultrasound). In the processes where ozone was used, humic acid did not show any significant effect because the rate constant was so high that ozone has easily overcome the scavenging effects of natural water constituents. Furthermore, the intermediate compounds, after the incomplete oxidation mechanisms, has been analyzed to reveal the possible degradation pathways of amoxicillin through ultrasonic irradiation and ozonation applications. The outcomes of the intermediate compounds experiments and the toxicity was investigated to give a clear explanation about the safety of the resulting solution. The relevance of all the results concluded that hybrid advanced oxidation system was the best option for amoxicillin removal. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Buckin

2018-03-01

Full Text Available High-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy (HR-US is an analytical technique for direct and non-destructive monitoring of molecular and micro-structural transformations in liquids and semi-solid materials. It is based on precision measurements of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation in analysed samples. The application areas of HR-US in research, product development, and quality and process control include analysis of conformational transitions of polymers, ligand binding, molecular self-assembly and aggregation, crystallisation, gelation, characterisation of phase transitions and phase diagrams, and monitoring of chemical and biochemical reactions. The technique does not require optical markers or optical transparency. The HR-US measurements can be performed in small sample volumes (down to droplet size, over broad temperature range, at ambient and elevated pressures, and in various measuring regimes such as automatic temperature ramps, titrations and measurements in flow.

Ultrasonically Assisted Single Point Diamond Turning of Optical Mold of Tungsten Carbide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhanjie Li

2018-02-01

Full Text Available To realize high efficiency, low/no damage and high precision machining of tungsten carbide used for lens mold, a high frequency ultrasonic vibration cutting system was developed at first. Then, tungsten carbide was precisely machined with a polycrystalline diamond (PCD tool assisted by the self-developed high frequency ultrasonic vibration cutting system. Tool wear mechanism was investigated in ductile regime machining of tungsten carbide. The cutter back-off phenomenon in the process was analyzed. The subsequent experimental results of ultra-precision machining with a single crystal diamond tool showed that: under the condition of high frequency ultrasonic vibration cutting, nano-scale surface roughness can be obtained by the diamond tool with smaller tip radius and no defects like those of ground surface were found on the machined surface. Tool wear mechanisms of the single crystal diamond tool are mainly abrasive wear and micro-chipping. To solve the problem, a method of inclined ultrasonic vibration cutting with negative rake angle was put forward according to force analysis, which can further reduce tool wear and roughness of the machined surface. The investigation was important to high efficiency and quality ultra-precision machining of tungsten carbide.

Damage detection in composites using nonlinear ultrasonically modulated thermography

Science.gov (United States)

Malfense Fierro, G.-P.; Dionysopoulos, D.; Meo, M.; Ciampa, F.

2018-03-01

This paper proposes a novel nonlinear ultrasonically stimulated thermography technique for a quick and reliable assessment of material damage in carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite materials. The proposed nondestructive evaluation (NDE) method requires narrow sweep ultrasonic excitation using contact piezoelectric transducers in order to identify dual excitation frequencies associated with the damage resonance. High-amplitude signals and higher harmonic generation are necessary conditions for an accurate identification of these two input frequencies. Dual periodic excitation using high- and low-frequency input signals was then performed in order to generate frictional heating at the crack location that was measured by an infrared (IR) camera. To validate this concept, an impact damaged CFRP composite panel was tested and the experimental results were compared with traditional flash thermography. A laser vibrometer was used to investigate the response of the material with dual frequency excitation. The proposed nonlinear ultrasonically modulated thermography successfully detected barely visible impact damage in CFRP composites. Hence, it can be considered as an alternative to traditional flash thermography and thermosonics by allowing repeatable detection of damage in composites.

A New Low-frequency Sonophoresis System Combined with Ultrasonic Motor and Transducer

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Pancheng; Peng, Hanmin; Yang, Jianzhi; Mao, Ting; Sheng, Juan

2018-03-01

Low frequency sonophoresis (LFS) is currently being attempted as a transdermal drug delivery method in clinical areas. However, it lacks both an effective control method and the equipment to satisfy the varying drug dosage requirements of individual patients. Herein, a novel method aimed at controlling permeability is proposed and developed, using a pressure control strategy which is based on an accurate, adjustable and non-invasive ultrasound transdermal drug delivery system in in vitro LFS. The system mainly consists of a lead screw linear ultrasonic motor and an ultrasonic transducer, in which the former offers pressure and the latter provides ultrasound wave in the liquid. The ultrasound can enhance non-invasive permeation and the pressure from the motor can control the permeability. The calculated and experimental results demonstrate that the maximum pressure on artificial skin is under the area with the maximum vibration amplitude of the ultrasonic transducer, and the total pressure consists of acoustic pressure from the transducer and approximate static pressure from the motor. Changing the static pressure from the ultrasonic motor can effectively control the non-invasive permeability, by adjusting the duty ratio or the amplitude of the motor’s driving voltage. In addition, the permeability control of calcein by thrust control is realized in 15 min, indicating the suitability of this method for application in accurate medical technology. The obtained results reveal that the issue of difficult permeability control can be addressed, using this control method in in vitro LFS to open up a route to the design of accurate drug delivery technology for individual patients.

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

Study on Electric field assisted low frequency (20 kHz) ultrasonic spray

Science.gov (United States)

Chae, Ilkyeong; Seong, Baekhoon; Marten, Darmawan; Byun, Doyoung

2015-11-01

Ultrasonic spray is one of the fabulous techniques to discharge small size of droplets because it utilizes ultrasonic vibration on nozzle. However, spray patterns and size of ejected droplet is hardly controlled in conventional ultrasonic spray method. Therefore, here we present electric field assisted ultrasonic spray, which combined conventional technique with electric field in order to control spray pattern and droplet size precisely. Six kinds of various liquid (D.I water, Ethanol, Acetone, Iso-propanol, Toluene, Hexane) with various dielectric constants were used to investigate the mechanism of this method. Also, PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) was used and various variables were obtained including spray angle, amplitude of liquid vibration, current, and size distribution of ejected droplets. Our electric field assisted ultrasonic spray show that the standard deviation of atomized droplet was decreased up to 39.6%, and it shows the infinite possibility to be utilized in various applications which require precise control of high transfer efficiency. This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2014-023284).

Study of a new technique for measuring the travel time of ultrasonic waves using the frequency spectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Allan Xavier dos

2010-01-01

During the operation of a nuclear plant and other industrial plants, the operational time and the exposition to severe working conditions may cause the wear of its components, consequently, compromising the safety and the performance of the installation. The implementation of periodical inspections helps to ensure the safe operation and the best performance of the plant. In this way, the use of ultrasonic techniques for inspection and materials characterization becomes more and more attractive, since they offer quick, precise results and are technically ease to implement. The usual ultrasonic techniques, need to the measure the travelling time of the ultrasonic wave in the material examined in order to extract information useful to characterize it. Thus, the measurement of the travelling time of the ultrasonic wave is the overriding factor in most of the applications made with ultrasound. In this work a new technique was developed for measuring the travelling time of the ultrasonic wave using a Fourier's Fast Transformer (FFT). It will be shown mathematically and experimentally that it is possible to use the ultrasonic signal in the frequency domain to determine the travelling time of the ultrasonic wave. Five experiments were carried out for the experimental validation of this new technique. The materials used were 20 ceramic pastilles with different porosities and 3 aluminum plates of different thicknesses. The obtained results have shown that the new technique proposed in this work was able to determine the travelling time of the ultrasonic wave with the same precision as the conventional technique. It was shown, furthermore, that this new technique is able to measure the travelling time of the ultrasonic wave in situations where the conventional technique cannot be applied greatly expanding the range of application of ultrasonic testing and inspections. (author)

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.

Ultrasonic and metallographic studies on AISI 4140 steel exposed to hydrogen at high pressure and temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Oruganti, Malavika

This thesis conducts an investigation to study the effects of hydrogen exposure at high temperature and pressure on the behavior of AISI 4140 steel. Piezoelectric ultrasonic technique was primarily used to evaluate surface longitudinal wave velocity and defect geometry variations, as related to time after exposure to hydrogen at high temperature and pressure. Critically refracted longitudinal wave technique was used for the former and pulse-echo technique for the latter. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to correlate the ultrasonic results with the microstructure of the steel and to provide better insight into the steel behavior. The results of the investigation indicate that frequency analysis of the defect echo, determined using the pulse-echo technique at regular intervals of time, appears to be a promising tool for monitoring defect growth induced by a high temperature and high pressure hydrogen-related attack.

Angle-of-arrival-based gesture recognition using ultrasonic multi-frequency signals

KAUST Repository

Chen, Hui

2017-11-02

Hand gestures are tools for conveying information, expressing emotion, interacting with electronic devices or even serving disabled people as a second language. A gesture can be recognized by capturing the movement of the hand, in real time, and classifying the collected data. Several commercial products such as Microsoft Kinect, Leap Motion Sensor, Synertial Gloves and HTC Vive have been released and new solutions have been proposed by researchers to handle this task. These systems are mainly based on optical measurements, inertial measurements, ultrasound signals and radio signals. This paper proposes an ultrasonic-based gesture recognition system using AOA (Angle of Arrival) information of ultrasonic signals emitted from a wearable ultrasound transducer. The 2-D angles of the moving hand are estimated using multi-frequency signals captured by a fixed receiver array. A simple redundant dictionary matching classifier is designed to recognize gestures representing the numbers from `0\\' to `9\\' and compared with a neural network classifier. Average classification accuracies of 95.5% and 94.4% are obtained, respectively, using the two classification methods.

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

Ultrasonic inspection of composite hydrogen reservoirs using frequency diversity techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zellouf, D.; Goyette, J.; Massicotte, D.; Bose, T.K.

2000-01-01

During their service, cryogenic tanks are subjected to both hydrostatic and hygrothermic stresses. This can have as a consequence the initiation of the propagation of cracks within the structure of the material. Nevertheless, the analysis of ultrasonic signals collected during the inspection of composite materials must be dealt with carefully because of the presence of a strong background noise due to the reinforcement. This background noise results mostly from the interferences between the waves diffracted on the reinforcement. The target echo and the noise in which it is embedded both have the same frequency bandwidth. Thus we cannot use conventional linear filters to improve the signal-to-noise ratio

Industrial Applications of High Power Ultrasonics

Science.gov (United States)

Patist, Alex; Bates, Darren

Since the change of the millennium, high-power ultrasound has become an alternative food processing technology applicable to large-scale commercial applications such as emulsification, homogenization, extraction, crystallization, dewatering, low-temperature pasteurization, degassing, defoaming, activation and inactivation of enzymes, particle size reduction, extrusion, and viscosity alteration. This new focus can be attributed to significant improvements in equipment design and efficiency during the late 1990 s. Like most innovative food processing technologies, high-power ultrasonics is not an off-the-shelf technology, and thus requires careful development and scale-up for each and every application. The objective of this chapter is to present examples of ultrasonic applications that have been successful at the commercialization stage, advantages, and limitations, as well as key learnings from scaling up an innovative food technology in general.

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

High-temperature ultrasonic measurements applied to directly heated samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, R.I.; Taylor, R.E.

1984-01-01

High-temperature ultrasonic measurements of Young's modulus were made of graphite samples heated directly. The samples were cylindrical rods of the same geometry as that used in the multiproperty apparatus for simultaneous/consecutive measurements of a number of thermophysical properties to high temperatures. The samples were resonated in simple longitudinal vibration modes. Measurements were performed up to 2000 K. Incorporation of ultrasonic measurements of Young's modulus in the capabilities of the multiproperty apparatus is valuable because (i) ultrasonic measurements can be related to normal destructive measurements of this property; (ii) they can be used for screening materials or acceptance testing of specimens; (iii) they can be used to increase the understanding of thermophysical properties and property correlations. (author)

Iridoschisis: high frequency ultrasound imaging. Evidence for a genetic defect?

Science.gov (United States)

Danias, J; Aslanides, I M; Eichenbaum, J W; Silverman, R H; Reinstein, D Z; Coleman, D J

1996-01-01

AIMS: To elucidate changes in the anatomy of the anterior chamber associated with iridoschisis, a rare form of iris atrophy, and their potential contribution to angle closure glaucoma. METHODS: Both eyes of a 71-year-old woman with bilateral iridoschisis and fibrous dysplasia and her asymptomatic 50-year-old daughter were scanned with a very high frequency (50 MHz) ultrasound system. RESULTS: The symptomatic patient exhibited diffuse changes in the iris stoma with an intact posterior iris pigmented layer in both eyes. These changes were clinically compatible with the lack of iris transillumination defects. Additionally, iris bowing with a resultant narrowing of the angle occurred. The asymptomatic daughter showed discrete, but less severe iris stromal changes. CONCLUSION: This is the first detailed study of high frequency ultrasonic imaging of the iris in iridoschisis. The observed structural changes suggest angle narrowing by forward bowing of the anterior iris stroma may be a mechanism of IOP elevation in this condition. The ultrasonic detection of iris changes in the asymptomatic daughter of the symptomatic patient and the association of iridoschisis with fibrous dysplasia suggest a possible genetic component in the pathogenesis of this condition. Images PMID:9059271

High-speed monodisperse droplet generation by ultrasonically controlled micro-jet breakup

Science.gov (United States)

Frommhold, Philipp Erhard; Lippert, Alexander; Holsteyns, Frank Ludwig; Mettin, Robert

2014-04-01

A liquid jet that is ejected from a nozzle into air will disintegrate into drops via the well-known Plateau-Rayleigh instability within a certain range of Ohnesorge and Reynolds numbers. With the focus on the micrometer scale, we investigate the control of this process by superimposing a suitable ultrasonic signal, which causes the jet to break up into a very precise train of monodisperse droplets. The jet leaves a pressurized container of liquid via a small orifice of about 20 μm diameter. The break-up process and the emerging droplets are recorded via high-speed imaging. An extended parameter study of exit speed and ultrasonic frequency is carried out for deionized water to evaluate the jet's state and the subsequent generation of monodisperse droplets. Maximum exit velocities obtained reach almost 120 m s-1, and frequencies have been applied up to 1.8 MHz. Functionality of the method is confirmed for five additional liquids for moderate jet velocities 38 m s-1. For the uncontrolled jet disintegration, the drop size spectra revealed broad distributions and downstream drop growth by collision, while the acoustic control generated monodisperse droplets with a standard deviation less than 0.5 %. By adjustment of the acoustic excitation frequency, drop diameters could be tuned continuously from about 30 to 50 μm for all exit speeds. Good agreement to former experiments and theoretical approaches is found for the relation of overpressure and jet exit speed, and for the observed stability regions of monodisperse droplet generation in the parameter plane of jet speed and acoustic excitation frequency. Fitting of two free parameters of the general theory to the liquids and nozzles used is found to yield an even higher precision. Furthermore, the high-velocity instability limit of regular jet breakup described by von Ohnesorge has been superseded by more than a factor of two without entering the wind-induced instability regime, and monodisperse droplet generation was

Estimation of Scatterer Diameter by Normalized Power Spectrum of High-Frequency Ultrasonic RF Echo for Assessment of Red Blood Cell Aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Fukushima, Taku; Hasegawa, Hideyuki; Kanai, Hiroshi

2011-07-01

Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation, as one of the determinants of blood viscosity, plays an important role in blood rheology, including the condition of blood. RBC aggregation is induced by the adhesion of RBCs when the electrostatic repulsion between RBCs weakens owing to increases in protein and saturated fatty acid levels in blood, excessive RBC aggregation leads to various circulatory diseases. This study was conducted to establish a noninvasive quantitative method for assessment of RBC aggregation. The power spectrum of ultrasonic RF echoes from nonaggregating RBCs, which shows the frequency property of scattering, exhibits Rayleigh behavior. On the other hand, ultrasonic RF echoes from aggregating RBCs contain the components of reflection, which have no frequency dependence. By dividing the measured power spectrum of echoes from RBCs in the lumen by that of echoes from a posterior wall of the vein in the dorsum manus, the attenuation property of the propagating medium and the frequency responses of transmitting and receiving transducers are removed from the former spectrum. RBC aggregation was assessed by the diameter of a scatterer, which was estimated by minimizing the square difference between the measured normalized power spectrum and the theoretical power spectrum. In this study, spherical scatterers with diameters of 5, 11, 15, and 30 µm were measured in basic experiments. The estimated scatterer diameters were close to the actual diameters. Furthermore, the transient change of the scatterer diameters were measured in an in vivo experiment with respect to a 24-year-old healthy male during the avascularization using a cuff. The estimated diameters (12-22 µm) of RBCs during avascularization were larger than the diameters (4-8 µm) at rest and after recirculation. These results show the possibility of the use of the proposed method for noninvasive assessment of RBC aggregation.

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

Monitoring Low-Cycle Fatigue Material-Degradation by Ultrasonic Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Himawan

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Any system consisting of structural material often undergoes fatigue, which is caused by dynamic load cycle. As a structural system, nuclear power plant is very likely to have low-cycle fatigue at many of its components. Taking into account the importance of monitoring low-cycle fatigue on structural components to prevent them from getting failure, the authors have conducted a work to monitor material degradation caused by low-cycle fatigue by using ultrasonic method. An alloy of Cu-40Zn was used as a test specimen. Ultrasonic water immersion procedure was employed in this ultrasonic test. The probe used is a focusing type and has frequency as high as 15 MHz. The specimen area tested is in the middle part divided into 14 points × 23 points. The results, which were frequency spectrums, were analyzed using two parameters: frequency spectrum peak intensity and attenuation function gradient. The analysis indicates that peak intensity increases at the beginning of load cycle and then decreases. Meanwhile, gradient of attenuation function is lower at the beginning of fatigue process, and then consistently gets higher. It concludes that low-fatigue material degradation can be monitored by using ultrasonic method.

Bulk ultrasonic NDE of metallic components at high temperature using magnetostrictive transducers

Science.gov (United States)

Ashish, Antony Jacob; Rajagopal, Prabhu; Balasubramaniam, Krishnan; Kumar, Anish; Rao, B. Purnachandra; Jayakumar, Tammana

2017-02-01

Online ultrasonic NDE at high-temperature is of much interest to the power, process and automotive industries in view of possible savings in downtime. This paper describes a novel approach to developing ultrasonic transducers capable of high-temperature in-situ operation using the principle of magnetostriction. Preliminary design from previous research by the authors [1] is extended for operation at 1 MHz, and at elevated temperatures by amorphous metallic strips as the magnetostrictive core. Ultrasonic signals in pulse-echo mode are experimentally obtained from the ultrasonic transducer thus developed, in a simulated high-temperature environment of 350 °C for 10 hours. Advantages and challenges for practical deployment of this approach are discussed.

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.)

Embedded fiber optic ultrasonic sensors and generators

Science.gov (United States)

Dorighi, John F.; Krishnaswamy, Sridhar; Achenbach, Jan D.

1995-04-01

Ultrasonic sensors and generators based on fiber-optic systems are described. It is shown that intrinsic fiber optic Fabry-Perot ultrasound sensors that are embedded in a structure can be stabilized by actively tuning the laser frequency. The need for this method of stabilization is demonstrated by detecting piezoelectric transducer-generated ultrasonic pulses in the presence of low frequency dynamic strains that are intentionally induced to cause sensor drift. The actively stabilized embedded fiber optic Fabry-Perot sensor is also shown to have sufficient sensitivity to detect ultrasound that is generated in the interior of a structure by means of a high-power optical fiber that pipes energy from a pulsed laser to an embedded generator of ultrasound.

Ultrasonic Ranging System With Increased Resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, William E.; Johnson, William G.

1987-01-01

Master-oscillator frequency increased. Ultrasonic range-measuring system with 0.1-in. resolution provides continuous digital display of four distance readings, each updated four times per second. Four rangefinder modules in system are modified versions of rangefinder used for automatic focusing in commercial series of cameras. Ultrasonic pulses emitted by system innocuous to both people and equipment. Provides economical solutions to such distance-measurement problems as posed by boats approaching docks, truck backing toward loading platform, runway-clearance readout for tail of airplane with high angle attack, or burglar alarm.

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

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.

Ozone production in a dielectric barrier discharge with ultrasonic irradiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Drews, Joanna Maria; Kusano, Yukihiro; Leipold, Frank

2011-01-01

Ozone production has been investigated using an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge in pure O2 at room temperature with and without ultrasonic irradiation. It was driven at a frequency of either 15 kHz or 40 kHz. The ozone production was highly dependent on the O2 flow rate and the ......Ozone production has been investigated using an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge in pure O2 at room temperature with and without ultrasonic irradiation. It was driven at a frequency of either 15 kHz or 40 kHz. The ozone production was highly dependent on the O2 flow rate...

Signal-Characteristic analysis with respect to backing material of PVDF-based high-frequency ultrasound for photoacoustic microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jun Su; Chang, Jin Ho [Dept. of Electronic Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-15

Photoacoustic microscopy is capable of providing high-resolution molecular images, and its spatial resolution is typically determined by ultrasonic transducers used to receive the photoacoustic signals. Therefore, ultrasonic transducers for photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) should have a high operating frequency, broad bandwidth, and high signal-reception efficiency. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a suitable material. To take full advantage of this material, the selection of the backing material is crucial, as it influences the center frequency and bandwidth of the transducer. Therefore, we experimentally determined the most suitable backing material among EPO-TEK 301, E-Solder 3022, and RTV. For this, three PVDF high-frequency single-element transducers were fabricated with each backing material. The center frequency and -6 dB bandwidth of each transducer were ascertained by a pulse-echo test. The spatial resolution of each transducer was examined using wire-target images. The experimental results indicated that EPO-TEK 301 is the most suitable backing material for a PAM transducer. This material provides the highest signal magnitude and a reasonable bandwidth because a large portion of the energy propagates toward the front medium, and the PVDF resonates in the half-wave mode.

Ultrasonic Resonance Spectroscopy of Composite Rims for Flywheel Rotors

Science.gov (United States)

Harmon, Laura M.; Baaklini, George Y.

2002-01-01

Flywheel energy storage devices comprising multilayered composite rotor systems are being studied extensively for utilization in the International Space Station. These composite material systems were investigated with a recently developed ultrasonic resonance spectroscopy technique. The ultrasonic system employs a continuous swept-sine waveform and performs a fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the frequency response spectrum. In addition, the system is capable of equalizing the amount of energy at each frequency. Equalization of the frequency spectrum, along with interpretation of the second FFT, aids in the evaluation of the fundamental frequency. The frequency responses from multilayered material samples, with and without known defects, were analyzed to assess the capabilities and limitations of this nondestructive evaluation technique for material characterization and defect detection. Amplitude and frequency changes were studied from ultrasonic responses of thick composite rings and a multiring composite rim. A composite ring varying in thickness was evaluated to investigate the full thickness resonance. The frequency response characteristics from naturally occurring voids in a composite ring were investigated. Ultrasonic responses were compared from regions with and without machined voids in a composite ring and a multiring composite rim. Finally, ultrasonic responses from the multiring composite rim were compared before and after proof spin testing to 63,000 rpm.

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.

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.)

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)

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...

Detection and classification of defects in ultrasonic NDE signals using time-frequency representations

Science.gov (United States)

Qidwai, Uvais; Costa, Antonio H.; Chen, C. H.

2000-05-01

The ultrasonic wave, generated by a piezoelectric transducer coupled to the test specimen, propagates through the material and part of its energy is reflected when it encounters an non-homogeneity or discontinuity in its path, while the remainder is reflected by the back surface of the test specimen. Defect echo signals are masked by the characteristics of the measuring instruments, the propagation paths taken by the ultrasonic wave, and are corrupted by additive noise. This leads to difficulties in comparing and analyzing signals, particularly in automated defect identification systems employing different transducers. Further, the multi-component nature of material defects can add to the complexity of the defect identification criteria. With many one-dimensional (1-D) approaches, the multi-component defects can not be detected. Another drawback is that these techniques are not very robust for sharp ultrasonic peaks especially in a very hazardous environment. This paper proposes a technique based on the time-frequency representations (TFRs) of the real defect signals corresponding to artificially produced defects of various geometries in metals. Cohen's class (quadratic) TFRs with Gaussian kernels are then used to represent the signals in the time-frequency (TF) plane. Once the TFR is obtained, various image processing morphological techniques are applied to the TFR (e.g. region of interest masking, edge detection, and profile separation). Based on the results of these operations, a binary image is produced which, in turn, leads to a novel set of features. Using these new features, defects have not only been detected but also classified as flat-cut, angular-cut, and circular-drills. Moreover, with some modifications of the threshold levels of the TFR kernel design, our technique can be used in relatively hostile environments with SNRs as low as 0 dB. Another important characteristic of our approach is the detection of multiple defects. This consists of detection of

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)

High-frequency ultrasound for intraoperative margin assessments in breast conservation surgery: a feasibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyle, Timothy E; Neumayer, Leigh A; Factor, Rachel E; Ellefson, Christina L; Sorensen, Kristina M; Ambrose, Brady J; Goodrich, Jeffrey B; Hart, Vern P; Jensen, Scott C; Patel, Hemang

2011-01-01

In addition to breast imaging, ultrasound offers the potential for characterizing and distinguishing between benign and malignant breast tissues due to their different microstructures and material properties. The aim of this study was to determine if high-frequency ultrasound (20-80 MHz) can provide pathology sensitive measurements for the ex vivo detection of cancer in margins during breast conservation surgery. Ultrasonic tests were performed on resected margins and other tissues obtained from 17 patients, resulting in 34 specimens that were classified into 15 pathology categories. Pulse-echo and through-transmission measurements were acquired from a total of 57 sites on the specimens using two single-element 50-MHz transducers. Ultrasonic attenuation and sound speed were obtained from time-domain waveforms. The waveforms were further processed with fast Fourier transforms to provide ultrasonic spectra and cepstra. The ultrasonic measurements and pathology types were analyzed for correlations. The specimens were additionally re-classified into five pathology types to determine specificity and sensitivity values. The density of peaks in the ultrasonic spectra, a measure of spectral structure, showed significantly higher values for carcinomas and precancerous pathologies such as atypical ductal hyperplasia than for normal tissue. The slopes of the cepstra for non-malignant pathologies displayed significantly greater values that differentiated them from the normal and malignant tissues. The attenuation coefficients were sensitive to fat necrosis, fibroadenoma, and invasive lobular carcinoma. Specificities and sensitivities for differentiating pathologies from normal tissue were 100% and 86% for lobular carcinomas, 100% and 74% for ductal carcinomas, 80% and 82% for benign pathologies, and 80% and 100% for fat necrosis and adenomas. Specificities and sensitivities were also determined for differentiating each pathology type from the other four using a multivariate

High-frequency ultrasound for intraoperative margin assessments in breast conservation surgery: a feasibility study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hart Vern P

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In addition to breast imaging, ultrasound offers the potential for characterizing and distinguishing between benign and malignant breast tissues due to their different microstructures and material properties. The aim of this study was to determine if high-frequency ultrasound (20-80 MHz can provide pathology sensitive measurements for the ex vivo detection of cancer in margins during breast conservation surgery. Methods Ultrasonic tests were performed on resected margins and other tissues obtained from 17 patients, resulting in 34 specimens that were classified into 15 pathology categories. Pulse-echo and through-transmission measurements were acquired from a total of 57 sites on the specimens using two single-element 50-MHz transducers. Ultrasonic attenuation and sound speed were obtained from time-domain waveforms. The waveforms were further processed with fast Fourier transforms to provide ultrasonic spectra and cepstra. The ultrasonic measurements and pathology types were analyzed for correlations. The specimens were additionally re-classified into five pathology types to determine specificity and sensitivity values. Results The density of peaks in the ultrasonic spectra, a measure of spectral structure, showed significantly higher values for carcinomas and precancerous pathologies such as atypical ductal hyperplasia than for normal tissue. The slopes of the cepstra for non-malignant pathologies displayed significantly greater values that differentiated them from the normal and malignant tissues. The attenuation coefficients were sensitive to fat necrosis, fibroadenoma, and invasive lobular carcinoma. Specificities and sensitivities for differentiating pathologies from normal tissue were 100% and 86% for lobular carcinomas, 100% and 74% for ductal carcinomas, 80% and 82% for benign pathologies, and 80% and 100% for fat necrosis and adenomas. Specificities and sensitivities were also determined for differentiating each

Monitoring of corrosion damage using high-frequency guided ultrasonic waves

OpenAIRE

Chew, D.; Fromme, P.

2014-01-01

Due to adverse environmental conditions corrosion can develop during the life cycle of industrial structures, e.g., offshore oil platforms, ships, and desalination plants. Both pitting corrosion and generalized corrosion leading to wall thickness loss can cause the degradation of the integrity and load bearing capacity of the structure. Structural health monitoring of corrosion damage in difficult to access areas can in principle be achieved using high frequency guided waves propagating along...

Enhancing Plasma Surface Modification using high Intensity and high Power Ultrasonic Acoustic Waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2010-01-01

high intensity and high power acoustic waves (102) by at least one ultrasonic high intensity and high power acoustic wave generator (101 ), wherein the ultrasonic acoustic waves are directed to propagate towards said surface (314) of the object (100) so that a laminar boundary layer (313) of a gas...... or a mixture of gases (500) flow in contact with said solid object (100) is thinned or destructed for at least a part of said surface (314). In this way, the plasma can more efficiently access and influence the surface of the solid object to be treated by the plasma, which speeds the process time up...

Ultrasonic testing of austenitic stainless steel welds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishino, Shunichi; Hida, Yoshio; Yamamoto, Michio; Ando, Tomozumi; Shirai, Tasuku.

1982-05-01

Ultrasonic testing of austenitic stainless steel welds has been considered difficult because of the high noise level and remarkable attenuation of ultrasonic waves. To improve flaw detectability in this kind of steel, various inspection techniques have been studied. A series of tests indicated: (1) The longitudinal angle beam transducers newly developed during this study can detect 4.8 mm dia. side drilled holes in dissimilar metal welds (refraction angle: 55 0 from SUS side, 45 0 from CS side) and in cast stainless steel welds (refraction angle: 45 0 , inspection frequency: 1 MHz). (2) Cracks more than 5% t in depth in the heat affected zones of fine-grain stainless steel pipe welds can be detected by the 45 0 shear wave angle beam method (inspection frequency: 2 MHz). (3) The pattern recognition method using frequency analysis technology was presumed useful for discriminating crack signals from spurious echoes. (author)

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

Role of ultrasonic irradiation on transesterification of palm oil using calcium oxide as a solid base catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poosumas, Jutipong; Ngaosuwan, Kanokwan; Quitain, Armando T.; Assabumrungrat, Suttichai

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Transesterification of palm oil using a circulated continuous flow ultrasonic reactor. • Heterogeneous system using CaO as catalyst. • Effects of ultrasonic frequency and power, and catalyst reusability were considered. • A single high frequency and high intensity irradiation is favorable for heterogeneous system. - Abstract: Biodiesel production from transesterification of palm oil using a circulated continuous flow ultrasonic reactor was investigated. Transesterification was carried out at 60 °C, 1 atm and a methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 9:1. The highest reaction rate was achieved at the catalyst loading of 2 wt%, and biodiesel yield constantly increased until transesterification equilibrium (about 80%) was reached. A higher ultrasonic frequency (50 kHz) promoted the heterogeneously catalyzed transesterification of refined palm oil, because the three-phase system (packed solid catalyst, methanol and oil) required more spatial distribution by ultrasonic irradiation. Moreover, the highest ultrasonic power also provided highest transesterification rate and biodiesel yield due to cavitation activity enhancement. Reusability of calcium oxide catalysts was also investigated, and results showed that this can be reused to provide high biodiesel yield for at least three operations with slight decrease in the rate of reaction due to counter balance effect of organic compounds deposition on the catalyst surface. The results from this study can be a basis for scaling up of the process to industrial scale.

Backscattering analysis of high frequency ultrasonic imaging for ultrasound-guided breast biopsy

Science.gov (United States)

Cummins, Thomas; Akiyama, Takahiro; Lee, Changyang; Martin, Sue E.; Shung, K. Kirk

2017-03-01

A new ultrasound-guided breast biopsy technique is proposed. The technique utilizes conventional ultrasound guidance coupled with a high frequency embedded ultrasound array located within the biopsy needle to improve the accuracy in breast cancer diagnosis.1 The array within the needle is intended to be used to detect micro- calcifications indicative of early breast cancers such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Backscattering analysis has the potential to characterize tissues to improve localization of lesions. This paper describes initial results of the application of backscattering analysis of breast biopsy tissue specimens and shows the usefulness of high frequency ultrasound for the new biopsy related technique. Ultrasound echoes of ex-vivo breast biopsy tissue specimens were acquired by using a single-element transducer with a bandwidth from 41 MHz to 88 MHz utilizing a UBM methodology, and the backscattering coefficients were calculated. These values as well as B-mode image data were mapped in 2D and matched with each pathology image for the identification of tissue type for the comparison to the pathology images corresponding to each plane. Microcalcifications were significantly distinguished from normal tissue. Adenocarcinoma was also successfully differentiated from adipose tissue. These results indicate that backscattering analysis is able to quantitatively distinguish tissues into normal and abnormal, which should help radiologists locate abnormal areas during the proposed ultrasound-guided breast biopsy with high frequency ultrasound.

Enhancing gas-phase reaction in a plasma using high intensity and high power ultrasonic acoustic waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2010-01-01

is absorbed into said plasma (104), and where a sound pressure level of said generated ultrasonic high intensity and high power acoustic waves (102) is at least substantially 140 dB and where an acoustic power of said generated ultrasonic high intensity and high power acoustic waves (102); is at least...... substantially 100 W. In this way, a high sound intensity and power are obtained that efficiently enhances a gas-phase reaction in the plasma, which enhances the plasma process, e.g. enabling more efficient ozone or hydrogen generation using plasma in relation to reaction speed and/or obtained concentration......This invention relates to enhancing a gas-phase reaction in a plasma comprising: creating plasma (104) by at least one plasma source (106), and wherein that the method further comprises: generating ultrasonic high intensity and high power acoustic waves (102) having a predetermined amount...

Response of fiber Bragg gratings to longitudinal ultrasonic waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Minardo, Aldo; Cusano, Andrea; Bernini, Romeo; Zeni, Luigi; Giordano, Michele

2005-02-01

In the last years, fiber optic sensors have been widely exploited for several sensing applications, including static and dynamic strain measurements up to acoustic detection. Among these, fiber Bragg grating sensors have been indicated as the ideal candidate for practical structural health monitoring in light of their unique advantages over conventional sensing devices. Although this class of sensors has been successfully tested for static and low-frequency measurements, the identification of sensor performances for high-frequency detection, including acoustic emission and ultrasonic investigations, is required. To this aim, the analysis of feasibilty on the use of fiber Bragg grating sensors as ultrasonic detectors has been carried out. In particular, the response of fiber Bragg gratings subjected to the longitudinal ultrasonic (US) field has been theoretically and numerically investigated. Ultrasonic field interaction has been modeled, taking into account the direct deformation of the grating pitch combined with changes in local refractive index due to the elasto-optic effect. Numerical results, obtained for both uniform and Gaussian-apodized fiber Bragg gratings, show that the grating spectrum is strongly influenced by the US field in terms of shape and central wavelength. In particular, a key parameter affecting the grating response is the ratio between the US wavelength and the grating length. Normal operation characterized by changes in wavelength of undistorted Bragg peak is possible only for US wavelengths longer than the grating length. For US wavelengths approaching the grating length, the wavelength change is accompanied by subpeaks formation and main peak amplitude modulation. This effect can be attributed to the nonuniformity of the US perturbation along the grating length. At very high US frequencies, the grating is not sensitive any longer. The results of this analysis provide useful tools for the design of grating-based ultrasound sensors for

Piston cylinder cell for high pressure ultrasonic pulse echo measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kepa, M. W., E-mail: mkepa@staffmail.ed.ac.uk; Huxley, A. D. [SUPA, Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ (United Kingdom); Ridley, C. J.; Kamenev, K. V. [Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions and School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD (United Kingdom)

2016-08-15

Ultrasonic techniques such as pulse echo, vibrating reed, or resonant ultrasound spectroscopy are powerful probes not only for studying elasticity but also for investigating electronic and magnetic properties. Here, we report on the design of a high pressure ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus, based on a piston cylinder cell, with a simplified electronic setup that operates with a single coaxial cable and requires sample lengths of mm only. The design allows simultaneous measurements of ultrasonic velocities and attenuation coefficients up to a pressure of 1.5 GPa. We illustrate the performance of the cell by probing the phase diagram of a single crystal of the ferromagnetic superconductor UGe{sub 2}.

Corrosion monitoring using high-frequency guided waves

Science.gov (United States)

Fromme, P.

2016-04-01

Corrosion can develop due to adverse environmental conditions during the life cycle of a range of industrial structures, e.g., offshore oil platforms, ships, and desalination plants. Generalized corrosion leading to wall thickness loss can cause the reduction of the strength and thus degradation of the structural integrity. The monitoring of corrosion damage in difficult to access areas can be achieved using high frequency guided waves propagating along the structure from accessible areas. Using standard ultrasonic wedge transducers with single sided access to the structure, guided wave modes were selectively generated that penetrate through the complete thickness of the structure. The wave propagation and interference of the different guided wave modes depends on the thickness of the structure. Laboratory experiments were conducted for wall thickness reduction due to milling of the steel structure. From the measured signal changes due to the wave mode interference the reduced wall thickness was monitored. Good agreement with theoretical predictions was achieved. The high frequency guided waves have the potential for corrosion damage monitoring at critical and difficult to access locations from a stand-off distance.

Frequency dispersion of longitudinal ultrasonic velocity and attenuation in [001]c-poled 0.24Pb(In₁/₂Nb₁/₂O₃- 0.45Pb(Mg₁/₃Nb₂/₃)O₃-0.31PbTiO₃ single crystal.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Enwei; Cao, Wenwu; Han, Pengdi

2011-08-01

The frequency dispersion of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation in [001](c)-poled 0.24Pb(in(1/2)Nb(1/2))O(3)-0.45Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))o(3)-0.31PbTio(3) (PIN-0.45PMN-0.31PT) ternary single crystal were measured by ultrasonic spectroscopy from 25 to 100 MHz for the longitudinal wave. It was found that the velocity has a linear relationship with the frequency f, but the attenuation has a quadratic relation with f. The attenuation and frequency dispersion of the ternary system are lower than that of the (1-x)Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-xPbTiO(3) (PMN-PT) binary system and the coercive field also increased by a factor of 2.5, hence, the ternary single system is superior to the corresponding binary single-crystal system for high-frequency and high-power transducer applications.

Physical mechanisms of megahertz vibrations and nonlinear detection in ultrasonic force and related microscopies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bosse, J. L.; Huey, B. D. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 97 North Eagleville Road, Unit 3136, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3136 (United States); Tovee, P. D.; Kolosov, O. V., E-mail: o.kolosov@lancaster.ac.uk [Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB (United Kingdom)

2014-04-14

Use of high frequency (HF) vibrations at MHz frequencies in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) advanced nanoscale property mapping to video rates, allowed use of cantilever dynamics for mapping nanomechanical properties of stiff materials, sensing μs time scale phenomena in nanostructures, and enabled detection of subsurface features with nanoscale resolution. All of these methods critically depend on the generally poor characterized HF behaviour of AFM cantilevers in contact with a studied sample, spatial and frequency response of piezotransducers, and transfer of ultrasonic vibrations between the probe and a specimen. Focusing particularly on Ultrasonic Force Microscopy (UFM), this work is also applicable to waveguide UFM, heterodyne force microscopy, and near-field holographic microscopy, all methods that exploit nonlinear tip-surface force interactions at high frequencies. Leveraging automated multidimensional measurements, spectroscopic UFM (sUFM) is introduced to investigate a range of common experimental parameters, including piezotransducer excitation frequency, probed position, ultrasonic amplitude, cantilever geometry, spring constant, and normal force. Consistent with studies of influence of each of these factors, the data-rich sUFM signatures allow efficient optimization of ultrasonic-AFM based measurements, leading to best practices recommendations of using longer cantilevers with lower fundamental resonance, while at the same time increasing the central frequency of HF piezo-actuators, and only comparing results within areas on the order of few μm{sup 2} unless calibrated directly or compared with in-the-imaged area standards. Diverse materials such as Si, Cr, and photoresist are specifically investigated. This work thereby provides essential insight into the reliable use of MHz vibrations with AFM and provides direct evidence substantiating phenomena such as sensitivity to adhesion, diminished friction for certain ultrasonic conditions, and the

Physical mechanisms of megahertz vibrations and nonlinear detection in ultrasonic force and related microscopies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bosse, J. L.; Huey, B. D.; Tovee, P. D.; Kolosov, O. V.

2014-01-01

Use of high frequency (HF) vibrations at MHz frequencies in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) advanced nanoscale property mapping to video rates, allowed use of cantilever dynamics for mapping nanomechanical properties of stiff materials, sensing μs time scale phenomena in nanostructures, and enabled detection of subsurface features with nanoscale resolution. All of these methods critically depend on the generally poor characterized HF behaviour of AFM cantilevers in contact with a studied sample, spatial and frequency response of piezotransducers, and transfer of ultrasonic vibrations between the probe and a specimen. Focusing particularly on Ultrasonic Force Microscopy (UFM), this work is also applicable to waveguide UFM, heterodyne force microscopy, and near-field holographic microscopy, all methods that exploit nonlinear tip-surface force interactions at high frequencies. Leveraging automated multidimensional measurements, spectroscopic UFM (sUFM) is introduced to investigate a range of common experimental parameters, including piezotransducer excitation frequency, probed position, ultrasonic amplitude, cantilever geometry, spring constant, and normal force. Consistent with studies of influence of each of these factors, the data-rich sUFM signatures allow efficient optimization of ultrasonic-AFM based measurements, leading to best practices recommendations of using longer cantilevers with lower fundamental resonance, while at the same time increasing the central frequency of HF piezo-actuators, and only comparing results within areas on the order of few μm 2 unless calibrated directly or compared with in-the-imaged area standards. Diverse materials such as Si, Cr, and photoresist are specifically investigated. This work thereby provides essential insight into the reliable use of MHz vibrations with AFM and provides direct evidence substantiating phenomena such as sensitivity to adhesion, diminished friction for certain ultrasonic conditions, and the particular

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.

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.

Crack detection and analyses using resonance ultrasonic vibrations in full-size crystalline silicon wafers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belyaev, A.; Polupan, O.; Dallas, W.; Ostapenko, S.; Hess, D.; Wohlgemuth, J.

2006-01-01

An experimental approach for fast crack detection and length determination in full-size solar-grade crystalline silicon wafers using a resonance ultrasonic vibrations (RUV) technique is presented. The RUV method is based on excitation of the longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations in full-size wafers. Using an external piezoelectric transducer combined with a high sensitivity ultrasonic probe and computer controlled data acquisition system, real-time frequency response analysis can be accomplished. On a set of identical crystalline Si wafers with artificially introduced periphery cracks, it was demonstrated that the crack results in a frequency shift in a selected RUV peak to a lower frequency and increases the resonance peak bandwidth. Both characteristics were found to increase with the length of the crack. The frequency shift and bandwidth increase serve as reliable indicators of the crack appearance in silicon wafers and are suitable for mechanical quality control and fast wafer inspection

Chrome tannage using high-intensity ultrasonic field.

Science.gov (United States)

Mäntysalo, E; Marjoniemi, M; Kilpeläinen, M

1997-04-01

The process time in chrome tannage in leather making, using an elastic compression cycle followed by irradiation by high-intensity ultrasound, is quite short lasting only a few minutes, compared with a process time of several hours in modern chrome tannage. After ultrasonic irradiation, samples were basified in 17 h in chrome liquor at a pH of 4.0 and the shrinkage temperature was measured. The determination of the efficiency for the chrome liquor penetrating into the hides can be based on the steepness of the shrinkage temperature-processing time curve. An approximate value of 20 degrees C min(-1) can be evaluated for the initial slope of the curve when elastic compression and high-intensity ultrasonic irradiation is used, and a processing time of 2 min is required in chrome liquor (plus 17 h basification and 24 h storage time) to obtain leather stable to boiling. Usually, hides are kept in chrome liquor for 2 h.

Studies on the preparation of Caro’s acid by ultrasonic enhanced electrochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Linbo; Yu, Zeli; Hong, Tao; Fang, Zhao; Peng, Jishi; Yang, Zhao

2017-06-01

Ultrasonic cavitation effects can generate hydroxyl radicals and high energy, which is widely applied in the field of oxidation currently. Ultrasound-enhanced electrochemical is used to prepare Caro’s acid, which improves the generate rate of Caro’s acid. In this article, the influences of ultrasonic frequency and ultrasonic power on the electrolysis voltage, electrolyte temperature, electrolyte concentration and the concentration of additive in the process of electrochemical preparation of Caro’s acid was studied. And the optimal production conditions were determined. The research results showed that ultrasonic can significantly improve the production of Caro’s acid and the product can increase by about 20 g/L under the best condition.

Lower sintering temperature of nanostructured dense ceramics compacted from dry nanopowders using powerful ultrasonic action

OpenAIRE

Khasanov, O.; Reichel, U.; Dvilis, E.; Khasanov, A.

2011-01-01

Nanostructured high dense zirconia ceramics have been sintered from dry nanopowders compacted by uniaxial pressing with simultaneous powerful ultrasonic action (PUA). Powerful ultrasound with frequency of 21 kHz was supplied from ultrasonic generator to the mold, which was the ultrasonic wave-guide. Previously the mold was filled by non-agglomerated zirconia nanopowder having average particle size of 40 nm. Any binders or plasticizers were excluded at nanopowder processing. Compaction pressur...

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

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.

Investigations on Tl-2223 thin films fabricated through ultrasonic ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

converted into mist by an ultrasonic nebulizer operating at a frequency of ~ 106 Hz. This mist ... TBCCO system is formed at ~ 890°C, we have used this as the thalliation .... nucleation and growth kinetics induced by highly mobile. Ag particles.

Ultrasonic techniques for measuring physical properties of fluids in harsh environments

Science.gov (United States)

Pantea, Cristian

Ultrasonic-based measurement techniques, either in the time domain or in the frequency domain, include a wide range of experimental methods for investigating physical properties of materials. This discussion is specifically focused on ultrasonic methods and instrumentation development for the determination of liquid properties at conditions typically found in subsurface environments (in the U.S., more than 80% of total energy needs are provided by subsurface energy sources). Such sensors require materials that can withstand harsh conditions of high pressure, high temperature and corrosiveness. These include the piezoelectric material, electrically conductive adhesives, sensor housings/enclosures, and the signal carrying cables, to name a few. A complete sensor package was developed for operation at high temperatures and pressures characteristic to geothermal/oil-industry reservoirs. This package is designed to provide real-time, simultaneous measurements of multiple physical parameters, such as temperature, pressure, salinity and sound speed. The basic principle for this sensor's operation is an ultrasonic frequency domain technique, combined with transducer resonance tracking. This multipurpose acoustic sensor can be used at depths of several thousand meters, temperatures up to 250 °C, and in a very corrosive environment. In the context of high precision measurement of sound speed, the determination of acoustic nonlinearity of liquids will also be discussed, using two different approaches: (i) the thermodynamic method, in which precise and accurate frequency domain sound speed measurements are performed at high pressure and high temperature, and (ii) a modified finite amplitude method, requiring time domain measurements of the second harmonic at room temperature. Efforts toward the development of an acoustic source of collimated low-frequency (10-150 kHz) beam, with applications in imaging, will also be presented.

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.

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.

High temperature flexible ultrasonic transducers for structural health monitoring and NDT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shih, J.L. [McGill Univ., Montreal, PQ (Canada). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Kobayashi, M.; Jen, C.K.; Tatibouet, J. [National Research Council of Canada, Boucherville, PQ (Canada). Industrial Materials Inst.; Mrad, N. [Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Air Vehicles Research Station

2009-07-01

Ultrasonic techniques are often used for non-destructive testing (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) of pipes in nuclear and fossil fuel power plants, petrochemical plants and other structures as a method to improve safety and extend the service life of the structure. In such applications, ultrasonic transducers (UTs) must be able to operate at high temperature, and must come in contact with structures that have surfaces with different curvatures. As such, flexible UTs (FUTs) are most suitable because they ensure self-alignment to the object's surface. The purpose of this study was to develop FUTs that have high flexibility similar to commercially available polyvinylidene fluoride PVDF FUTs, but which can operate at up to at least 150 degrees C and have a high ultrasonic performance comparable to commercial broadband UTs. The fabrication of the FUT consisted of a sol-gel based sensor fabrication process. The substrate was a 75 {mu}m thick titanium (Ti) membrane, a piezoelectric composite with a thickness larger than 85 {mu}m and a top electrode. The ultrasonic performance of the FUT in terms of signal strength was found to be at least as good as commercially available broadband ultrasonic transducers at room temperature. Onsite gluing and brazing installation techniques which bond the FUTs onto steel pipes for SHM and NDT purposes up to 100 and 150 degrees C were developed, respectively. The best thickness measurement accuracy of FUT at 150 degrees C was estimated to be 26 {mu}m. 18 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs.

A high-frequency sonar for profiling small-scale subaqueous bedforms

Science.gov (United States)

Dingler, J.R.; Boylls, J.C.; Lowe, R.L.

1977-01-01

A high-resolution ultrasonic profiler has been developed which permits both laboratory and field studies of small-scale subaqueous bedforms. The device uses a 2.5-cm diameter piezoelectric ceramic crystal pulsed at a frequency of 4.5 MHz to obtain vertical accuracy and resolution of at least 1 mm. Compared to other small-scale profiling methods, this ultrasonic technique profiles the bottom more accurately and more rapidly without disturbing the bedforms. These characteristics are vital in wave-dominated nearshore zones where oscillatory flow and low visibility for the most part have stymied detailed bedform studies. In the laboratory the transducer is mounted directly to an instrument carriage. For field work the transducer housing is mounted in a 2 m long aluminum frame which is situated and operated by scuba divers. Observations using the device include ripple geometry and migration, the suspension height of sand during sheet flow, and long-term erosion/deposition at a point. ?? 1977.

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.

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)

Robust frequency diversity based algorithm for clutter noise reduction of ultrasonic signals using multiple sub-spectrum phase coherence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gongzhang, R.; Xiao, B.; Lardner, T.; Gachagan, A. [Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XW (United Kingdom); Li, M. [School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ (United Kingdom)

2014-02-18

This paper presents a robust frequency diversity based algorithm for clutter reduction in ultrasonic A-scan waveforms. The performance of conventional spectral-temporal techniques like Split Spectrum Processing (SSP) is highly dependent on the parameter selection, especially when the signal to noise ratio (SNR) is low. Although spatial beamforming offers noise reduction with less sensitivity to parameter variation, phased array techniques are not always available. The proposed algorithm first selects an ascending series of frequency bands. A signal is reconstructed for each selected band in which a defect is present when all frequency components are in uniform sign. Combining all reconstructed signals through averaging gives a probability profile of potential defect position. To facilitate data collection and validate the proposed algorithm, Full Matrix Capture is applied on the austenitic steel and high nickel alloy (HNA) samples with 5MHz transducer arrays. When processing A-scan signals with unrefined parameters, the proposed algorithm enhances SNR by 20dB for both samples and consequently, defects are more visible in B-scan images created from the large amount of A-scan traces. Importantly, the proposed algorithm is considered robust, while SSP is shown to fail on the austenitic steel data and achieves less SNR enhancement on the HNA data.

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.

Detection of Fatigue Damage by Using Frequency Attenuation of a Laser Ultrasonic Longitudinal Wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Seung-Kyu; Baik, Sung-Hoon; Jung, Hyun-Kyu; Joo, Young-Sang; Cha, Hyung-Ki; Kang, Young-June

2006-01-01

The measurement of fatigue damage in nuclear power plant components is very important to prevent a catastrophic accident and the subsequent severe losses. Specifically, it is preferred to detect at an early stage of the fatigue damage. If the fatigue damage that is in danger of growing into a fracture is accurately detected, an appropriate treatment could be carried out to improve the condition. Although most engineers and designers take precautions against fatigue, some breakdowns of nuclear power plant components still occur due to fatigue damage. It is considered that ultrasound testing technique is the most promising method to detect the fatigue damage in many nondestructive testing methods. Ultrasound testing method has a variety of elastic waves, such as a longitudinal wave, a shear wave, a surface wave and a lamb wave. Also we can use various analysis methods, such as a velocity variation and a signal attenuation. Laser ultrasonic testing has attracted attention as a non-contact testing technique. This system consists of a pulse laser to remotely generate ultrasound and a laser interferometer to remotely measure the surface displacement due to the generated ultrasound. This noncontact testing technique has the following advantages over the conventional piezoelectric transducers. Firstly, the inspection system can be remotely operated for a structure in hostile environments, such as in high radioactivity, high temperatures and narrow spaces. Secondly, we can obtain lots of information from the received ultrasonic waveforms because the laser ultrasonic technique does not require fluid couplant which disturbs the ultrasonic waveforms. Thirdly, laser ultrasound has a wideband spectrum and a high spatial resolution. Therefore, the laser ultrasound provides more accurate information for a testing material and has potential for the detection of fatigue damage in various metals composing a nuclear power plant

Ultrasonic properties of all-printed piezoelectric polymer transducers

Science.gov (United States)

Wagle, Sanat; Decharat, Adit; Bodö, Peter; Melandsø, Frank

2013-12-01

The ability of producing ultrasonic transducers from screen-printing has been explored experimentally, through printing and characterization of a large number of transducers. In an all-printed test design, 124 transducers with four different electrode sizes ranging from 1 to 4.9 mm2, were printed layer-by-layer on a high performance polyethyleneimine polymer. Inks from ferroelectric and conductive polymers were applied to the active part of a transducer, to provide a good acoustical match between the individual layers. Ultrasonic characterizations of the transducers done by two independent methods provided a broad-banded frequency response with a maximum response around 100 MHz.

High resolution ultrasonic densitometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dress, W.B.

1983-01-01

The velocity of torsional stress pulses in an ultrasonic waveguide of non-circular cross section is affected by the temperature and density of the surrounding medium. Measurement of the transit times of acoustic echoes from the ends of a sensor section are interpreted as level, density, and temperature of the fluid environment surrounding that section. This paper examines methods of making these measurements to obtain high resolution, temperature-corrected absolute and relative density and level determinations of the fluid. Possible applications include on-line process monitoring, a hand-held density probe for battery charge state indication, and precise inventory control for such diverse fluids as uranium salt solutions in accountability storage and gasoline in service station storage tanks

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.

Mathematical modelling of ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larissa Ju Fradkin

2001-01-01

Full Text Available High-frequency asymptotics have been used at our Centre to develop codes for modelling pulse propagation and scattering in the near-field of the ultrasonic transducers used in NDE (Non-Destructive Evaluation, particularly of walls of nuclear reactors. The codes are hundreds of times faster than the direct numerical codes but no less accurate.

Ultrasonic pattern recognition study of feedwater nozzle inner radius indication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoneyama, H.; Takama, S.; Kishigami, M.; Sasahara, T.; Ando, H.

1983-01-01

A study was made to distinguish defects on feed-water nozzle inner radius from noise echo caused by stainless steel cladding by using ultrasonic pattern recognition method with frequency analysis technique. Experiment has been successfully performed on flat clad plates and nozzle mock-up containing fatigue cracks and the following results which shows the high capability of frequency analysis technique are obtained

PSpice Modeling of a Sandwich Piezoelectric Ceramic Ultrasonic Transducer in Longitudinal Vibration.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Xiaoyuan; Yang, Yuan; Yao, Wenqing; Zhang, Lei

2017-09-30

Sandwiched piezoelectric transducers are widely used, especially in high power applications. For more convenient analysis and design, a PSpice lossy model of sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers in longitudinal vibration is proposed by means of the one-dimensional wave and transmission line theories. With the proposed model, the resonance and antiresonance frequencies are obtained, and it is shown that the simulations and measurements have good consistency. For the purpose of further verification the accuracy and application of the PSpice model, a pitch-catch setup and an experimental platform are built. They include two sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers and two aluminum cylinders whose lengths are 20 mm and 100 mm respectively. Based on this pitch-catch setup, the impedance and transient analysis are performed. Compared with the measured results, it is shown that the simulated results have good consistency. In addition, the conclusion can be drawn that the optimal excitation frequency for the pitch-catch setup is not necessarily the resonance frequency of ultrasonic transducers, because the resonance frequency is obtained under no load. The proposed PSpice model of the sandwiched piezoelectric transducer is more conveniently applied to combine with other circuits such as driving circuits, filters, amplifiers, and so on.

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

Advances in high frequency ultrasound separation of particulates from biomass.

Science.gov (United States)

Juliano, Pablo; Augustin, Mary Ann; Xu, Xin-Qing; Mawson, Raymond; Knoerzer, Kai

2017-03-01

In recent years the use of high frequency ultrasound standing waves (megasonics) for droplet or cell separation from biomass has emerged beyond the microfluidics scale into the litre to industrial scale applications. The principle for this separation technology relies on the differential positioning of individual droplets or particles across an ultrasonic standing wave field within the reactor and subsequent biomass material predisposition for separation via rapid droplet agglomeration or coalescence into larger entities. Large scale transducers have been characterised with sonochemiluminescence and hydrophones to enable better reactor designs. High frequency enhanced separation technology has been demonstrated at industrial scale for oil recovery in the palm oil industry and at litre scale to assist olive oil, coconut oil and milk fat separation. Other applications include algal cell dewatering and milk fat globule fractionation. Frequency selection depends on the material properties and structure in the biomass mixture. Higher frequencies (1 and 2MHz) have proven preferable for better separation of materials with smaller sized droplets such as milk fat globules. For palm oil and olive oil, separation has been demonstrated within the 400-600kHz region, which has high radical production, without detectable impact on product quality. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic velocity and absorption study of binary mixtures of cyclohexane with acrylonitrile by interferometric method at different frequencies

Science.gov (United States)

Pawar, N. R.; Chimankar, O. P.; Bhandakkar, V. D.; Padole, N. N.

2012-12-01

The ultrasonic velocity (u), absorption (α), density (ρ), and viscosity (η) has been measured at different frequencies (1MHz to 10MHz) in the binary mixtures of cyclohexane with acrylonitriile over the entire range of composition at temperature 303K. Vander Waal's constant (b), adiabatic compressibility (βa), acoustic impedance (Z), molar volume (V), free length (Lf), free volume, internal pressure, intermolecular radius and relative association have been also calculated. A special application for acrylonitrile is in the manufacture of carbon fibers. These are produced by paralysis of oriented poly acrylonitrile fibers and are used to reinforce composites for high-performance applications in the aircraft, defense and aerospace industries. Other applications of acrylonitrile are in the production of fatty amines, ion exchange resins and fatty amine amides used in cosmetics, adhesives, corrosion inhibitors and water-treatment resins. Cyclohexane derivatives can be used for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, dyes, herbicides, plant growth regulator, plasticizers, rubber chemicals, nylon, cyclamens and other organic compounds. In the view of these extensive applications of acrylonitrile and cyclohexane in the engineering process, textile and pharmaceutical industries present study provides qualitative information regarding the nature and strength of interaction in the liquid mixtures through derive parameters from ultrasonic velocity and absorption measurement.

Ultrasonic thermometry system for measuring very high temperatures in reactor safety experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlson, G.A.; Sullivan, W.H.; Plein, H.G.; Kerley, T.M.

1979-06-01

Ultrasonic thermometry has many potential applications in reactor safety experiments, where extremely high temperatures and lack of visual access may preclude the use of conventional diagnostics. This report details ultrasonic thermometry requirements for one such experiment, the molten fuel pool experiment. Sensors, transducers, and signal processing electronics are described in detail. Axial heat transfer in the sensors is modelled and found acceptably small. Measurement errors, calculations of their effect, and ways to minimize them are given. A rotating sensor concept is discussed which holds promise of alleviating sticking problems at high temperature. Applications of ultrasonic thermometry to three in-core experiments are described. In them, five 10-mm-length sensor elements were used to measure axial temperatures in a UO 2 or UO 2 -steel system fission-heated to about 2860 0 C

Nonlinear ultrasonic wave modulation for online fatigue crack detection

Science.gov (United States)

Sohn, Hoon; Lim, Hyung Jin; DeSimio, Martin P.; Brown, Kevin; Derriso, Mark

2014-02-01

This study presents a fatigue crack detection technique using nonlinear ultrasonic wave modulation. Ultrasonic waves at two distinctive driving frequencies are generated and corresponding ultrasonic responses are measured using permanently installed lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers with a potential for continuous monitoring. Here, the input signal at the lower driving frequency is often referred to as a 'pumping' signal, and the higher frequency input is referred to as a 'probing' signal. The presence of a system nonlinearity, such as a crack formation, can provide a mechanism for nonlinear wave modulation, and create spectral sidebands around the frequency of the probing signal. A signal processing technique combining linear response subtraction (LRS) and synchronous demodulation (SD) is developed specifically to extract the crack-induced spectral sidebands. The proposed crack detection method is successfully applied to identify actual fatigue cracks grown in metallic plate and complex fitting-lug specimens. Finally, the effect of pumping and probing frequencies on the amplitude of the first spectral sideband is investigated using the first sideband spectrogram (FSS) obtained by sweeping both pumping and probing signals over specified frequency ranges.

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.

Flexible metallic ultrasonic transducers for structural health monitoring of pipes at high temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Jeanne-Louise; Kobayashi, Makiko; Jen, Cheng-Kuei

2010-09-01

Piezoelectric films have been deposited by a sol-gel spray technique onto 75-μm-thick titanium and stainless steel (SS) membranes and have been fabricated into flexible ultrasonic transducers (FUTs). FUTs using titanium membranes were glued and those using SS membranes brazed onto steel pipes, procedures that serve as on-site installation techniques for the purpose of offering continuous thickness monitoring capabilities at up to 490 °C. At 150 °C, the thickness measurement accuracy of a pipe with an outer diameter of 26.6 mm and a wall thickness of 2.5 mm was estimated to be 26 μm and the center frequency of the FUT was 10.8 MHz. It is demonstrated that the frequency bandwidth of the FUTs and SNR of signals using glue or brazing materials as high-temperature couplant for FUTs are sufficient to inspect the steel pipes even with a 2.5 mm wall thickness.

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.

A capacitive ultrasonic transducer based on parametric resonance.

Science.gov (United States)

Surappa, Sushruta; Satir, Sarp; Levent Degertekin, F

2017-07-24

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 f o . When the capacitor plate is driven with an incident harmonic ultrasonic wave at the pump frequency of 2f o with sufficient amplitude, the RLC circuit becomes unstable and ultrasonic energy can be efficiently converted to an electrical signal at f o 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.

Degradation evaluation of high temperature pipeline material for power plant using ultrasonic noise analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sang Guk; Chung, Min Hwa; Cho, Yong Sang; Lee, In Cheol

2001-01-01

Boiler high-temperature pipelines such as main steam pipe, header and steam drum in fossil power plants are degraded by creep and thermal fatigue damage due to severe operating conditions such as high temperature and high pressure for an extended period time. Conventional measurement techniques for measuring creep damage have such disadvantages as complex preparation and measurement procedures, too many control parameters. And also these techniques have low practicality and applied only to component surfaces with good accessibility. In this paper, artificial degradation test and ultrasonic measurement for their degraded specimens were carried out for the purpose of evaluation for creep and thermal fatigue damage. Absolute measuring method of quantitative ultrasonic measurement for material degradation was established, and long term creep/thermal fatigue degradation tests using life prediction formula were carried out. As a result of ultrasonic tests for crept and thermal fatigued specimens, we conformed that the ultrasonic noise linearly increased in proportion to the increase of degradation.

High speed ultrasonic system to measure bubbles velocities in a horizontal two-phase flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunha Filho, Jurandyr S.; Jian Su; Farias, Marcos S.; Faccini, Jose L.H.; Lamy, Carlos A.

2009-01-01

In this work, a non invasive technique consisting of a high speed ultrasonic multitransducer pulse-echo system was developed to characterize gas-liquid two-phase flow parameters that are important in the study of the primary refrigeration circuit of nuclear reactors. The high speed ultrasonic system consists of two transducers (10 MHz/φ 6.35 mm), a generator/multiplexer board, and software that selects and has a data acquisition system of the ultrasonic signals. The resolutions of the system and the pulse time generated from each transducer are, respectively, 10 ns and 1.06 ms. The system initially was used in the local instantaneous measurement of gas-liquid interface in a circular horizontal pipe test section made of a 5 m long stainless steel pipe of 51.2 mm inner diameter, where the elongated bubbles velocity was measured (Taylor bubbles). The results show that the high speed ultrasonic pulse-echo system provides good results for the determination of elongated bubbles velocities. (author)

Study on regeneration effect and mechanism of high-frequency ultrasound on biological activated carbon.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhehao; Liu, Cheng; Cao, Zhen; Chen, Wei

2018-06-01

High frequency ultrasonic radiation technology was developed as a novel and efficient means of regenerating spent biological activated carbon (BAC) used in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). The results of this study indicated that high frequency ultrasonic treatment could recover the spent BAC, to some extent, with the following optimal conditions: a frequency of 400 kHz, sonication power of 60 W, water temperature of 30 °C, and sonication time of 6 min. Under the above conditions, the iodine value increased from 300 mg/g to 409 mg/g, the volume of total pores and micropores increased from 0.2600 cm 3 /g and 0.1779 cm 3 /g to 0.3560 cm 3 /g and 0.2662 cm 3 /g, respectively; the specific surface area of micropores and the mean pore diameter expanded from 361.15 m 2 /g and 2.0975 nm to 449.92 m 2 /g and 2.1268 nm, respectively. The biological activity increased from 0.0297 mgO 2 /gC·h to 0.0521 mgO 2 /gC·h, while the biomass decreased from 203 nmolP/gC to 180 nmolP/gC. The results of high throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed that microorganisms such as Clostridia and Nitrospira were markedly decreased due to high frequency ultrasound. The method used in this study caused the inhibition of certain carbon-attached microbials resulting in a negative effect on the removal rate of ammonia-N during the initial stage of the long-term reuse operation. The removal of UV254 and atrazine were restored from 8.1% and 55% to 21% and 76%, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

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)

Contact and non-contact ultrasonic measurement in the food industry: a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Khairi, Mohd Taufiq; Ibrahim, Sallehuddin; Md Yunus, Mohd Amri; Faramarzi, Mahdi

2016-01-01

The monitoring of the food manufacturing process is vital since it determines the safety and quality level of foods which directly affect the consumers’ health. Companies which produce high quality products will gain trust from consumers. This factor helps the companies to make profits. The use of efficient and appropriate sensors for the monitoring process can also reduce cost. The food assessing process based on an ultrasonic sensor has attracted the attention of the food industry due to its excellent capabilities in several applications. The utilization of low or high frequencies for the ultrasonic transducer has provided an enormous benefit for analysing, modifying and guaranteeing the quality of food. The contact and non-contact ultrasonic modes for measurement also contributed significantly to the food processing. This paper presents a review of the application of the contact and non-contact mode of ultrasonic measurement focusing on safety and quality control areas. The results from previous researches are shown and elaborated. (topical review)

Contact and non-contact ultrasonic measurement in the food industry: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Taufiq Mohd Khairi, Mohd; Ibrahim, Sallehuddin; Yunus, Mohd Amri Md; Faramarzi, Mahdi

2016-01-01

The monitoring of the food manufacturing process is vital since it determines the safety and quality level of foods which directly affect the consumers’ health. Companies which produce high quality products will gain trust from consumers. This factor helps the companies to make profits. The use of efficient and appropriate sensors for the monitoring process can also reduce cost. The food assessing process based on an ultrasonic sensor has attracted the attention of the food industry due to its excellent capabilities in several applications. The utilization of low or high frequencies for the ultrasonic transducer has provided an enormous benefit for analysing, modifying and guaranteeing the quality of food. The contact and non-contact ultrasonic modes for measurement also contributed significantly to the food processing. This paper presents a review of the application of the contact and non-contact mode of ultrasonic measurement focusing on safety and quality control areas. The results from previous researches are shown and elaborated.

Fiber-optic Michelson interferometer fixed in a tilted tube for direction-dependent ultrasonic detection

Science.gov (United States)

Gang, Tingting; Hu, Manli; Qiao, Xueguang; Li, JiaCheng; Shao, Zhihua; Tong, Rongxin; Rong, Qiangzhou

2017-01-01

A fiber-optic interferometer is proposed and demonstrated experimentally for ultrasonic detection. The sensor consists of a compact Michelson interferometer (MI), which is fixed in a tilted-tube end-face (45°). Thin gold films are used for the reflective coatings of two arms and one of the interference arms is etched serving as the sensing arm. The spectral sideband filter technique is used to interrogate the continuous and pulse ultrasonic signals (with frequency of 300 KHz). Furthermore, because of the asymmetrical structure of the sensor, it presents strong direction-dependent ultrasonic sensitivity, such that the sensor can be considered a vector detector. The experimental results show that the sensor is highly sensitive to ultrasonic signals, and thus it can be a candidate for ultrasonic imaging of seismic physical models.

Measurement of Mechatronic Property of Biological Gel with Micro-Vibrating Electrode at Ultrasonic Frequency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shigehiro Hashimoto

2008-10-01

Full Text Available A measurement system has been designed with a micro-vibrating electrode at ultrasonic frequency to measure local impedance of biological gel in vitro. The designed system consists of two electrodes, where one of the electrodes vibrates with a piezoelectric actuator. The component of variation at impedance between two electrodes with vibration of one electrode is analyzed at the corresponding spectrum. The manufactured system was applied to measure impedance of a physiological saline solution, a potassium chloride solution, a dextran aqueous solution, and an egg. The experimental results show that the designed system is effective to measure local mechatronic property of biological gel.

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.

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.

PSpice Modeling of a Sandwich Piezoelectric Ceramic Ultrasonic Transducer in Longitudinal Vibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoyuan Wei

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Sandwiched piezoelectric transducers are widely used, especially in high power applications. For more convenient analysis and design, a PSpice lossy model of sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers in longitudinal vibration is proposed by means of the one-dimensional wave and transmission line theories. With the proposed model, the resonance and antiresonance frequencies are obtained, and it is shown that the simulations and measurements have good consistency. For the purpose of further verification the accuracy and application of the PSpice model, a pitch-catch setup and an experimental platform are built. They include two sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers and two aluminum cylinders whose lengths are 20 mm and 100 mm respectively. Based on this pitch-catch setup, the impedance and transient analysis are performed. Compared with the measured results, it is shown that the simulated results have good consistency. In addition, the conclusion can be drawn that the optimal excitation frequency for the pitch-catch setup is not necessarily the resonance frequency of ultrasonic transducers, because the resonance frequency is obtained under no load. The proposed PSpice model of the sandwiched piezoelectric transducer is more conveniently applied to combine with other circuits such as driving circuits, filters, amplifiers, and so on.

The ultrasonic wave pattern analysis and the frequency diversity signal processing in multi-layered gap measurement for in-vessel corium retention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, K. M.; Kim, J. H.; Kim, S. B.; Kim, H. D.

1999-01-01

A gap between a molten material and a lower head vessel is formed in the LAVA experiment, a phase 1 study of SONATA-IV program. In this paper, the quantitative results of the gap measurement using an off-line ultrasonic pulse echo method by frequency diversity signal processing are presented. However, the gap measurement signal using an ordinary ultrasonic test would be lack of reliability due to the structural complexity of the specimen. The structural complexity may result from the external reason from the shape and the internal reason from the material characteristics. This paper aims at the development of an appropriate ultrasonic test method, by analyzing the problems from the internal characteristic reason. In this test, the signal of the propagational direction and reflectional direction through solid-liquid-solid specimen was analyzed to understand the behavior of the reflectional signal in a multi-layered structure by filling the gap with water between the melt and the lower head vessel

Compensating for Tissue Changes in an Ultrasonic Power Link for Implanted Medical Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Vihvelin, Hugo; Leadbetter, Jeff; Bance, Manohar; Brown, Jeremy A; Adamson, Robert B A

2016-04-01

Ultrasonic power transfer using piezoelectric devices is a promising wireless power transfer technology for biomedical implants. However, for sub-dermal implants where the separation between the transmitter and receiver is on the order of several acoustic wavelengths, the ultrasonic power transfer efficiency (PTE) is highly sensitive to the distance between the transmitter and receiver. This sensitivity can cause large swings in efficiency and presents a serious limitation on battery life and overall performance. A practical ultrasonic transcutaneous energy transfer (UTET) system design must accommodate different implant depths and unpredictable acoustic changes caused by tissue growth, hydration, ambient temperature, and movement. This paper describes a method used to compensate for acoustic separation distance by varying the transmit (Tx) frequency in a UTET system. In a benchtop UTET system we experimentally show that without compensation, power transfer efficiency can range from 9% to 25% as a 5 mm porcine tissue sample is manipulated to simulate in situ implant conditions. Using an active frequency compensation method, we show that the power transfer efficiency can be kept uniformly high, ranging from 20% to 27%. The frequency compensation strategy we propose is low-power, non-invasive, and uses only transmit-side measurements, making it suitable for active implanted medical device applications.

Ultrasonic level sensors for liquids under high pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Zuckerwar, A. J.; Mazel, D. S.; Hodges, D. Y.

1986-01-01

An ultrasonic level sensor of novel design continuously measures the level of a liquid subjected to a high pressure (up to about 40 MPa), as is sometimes required for the effective transfer of the liquid. The sensor operates as a composite resonator fabricated from a standard high-pressure plug. A flat-bottom hole is machined into the plug along its center line. An ultrasonic transducer is bonded rigidly to the interior surface of the bottom wall, while the exterior surface is in contact with the liquid. Although the bottom wall is designed to satisfy the pressure code, it is still sufficiently thin to permit ready excitation of the axisymmetric plate modes of vibration. The liquid level is measured by a conventional pulse-echo technique. A prototype sensor was tested successfully in a 2300-l water vessel at pressures up to about 37 MPa. A spectral analysis of the transmitted pulse reveals that the flexural, extensional, thickness-shear, and radial plate modes are excited into vibration, but none of these appears to be significantly affected by the pressurization of the liquid.

Study on Method of Ultrasonic Gas Temperature Measure Based on FPGA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen, S H; Xu, F R [Institute of Electrical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004 (China)

2006-10-15

It is always a problem to measure instantaneous temperature of high-temperature and high-pressure gas. There is difficulty for the conventional method of measuring temperature to measure quickly and exactly, and the measuring precision is low, the ability of anti-jamming is bad, etc. So the article introduces a method of measuring burning gas temperature using ultrasonic based on Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The mathematic model of measuring temperature is built with the relation of velocity of ultrasonic transmitting and gas Kelvin in the ideal gas. The temperature can be figured out by measuring the difference of ultrasonic frequency {delta}f. FPGA is introduced and a high-precision data acquisition system based on digital phase-shift technology is designed. The feasibility of proposed above is confirmed more by measuring pressure of burning gas timely. Experimental result demonstrates that the error is less than 12.. and the precision is heightened to 0.8%.

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

Application of ultrasonic extraction method in the preparation of the directive action beverage from black currant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. S. Rodionova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of experimental determination of physical-and chemical parameters, the amount of anthocyanins, the definition of color and organoleptic characteristics of the beverage prepared with ultrasonic extraction method in comparison with the fruit-drink, obtained according to traditional recipe. Black currant was chosen the main raw material for the development of the beverage production technology. It is characterized by a high content of bioactive components that increase the adaptive abilities of human body. The purpose is to use ultrasonic extraction method in the preparation of functionally directed actions beverages. Extractor with submerged ultrasonic emitter was used as an experimental device. The essence of its operation is as follows: a mixture of the extractant and the plant substrate in different ratios was loaded into a container with the emitter, then the ultrasonic generator was turned on. The vibrations of ultrasonic frequency (22 kHz made high-frequency mechanical vibrations that caused the formation of intense cavitation areas and diffuse dissolution of cell substrates in the extractant in the treated mixture. The ultrasonic extraction technique involves brief contact of berries and extractant (up to 15 minutes upon application of ultrasonic vibrations. With an increase in exposure time, the yield of biologically active substances increases to reach an equilibrium state corresponding to the most complete exhaustion of raw materials. All this leads to a significant acceleration of the transition from the active ingredients from the raw materials into the extractant to obtain a product with improved physical - and chemical, organoleptic characteristics, as well as a higher antioxidant activity.

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.

Influence of gas law on ultrasonic behaviour of porous media under pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, S; Ayrault, C

2010-06-01

This paper deals with the influence of gas law on ultrasonic behaviour of porous media when the saturating fluid is high pressured. Previous works have demonstrated that ultrasonic transmission through a porous sample with variations of the static pressure (up to 18 bars) of the saturating fluid allows the characterization of high damping materials. In these studies, the perfect gas law was used to link static pressure and density, which is disputable for high pressures. This paper compares the effects of real and perfect gas laws on modeled transmission coefficient for porous foams at these pressures. Direct simulations and a mechanical parameters estimation from minimization show that results are very similar in both cases. The real gas law is thus not necessary to describe the acoustic behaviour of porous media at low ultrasonic frequencies (100 kHz) up to 20 bars. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Model Equation for Acoustic Nonlinear Measurement of Dispersive Specimens at High Frequency

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Dong; Kushibiki, Junichi; Zou, Wei

2006-10-01

We present a theoretical model for acoustic nonlinearity measurement of dispersive specimens at high frequency. The nonlinear Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov (KZK) equation governs the nonlinear propagation in the SiO2/specimen/SiO2 multi-layer medium. The dispersion effect is considered in a special manner by introducing the frequency-dependant sound velocity in the KZK equation. Simple analytic solutions are derived by applying the superposition technique of Gaussian beams. The solutions are used to correct the diffraction and dispersion effects in the measurement of acoustic nonlinearity of cottonseed oil in the frequency range of 33-96 MHz. Regarding two different ultrasonic devices, the accuracies of the measurements are improved to ±2.0% and ±1.3% in comparison with ±9.8% and ±2.9% obtained from the previous plane wave model.

Ultrasonic Technology in Duress Alarms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Martha A.

2000-01-01

Provides the pros and cons of the most commonly used technologies in personal duress alarm systems in the school environment. Discussed are radio frequency devices, infrared systems, and ultrasonic technology. (GR)

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

HTS-SQUID NDE Technique for Pipes based on Ultrasonic Guided Wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatsukade, Y; Masutani, N; Teranishi, S; Masamoto, K; Kanenaga, S; Adachi, S; Tanabe, K

2017-01-01

This article describes research on the novel high-temperature superconductor (HTS) superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique for metallic pipes based on ultrasonic guided waves. We constructed HTS-SQUID NDE system for pipes based on ultrasonic guided waves, which were generated and received by means of the magnetostrictive effects. Using the system, we measured magnetic signals due to T (0, 1) mode ultrasonic guided waves that transmitted on aluminium pipe, and investigated influences of measurement parameters to the magnetic signals, such as direction of a HTS-SQUID gradiometer, lift-off distance, and intensity and frequency of input current fed to a magnetostrictive transmitter. With the gradiometer oriented parallel to the pipe axis, more than 10 times larger signals were measured compared with that oriented perpendicular to the pipe axis. Magnetic signals measured by the gradiometer were inverse proportional to the power of the list- off distance, and proportional to the intensity of the input current up to 1 A pp . Relation between the frequency of the input current and the measured signal was shown and discussed. (paper)

HTS-SQUID NDE Technique for Pipes based on Ultrasonic Guided Wave

Science.gov (United States)

Hatsukade, Y.; Masutani, N.; Teranishi, S.; Masamoto, K.; Kanenaga, S.; Adachi, S.; Tanabe, K.

2017-07-01

This article describes research on the novel high-temperature superconductor (HTS) superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique for metallic pipes based on ultrasonic guided waves. We constructed HTS-SQUID NDE system for pipes based on ultrasonic guided waves, which were generated and received by means of the magnetostrictive effects. Using the system, we measured magnetic signals due to T (0, 1) mode ultrasonic guided waves that transmitted on aluminium pipe, and investigated influences of measurement parameters to the magnetic signals, such as direction of a HTS-SQUID gradiometer, lift-off distance, and intensity and frequency of input current fed to a magnetostrictive transmitter. With the gradiometer oriented parallel to the pipe axis, more than 10 times larger signals were measured compared with that oriented perpendicular to the pipe axis. Magnetic signals measured by the gradiometer were inverse proportional to the power of the list- off distance, and proportional to the intensity of the input current up to 1 App. Relation between the frequency of the input current and the measured signal was shown and discussed.

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.

Laser frequency modulator for modulating a laser cavity

Science.gov (United States)

Erbert, Gaylen V.

1992-01-01

The present invention relates to a laser frequency modulator for modulating a laser cavity. It is known in the prior art to utilize a PZT (piezoelectric transducer) element in combination with a mirror to change the cavity length of a laser cavity (which changes the laser frequency). Using a PZT element to drive the mirror directly is adequate at frequencies below 10 kHz. However, in high frequency applications (100 kHz and higher) PZT elements alone do not provide a sufficient change in the cavity length. The present invention utilizes an ultrasonic concentrator with a PZT element and mirror to provide modulation of the laser cavity. With an ultrasonic concentrator, the mirror element at the end of a laser cavity can move at larger amplitudes and higher frequencies.

High-frequency harmonic imaging of the eye

Science.gov (United States)

Silverman, Ronald H.; Coleman, D. Jackson; Ketterling, Jeffrey A.; Lizzi, Frederic L.

2005-04-01

Purpose: Harmonic imaging has become a well-established technique for ultrasonic imaging at fundamental frequencies of 10 MHz or less. Ophthalmology has benefited from the use of fundamentals of 20 MHz to 50 MHz. Our aim was to explore the ability to generate harmonics for this frequency range, and to generate harmonic images of the eye. Methods: The presence of harmonics was determined in both water and bovine vitreous propagation media by pulse/echo and hydrophone at a series of increasing excitation pulse intensities and frequencies. Hydrophone measurements were made at the focal point and in the near- and far-fields of 20 MHz and 40 MHz transducers. Harmonic images of the anterior segment of the rabbit eye were obtained by a combination of analog filtering and digital post-processing. Results: Harmonics were generated nearly identically in both water and vitreous. Hydrophone measurements showed the maximum second harmonic to be -5 dB relative to the 35 MHz fundamental at the focus, while in pulse/echo the maximum harmonic amplitude was -15dB relative to the fundamental. Harmonics were absent in the near-field, but present in the far-field. Harmonic images of the eye showed improved resolution. Conclusion: Harmonics can be readily generated at very high frequencies, and at power levels compliant with FDA guidelines for ophthalmology. This technique may yield further improvements to the already impressive resolutions obtainable in this frequency range. Improved imaging of the macular region, in particular, may provide significant improvements in diagnosis of retinal disease.

Scanning Ultrasonic Spectroscopy System Developed for the Inspection of Composite Flywheels

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Richard E.; Baaklini, George Y.

2002-01-01

Composite flywheels are being considered as replacements for chemical batteries aboard the International Space Station. A flywheel stores energy in a spinning mass that can turn a generator to meet power demands. Because of the high rotational speeds of the spinning mass, extensive testing of the flywheel system must be performed prior to flight certification. With this goal in mind, a new scanning system has been developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center for the nondestructive inspection of composite flywheels and flywheel subcomponents. The system uses ultrasonic waves to excite a material and examines the response to detect and locate flaws and material variations. The ultrasonic spectroscopy system uses a transducer to send swept-frequency ultrasonic waves into a test material and then receives the returning signal with a second transducer. The received signal is then analyzed in the frequency domain using a fast Fourier transform. A second fast Fourier transform is performed to examine the spacing of the peaks in the frequency domain. The spacing of the peaks is related to the standing wave resonances that are present in the material because of the constructive and destructive interferences of the waves in the full material thickness as well as in individual layers within the material. Material variations and flaws are then identified by changes in the amplitudes and positions of the peaks in both the frequency and resonance spacing domains. This work, conducted under a grant through the Cleveland State University, extends the capabilities of an existing point-by-point ultrasonic spectroscopy system, thus allowing full-field automated inspection. Results of an ultrasonic spectroscopy scan of a plastic cylinder with intentionally seeded flaws. The result of an ultrasonic spectroscopy scan of a plastic cylinder used as a proof-of-concept specimen is shown. The cylinder contains a number of flat bottomed holes of various sizes and shapes. The scanning system

A fractional Fourier transform analysis of the scattering of ultrasonic waves

Science.gov (United States)

Tant, Katherine M.M.; Mulholland, Anthony J.; Langer, Matthias; Gachagan, Anthony

2015-01-01

Many safety critical structures, such as those found in nuclear plants, oil pipelines and in the aerospace industry, rely on key components that are constructed from heterogeneous materials. Ultrasonic non-destructive testing (NDT) uses high-frequency mechanical waves to inspect these parts, ensuring they operate reliably without compromising their integrity. It is possible to employ mathematical models to develop a deeper understanding of the acquired ultrasonic data and enhance defect imaging algorithms. In this paper, a model for the scattering of ultrasonic waves by a crack is derived in the time–frequency domain. The fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) is applied to an inhomogeneous wave equation where the forcing function is prescribed as a linear chirp, modulated by a Gaussian envelope. The homogeneous solution is found via the Born approximation which encapsulates information regarding the flaw geometry. The inhomogeneous solution is obtained via the inverse Fourier transform of a Gaussian-windowed linear chirp excitation. It is observed that, although the scattering profile of the flaw does not change, it is amplified. Thus, the theory demonstrates the enhanced signal-to-noise ratio permitted by the use of coded excitation, as well as establishing a time–frequency domain framework to assist in flaw identification and classification. PMID:25792967

Ultrasonic splitting of oil-in-water emulsions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hald, Jens; König, Ralf; Benes, Ewald

1999-01-01

Standing resonant ultrasonic wave fields can be utilized for liquid–liquid separation of the dispersed particles and the fluid caused by the acoustic radiation pressure and the induced particle agglomeration or coagulation/coalescence process. For the splitting of oil-in-water emulsions, the avai......Standing resonant ultrasonic wave fields can be utilized for liquid–liquid separation of the dispersed particles and the fluid caused by the acoustic radiation pressure and the induced particle agglomeration or coagulation/coalescence process. For the splitting of oil-in-water emulsions......, the available piezoelectric composite transducer technology was improved and a dedicated resonator with crossed plane wave sonication geometry has been developed. The resonator chamber is entirely made of aluminium or tempax glass and the PZT piezoceramic transducer delivers an acoustic energy flow density...... of up to 24 W/cm2 into the sonication volume. The chosen resonance frequency is kept stable by automatic frequency control utilizing the maximum true power criterion. Physically and chemically well-defined low and high density pure laboratory and also industrially used cooling-lubricating oil...

[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.

A study on the ultrasonic measurement for damage evaluation of power plant bearing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sang Guk

2004-01-01

For the purpose of monitoring by ultrasonic test of the ball bearing conditions in rotating machinery, a system for their diagnosis was developed. Ultrasonic technique is used to detect abnormal conditions in the bearing system. And various data such as frequency spectrum, energy and amplitude of ultrasonic signals, and ultrasonic parameters were acquired during experiments with the simulated ball bearing system. Based on the above results and practical application for power plant, algorithms and judgement criteria for diagnosis system was established. Bearing diagnosis system is composed of four parts as follows : sensing part for ultrasonic sensor and preamplifier, signal processing part for measuring frequency spectrum, energy and amplitude, interface part for connecting ultrasonic signal to PC using A/D converter, graphic display and software part for display of bearing condition and for managing of diagnosis program

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)

Assessment of Crack Detection in Heavy-Walled Cast Stainless Steel Piping Welds Using Advanced Low-Frequency Ultrasonic Methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Michael T.; Crawford, Susan L.; Cumblidge, Stephen E.; Denslow, Kayte M.; Diaz, Aaron A.; Doctor, Steven R.

2007-03-01

Studies conducted at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington, have focused on assessing the effectiveness and reliability of novel approaches to nondestructive examination (NDE) for inspecting coarse-grained, cast stainless steel reactor components. The primary objective of this work is to provide information to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the effectiveness and reliability of advanced NDE methods as related to the inservice inspection of safety-related components in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). This report provides progress, recent developments, and results from an assessment of low frequency ultrasonic testing (UT) for detection of inside surface-breaking cracks in cast stainless steel reactor piping weldments as applied from the outside surface of the components. Vintage centrifugally cast stainless steel piping segments were examined to assess the capability of low-frequency UT to adequately penetrate challenging microstructures and determine acoustic propagation limitations or conditions that may interfere with reliable flaw detection. In addition, welded specimens containing mechanical and thermal fatigue cracks were examined. The specimens were fabricated using vintage centrifugally cast and statically cast stainless steel materials, which are typical of configurations installed in PWR primary coolant circuits. Ultrasonic studies on the vintage centrifugally cast stainless steel piping segments were conducted with a 400-kHz synthetic aperture focusing technique and phased array technology applied at 500 kHz, 750 kHz, and 1.0 MHz. Flaw detection and characterization on the welded specimens was performed with the phased array method operating at the frequencies stated above. This report documents the methodologies used and provides results from laboratory studies to assess baseline material noise, crack detection, and length-sizing capability for low-frequency UT in cast stainless steel piping.

Nonlinear propagation in ultrasonic fields: measurements, modelling and harmonic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Humphrey, V F

2000-03-01

In high amplitude ultrasonic fields, such as those used in medical ultrasound, nonlinear propagation can result in waveform distortion and the generation of harmonics of the initial frequency. In the nearfield of a transducer this process is complicated by diffraction effects associated with the source. The results of a programme to study the nonlinear propagation in the fields of circular, focused and rectangular transducers are described, and comparisons made with numerical predictions obtained using a finite difference solution to the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov (or KZK) equation. These results are extended to consider nonlinear propagation in tissue-like media and the implications for ultrasonic measurements and ultrasonic heating are discussed. The narrower beamwidths and reduced side-lobe levels of the harmonic beams are illustrated and the use of harmonics to form diagnostic images with improved resolution is described.

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.

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

PENETRATION OF CONICAL INDENTER INTO FOUNDATION MATERIAL AT COMBINED PERCUSSION AND SUBSEQUENT ULTRASONIC IMPACTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. G. Kiselev

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is theoretical and experimental studys of a percussion and subsequent ultrasonic impacts on the indenter depth penetration into material of rigid-plastic foundation.The obtained results allow us to estimate an influence of percussion (low-frequency and ultrasound (high-frequency component parameters on a charging process.

High-pressure behavior of amorphous selenium from ultrasonic measurements and Raman spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Z.; Liu, X. R.; Hong, S. M., E-mail: hpswjtu@gmail.com, E-mail: smhong@home.swjtu.edu.cn [Laboratory of High Pressure Physics, Southwest Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education of China, Chengdu 610031 (China); Wang, Z. G. [National Key Laboratory for Shock Wave and Detonation Physics Research, Institute of Fluid Physics, Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Zhu, H. Y. [State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Peng, J. P. [School of Physical Science and Technology, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China)

2014-07-07

The high-pressure behavior of melt-quenched amorphous selenium (a-Se) has been investigated via ultrasonic measurements and Raman scattering at room temperature. The ultrasonic measurements were conducted on a-Se in a multi-anvil apparatus with two different sample assemblies at pressures of up to 4.5 and 4.8 GPa. We discovered that similar kinks occur in the slopes of the pressure dependence characteristics of the travel time and the sound velocity in both shear and longitudinal waves in the 2.0–2.5 GPa range. These kinks are independent of the sample assemblies, indicating an intrinsic transformation of the a-Se. Additionally, we deduced the pressure-volume relationship of a-Se from the sound velocity characteristics using the Birch–Murnaghan equation of state, and the results agreed well with those of previous reports. In situ high-pressure Raman scattering measurements of a-Se were conducted in a diamond anvil cell with an 830 nm excitation line up to a pressure of 4.3 GPa. We found that the characteristic band of a-Se at ∼250 cm{sup −1} experienced a smooth shift to a lower frequency with pressure, but a sharp slope change in the band intensity versus pressure occurred near 2.5 GPa. The results of X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry measurements indicate that the samples remain in their amorphous states after decompression. Thus, we proposed that the abnormal compression behavior of a-Se in the 2.0–2.5 GPa range can be attributed to pressure-induced local atomic reconfiguration, implying an amorphous-amorphous transition of the elementary selenium.

A Low-Power High-Dynamic-Range Receiver System for In-Probe 3-D Ultrasonic Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Attarzadeh, Hourieh; Xu, Ye; Ytterdal, Trond

2017-10-01

In this paper, a dual-mode low-power, high dynamic-range receiver circuit is designed for the interface with a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer. The proposed ultrasound receiver chip enables the development of an in-probe digital beamforming imaging system. The flexibility of having two operation modes offers a high dynamic range with minimum power sacrifice. A prototype of the chip containing one receive channel, with one variable transimpedance amplifier (TIA) and one analog to digital converter (ADC) circuit is implemented. Combining variable gain TIA functionality with ADC gain settings achieves an enhanced overall high dynamic range, while low power dissipation is maintained. The chip is designed and fabricated in a 65 nm standard CMOS process technology. The test chip occupies an area of 76[Formula: see text] 170 [Formula: see text]. A total average power range of 60-240 [Formula: see text] for a sampling frequency of 30 MHz, and a center frequency of 5 MHz is measured. An instantaneous dynamic range of 50.5 dB with an overall dynamic range of 72 dB is obtained from the receiver circuit.

Long-Range Piping Inspection by Ultrasonic Guided Waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joo, Young Sang; Lim, Sa Hoe; Eom, Heung Seop; Kim, Jae Hee

2005-01-01

The ultrasonic guided waves are very promising for the long-range inspection of large structures because they can propagate a long distance along the structures such as plates, shells and pipes. The guided wave inspection could be utilized for an on-line monitoring technique when the transmitting and receiving transducers are positioned at a remote point on the structure. The received signal has the information about the integrity of the monitoring area between the transmitting and receiving transducers. On-line monitoring of a pipe line using an ultrasonic guided wave can detect flaws such as corrosion, erosion and fatigue cracking at an early stage and collect useful information on the flaws. However the guided wave inspection is complicated by the dispersive characteristics for guided waves. The phase and group velocities are a function of the frequency-thickness product. Therefore, the different frequency components of the guided waves will travel at different speeds and the shape of the received signal will changed as it propagates along the pipe. In this study, we analyze the propagation characteristics of guided wave modes in a small diameter pipe of nuclear power plant and select the suitable mode for a long-range inspection. And experiments will be carried out for the practical application of a long-range inspection in a 26m long pipe by using a high-power ultrasonic inspection system

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

Dependences of Ultrasonic Parameters for Osteoporosis Diagnosis on Bone Mineral Density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Kyo Seung; Kim, Yoon Mi; Park, Jong Chan; Choi, Min Joo; Lee, Kang Il

2012-01-01

Quantitative ultrasound technologies for osteoporosis diagnosis measure ultrasonic parameters such as speed of sound(SOS) and normalized broadband ultrasound attenuation(nBUA) in the calcaneus (heel bone). In the present study, the dependences of SOS and nBUA on bone mineral density in the proximal femur with high risk of fracture were investigated by using 20 trabecular bone samples extracted from bovine femurs. SOS and nBUA in the femoral trabecular bone samples were measured by using a transverse transmission method with one matched pair of ultrasonic transducers with a center frequency of 1.0 MHz. SOS and nBUA measured in the 20 trabecular bone samples exhibited high Pearson's correlation coefficients (r) of r = 0.83 and 0.72 with apparent bone density, respectively. The multiple regression analysis with SOS and nBUA as independent variables and apparent bone density as a dependent variable showed that the correlation coefficient r = 0.85 of the multiple linear regression model was higher than those of the simple linear regression model with either parameter SOS or nBUA as an independent variable. These high linear correlations between the ultrasonic parameters and the bone density suggest that the ultrasonic parameters measured in the femur can be useful for predicting the femoral bone mineral density.

Geometrical Feature Extraction from Ultrasonic Time Frequency Responses: An Application to Nondestructive Testing of Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naranjo Valery

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Signal processing is an essential tool in nondestructive material characterization. Pulse-echo inspection with ultrasonic energy provides signals (A-scans that can be processed in order to obtain parameters which are related to physical properties of inspected materials. Conventional techniques are based on the use of a short-term frequency analysis of the A-scan, obtaining a time-frequency response (TFR, to isolate the evolution of the different frequency-dependent parameters. The application of geometrical estimators to TFRs provides an innovative way to complement conventional techniques based on the one-dimensional evolution of an A-scan extracted parameter (central or centroid frequency, bandwidth, etc.. This technique also provides an alternative method of obtaining similar meaning and less variance estimators. A comparative study of conventional versus new proposed techniques is presented in this paper. The comparative study shows that working with binarized TFRs and the use of shape descriptors provide estimates with lower bias and variance than conventional techniques. Real scattering materials, with different scatterer sizes, have been measured in order to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed estimators to distinguish among scattering soft tissues. Superior results, using the proposed estimators in real measures, were obtained when classifying according to mean scatterer size.

Using a heterodyne vibrometer in combination with pulse excitation for primary calibration of ultrasonic hydrophones in amplitude and phase

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Martin; Wilkens, Volker

2017-08-01

A high-frequency vibrometer was used with ultrasonic pulse excitation in order to perform a primary hydrophone calibration. This approach enables the simultaneous characterization of the amplitude and phase transfer characteristic of ultrasonic hydrophones. The method allows a high frequency resolution in a considerably short time for the measurement. Furthermore, the uncertainty contributions of this approach were investigated and quantified. A membrane hydrophone was calibrated and the uncertainty budget for this measurement was determined. The calibration results are presented up to 70~\\text{MHz} . The measurement results show good agreement with the results obtained by sinusoidal burst excitation through the use of the vibrometer and by a homodyne laser interferometer, with RMS deviation of approximately 3% -4% in the frequency range from 1 to 60~\\text{MHz} . Further hydrophones were characterized up to 100~\\text{MHz} with this procedure to demonstrate the suitability for very high frequency calibration.

Acousto-ultrasonic evaluation of adhesively bonded CFRP-aluminum joints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Hwan; Kwon, Oh Yang

1997-01-01

Correlation between the amount of artificial defects in bonded region and the acousto-ultrasonic parameters(AUPs) including signal amplitude and then the static strength of adhesively bonded joints of carbon fiber reinforced plastic(CFRP) laminates and Al6061 plates has been investigated. The effect of the frequency content and the bandwidth of input signals were studied using 200 kHz, 650 kHz, 1 MHz, 2 MHz pulses and 1 MHz tone-burst signals. With increasing fraction of defects, the signal amplitude and AUP1 were decreased whereas AUP2 was increased. This result has been attributed to the energy transfer characteristics of bonded joints with delamination-type defects and the change of spectral content due to the defects. Considering the nature of high attenuation, a pulse signal with major frequency content at the third harmonic of thickness mode resonance, 650 kHz for the dimension of specimens used in this study, has been found optimal for acousto-ultrasonic testing of CFRP-aluminum joints.

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.

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.

Potency of high-intensity ultrasonic treatment for grain refinement of magnesium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez, A.; Qian Ma; Davis, B.; Wilks, T.; StJohn, D.H.

2008-01-01

High-intensity ultrasonic treatment (UT) for grain refinement of magnesium alloys has been investigated using a novel theoretical approach in order to better understand its grain-refining potential and the mechanism of nucleation. The process demonstrated significantly superior grain-refining potency to carbon inoculation for Al-containing magnesium alloys but inferior potency to zirconium for Al-free alloys. Details revealed by applying the theoretical approach to ultrasonic grain refinement provide new clues to understanding the mechanism of grain nucleation by UT

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.

Effects of high power ultrasonic vibration on temperature distribution of workpiece in dry creep feed up grinding.

Science.gov (United States)

Paknejad, Masih; Abdullah, Amir; Azarhoushang, Bahman

2017-11-01

Temperature history and distribution of steel workpiece (X20Cr13) was measured by a high tech infrared camera under ultrasonic assisted dry creep feed up grinding. For this purpose, a special experimental setup was designed and fabricated to vibrate only workpiece along two directions by a high power ultrasonic transducer. In this study, ultrasonic effects with respect to grinding parameters including depth of cut (a e ), feed speed (v w ), and cutting speed (v s ) has been investigated. The results indicate that the ultrasonic vibration has considerable effect on reduction of temperature, depth of thermal damage of workpiece and width of temperature contours. Maximum temperature reduction of 25.91% was reported at condition of v s =15m/s, v w =500mm/min, a e =0.4mm in the presence of ultrasonic vibration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic measurement of high burn-up fuel elastic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laux, D.; Despaux, G.; Augereau, F.; Attal, J.; Gatt, J.; Basini, V.

2006-01-01

The ultrasonic method developed for the evaluation of high burn-up fuel elastic properties is presented hereafter. The objective of the method is to provide data for fuel thermo-mechanical calculation codes in order to improve industrial nuclear fuel and materials or to design new reactor components. The need for data is especially crucial for high burn-up fuel modelling for which the fuel mechanical properties are essential and for which a wide range of experiments in MTR reactors and high burn-up commercial reactor fuel examinations have been included in programmes worldwide. To contribute to the acquisition of this knowledge the LAIN activity is developing in two directions. First one is development of an ultrasonic focused technique adapted to active materials study. This technique was used few years ago in the EdF laboratory in Chinon to assess the ageing of materials under irradiation. It is now used in a hot cell at ITU Karlsruhe to determine the elastic moduli of high burnup fuels from 0 to 110 GWd/tU. Some of this work is presented here. The second on going programme is related to the qualification of acoustic sensors in nuclear environments, which is of a great interest for all the methods, which work, in a hostile nuclear environment

Design of a Smart Ultrasonic Transducer for Interconnecting Machine Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang Xu

2009-06-01

Full Text Available A high-frequency ultrasonic transducer for copper or gold wire bonding has been designed, analyzed, prototyped and tested. Modeling techniques were used in the design phase and a practical design procedure was established and used. The transducer was decomposed into its elementary components. For each component, an initial design was obtained with simulations using a finite elements model (FEM. Simulated ultrasonic modules were built and characterized experimentally through the Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV and electrical resonance spectra. Compared with experimental data, the FEM could be iteratively adjusted and updated. Having achieved a remarkably highly-predictive FEM of the whole transducer, the design parameters could be tuned for the desired applications, then the transducer is fixed on the wire bonder with a complete holder clamping was calculated by the FEM. The approach to mount ultrasonic transducers on wire bonding machines also is of major importance for wire bonding in modern electronic packaging. The presented method can lead to obtaining a nearly complete decoupling clamper design of the transducer to the wire bonder.

Lower sintering temperature of nanostructured dense ceramics compacted from dry nanopowders using powerful ultrasonic action

Science.gov (United States)

Khasanov, O.; Reichel, U.; Dvilis, E.; Khasanov, A.

2011-10-01

Nanostructured high dense zirconia ceramics have been sintered from dry nanopowders compacted by uniaxial pressing with simultaneous powerful ultrasonic action (PUA). Powerful ultrasound with frequency of 21 kHz was supplied from ultrasonic generator to the mold, which was the ultrasonic wave-guide. Previously the mold was filled by non-agglomerated zirconia nanopowder having average particle size of 40 nm. Any binders or plasticizers were excluded at nanopowder processing. Compaction pressure was 240 MPa, power of ultrasonic generator at PUA was 1 kW and 3 kW. The fully dense zirconia ceramics has been sintered at 1345°C and high-dense ceramics with a density of 99.1%, the most grains of which had the sizes Dgr <= 200 nm, has been sintered at low sintering temperature (1325°C). Applied approach prevents essential grain growth owing to uniform packing of nanoparticles under vibrating PU-action at pressing, which provides the friction forces control during dry nanopowder compaction without contaminating binders or plasticizers.

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.

Preparation and Characteristics of Ultrasonic Transducers for High Temperature Using PbNb2O6

Science.gov (United States)

Soejima, Junichiro; Sato, Kokichi; Nagata, Kunihiro

2000-05-01

The substance PZT(Pb(Zr, Ti)O3) is chiefly used for piezoceramic transducers in many ultrasonic flow meters. It is difficult to use PZT transducers for flow meters for automobile exhaust gas at high temperatures over 350°C. Lead niobate (PbNb2O6) has a high Curie temperature of 540°C and a low mechanical quality factor, and is the most suitable as the sensor element in flow meters for automobile exhaust gas. However, it is difficult to fabricate dense PbNb2O6 ceramics that have good piezoelectric properties. In this study, ceramics with high density and a high piezoelectric effect were fabricated by adding various elements such as Mn and Ca to PbNb2O6 and by examining the sintering process. A Langevin transducer with a resonance frequency of 80 kHz was made for measuring automobile exhaust gas flow using PbNb2O6 ceramics.

Ultrasonic Guided Wave Method For Crack Detection In Buried Plastic Pipe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wan Hamat Wan Sofian

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Plastic pipe are widely used in many fields for the fluid or gaseous product conveyance but basic components of a plastic material made it very sensitive to damage, which requires techniques for detecting damage reliable and efficient. Ultrasonic guided wave is a sensitive method based on propagation of low-frequency excitation in solid structures for damage detection. Ultrasonic guided wave method are performed to investigate the effect of crack to the frequency signal using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT analysis. This paper researched to determine performance of ultrasonic guided wave method in order to detect crack in buried pipeline. It was found that for an uncrack pipe, FFT analysis shows one peak which is the operating frequency by the piezoelectric actuator itself while the FFT analysis for single cracked pipe shows two peak which is the operating frequency by the piezoelectric actuator itself and the resultant frequency from the crack. For multi cracked pipe, the frequency signal shows more than two peak depend the number of crack. The results presented here may facilitate improvements in the accuracy and precision of pipeline crack detection.

A new approach involving a multi transducer ultrasonic system for cleaning turbine engines' oil filters under practical conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Dinh Duc; Ngo, Huu Hao; Yoon, Yong Soo; Chang, Soon Woong; Bui, Hong Ha

2016-09-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide a green technology that can clean turbine engine oil filters effectively in ships using ultrasound, with ultrasonic devices having a frequency of 25kHz and different powers of 300W and 600W, respectively. The effects of temperature, ultrasonic cleaning times, pressure losses through the oil filter, solvent washing, and ultrasonic power devices were investigated. In addition, the cleaning efficiency of three modes (hand washing, preliminary washing and ultrasonic washing) were compared to assess their relative effectiveness. Experimental results revealed that the necessary ultrasonic time varied significantly depending on which solvent was used for washing. For instance, the optimum ultrasonic cleaning time was 50-60min when the oil filter was cleaned in a solvent of kerosene oil (KO) and over 80min when in a solvent of diesel oil (DO) using the same ultrasonic generator device (25kHz, 600W) and experimental conditions. Furthermore, microscopic examination did not reveal any damage or breakdown on or within the structure of the filter after ultrasonic cleaning, even in the filter's surfaces at a constantly low frequency of 25kHz and power specific capacity (100W/gal). Overall, it may be concluded that ultrasound-assisted oil filter washing is effective, requiring a significantly shorter time than manual washing. This ultrasonic method also shows promise as a green technology for washing oil filters in turbine engines in general and Vietnamese navy ships in particular, because of its high cleaning efficiency, operational simplicity and savings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic Resonance Spectroscopy of Composite Rings for Flywheel Rotors

Science.gov (United States)

Harmon, Laura M.; Baaklini, George Y.

2001-01-01

Flywheel energy storage devices comprising multilayered composite rotor systems are being studied extensively for utilization in the International Space Station. These composite material systems were investigated with a recently developed ultrasonic resonance spectroscopy technique. The system employs a swept frequency approach and performs a fast Fourier transform on the frequency spectrum of the response signal. In addition. the system allows for equalization of the frequency spectrum, providing all frequencies with equal amounts of energy to excite higher order resonant harmonics. Interpretation of the second fast Fourier transform, along with equalization of the frequency spectrum, offers greater assurance in acquiring and analyzing the fundamental frequency, or spectrum resonance spacing. The range of frequencies swept in a pitch-catch mode was varied up to 8 MHz, depending on the material and geometry of the component. Single and multilayered material samples, with and without known defects, were evaluated to determine how the constituents of a composite material system affect the resonant frequency. Amplitude and frequency changes in the spectrum and spectrum resonance spacing domains were examined from ultrasonic responses of a flat composite coupon, thin composite rings, and thick composite rings. Also, the ultrasonic spectroscopy responses from areas with an intentional delamination and a foreign material insert, similar to defects that may occur during manufacturing malfunctions, were compared with those from defect-free areas in thin composite rings. A thick composite ring with varying thickness was tested to investigate the full-thickness resonant frequency and any possible bulk interfacial bond issues. Finally, the effect on the frequency response of naturally occurring single and clustered voids in a composite ring was established.

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.

Measuring internal friction at sonic and ultrasonic frequencies in high temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, A.R.; Russell, G.J.

1996-01-01

Internal friction measurements provide a sensitive means for probing some structural properties of materials. Defect relaxation processes and phase changes are frequently reflected in internal friction measurements as a function of temperature. Relaxation processes associated with oxygen content have been observed in YBCO and BSCCO (2212). By measuring the internal friction at different frequencies activation energies associated with relaxation processes can be determined. Structural changes are temperature dependent and independent of frequency. The composite bar technique developed employs a piezoelectric quartz bar (with lengths of 2 cm or 3 cm and resonant frequencies of approximately 85 kHz or 120 kHz) with a resonant bar of HTSC attached to one end. The quartz bar is suspended at its nodal points and the system excited electrically using a regenerative feedback system. The composite bar method can also be used at low kilohertz frequencies by attaching the HTSC specimen used in the previous technique to the end of a much longer (e g 30 cm) fused silica rod which has very low damping. The resulting composite bar can be excited electrostatically or electromagnetically at frequencies below 10 kHz. The internal friction can be measured by scanning through the resonant frequency and measuring the bandwidth or by observing the decay of free oscillation in the bar. The advantage of using the two composite bar techniques is that the measurements can be made on the same specimen at different frequencies

Wireless power transmission using ultrasonic guided waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kural, A; Pullin, R; Featherston, C; Holford, K; Paget, C

2011-01-01

The unavailability of suitable power supply at desired locations is currently an important obstacle in the development of distributed, wireless sensor networks for applications such as structural health monitoring of aircraft. Proposed solutions range from improved batteries to energy harvesting from vibration, temperature gradients and other sources. A novel approach is being investigated at Cardiff University School of Engineering in cooperation with Airbus. It aims to utilise ultrasonic guided Lamb waves to transmit energy through the aircraft skin. A vibration generator is to be placed in a location where electricity supply is readily available. Ultrasonic waves generated by this device will travel through the aircraft structure to a receiver in a remote wireless sensor node. The receiver will convert the mechanical vibration of the ultrasonic waves back to electricity, which will be used to power the sensor node. This paper describes the measurement and modelling of the interference pattern which emerges when Lamb waves are transmitted continuously as in this power transmission application. The discovered features of the pattern, such as a large signal amplitude variation and a relatively high frequency, are presented and their importance for the development of a power transmission system is discussed.

Wireless power transmission using ultrasonic guided waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kural, A; Pullin, R; Featherston, C; Holford, K [School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Queens Buildings, The Parade, Cardiff CF24 2AA (United Kingdom); Paget, C, E-mail: kurala@cardiff.ac.uk [Airbus Operations Ltd, New Filton Road, BS99 7AR Bristol (United Kingdom)

2011-07-19

The unavailability of suitable power supply at desired locations is currently an important obstacle in the development of distributed, wireless sensor networks for applications such as structural health monitoring of aircraft. Proposed solutions range from improved batteries to energy harvesting from vibration, temperature gradients and other sources. A novel approach is being investigated at Cardiff University School of Engineering in cooperation with Airbus. It aims to utilise ultrasonic guided Lamb waves to transmit energy through the aircraft skin. A vibration generator is to be placed in a location where electricity supply is readily available. Ultrasonic waves generated by this device will travel through the aircraft structure to a receiver in a remote wireless sensor node. The receiver will convert the mechanical vibration of the ultrasonic waves back to electricity, which will be used to power the sensor node. This paper describes the measurement and modelling of the interference pattern which emerges when Lamb waves are transmitted continuously as in this power transmission application. The discovered features of the pattern, such as a large signal amplitude variation and a relatively high frequency, are presented and their importance for the development of a power transmission system is discussed.

Adaptive Process Controls and Ultrasonics for High Temperature PEM MEA Manufacture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walczyk, Daniel F. [Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States)

2015-08-26

The purpose of this 5-year DOE-sponsored project was to address major process bottlenecks associated with fuel cell manufacturing. New technologies were developed to significantly reduce pressing cycle time for high temperature PEM membrane electrode assembly (MEA) through the use of novel, robust ultrasonic (U/S) bonding processes along with low temperature (<100°C) PEM MEAs. In addition, greater manufacturing uniformity and performance was achieved through (a) an investigation into the causes of excessive variation in ultrasonically and thermally bonded MEAs using more diagnostics applied during the entire fabrication and cell build process, and (b) development of rapid, yet simple quality control measurement techniques for use by industry.

Selective generation of ultrasonic Lamb waves by electromagnetic acoustic transducers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Ming-Liang; Deng Ming-Xi; Gao Guang-Jian

2016-01-01

In this paper, we describe a modal expansion approach for the analysis of the selective generation of ultrasonic Lamb waves by electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs). With the modal expansion approach for waveguide excitation, an analytical expression of the Lamb wave’s mode expansion coefficient is deduced, which is related to the driving frequency and the geometrical parameters of the EMAT’s meander coil, and lays a theoretical foundation for exactly analyzing the selective generation of Lamb waves with EMATs. The influences of the driving frequency on the mode expansion coefficient of ultrasonic Lamb waves are analyzed when the EMAT’s geometrical parameters are given. The numerical simulations and experimental examinations show that the ultrasonic Lamb wave modes can be effectively regulated (strengthened or restrained) by choosing an appropriate driving frequency of EMAT, with the geometrical parameters given. This result provides a theoretical and experimental basis for selectively generating a single and pure Lamb wave mode with EMATs. (special topic)

Characterization of microstructures in austenitic stainless steels by ultrasonics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raj, Baldev; Palanichamy, P.; Jayakumar, T.; Kumar, Anish; Vasudevan, M.; Shankar, P.

2000-01-01

Recently, many nondestructive techniques have been considered for microstructural characterization of materials to enable in-situ component assessment for pre-service quality and in-service performance. Ultrasonic parameters have been used for estimation of average grain size, evaluation of recrystallization after cold working, and characterization of Cr2N precipitation during thermal aging in different grades of austenitic stainless steels. Ultrasonic first back wall echo signals were obtained from several specimens of AISI type 316 stainless steel with different grain sizes. Shift in the spectral peak frequency and the change in the full width at half maximum of the autopower spectrum of the first back wall echo are correlated with the grain size in the range 30-150 microns. The advantages of this method are: (i) independence of variation in couplant conditions (ii), applicable even to highly attenuating materials, (iii) direct correlation of the ultrasonic parameters with yield strength and (iv) suitability for shop-floor applications. Recrystallization behavior (temperature range 973-1173 K and time durations 0.5-1000 h) of cold worked titanium modified 316 stainless steel (D9) has been characterized using ultrasonic velocity measurements. A velocity parameter derived using a combination of shear and longitudinal wave velocities is correlated with the degree of recrystallization. These velocity measurement could also identify onset, progress and completion of recrystallization more accurately as compared to hardness and strength measurements. Ultrasonic velocity measurements were performed in thermally aged (at 1123 K for 10 to 2000 h) nuclear grade 316 LN stainless steel. Change in velocity due to thermal aging treatment could be used to reveal the formation of (i) Cr-N clusters associated with high lattice strains, (ii) coherent Cr2N precipitation, (iii) loss of coherency and (iv) growth of incoherent Cr2N precipitates. Microstructural characterization by

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

The effect of high voltage, high frequency pulsed electric field on slain ovine cortical bone.

Science.gov (United States)

Asgarifar, Hajarossadat; Oloyede, Adekunle; Zare, Firuz

2014-04-01

High power, high frequency pulsed electric fields known as pulsed power (PP) has been applied recently in biology and medicine. However, little attention has been paid to investigate the application of pulse power in musculoskeletal system and its possible effect on functional behavior and biomechanical properties of bone tissue. This paper presents the first research investigating whether or not PP can be applied safely on bone tissue as a stimuli and what will be the possible effect of these signals on the characteristics of cortical bone by comparing the mechanical properties of this type of bone pre and post expose to PP and in comparison with the control samples. A positive buck-boost converter was applied to generate adjustable high voltage, high frequency pulses (up to 500 V and 10 kHz). The functional behavior of bone in response to pulse power excitation was elucidated by applying compressive loading until failure. The stiffness, failure stress (strength) and the total fracture energy (bone toughness) were determined as a measure of the main bone characteristics. Furthermore, an ultrasonic technique was applied to determine and comprise bone elasticity before and after pulse power stimulation. The elastic property of cortical bone samples appeared to remain unchanged following exposure to pulse power excitation for all three orthogonal directions obtained from ultrasonic technique and similarly from the compression test. Nevertheless, the compressive strength and toughness of bone samples were increased when they were exposed to 66 h of high power pulsed electromagnetic field compared to the control samples. As the toughness and the strength of the cortical bone tissue are directly associated with the quality and integrity of the collagen matrix whereas its stiffness is primarily related to bone mineral content these overall results may address that although, the pulse power stimulation can influence the arrangement or the quality of the collagen network

In situ ultrasonic examination of high-strength steam generator support bolts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jusino, A.

1985-01-01

Currently employed high-strength steam generator support bolting material (designed prior to ASME Section III Part NF or Component Supports), 38.1 mm in diameter, in combination with high preloads are susceptible to stress corrosion cracking because of the relatively low stress corrosion resistance (K/sub ISCC/) properties. These bolts are part of the pressurized water reactor steam generator supports at the integral support pads (three per steam generator, with each pad housing six, eight, or ten bolts depending on the design). The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission concerns for high-strength bolting were identified in NUREG-0577, ''Potential for Low Fracture Toughness and Laminar Tearing in PWR Steam Generator and Reactor Coolant Pump Supports,'' which was issued for comment on unresolved safety issue A-12. Subsequently, the bolting issues were addressed in generic issue B29. One of the issues deals specifically with high-strength bolting materials, which are vulnerable to stress corrosion cracking. A Westinghouse Owners Group funded program was established to develop in situ ultrasonic examination techniques to determine steam generator support bolting integrity at the head-to-shank and first-thread locations. This program was established in order to determine bolting integrity in place. Ultrasonic techniques were developed for both socket-head and flat-head bolt configurations. As a result of this program, in situ ultrasonic examination techniques were developed for examination of PWR steam generator support bolts. By employing these techniques utilities will be able to ensure the integrity of this in-place bolting without incurring the costs previously experienced during removal for surface examinations

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.

A Delay Time Measurement of ULTRAS (Ultra-high Temperature Ultrasonic Response Analysis System) for a High Temperature Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Kil Mo; Kim, Sang Baik

2010-01-01

The temperature measurement of very high temperature core melt is of importance in a high temperature as the molten pool experiment in which gap formation between core melt and the reactor lower head, and the effect of the gap on thermal behavior are to be measured. The existing temperature measurement techniques have some problems, which the thermocouple, one of the contact methods, is restricted to under 2000 .deg. C, and the infrared thermometry, one of the non-contact methods, is unable to measure an internal temperature and very sensitive to the interference from reacted gases. In order to solve these problems, the delay time technique of ultrasonic wavelets due to high temperature has two sorts of stage. As a first stage, a delay time measurement of ULTRAS (Ultra-high Temperature Ultrasonic Response Analysis System) is suggested. As a second stage, a molten material temperature was measured up to 2300 .deg. C. Also, the optimization design of the UTS (ultrasonic temperature sensor) with persistence at the high temperature was suggested in this paper. And the utilization of the theory suggested in this paper and the efficiency of the developed system are performed by special equipment and some experiments supported by KRISS (Korea Research Institute of Standard and Science)

Vibrational Characteristics of ring-type ultrasonic motor stator using ESPI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Hyun Kyu; Paik, Sung Hoon; Kim, Seung Ho; Park, Ki Jun; Wang, Young Sung

2001-01-01

A stator of ring-type ultrasonic motor composed of the piezoelectric ceramic and the elastic metal was made to generate the travelling wave. Vibrational behavior of the stator was simulated by a finite element analysis using ATILA program and was measured by the electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) method. The resonance frequencies and vibration modes were analysed depending upon the comparison between the finite element analysis and ESPI measurement. The optimal vibration mode and frequency was estimated to be 7th resonant mode which was corresponded to the measured frequency of 39 KHz. It could be concluded that this fabricated stator can be applied for ring-type ultrasonic motor.

Design and Functional Validation of a Complex Impedance Measurement Device for Characterization of Ultrasonic Transducers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De-Cock, Wouter; Cools, Jan; Leroux, Paul

2013-06-01

This paper presents the design and practical implementation of a complex impedance measurement device capable of characterization of ultrasonic transducers. The device works in the frequency range used by industrial ultrasonic transducers which is below the measurement range of modern high end network analyzers. The device uses the Goertzel algorithm instead of the more common FFT algorithm to calculate the magnitude and phase component of the impedance under test. A theoretical overview is given followed by a practical approach and measurement results. (authors)

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.

Calculations for Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Transducers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Henrik

1986-01-01

Analysis of piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers implies a solution of a boundary value problem, for a boay which consists of different materials, including a piezoelectric part. The problem is dynamic at frequencies, where a typical wavelength is somewhat less than the size of the body. Radiation...

Power MOSFET Linearizer of a High-Voltage Power Amplifier for High-Frequency Pulse-Echo Instrumentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hojong; Woo, Park Chul; Yeom, Jung-Yeol; Yoon, Changhan

2017-04-04

A power MOSFET linearizer is proposed for a high-voltage power amplifier (HVPA) used in high-frequency pulse-echo instrumentation. The power MOSFET linearizer is composed of a DC bias-controlled series power MOSFET shunt with parallel inductors and capacitors. The proposed scheme is designed to improve the gain deviation characteristics of the HVPA at higher input powers. By controlling the MOSFET bias voltage in the linearizer, the gain reduction into the HVPA was compensated, thereby reducing the echo harmonic distortion components generated by the ultrasonic transducers. In order to verify the performance improvement of the HVPA implementing the power MOSFET linearizer, we measured and found that the gain deviation of the power MOSFET linearizer integrated with HVPA under 10 V DC bias voltage was reduced (-1.8 and -0.96 dB, respectively) compared to that of the HVPA without the power MOSFET linearizer (-2.95 and -3.0 dB, respectively) when 70 and 80 MHz, three-cycle, and 26 dB m input pulse waveforms are applied, respectively. The input 1-dB compression point (an index of linearity) of the HVPA with power MOSFET linearizer (24.17 and 26.19 dB m at 70 and 80 MHz, respectively) at 10 V DC bias voltage was increased compared to that of HVPA without the power MOSFET linearizer (22.03 and 22.13 dB m at 70 and 80 MHz, respectively). To further verify the reduction of the echo harmonic distortion components generated by the ultrasonic transducers, the pulse-echo responses in the pulse-echo instrumentation were compared when using HVPA with and without the power MOSFET linearizer. When three-cycle 26 dB m input power was applied, the second, third, fourth, and fifth harmonic distortion components of a 75 MHz transducer driven by the HVPA with power MOSFET linearizer (-48.34, -44.21, -48.34, and -46.56 dB, respectively) were lower than that of the HVPA without the power MOSFET linearizer (-45.61, -41.57, -45.01, and -45.51 dB, respectively). When five-cycle 20 dB m input

Ultrasonic measurements of undamaged concrete layer thickness in a deteriorated concrete structure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Demcenko, A.; Visser, Roy; Akkerman, Remko

2016-01-01

Ultrasonic wave propagation in deteriorated concrete structures was studied numerically and experimentally. Ultrasonic single-side access immersion pulse-echo and diffuse field measurements were performed in deteriorated concrete structures at 0.5 MHz center frequency. Numerically and experimentally

Ultrasonic inspection of steam generator tubes in Superphenix F.B.R. Power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gondard, C.

1991-01-01

An ultrasonic method has been developed to test of the S.G's tubes of SPX fast breeder reactor. A new type of rotating probes for cracks and wall thickness measurements have been built up and successfully tested. The data acquisition and processing system SPARTACUS was used; it allows high frequency digitalization and powerful signal processings using frequency representations. The actual performances were tested on natural defects under representative operating conditions

Longitudinal ultrasonic attenuation in normal and superconducting lead at low temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sathish, S.; Samudravijaya, K.; Basu, B.K.

1983-01-01

We have measured longitudinal ultrasonic attenuation along the [110] direction in normal and superconducting states in two single crystals of lead, one made from high-purity lead and the other made with high-purity lead doped with 0.1 at % gold. In both specimens an amplitude-dependent effect in the superconducting state has been observed. The data have been taken in the frequency range from 12 to 108 MHz. In high-purity lead the amplitude-independent ratio α/sub s//α/sub n/ shows the frequency dependence observed by Randorff and Marshall, whereas in the doped specimen this ratio shows a very small spread with frequency. In both specimens deformation does not change the α/sub s//α/sub n/ ratio appreciably

Ultrasonic imaging of materials under unconventional circumstances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Declercq, Nico Felicien, E-mail: declercqdepatin@gatech.edu; McKeon, Peter, E-mail: declercqdepatin@gatech.edu; Liu, Jingfei; Shaw, Anurupa [Georgia Institute of Technology, UMI Georgia Tech - CNRS 2958, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech Lorraine, Laboratory for Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation, 2 rue Marconi, 5070 Met-technopole (France); Slah, Yaacoubi [Institut de Soudure, 4 Bvd Henri Becquerel, Espace Cormontaigne, 57937 Yutz (France)

2015-03-31

This paper reflects the contents of the plenary talk given by Nico Felicien Declercq. “Ultrasonic Imaging of materials” covers a wide technological area with main purpose to look at and to peek inside materials. In an ideal world one would manage to examine materials like a clairvoyant. Fortunately this is impossible hence nature has offered sufficient challenges to mankind to provoke curiosity and to develop science and technology. Here we focus on the appearance of certain undesired physical effects that prohibit direct imaging of materials in ultrasonic C-scans. Furthermore we try to make use of these effects to obtain indirect images of materials and therefore make a virtue of necessity. First we return to one of the oldest quests in the progress of mankind: how thick is ice? Our ancestors must have faced this question early on during migration to Northern Europe and to the America’s and Asia. If a physicist or engineer is not provided with helpful tools such as a drill or a device based on ultrasound, it is difficult to determine the ice thickness. Guided waves, similar to those used for nondestructive testing of thin plates in structural health monitoring can be used in combination with the human ear to determine the thickness of ice. To continue with plates, if an image of its interior is desired high frequency ultrasonic pulses can be applied. It is known by the physicist that the resolution depends on the wavelength and that high frequencies usually result in undesirably high damping effects inhibiting deep penetration into the material. To the more practical oriented engineer it is known that it is advantageous to polish surfaces before examination because scattering and diffraction of sound lowers the image resolution. Random scatterers cause some blurriness but cooperating scatters, causing coherent diffraction effects similar to the effects that cause DVD’s to show rainbow patterns under sunlight, can cause spooky images and erroneous

Design of signal reception and processing system of embedded ultrasonic endoscope

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ming; Yu, Feng; Zhang, Ruiqiang; Li, Yan; Chen, Xiaodong; Yu, Daoyin

2009-11-01

Embedded Ultrasonic Endoscope, based on embedded microprocessor and embedded real-time operating system, sends a micro ultrasonic probe into coelom through the biopsy channel of the Electronic Endoscope to get the fault histology features of digestive organs by rotary scanning, and acquires the pictures of the alimentary canal mucosal surface. At the same time, ultrasonic signals are processed by signal reception and processing system, forming images of the full histology of the digestive organs. Signal Reception and Processing System is an important component of Embedded Ultrasonic Endoscope. However, the traditional design, using multi-level amplifiers and special digital processing circuits to implement signal reception and processing, is no longer satisfying the standards of high-performance, miniaturization and low power requirements that embedded system requires, and as a result of the high noise that multi-level amplifier brought, the extraction of small signal becomes hard. Therefore, this paper presents a method of signal reception and processing based on double variable gain amplifier and FPGA, increasing the flexibility and dynamic range of the Signal Reception and Processing System, improving system noise level, and reducing power consumption. Finally, we set up the embedded experiment system, using a transducer with the center frequency of 8MHz to scan membrane samples, and display the image of ultrasonic echo reflected by each layer of membrane, with a frame rate of 5Hz, verifying the correctness of the system.

Development of ultrasonic high temperature system for severe accidents research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Kil Mo; Kang, Kyung Ho; Kim, Young Ro and others

2000-07-01

The aims of this study are to find a gap formation between corium melt and the reactor lower head vessel, to verify the principle of the gap formation and to analyze the effect of the gap formation on the thermal behavior of corium melt and the lower plenum. This report aims at suggesting development of a new high temperature measuring system using an ultrasonic method which overcomes the limitations of the present thermocouple method used for severe accident experiments. Also, this report describes the design and manufacturing method of the ultrasonic system. At that time, the sensor element is fabricated to a reflective element using 1mm diameter and 50 mm and 80 mm long tungsten alloy wires. This temperature measuring system is intended to measure up to 2800 deg C

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.

Measurement of absolute displacement-amplitude of ultrasonic wave using piezo-electric detection method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Seong Hyun; Kim, Jong Beom; Jhang, Kyung Young [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-15

A nonlinear ultrasonic parameter is defined by the ratio of displacement amplitude of the fundamental frequency component to that of the second-order harmonic frequency component. In this study, the ultrasonic displacement amplitude of an SUS316 specimen was measured via a piezo-electric-based method to identify the validity of piezo-electric detection method. For comparison, the ultrasonic displacement was also determined via a laser-based Fabry-Pérot interferometer. The experimental results for both measurements were in good agreement. Additionally, the stability of the repeated test results from the piezo-electric method exceeded that of the laser-interferometric method. This result indicated that the piezo-electric detection method can be utilized to measure a nonlinear ultrasonic parameter due to its excellent stability although it involves a complicated process.

Measurement of absolute displacement-amplitude of ultrasonic wave using piezo-electric detection method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Seong Hyun; Kim, Jong Beom; Jhang, Kyung Young

2017-01-01

A nonlinear ultrasonic parameter is defined by the ratio of displacement amplitude of the fundamental frequency component to that of the second-order harmonic frequency component. In this study, the ultrasonic displacement amplitude of an SUS316 specimen was measured via a piezo-electric-based method to identify the validity of piezo-electric detection method. For comparison, the ultrasonic displacement was also determined via a laser-based Fabry-Pérot interferometer. The experimental results for both measurements were in good agreement. Additionally, the stability of the repeated test results from the piezo-electric method exceeded that of the laser-interferometric method. This result indicated that the piezo-electric detection method can be utilized to measure a nonlinear ultrasonic parameter due to its excellent stability although it involves a complicated process

Contributions regarding calculus and design of an ultrasonic system used in plasma metallization

Science.gov (United States)

Amza, G.

2015-11-01

Paper presents the calculus elements and construction for the ultrasonic system used in reconditioning process by metallization. A series of necessary elements used in ultrasonic system dimensioning are given and an ultrasonic system used in reconditioning process by plasma and grain metallization are presented. Also, a calculated ultrasonic system is modelled to work in resonance regime at the frequency f = 22Khz. Stress map inside material, internal energy variation, lost energy variation on length and volume unit are presented.

Creaming enhancement in a liter scale ultrasonic reactor at selected transducer configurations and frequencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Juliano, Pablo; Temmel, Sandra; Rout, Manoj; Swiergon, Piotr; Mawson, Raymond; Knoerzer, Kai

2013-01-01

Recent research has shown that high frequency ultrasound (0.4-3 MHz), can enhance milkfat separation in small scale systems able to treat only a few milliliters of sample. In this work, the effect of ultrasonic standing waves on milkfat creaming was studied in a 6L reactor and the influence of different frequencies and transducer configurations in direct contact with the fluid was investigated. A recombined coarse milk emulsion with fat globules stained with oil-red-O dye was selected for the separation trials. Runs were performed with one or two transducers placed in vertical (parallel or perpendicular) and horizontal positions (at the reactor base) at 0.4, 1 and/or 2 MHz (specific energy 8.5 ± 0.6 kJ/kg per transducer). Creaming behavior was assessed by measuring the thickness of the separated cream layer. Other methods supporting this assessment included the measurement of fat content, backscattering, particle size distribution, and microscopy of samples taken at the bottom and top of the reactor. Most efficient creaming was found after treatment at 0.4 MHz in single and double vertical transducer configurations. Among these configurations, a higher separation rate was obtained when sonicating at 0.4 MHz in a vertical perpendicular double transducer setup. The horizontal transducer configuration promoted creaming at 2 MHz only. Fat globule size increase was observed when creaming occurred. This research highlights the potential for enhanced separation of milkfat in larger scale systems from selected transducer configurations in contact with a dairy emulsion, or emulsion splitting in general. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic treatment for microbiological control of water systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broekman, S.; Pohlmann, O.; Beardwooden, E. S.; Cordemans de Meulenaer, E.

2010-01-01

A combination treatment of shear, micro-bubbles, and high-frequency low-power ultrasound introduced via side-stream treatment of industrial water systems has shown excellent results in controlling bacteria and algae; Through the physical, high-stress environment created by ultrasonic waves, sessile and planktonic biological populations, some of which may undergo programmed cell death (PCD), can be controlled. Additionally, the instability and reduction of biofilm have been observed in systems treated by ultrasound and may be attributed to starvation-stress and lack of available cross-linking cations in the biofilm. (authors)

Ultrasonic treatment for microbiological control of water systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Broekman, S.; Pohlmann, O.; Beardwooden, E. S.; Cordemans de Meulenaer, E. [Ashland Hercules Water Technologies, Krefeld (Germany)

2010-08-15

A combination treatment of shear, micro-bubbles, and high-frequency low-power ultrasound introduced via side-stream treatment of industrial water systems has shown excellent results in controlling bacteria and algae; Through the physical, high-stress environment created by ultrasonic waves, sessile and planktonic biological populations, some of which may undergo programmed cell death (PCD), can be controlled. Additionally, the instability and reduction of biofilm have been observed in systems treated by ultrasound and may be attributed to starvation-stress and lack of available cross-linking cations in the biofilm. (authors)

Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition based methodology for ultrasonic testing of coarse grain austenitic stainless steels.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Govind K; Kumar, Anish; Jayakumar, T; Purnachandra Rao, B; Mariyappa, N

2015-03-01

A signal processing methodology is proposed in this paper for effective reconstruction of ultrasonic signals in coarse grained high scattering austenitic stainless steel. The proposed methodology is comprised of the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) processing of ultrasonic signals and application of signal minimisation algorithm on selected Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs) obtained by EEMD. The methodology is applied to ultrasonic signals obtained from austenitic stainless steel specimens of different grain size, with and without defects. The influence of probe frequency and data length of a signal on EEMD decomposition is also investigated. For a particular sampling rate and probe frequency, the same range of IMFs can be used to reconstruct the ultrasonic signal, irrespective of the grain size in the range of 30-210 μm investigated in this study. This methodology is successfully employed for detection of defects in a 50mm thick coarse grain austenitic stainless steel specimens. Signal to noise ratio improvement of better than 15 dB is observed for the ultrasonic signal obtained from a 25 mm deep flat bottom hole in 200 μm grain size specimen. For ultrasonic signals obtained from defects at different depths, a minimum of 7 dB extra enhancement in SNR is achieved as compared to the sum of selected IMF approach. The application of minimisation algorithm with EEMD processed signal in the proposed methodology proves to be effective for adaptive signal reconstruction with improved signal to noise ratio. This methodology was further employed for successful imaging of defects in a B-scan. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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

Study on the Thick-Walled Pipe Ultrasonic Signal Enhancement of Modified S-Transform and Singular Value Decomposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haichao Cai

2015-01-01

Full Text Available When detecting the ultrasonic flaw of thick-walled pipe, the flaw echo signals are often interrupted by scanning system frequency and background noise. In particular when the thick-walled pipe defect is small, echo signal amplitude is often drowned in noise signal and affects the extraction of defect signal and the position determination accuracy. This paper presents the modified S-transform domain singular value decomposition method for the analysis of ultrasonic flaw echo signals. By changing the scale rule of Gaussian window functions with S-transform to improve the time-frequency resolution. And the paper tries to decompose the singular value decomposition of time-frequency matrix after the S-transform to determine the singular entropy of effective echo signal and realize the adaptive filter. Experiments show that, using this method can not only remove high frequency noise but also remove the low frequency noise and improve the signal-to-noise ratio of echo signal.

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.

Direct and sustained intracellular delivery of exogenous molecules using acoustic-transfection with high frequency ultrasound

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Sangpil; Kim, Min Gon; Chiu, Chi Tat; Hwang, Jae Youn; Kim, Hyung Ham; Wang, Yingxiao; Shung, K. Kirk

2016-02-01

Controlling cell functions for research and therapeutic purposes may open new strategies for the treatment of many diseases. An efficient and safe introduction of membrane impermeable molecules into target cells will provide versatile means to modulate cell fate. We introduce a new transfection technique that utilizes high frequency ultrasound without any contrast agents such as microbubbles, bringing a single-cell level targeting and size-dependent intracellular delivery of macromolecules. The transfection apparatus consists of an ultrasonic transducer with the center frequency of over 150 MHz and an epi-fluorescence microscope, entitled acoustic-transfection system. Acoustic pulses, emitted from an ultrasonic transducer, perturb the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane of a targeted single-cell to induce intracellular delivery of exogenous molecules. Simultaneous live cell imaging using HeLa cells to investigate the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ and propidium iodide (PI) and the delivery of 3 kDa dextran labeled with Alexa 488 were demonstrated. Cytosolic delivery of 3 kDa dextran induced via acoustic-transfection was manifested by diffused fluorescence throughout whole cells. Short-term (6 hr) cell viability test and long-term (40 hr) cell tracking confirmed that the proposed approach has low cell cytotoxicity.

Phase-coded multi-pulse technique for ultrasonic high-order harmonic imaging of biological tissues in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Qingyu; Zhang Dong; Gong Xiufen; Ma Yong

2007-01-01

Second or higher order harmonic imaging shows significant improvement in image clarity but is degraded by low signal-noise ratio (SNR) compared with fundamental imaging. This paper presents a phase-coded multi-pulse technique to provide the enhancement of SNR for the desired high-order harmonic ultrasonic imaging. In this technique, with N phase-coded pulses excitation, the received Nth harmonic signal is enhanced by 20 log 10 N dB compared with that in the single-pulse mode, whereas the fundamental and other order harmonic components are efficiently suppressed to reduce image confusion. The principle of this technique is theoretically discussed based on the theory of the finite amplitude sound waves, and examined by measurements of the axial and lateral beam profiles as well as the phase shift of the harmonics. In the experimental imaging for two biological tissue specimens, a plane piston source at 2 MHz is used to transmit a sequence of multiple pulses with equidistant phase shift. The second to fifth harmonic images are obtained using this technique with N = 2 to 5, and compared with the images obtained at the fundamental frequency. Results demonstrate that this technique of relying on higher order harmonics seems to provide a better resolution and contrast of ultrasonic images

Kinetics of Phenol Degradation in Aqueous Solution Oxidized under Low Frequency Ultrasonic Irradiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marwan Marwan

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Phenol is categorized as a refractory pollutant and its presence in water stream is strictly limited according to the government regulation. The present study investigated the degra-dation of phenol in aqueous solution by the effect of ultrasound. The process took place in a 500 ml glass reactor equipped with magnetic stirring and irradiated by low frequency (28 kHz ultrasound from a horn type probe. Ultrasonic irradiation was found to enhance oxidation rates at ambient conditions, compared to other approaches. Optimum conditions were observed at a stirring speed of 400 rpm and temperature of 30 C in acidic solution. It was revealed that the phenol degradation was the first order kinetics with respect to phenol. A low value of the activation energy 6.04 kcal/mol suggested that diffusional steps were rate determining during the phenol decomposition. It also confirmed that phenol was mostly degraded in the film region and less occurred in the bulk solution.

Synthesis and ultrasonic characterisation of vitreous holmium phosphates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senin Hassan; Sidek Hj, Abdul Aziz; Abdul Halim Shaari

1996-01-01

The ultrasonic properties of holmium metaphosphate glasses (Ho sub 2 O sub 3) sub x (P sub 2 O sub 5) sub 1-x, with the mole fraction of x of holmium oxide equal to 0.208, 0.22 and 0.231 respectively, have been determined from measurements of the effects of temperature and hydrostatic pressure on ultrasonic wave velocities. At temperature below about 100K, the ultrasonic wave velocity of this type of rare earth phosphate glasses become anomalously dependent upon temperature; a behaviour associated with the interaction between acoustic phonons and two level systems. The hydrostatic pressure derivatives (∂ C sup S sub IJ / ∂ P) sub p=0 of the elastic stiffnesses C sub IJ and also (∂ C sup S sub IJ / ∂ P) sub p=0 of the bulk modulus B sup S of these glasses are anomalously negative. Both longitudinal γ sub L and shear γ sub S acoustic mode Gruneisen parameters are small and negative : the application of pressure softens the long-wavelength acoustic phonon mode frequencies. The results confirmed that the holmium phosphate glasses show an extraordinary elastic behaviour under high pressures

Nonlinear ultrasonic stimulated thermography for damage assessment in isotropic fatigued structures

Science.gov (United States)

Fierro, Gian Piero Malfense; Calla', Danielle; Ginzburg, Dmitri; Ciampa, Francesco; Meo, Michele

2017-09-01

Traditional non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM) systems are used to analyse that a structure is free of any harmful damage. However, these techniques still lack sensitivity to detect the presence of material micro-flaws in the form of fatigue damage and often require time-consuming procedures and expensive equipment. This research work presents a novel "nonlinear ultrasonic stimulated thermography" (NUST) method able to overcome some of the limitations of traditional linear ultrasonic/thermography NDE-SHM systems and to provide a reliable, rapid and cost effective estimation of fatigue damage in isotropic materials. Such a hybrid imaging approach combines the high sensitivity of nonlinear acoustic/ultrasonic techniques to detect micro-damage, with local defect frequency selection and infrared imaging. When exciting structures with an optimised frequency, nonlinear elastic waves are observed and higher frictional work at the fatigue damaged area is generated due to clapping and rubbing of the crack faces. This results in heat at cracked location that can be measured using an infrared camera. A Laser Vibrometer (LV) was used to evaluate the extent that individual frequency components contribute to the heating of the damage region by quantifying the out-of-plane velocity associated with the fundamental and second order harmonic responses. It was experimentally demonstrated the relationship between a nonlinear ultrasound parameter (βratio) of the material nonlinear response to the actual temperature rises near the crack. These results demonstrated that heat generation at damaged regions could be amplified by exciting at frequencies that provide nonlinear responses, thus improving the imaging of material damage and the reliability of NUST in a quick and reproducible manner.

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.

Measurement and Modeling of Narrowband Channels for Ultrasonic Underwater Communications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco J. Cañete

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Underwater acoustic sensor networks are a promising technology that allow real-time data collection in seas and oceans for a wide variety of applications. Smaller size and weight sensors can be achieved with working frequencies shifted from audio to the ultrasonic band. At these frequencies, the fading phenomena has a significant presence in the channel behavior, and the design of a reliable communication link between the network sensors will require a precise characterization of it. Fading in underwater channels has been previously measured and modeled in the audio band. However, there have been few attempts to study it at ultrasonic frequencies. In this paper, a campaign of measurements of ultrasonic underwater acoustic channels in Mediterranean shallow waters conducted by the authors is presented. These measurements are used to determine the parameters of the so-called κ-μ shadowed distribution, a fading model with a direct connection to the underlying physical mechanisms. The model is then used to evaluate the capacity of the measured channels with a closed-form expression.

Advanced DPSM approach for modeling ultrasonic wave scattering in an arbitrary geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Susheel K.; Banerjee, Sourav; Kundu, Tribikram

2011-04-01

Several techniques are used to diagnose structural damages. In the ultrasonic technique structures are tested by analyzing ultrasonic signals scattered by damages. The interpretation of these signals requires a good understanding of the interaction between ultrasonic waves and structures. Therefore, researchers need analytical or numerical techniques to have a clear understanding of the interaction between ultrasonic waves and structural damage. However, modeling of wave scattering phenomenon by conventional numerical techniques such as finite element method requires very fine mesh at high frequencies necessitating heavy computational power. Distributed point source method (DPSM) is a newly developed robust mesh free technique to simulate ultrasonic, electrostatic and electromagnetic fields. In most of the previous studies the DPSM technique has been applied to model two dimensional surface geometries and simple three dimensional scatterer geometries. It was difficult to perform the analysis for complex three dimensional geometries. This technique has been extended to model wave scattering in an arbitrary geometry. In this paper a channel section idealized as a thin solid plate with several rivet holes is formulated. The simulation has been carried out with and without cracks near the rivet holes. Further, a comparison study has been also carried out to characterize the crack. A computer code has been developed in C for modeling the ultrasonic field in a solid plate with and without cracks near the rivet holes.

Effect of impurity inhomogeneity of CdS and CdSe monocrystalline semiconductors on electron absorption of piezoactive ultrasonic waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ketis, B.P.; Krivka, I.

1986-01-01

Relation of observed anomalies (deviations from predictions of theory for homogeneous piezosemiconductor) of electronic absorption coefficient (EAC) of volume, piezoactive acoustic waves (with 15 MHz frequency) in CdS and CdSe hexagonal crystals with electrical heterogeneity is shown experimentally. Results of electron microanalysis of CdS and CdSe piezosemiconductors confirmed their impurity heterogeneity are presented as well as data of investigations into high-frequency conduction and electronic absorption of ultrasonic waves pointing out to volume nature of impurity and electric heterogeneities of monocrystals investigated. Correlation between EAC anomalies and surface density of impurity aggregates (IA) is noted as well as coincidence of impurity and electrical heterogeneities in CdS and CdSe crystals. In CdS crystals the observed anisotropy of high-frequency conduction and volume radioactive ultrasonic waves EAC is attributed to high density and anisotropy of IA space distribution and shape. To explain EAC anomalies, a crystal is simulated with heterogeneous grid of resistances and condensators

Hybrid numerical-experimental optical investigation of the contact zone of ultrasonic motors

Science.gov (United States)

Ostasevicius, Vytautas; Palevicius, Arvydas; Ragulskis, Minvydas; Janusas, Giedrius; Pilkauskas, Kestutis

2005-09-01

Ultrasonic motors have seen application in areas needing compact, efficient, and intermittent motion. Such applications include: camera auto focus lenses, watch motors, compact paper handling, microrobots, medicine and etc.. They are characterized by high torque at low rotational speed, simple mechanical design and good controllability. Compared with electromagnetic actuators, there is no danger of interference due to electromagnetic induction because no magnetic field is used and ultrasonic motors are more quiet since speed-reduction gears are not required. A polarization vector of the piezoceramic element and location of excitation electrodes on its surface determine the resonance modes of the high frequency vibration exciter. In its turn the modes of vibration play a key role in the functionality of ultrasonic motor. There are analyzed two different regimes of operation--when the contact zone of the resonator performs elliptic and unidirectional motions. Though the mechanical characteristics of the ultrasonic motor in both cases are comparable, detailed analysis of the contact surface shows very different wears. Laser holography is used to identify and control the regimes of motion of actuator. Experimental results are compared with computer simulations. Contact surfaces are analyzed by atomic force microscope (AFM) before experiment, after 10 minutes and after 50 minutes of operation.

Mapping of an ultrasonic bath for ultrasound assisted extraction of mangiferin from Mangifera indica leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulkarni, Vrushali M; Rathod, Virendra K

2014-03-01

The present work deals with the mapping of an ultrasonic bath for the maximum extraction of mangiferin from Mangifera indica leaves. I3(-) liberation experiments (chemical transformations) and extraction (physical transformations) were carried out at different locations in an ultrasonic bath and compared. The experimental findings indicated a similar trend in variation in an ultrasonic bath by both these methods. Various parameters such as position and depth of vessel in an ultrasonic bath, diameter and shape of a vessel, frequency and input power which affect the extraction yield have been studied in detail. Maximum yield of mangiferin obtained was approximately 31 mg/g at optimized parameters: distance of 2.54 cm above the bottom of the bath, 7 cm diameter of vessel, flat bottom vessel, 6.35 cm liquid height, 122 W input power and 25 kHz frequency. The present work indicates that the position and depth of vessel in an ultrasonic bath, diameter and shape of a vessel, frequency and input power have significant effect on the extraction yield. This work can be used as a base for all ultrasonic baths to obtain maximum efficiency for ultrasound assisted extraction. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of ultrasonication and conventional mechanical homogenization processes on the structures and dielectric properties of BaTiO3 ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Akbas, Hatice Zehra; Aydin, Zeki; Yilmaz, Onur; Turgut, Selvin

2017-01-01

The effects of the homogenization process on the structures and dielectric properties of pure and Nb-doped BaTiO 3 ceramics have been investigated using an ultrasonic homogenization and conventional mechanical methods. The reagents were homogenized using an ultrasonic processor with high-intensity ultrasonic waves and using a compact mixer-shaker. The components and crystal types of the powders were determined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The complex permittivity (ε ' , ε″) and AC conductivity (σ') of the samples were analyzed in a wide frequency range of 20Hz to 2MHz at room temperature. The structures and dielectric properties of pure and Nb-doped BaTiO 3 ceramics strongly depend on the homogenization process in a solid-state reaction method. Using an ultrasonic processor with high-intensity ultrasonic waves based on acoustic cavitation phenomena can make a significant improvement in producing high-purity BaTiO 3 ceramics without carbonate impurities with a small dielectric loss. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reference-free fatigue crack detection using nonlinear ultrasonic modulation under various temperature and loading conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Hyung Jin; Sohn, Hoon; DeSimio, Martin P.; Brown, Kevin

2014-04-01

This study presents a reference-free fatigue crack detection technique using nonlinear ultrasonic modulation. When low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) inputs generated by two surface-mounted lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers are applied to a structure, the presence of a fatigue crack can provide a mechanism for nonlinear ultrasonic modulation and create spectral sidebands around the frequency of the HF signal. The crack-induced spectral sidebands are isolated using a combination of linear response subtraction (LRS), synchronous demodulation (SD) and continuous wavelet transform (CWT) filtering. Then, a sequential outlier analysis is performed on the extracted sidebands to identify the crack presence without referring any baseline data obtained from the intact condition of the structure. Finally, the robustness of the proposed technique is demonstrated using actual test data obtained from simple aluminum plate and complex aircraft fitting-lug specimens under varying temperature and loading variations.

On the possible ultrasonic inspection of micro-bubbles generated by the optical fiber tip

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. V. Kazakov

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate the possibility of detection and monitoring of bubbles emerging near the tip of an optical fiber by means of ultrasonic method. The excitation of bubbles at their resonant frequencies is performed using short ultrasonic pulses having a wide frequency range simultaneously with their modulation by means of a long pulse of a monochromatic frequency. This method allows detection of bubbles of various sizes. Used signal processing method, which allows increased bubble detection accuracy, is proposed for research in environments of biological-like medium which show continuous variations in structure and properties when exposed to optical emission. The method has been demonstrated on model objects: in a liquid and in a biological tissue phantom using various methods of bubble generation (hydrolysis and optical emission. We studied bubble formation by the tip of a fiber of the surgical laser LSP-007/10 “IRE Polus” with a wavelength of 0.97μm coated with a highly absorbing graphite layer.

Ultrasonically enhanced disintegration. Polymers, sludge, and contaminated soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Groenroos, A.

2010-05-15

There are a great variety of potential applications of high-intensity ultrasonic energy. Of these, cleaning, plastic pounding, and at present also sludge disintegration and the remediation of contaminated soil are probably the best known and offer the most general market for high-intensity ultrasonics. All developments within the area of ultrasound applications lead to the creation of environmentally friendly processes and compounds, emphasizing the role of ultrasound in 'green chemistry'. Ultrasound technology is considered not easy to use in industrial processes, since devices providing high sonic energy are not easy to construct. This thesis investigates on a semi-pilot scale if it is possible to enhance the disintegration of three quite different samples: polymers, sludge, and contaminated soil by using ultrasound. The results indicate that it is possible to enhance the disintegration of polymers by means of ultrasonic power only when the cavitation threshold is exceeded. Above the cavitation threshold, the most extensive degradation took place at the lowest ultrasonic frequency used. The biggest decrease (from 115,000 g/mol to 30,000 g/mol) in relative molecular mass (RMM) was observed when the concentration of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was the lowest (1.0%). However, in the case of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) it was observed that when viscosity was not adjusted there is an optimum polymer concentration (1.5-2.0%) where degradation is most efficient. The thesis shows that the extent of ultrasonic depolymerization decreases with decreasing molecular mass of the CMC polymer. The study also reveals that ultrasonic irradiation causes narrowing of the molecular mass distribution. The degradation of CMC polymer proceeded linearly and the rate of ultrasonic depolymerization decreased with decreasing molecular mass. In cases where the initial dynamic viscosities of polymer solutions were not the same, the sonolytic degradation of CMC polymer mainly depended

Ultrasonic methods in solid state physics

CERN Document Server

Truell, John; Elbaum, Charles

1969-01-01

Ultrasonic Methods in Solid State Physics is devoted to studies of energy loss and velocity of ultrasonic waves which have a bearing on present-day problems in solid-state physics. The discussion is particularly concerned with the type of investigation that can be carried out in the megacycle range of frequencies from a few megacycles to kilomegacycles; it deals almost entirely with short-duration pulse methods rather than with standing-wave methods. The book opens with a chapter on a classical treatment of wave propagation in solids. This is followed by separate chapters on methods and techni

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.

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)

High-quality fiber fabrication in buffered hydrofluoric acid solution with ultrasonic agitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Nianbing; Liao, Qiang; Zhu, Xun; Wang, Yongzhong; Chen, Rong

2013-03-01

An etching method for preparing high-quality fiber-optic sensors using a buffered etchant with ultrasonic agitation is proposed. The effects of etching conditions on the etch rate and surface morphology of the etched fibers are investigated. The effect of surface roughness is discussed on the fibers' optical properties. Linear etching behavior and a smooth fiber surface can be repeatedly obtained by adjusting the ultrasonic power and etchant pH. The fibers' spectral quality is improved as the ratio of the pit depth to size decreases, and the fibers with smooth surfaces are more sensitive to a bacterial suspension than those with rough surfaces.

Ultrasonic assisted extraction - an alternative for sample preparation (M4)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos Junior, P.; Barbosa Junior, F.; Krug, F.J.; Trevizan, L.C.; Nobrega, J.A.

2002-01-01

Full text: In the last years the ultrasound assisted metal extraction has been frequency proposed as a simple and inexpensive alternative for sample preparation of biological and inorganic samples. The extraction effect is considered as being caused by acoustic cavitation, that is, bubble formation and subsequent disruptive action. The collapse of bubbles created by sonication of solutions results in the generation of extremely high local temperature and pressure gradients, which may be regarded as localized 'hot spots'. On a timescale of about 10 -10 s, effective local pressures and temperature of about 10 5 atm and about 5000 K, respectively, are generated under sonochemical conditions. Usually, this method uses a diluted acid medium decreasing blank values and reducing both reagents and time consumption compared to traditional wet digestion systems using conductive or microwave-assisted heating. Furthermore, sonication can also allow the preparation of samples directly within the sample container, thereby preventing sample losses and minimizing sample contamination. Although some controversial results concerning metals extraction behavior have been reported, they could be explained by analyte-matrix interaction and the ability of the ultrasonic processor to generate ultrasound (i.e. the use of an ultrasonic bath or an ultrasonic probe at different power, frequency, and amplitude). This contribution presents a review of ultrasound assisted metal extraction and recent performance data obtained in our laboratory for determination of elements in biological materials, soils and sediments by ICP-OES and ETAAS. The effect of extraction parameters, such as type and concentration of the leaching solution, sonication time and performance of ultrasonic processor (bath or probe) will be presented. (author)

Reproduction of mouse-pup ultrasonic vocalizations by nanocrystalline silicon thermoacoustic emitter

Science.gov (United States)

Kihara, Takashi; Harada, Toshihiro; Kato, Masahiro; Nakano, Kiyoshi; Murakami, Osamu; Kikusui, Takefumi; Koshida, Nobuyoshi

2006-01-01

As one of the functional properties of ultrasound generator based on efficient thermal transfer at the nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) layer surface, its potential as an ultrasonic simulator of vocalization signals is demonstrated by using the acoustic data of mouse-pup calls. The device composed of a surface-heating thin-film electrode, an nc-Si layer, and a single-crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafer, exhibits an almost completely flat frequency response over a wide range without any mechanical surface vibration systems. It is shown that the fabricated emitter can reproduce digitally recorded ultrasonic mouse-pups vocalizations very accurately in terms of the call duration, frequency dispersion, and sound pressure level. The thermoacoustic nc-Si device provides a powerful physical means for the understanding of ultrasonic communication mechanisms in various living animals.

Nonlinear NDT: A Route to Conventional Ultrasonic Testing

OpenAIRE

Igor Solodov

2016-01-01

The bottleneck problem of nonlinear NDT is a low efficiency of conversion from fundamental frequency to nonlinear frequency components. In this paper, it is proposed to use a combination of nonlinearity with Local Defect Resonance (LDR) to enhance substantially the input-output conversion. Since LDR is an efficient resonance “amplifier” of the local vibrations, it manifests a profound nonlinearity even at moderate ultrasonic excitation level. As the driving frequency matches the LDR-frequency...

Computational aspects in high intensity ultrasonic surgery planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Pulkkinen, A; Hynynen, K

2010-01-01

Therapeutic ultrasound treatment planning is discussed and computational aspects regarding it are reviewed. Nonlinear ultrasound simulations were solved with a combined frequency domain Rayleigh and KZK model. Ultrasonic simulations were combined with thermal simulations and were used to compute heating of muscle tissue in vivo for four different focused ultrasound transducers. The simulations were compared with measurements and good agreement was found for large F-number transducers. However, at F# 1.9 the simulated rate of temperature rise was approximately a factor of 2 higher than the measured ones. The power levels used with the F# 1 transducer were too low to show any nonlinearity. The simulations were used to investigate the importance of nonlinarities generated in the coupling water, and also the importance of including skin in the simulations. Ignoring either of these in the model would lead to larger errors. Most notably, the nonlinearities generated in the water can enhance the focal temperature by more than 100%. The simulations also demonstrated that pulsed high power sonications may provide an opportunity to significantly (up to a factor of 3) reduce the treatment time. In conclusion, nonlinear propagation can play an important role in shaping the energy distribution during a focused ultrasound treatment and it should not be ignored in planning. However, the current simulation methods are accurate only with relatively large F-numbers and better models need to be developed for sharply focused transducers. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Laser-based Ultrasonic Inspection System to Detect Micro Fatigue Cracks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Seung Kyu; Baik, Sung Hoon; Park, Moon Cheol; Lim, Chang Hwan; Cha, Hyung Ki

2005-01-01

Laser-based ultrasonic techniques have been established as a viable non-contact alternative to piezoelectric transducers for generating and receiving ultrasound. Laser-based ultrasonic inspection system provides a number of advantages over the conventional generation by piezoelectric transducers, especially a non-contact generation and detection of ultrasonic waves, high spatial scanning resolution, controllable narrow-band and wide-band spectrum, absolute measurements of the moving distance, use of fiber optics, and an ability to operate on curved and rough surfaces and at hard-to-access locations like a nuclear power plant. Ochiai and Miura used the laser-based ultrasound to detect micro fatigue cracks for the inspection of a material degradation in nuclear power plants. This widely applicable laser-based ultrasonic inspection system is comparatively expensive and provides low signal-to-noise ratio to measure ultrasound by using the laser interferometer. Many studies have been carried out to improve the measuring efficiency of the laser interferometer. One of the widely used laser interferometer types to measure the ultrasound is the Confocal Fabry-Perot Interferometer(CFPI). The measurement gain of the CFPI is slightly and continually varied according to the small change of the cavity length and the fluctuations of the measuring laser beam frequency with time. If we continually adjust the voltage of a PZT which is fixed to one of the interferometer mirrors, the optimum working point of the CFPI can be fixed. Though a static stabilizer can fix the gain of the CFPI where the CW laser beam is targeted at one position, it can not be used when the CW laser beam is scanned like a scanning laser source(SLS) technique. A dynamic stabilizer can be used for the scanning ultrasonic inspection system. A robust dynamic stabilizer is needed for an application to the industrial inspection fields. Kromine showed that the SLS technique is effective to detect small fatigue cracks

Application of Ultrasonic Techniques for Brain Injury Diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasili, P.M.; Mobley, J.; Norton, S.J.; Vo-Dinh, T.

1999-01-01

In this work, we evaluate methods for detecting brain injury using ultrasound. We have used simulations of ultrasonic fields in the head to model the phase distortion of the skull. In addition we present experimental data from the crania of large animals. The experimental data help us understand and evaluate the performance of different transducers in acquiring the backscatter data from the brain through the skull. Both the simulations and acquired data illustrate the superiority of lower-frequency (<= 1 MHz) ultrasonic fields for transcranial acquisition of signals from inside the brain. Additionally, the experimental work shows that the higher-frequency (5 MHz) ultrasound can also be useful in acquiring clean nearfield data to help detect the position of the inner boundary of the skull

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

Design and Performance Analysis of an Intrinsically Safe Ultrasonic Ranging Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hongjuan; Wang, Yu; Zhang, Xu; Wang, Dong; Jin, Baoquan

2016-06-13

In flammable or explosive environments, an ultrasonic sensor for distance measurement poses an important engineering safety challenge, because the driving circuit uses an intermediate frequency transformer as an impedance transformation element, in which the produced heat or spark is available for ignition. In this paper, an intrinsically safe ultrasonic ranging sensor is designed and implemented. The waterproof piezoelectric transducer with integrated transceiver is chosen as an energy transducing element. Then a novel transducer driving circuit is designed based on an impedance matching method considering safety spark parameters to replace an intermediate frequency transformer. Then, an energy limiting circuit is developed to achieve dual levels of over-voltage and over-current protection. The detail calculation and evaluation are executed and the electrical characteristics are analyzed to verify the intrinsic safety of the driving circuit. Finally, an experimental platform of the ultrasonic ranging sensor system is constructed, which involves short-circuit protection. Experimental results show that the proposed ultrasonic ranging sensor is excellent in both ranging performance and intrinsic safety.

Evaluation on damage of pipe using ultrasonic and acoustic emission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jin Kyung; Lee, Sang Pill; Lee, Moon Hee [Dongeui Univ., Busan (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Joon Hyun [Pusan National Univ., Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2008-07-01

An elastic waves like ultrasonic and acoustic emission were used to evaluate the propagating properties of the wave in pipe, and study on mode conversion of the elastic wave due to the defects on the pipe was performed. In this study an Acoustic Emission (AE) sensor was used to receive the propagated ultrasonic wave. AE technique has a advantage that it can identify the received ultrasonic wave by the analysis of the AE parameters such as count, energy, frequency, duration time and amplitude. For transmitting and receiving of the wave, an universal angle wedge was manufactured. The optimum angles for transmitting of ultrasonic wave and signal receiving at the attached AE sensor on the pipe were determined. Theoretical dispersion curve was compared with the results of the time-frequency analysis based on the wavelet transformation. The received modes showed a good agreement with theoretical one. The used ultrasonic sensor was 1MHz, and AE sensor was broadband. The artificial cracks were induced in the pipe to measure the propagation characteristics of the elastic wave for the cracks. AE parameters for the received signals were also varied with the crack types in the pipe. AE parameters of amplitude and duration time were more effective factors than the analysis of mode conversion for evaluation of the cracks in the pipe.

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.

Chaos weak signal detecting algorithm and its application in the ultrasonic Doppler bloodstream speed measuring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, H Y; Lv, J T; Zhang, S Q; Zhang, L G; Li, J

2005-01-01

At the present time, the ultrasonic Doppler measuring means has been extensively used in the human body's bloodstream speed measuring. The ultrasonic Doppler measuring means can achieve the measuring of liquid flux by detecting Doppler frequency shift of ultrasonic in the process of liquid spread. However, the detected sound wave is a weak signal that is flooded in the strong noise signal. The traditional measuring method depends on signal-to-noise ratio. Under the very low signal-to-noise ratio or the strong noise signal background, the signal frequency is not measured. This article studied on chaotic movement of Duffing oscillator and intermittent chaotic characteristic on chaotic oscillator of Duffing equation. In the light of the range of the bloodstream speed of human body and the principle of Doppler shift, the paper determines the frequency shift range. An oscillator array including many oscillators is designed according to it. The reflected ultrasonic frequency information can be ascertained accurately by the intermittent chaos quality of the oscillator. The signal-to-noise ratio of -26.5 dB is obtained by the result of the experiment. Compared with the tradition the frequency method compare, the dependence to signal-to-noise ratio is lowered consumedly. The measuring precision of the bloodstream speed is heightened

On Limitations of the Ultrasonic Characterization of Pieces Manufactured with Highly Attenuating Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, A.; Moreno, E.; Rubio, B.; Calas, H.; Galarza, N.; Rubio, J.; Diez, L.; Castellanos, L.; Gómez, T.

Some technical aspects of two Spanish cooperation projects, funded by DPI and Innpacto Programs of the R&D National Plan, are discussed. The objective is to analyze the common belief about than the ultrasonic testing in MHz range is not a tool utilizable to detect internal flaws in highly attenuating pieces made of coarse-grained steel. In fact high-strength steels, used in some safe industrial infrastructures of energy & transport sectors, are difficult to be inspected using the conventional "state of the art" in ultrasonic technology, due to their internal microstructures are very attenuating and coarse-grained. It is studied if this inspection difficulty could be overcome by finding intense interrogating pulses and advanced signal processing of the acquired echoes. A possible solution would depend on drastically improving signal-to-noise-ratios, by applying new advances on: ultrasonic transduction, HV electronics for intense pulsed driving of the testing probes, and an "ad-hoc" digital processing or focusing of the received noisy signals, in function of each material to be inspected. To attain this challenging aim on robust steel pieces would open the possibility of obtaining improvements in inspecting critical industrial components made of highly attenuating & dispersive materials, as new composites in aeronautic and motorway bridges, or new metallic alloys in nuclear area, where additional testing limitations often appear.

First experiments on visualisation of two-phase high pressure and temperature flows using an ultrasonic mesh sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melnikov, V.I.; Khokhlov, V.N.; Ivanov, V.V.; Kontelev, V.V.; Zoi, V.R.; Zavinov, A.A.

2003-01-01

A novel device for fast visualisation of gas-liquid two-phase flows was developed and tested during loss-off-coolant accident simulations at the thermal hydraulic test facility PSB-VVER, a 1:300 integral model of the VVER-1000. The device is an ultrasonic mesh sensor. It consists of a metallic frame where transmitter and receiver wave-guides are fixed, that form two grids inside the measurement cross section. Ultrasonic pulses are transmitted into the fluid by the 8 wave-guides of the first plane. A second plane of another 8 wave-guides, that cross the ones of the first plane under an angle of 90 deg, serves as receives. The measurement is based on the acoustic conductivity of the two-phase mixture at the locations where the wave-guides cross. The sampling frequency is 250 frames per second. This allows both void fraction measurements and a fast flow visualisation. The sensor is applicable to high pressures and temperatures. All parts and surfaces that are in contact with the fluid are manufactured from stainless steel. During the tests at PSB-VVER the flow pattern in the hot leg of the primary circuit model was visualised for the first time. (orig.)

Design, fabrication, and testing of an ultrasonic de-icing system for helicopter rotor blades

Science.gov (United States)

Palacios, Jose Luis

exciting wave modes with high ISCC values, instantaneous ice de-bonding is not observed at input powers under 100 Watts. The two triggered ultrasonic wave modes of the structure occur at high excitation frequencies, 202 KHz and 500 KHz respectively. At these frequencies, the ultrasonic actuators do not provide large enough transverse shear stresses to exceed the shear adhesion strength of the ice layer. Neither the actuator exciting the SH1 mode (202 KHz), nor the actuator triggering the SH2 mode (500 KHz) instantaneously de-bonds ice layers with an input power under 100 Watts.

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.

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.

Feasibility Study on Ultrasonic Waveguide Sensor for Under-Sodium Visualization of Sodium Fast Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joo, Young-Sang; Park, Chang-Gyu; Lee, Jae-Han; Lim, Sa-Hoe

2008-01-15

The reactor core and internal structures of a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) can not be visually examined due to the opaque sodium. The examination of the internal structures is possible by using ultrasonics to penetrate the sodium. The under-sodium viewing technique using an ultrasonic wave should be applied for the in-service inspection of the reactor internals. Immersion sensors and waveguide sensors have been utilized for the under-sodium viewing application. The immersion sensor has a precise imaging capability, but may have high temperature restrictions and an uncertain life. The waveguide sensor can operate in a hostile environment, such as liquid metal at a high temperature in the presence of high radiation. The waveguide sensor has the advantages of simplicity and reliability, but limits in its movement. A new plate-type waveguide sensor has been developed to overcome the limitations of previous waveguide sensors. And a novel ultrasonic technique has been suggested. The technique is capable of steering a radiation beam of a waveguide sensor without a mechanical movement of the waveguide sensor. The control of the radiation beam angle can be achieved by a frequency tuning method of the excitation pulse in the dispersive low frequency range of the A{sub 0} Lamb wave. A waveguide sensor assembly has been designed for the actual application of undersodium visual inspection in sodium-cooled fast reactor. The main purpose of this study is achievement of feasibility of ultrasonic waveguide sensor technology to the application of undersodium viewing. Under-water C-scan imaging test was carried out by using 10 m long waveguide sensor assembly. It was confirmed that the test target could be clearly visualized and the resolution of C-scan image could be less than 2 mm.

Feasibility Study on Ultrasonic Waveguide Sensor for Under-Sodium Visualization of Sodium Fast Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joo, Young-Sang; Park, Chang-Gyu; Lee, Jae-Han; Lim, Sa-Hoe

2008-01-01

The reactor core and internal structures of a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) can not be visually examined due to the opaque sodium. The examination of the internal structures is possible by using ultrasonics to penetrate the sodium. The under-sodium viewing technique using an ultrasonic wave should be applied for the in-service inspection of the reactor internals. Immersion sensors and waveguide sensors have been utilized for the under-sodium viewing application. The immersion sensor has a precise imaging capability, but may have high temperature restrictions and an uncertain life. The waveguide sensor can operate in a hostile environment, such as liquid metal at a high temperature in the presence of high radiation. The waveguide sensor has the advantages of simplicity and reliability, but limits in its movement. A new plate-type waveguide sensor has been developed to overcome the limitations of previous waveguide sensors. And a novel ultrasonic technique has been suggested. The technique is capable of steering a radiation beam of a waveguide sensor without a mechanical movement of the waveguide sensor. The control of the radiation beam angle can be achieved by a frequency tuning method of the excitation pulse in the dispersive low frequency range of the A 0 Lamb wave. A waveguide sensor assembly has been designed for the actual application of undersodium visual inspection in sodium-cooled fast reactor. The main purpose of this study is achievement of feasibility of ultrasonic waveguide sensor technology to the application of undersodium viewing. Under-water C-scan imaging test was carried out by using 10 m long waveguide sensor assembly. It was confirmed that the test target could be clearly visualized and the resolution of C-scan image could be less than 2 mm

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.

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.

Advance High Temperature Inspection Capabilities for Small Modular Reactors: Part 1 - Ultrasonics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bond, Leonard J. [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States); Bowler, John R. [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2017-08-30

The project objective was to investigate the development non-destructive evaluation techniques for advanced small modular reactors (aSMR), where the research sought to provide key enabling inspection technologies needed to support the design and maintenance of reactor component performance. The project tasks for the development of inspection techniques to be applied to small modular reactor are being addressed through two related activities. The first is focused on high temperature ultrasonic transducers development (this report Part 1) and the second is focused on an advanced eddy current inspection capability (Part 2). For both inspection techniques the primary aim is to develop in-service inspection techniques that can be carried out under standby condition in a fast reactor at a temperature of approximately 250°C in the presence of liquid sodium. The piezoelectric material and the bonding between layers have been recognized as key factors fundamental for development of robust ultrasonic transducers. Dielectric constant characterization of bismuth scantanate-lead titanate ((1-x)BiScO₃-xPbTiO₃) (BS-PT) has shown a high Curie temperature in excess of 450°C , suitable for hot stand-by inspection in liquid metal reactors. High temperature pulse-echo contact measurements have been performed with BS-PT bonded to 12.5 mm thick 1018-low carbon steel plate from 20C up to 260 C. High temperature air-backed immersion transducers have been developed with BS-PT, high temperature epoxy and quarter wavlength nickel plate, needed for wetting ability in liquid sodium. Ultrasonic immersion measurements have been performed in water up to 92C and in silicone oil up to 140C. Physics based models have been validated with room temperature experimental data with benchmark artifical defects.

Formation of hypereutectic silicon particles in hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys under the influence of high-intensity ultrasonic vibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaogang Jian

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The modification of eutectic silicon is of general interest since fine eutectic silicon along with fine primary aluminum grains improves mechanical properties and ductilities. In this study, high intensity ultrasonic vibration was used to modify the complex microstructure of aluminum hypoeutectic alloys. The ultrasonic vibrator was placed at the bottom of a copper mold with molten aluminum. Hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy specimens with a unique in-depth profile of microstructure distribution were obtained. Polyhedral silicon particles, which should form in a hypereutectic alloy, were obtained in a hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy near the ultrasonic radiator where the silicon concentration was higher than the eutectic composition. The formation of hypereutectic silicon near the radiator surface indicates that high-intensity ultrasonic vibration can be used to influence the phase transformation process of metals and alloys. The size and morphology of both the silicon phase and the aluminum phase varies with increasing distance from the ultrasonic probe/radiator. Silicon morphology develops into three zones. Polyhedral primary silicon particles present in zone I, within 15 mm from the ultrasonic probe/radiator. Transition from hypereutectic silicon to eutectic silicon occurs in zone II about 15 to 20 祄 from the ultrasonic probe/radiator. The bulk of the ingot is in zone III and is hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy containing fine lamellar and fibrous eutectic silicon. The grain size is about 15 to 25 祄 in zone I, 25 to 35 祄 in zone II, and 25 to 55 祄 in zone III. The morphology of the primary ?Al phase is also changed from dendritic (in untreated samples to globular. Phase evolution during the solidification process of the alloy subjected to ultrasonic vibration is described.

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.

Combined microfluidization and ultrasonication: a synergistic protocol for high-efficient processing of SWCNT dispersions with high quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Sida, E-mail: s.luo@buaa.edu.cn [Beihang University, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation (China); Liu, Tao, E-mail: tliu@fsu.edu [Florida State University, High-Performance Materials Institute (United States); Wang, Yong; Li, Liuhe [Beihang University, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation (China); Wang, Guantao; Luo, Yun [China University of Geosciences, Center of Safety Research, School of Engineering and Technology (China)

2016-08-15

High-efficient and large-scale production of high-quality CNT dispersions is necessary for meeting the future needs to develop various CNT-based electronic devices. Herein, we have designed novel processing protocols by combining conventional ultrasonication process with a new microfluidization technique to produce high-quality SWCNT dispersions with improved processing efficiency. To judge the quality of SWCNT dispersions, one critical factor is the degree of exfoliation, which could be quantified by both geometrical dimension of the exfoliated nanotubes and percentage of individual tubes in a given dispersion. In this paper, the synergistic effect of the combined protocols was systematically investigated through evaluating SWCNT dispersions with newly developed characterization techniques, namely preparative ultracentrifuge method (PUM) and simultaneous Raman scattering and photoluminescence spectroscopy (SRSPL). The results of both techniques draw similar conclusions that as compared with either of the processes operated separately, a low-pass microfluidization followed by a reasonable duration of ultrasonication could substantially improve the processing efficiency to produce high-quality SWCNT dispersions with averaged particle length and diameter as small as ~600 and ~2 nm, respectively.Graphical abstract.

Multi-frequency Defect Selective Imaging via Nonlinear Ultrasound

Science.gov (United States)

Solodov, Igor; Busse, Gerd

The concept of defect-selective ultrasonic nonlinear imaging is based on visualization of strongly nonlinear inclusions in the form of localized cracked defects. For intense excitation, the ultrasonic response of defects is affected by mechanical constraint between their fragments that makes their vibrations extremely nonlinear. The cracked flaws, therefore, efficiently generate multiple new frequencies, which can be used as a nonlinear "tag" to detect and image them. In this paper, the methodologies of nonlinear scanning laser vibrometry (NSLV) and nonlinear air-coupled emission (NACE) are applied for nonlinear imaging of various defects in hi-tech and constructional materials. A broad database obtained demonstrates evident advantages of the nonlinear approach over its linear counterpart. The higher-order nonlinear frequencies provide increase in signal-to-noise ratio and enhance the contrast of imaging. Unlike conventional ultrasonic instruments, the nonlinear approach yields abundant multi-frequency information on defect location. The application of image recognition and processing algorithms is described and shown to improve reliability and quality of ultrasonic imaging.

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.

Research and realization of ultrasonic gas flow rate measurement based on ultrasonic exponential model.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Dandan; Hou, Huirang; Zhang, Tao

2016-04-01

For ultrasonic gas flow rate measurement based on ultrasonic exponential model, when the noise frequency is close to that of the desired signals (called similar-frequency noise) or the received signal amplitude is small and unstable at big flow rate, local convergence of the algorithm genetic-ant colony optimization-3cycles may appear, and measurement accuracy may be affected. Therefore, an improved method energy genetic-ant colony optimization-3cycles (EGACO-3cycles) is proposed to solve this problem. By judging the maximum energy position of signal, the initial parameter range of exponential model can be narrowed and then the local convergence can be avoided. Moreover, a DN100 flow rate measurement system with EGACO-3cycles method is established based on NI PCI-6110 and personal computer. A series of experiments are carried out for testing the new method and the measurement system. It is shown that local convergence doesn't appear with EGACO-3cycles method when similar-frequency noises exist and flow rate is big. Then correct time of flight can be obtained. Furthermore, through flow calibration on this system, the measurement range ratio is achieved 500:1, and the measurement accuracy is 0.5% with a low transition velocity 0.3 m/s. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High Temperature Ultrasonic Transducer for Real-time Inspection

Science.gov (United States)

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

A broadband ultrasonic transducer with a novel porous ceramic backing layer is introduced to operate at 700 °C. 36° Y-cut lithium niobate (LiNbO3) single crystal was selected for the piezoelectric element. By appropriate choice of constituent materials, porosity and pore size, the acoustic impedance and attenuation of a zirconia-based backing layer were optimized. An active brazing alloy with high temperature and chemical stability was selected to bond the transducer layers together. Prototype transducers have been tested at temperatures up to 700 °C. The experiments confirmed that transducer integrity was maintained.

Computational modeling and experimental studies of the dynamic performance of ultrasonic horn profiles used in plastic welding.

Science.gov (United States)

Roopa Rani, M; Rudramoorthy, R

2013-03-01

Ultrasonic horns are tuned components designed to vibrate in a longitudinal mode at ultrasonic frequencies. Reliable performance of such horns is normally decided by the uniformity of vibration amplitude at the working surface and the stress developed during loading condition. The horn design engineer must pay particular attention to designing a tool that will produce the desired amplitude without fracturing. The present work discusses horn configurations which satisfy these criteria and investigates the design requirements of horns in ultrasonic system. Different horn profiles for ultrasonic welding of thermoplastics have been characterized in terms of displacement amplitude and von-Mises stresses using modal and harmonic analysis. To validate the simulated results, five different horns are fabricated from Aluminum, tested and tuned to the operating frequency. Standard ABS plastic parts are welded using these horns. Temperature developed during the welding of ABS test parts using different horns is recorded using sensors and National Instruments (NIs) data acquisition system. The recorded values are compared with the predicted values. Experimental results show that welding using a Bezier horn has a high interface temperature and the welded joints had higher strength as compared to the other horn profiles. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of the cortex on ultrasonic backscatter measurements of cancellous bone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffmeister, Brent K; Holt, Andrew P; Kaste, Sue C

2011-01-01

Ultrasonic backscatter techniques offer a promising new approach for detecting changes in bone caused by osteoporosis. However, several challenges impede clinical implementation of backscatter techniques. This study examines how the dense outer surface of bone (the cortex) affects backscatter measurements of interior regions of porous (cancellous) bone tissue. Fifty-two specimens of bone were prepared from 13 human femoral heads so that the same region of cancellous bone could be ultrasonically interrogated through the cortex or along directions that avoided the cortex. Backscatter signals were analyzed over a frequency range of 0.8-3.0 MHz to determine two ultrasonic parameters: apparent integrated backscatter (AIB) and frequency slope of apparent backscatter (FSAB). The term 'apparent' means that the parameters are sensitive to the frequency-dependent effects of diffraction and attenuation. Significant (p < 0.001) changes in AIB and FSAB indicated that measurements through the cortex decreased the apparent backscattered power and increased the frequency dependence of the power. However, the cortex did not affect the correlation of AIB and FSAB with the x-ray bone mineral density of the specimens. This suggests that results from many previous in vitro backscatter studies of specimens of purely cancellous bone may be extrapolated with greater confidence to in vivo conditions.

Effect of the cortex on ultrasonic backscatter measurements of cancellous bone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoffmeister, Brent K; Holt, Andrew P [Department of Physics, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN (United States); Kaste, Sue C, E-mail: hoffmeister@rhodes.edu [Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St Jude Children' s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN (United States)

2011-10-07

Ultrasonic backscatter techniques offer a promising new approach for detecting changes in bone caused by osteoporosis. However, several challenges impede clinical implementation of backscatter techniques. This study examines how the dense outer surface of bone (the cortex) affects backscatter measurements of interior regions of porous (cancellous) bone tissue. Fifty-two specimens of bone were prepared from 13 human femoral heads so that the same region of cancellous bone could be ultrasonically interrogated through the cortex or along directions that avoided the cortex. Backscatter signals were analyzed over a frequency range of 0.8-3.0 MHz to determine two ultrasonic parameters: apparent integrated backscatter (AIB) and frequency slope of apparent backscatter (FSAB). The term 'apparent' means that the parameters are sensitive to the frequency-dependent effects of diffraction and attenuation. Significant (p < 0.001) changes in AIB and FSAB indicated that measurements through the cortex decreased the apparent backscattered power and increased the frequency dependence of the power. However, the cortex did not affect the correlation of AIB and FSAB with the x-ray bone mineral density of the specimens. This suggests that results from many previous in vitro backscatter studies of specimens of purely cancellous bone may be extrapolated with greater confidence to in vivo conditions.

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.

Ultrasonic enhancement of lipase-catalysed transesterification for biodiesel synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhangu, Sukhvir Kaur; Gupta, Shweta; Ashokkumar, Muthupandian

2017-01-01

The production of biodiesel was carried out from canola oil and methanol catalysed by lipase from Candida rugosa under different ultrasonic experimental conditions using horn (20kHz) and plate (22, 44, 98 and 300kHz) transducers. The effects of experimental conditions such as horn tip diameter, ultrasonic power, ultrasonic frequency and enzyme concentrations on biodiesel yield were investigated. The results showed that the application of ultrasound decreased the reaction time from 22-24h to 1.5h with the use of 3.5cm ultrasonic horn, an applied power of 40W, methanol to oil molar ratio of 5:1 and enzyme concentration of 0.23wt/wt% of oil. Low intensity ultrasound is efficient and a promising tool for the enzyme catalysed biodiesel synthesis as higher intensities tend to inactivate the enzyme and reduce its efficiency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel contra propagating ultrasonic flowmeter using glad buffer rods for high temperature measurement. Application to the oil and gas industries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franca, Demartonne R. [Brasilia Univ., DF (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Eletrica; Cheng-Kuei Jen; Yuu Ono [National Research Council (NRC), Quebec (Canada). Industrial Materials Institute

2005-07-01

Ultrasonic techniques are attractive for process monitoring and control because they are non-intrusive, robust and inexpensive. Two common concerns limiting the high temperature performance of conventional ultrasonic systems for flow measurement are related to transducers and couplants. A suitable approach to overcoming this drawback is to insert a thermal isolating buffer rod with good ultrasonic performance (e.g., high signal-to-noise ratio). This requirement is important because, a priori, the noises generated in the buffer rod may bury the desired signals, so that no meaningful information is extracted. Besides protecting the ultrasonic transducers from overheating in applications such as high temperature flow measurements, buffer rods are also a solution for the couplant between the probe and tested sample, since their probing end can be directly wetted by fluids. Here, we propose clad buffer rods driven by shear transducers as the main building block of contra propagating ultrasonic flowmeters for high temperature application. It is demonstrated that the superior signal-to-noise ratio exhibit by clad buffer rods compared to the reported non-clad counterparts improve precision in transit-time measurement, leading to more accurate flow speed determination. In addition, it is shown that clad buffer rods generate specific ultrasonic signals for temperature calibration of flowmeters, allowing temperature variation while still measuring accurately the flow speed. These results are of interest for the oil and gas industries. (author)

[Research on ultrasonic permeability of low intensity pulsed ultrasound through PTFE membrane and Bio-Gide collagen membrane].

Science.gov (United States)

Chai, Zhaowu; Zhao, Chunliang; Song, Jinlin; Deng, Feng; Yang, Ji; Gao, Xiang; Liu, Minyi

2013-12-01

The aim of the present study was to detect the transmission rate of ultrasonic low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) through polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane (Thickness: 0.01 mm) and Bio-Gide collagen membrane, and to provide the basis for the barrier membrane selection on the study of LIPUS combined with guided tissue regeneration (GTR). The ultrasonic (LIPUS, frequency 1.5 MHz, pulse width 200 micros, repetition rate 1.0 kHz) transmission coefficient of the two kinds of barrier membrane were detected respectively through setting ten groups from 10 to 100mW/cm2 every other 10 mW/cm2. We found in the study that the ultrasonic transmission coefficient through 0.01 mm PTFE membrane was 78.1% to 92.%, and the ultrasonic transmission coefficient through Bio-Gide collagen membrane was 43.9% to 55.8%. The ultrasonic transmission coefficient through PTFE membrane was obviously higher than that through Bio-Gide collagen membrane. The transmission coefficient of the same barrier membrane of the ultrasonic ion was statistically different under different powers (P PTFE membrane and Bio-Gide collagen membrane were relatively high. We should select barrier membranes based on different experimental needs, and exercise ultrasonic transmission coefficient experiments to ensure effective power.

A study of weld quality in ultrasonic spot welding of similar and dissimilar metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Sarraf, Z; Lucas, M

2012-01-01

Several difficulties are faced in joining thinner sheets of similar and dissimilar materials from fusion welding processes such as resistance welding and laser welding. Ultrasonic metal welding overcomes many of these difficulties by using high frequency vibration and applied pressure to create a solid-state weld. Ultrasonic metal welding is an effective technique in joining small components, such as in wire bonding, but is also capable of joining thicker sheet, depending on the control of welding conditions. This study presents the design, characterisation and test of a lateral-drive ultrasonic metal welding device. The ultrasonic welding horn is modelled using finite element analysis and its vibration behaviour is characterised experimentally to ensure ultrasonic energy is delivered to the weld coupon. The welding stack and fixtures are then designed and mounted on a test machine to allow a series of experiments to be conducted for various welding and ultrasonic parameters. Weld strength is subsequently analysed using tensile-shear tests. Control of the vibration amplitude profile through the weld cycle is used to enhance weld strength and quality, providing an opportunity to reduce part marking. Optical microscopic examination and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to investigate the weld quality. The results show how the weld quality is particularly sensitive to the combination of clamping force and vibration amplitude of the welding tip.

Effect on the use of ultrasonic cavitation for biodiesel production from crued Jatropha curcas L. seed oil with a high content of free fatty acid

Science.gov (United States)

Worapun, Ittipon; Pianthong, Kulachate; Thaiyasuit, Prachasanti; Thinvongpituk, Chawalit

2010-03-01

A typical way to produce biodiesel is the transesterification of plant oils. This is commonly carried out by treating the pre-extracted oil with an appropriate alcohol in the presence of an acidic or alkaline catalyst over one or two hours in a batch reactor.Because oils and methanol are not completely miscible. It has been widely demonstrated that low-frequency ultrasonic irradiation is an effective tool for emulsifying immiscible liquids. The objective of this research is to investigate the optimum conditions for biodiesel production from crude Jatropha curcas oil with short chain alcohols by ultrasonic cavitation (at 40 kHz frequency and 400 Watt) assisted, using two step catalyst method. Usually, the crude Jatropha curcas oil has very high free fatty acid which obstructs the transesterification reaction. As a result it provides low yield of biodiesel production. In the first step, the reaction was carried out in the presence of sulfuric acid as an acid catalyst. The product was then further transesterified with potassium hydroxide in the second step. The effects of different operating parameters such as molar ratio of reactants, catalyst quantity, and operating temperature, have been studied with the aim of process optimization. It has been observed that the mass transfer and kinetic rate enhancements were due to the increase in interfacial area and activity of the microscopic and macroscopic bubbles formed. For example, the product yield levels of more than 90% have been observed with the use of ultrasonic cavitation in about 60 minutes under room temperature operating conditions.

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

[High frequency electrocoagulation for treating noninvoluting congenital hemangioma].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhongqiang, Wang; Yafei, Wang; Jiashuang, Zhou; Quan, Zhou; Lijuan, Yang; Li, Wang

2015-11-01

To investigate the clinical efficiency of electrocoagulation for the treatment of noninvoluting congenital hemangioma. Sixteen infants with noninvoluting congenital hemangioma who were admitted to our hospital from January 2011 to June 2013 were included in this study. Color Doppler ultrasound was used to determine the hemangioma location, as well as its size and depth. High frequency electrocoagulation was adopted for the treatment. The output power was set at 10-20 W. The probes were inserted around the tumor or at the surface of the tumor. After switching on for 1-2 seconds, the direction and position of the probe was modulated until covering the whole tumor. After the treatment, the absorption of tumor was about 3-6 months. The efficiency was evaluated during the follow-up. Tumor atrophy was obvious after treatment in all patients. The temperature around the tumor mass was decreased, and the aberrant blood signals were decreased under the ultrasonic examination. Complete or partial atrophy were observed. The efficiency was graded as level I, II, III, IV in 0, 2, 9 and 5 patients, respectively. One patient showed local infection due to improper nursing, which was completely relieved after corresponding treatment. No severe adverse events were observed. High-frequency electrocoagulation is effective for treating noninvoluting congenital hemangioma through coagulating the aberrant blood vessels in the tumor, interrupting the vascular endothelial cell, blocking the aberrant blood flow, as well as leading to atrophy and absorption of tumor mass. Besides, no obvious scar is observed after the surgery.

Acoustic propagation in viscous fluid with uniform flow and a novel design methodology for ultrasonic flow meter.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yong; Huang, Yiyong; Chen, Xiaoqian

2013-02-01

Ultrasonic flow meter with non-invasive no-moving-parts construction has good prospective application for space on-orbit fluid gauging. In traditional pulse transit time flow meter, inconsistency of ultrasonic transducers leads to measurement error and plane wave theory, bases of transit time flow meter, is valuable only for low-frequency wave propagation in inviscid fluid and will lose feasibility when fluid viscosity is considered. In this paper, based on the hydrodynamics of viscous fluid, wave propagation with uniform flow profile is mathematically formulated and a novel solution for viscous fluid using potential theory is firstly presented. Then a novel design methodology of continuous ultrasonic flow meter is proposed, where high measurement rangeability and accuracy are guaranteed individually by solving the integral ambiguity using multi-tone wide laning strategy and the fractional phase shift using phase lock loop tracking method. A comparison with transit time ultrasonic flow meter shows the advantage of proposed methodology. In the end, parametric analysis of viscosity on wave propagation and ultrasonic flow meter is compressively investigated. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and on-line ultrasonic characterisation of bulk and nanocrystalline La{sub 0.68}Sr{sub 0.32}MnO{sub 3} perovskite manganite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakthipandi, K. [Centre for Nano Science and Technology, K S Rangasamy College of Technology, Tiruchengode 637215, Tamil Nadu (India); Rajendran, V., E-mail: veerajendran@gmail.com [Centre for Nano Science and Technology, K S Rangasamy College of Technology, Tiruchengode 637215, Tamil Nadu (India); Jayakumar, T.; Raj, Baldev [Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102, Tamil Nadu (India); Kulandivelu, P. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, K S Rangasamy College of Technology, Tiruchengode 637215, Tamil Nadu (India)

2011-02-24

Research highlights: > The first and novel approach, the ultrasonic velocity, attenuation and elastic moduli of nanosample was measured using ultrasonic through transmission method, at a fundamental frequency of 5 MHz over wide range of temperatures. > The paper has design and fabrication of high temperature ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements over a wide range of temperatures 300-1200 K. - Abstract: La{sub 0.68}Sr{sub 0.32}MnO{sub 3} perovskite manganite samples were prepared using sonochemical reactor and solid state reaction technique. The ultrasonic velocity, attenuation and elastic moduli of samples were measured using ultrasonic through transmission method, at a fundamental frequency of 5 MHz over a wide range of temperatures. The temperature dependence of the ultrasonic parameters shows an interesting anomaly in all the compositions. The observed dramatic softening and hardening in sound velocities or attenuation is related to phase transitions. The linear magnetostriction effect is more dominant in the perovskite than volume magnetostriction effect which is evident from the observed anomalous in both longitudinal and shear velocities and attenuation. Further, a decrease in grain size in the sintered sample leads to a shift in the ferromagnetic transition temperature (T{sub C}) from 375 to 370 K.

Variation of dissolved organic nitrogen concentration during the ultrasonic pretreatment to Microcystis aeruginosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Cheng; Wang, Jie; Cao, Zhen; Chen, Wei; Bi, Hongkai

2016-03-01

Algae cells were the main sources of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in raw water with plenty of algae, and ultrasonic pretreatment was one of the algae-controlling methods through the damage of algae cells. However, the variation of DON concentration during the ultrasonic treatment process was not confirmed. Variation of DON concentration during the processes of low frequency ultrasound treatment of Microcystis aeruginosa was investigated. In addition, the effect of sonication on the metabolite concentration, algae cellar activity and the subsequent coagulation performance were discussed. The results showed that after a long duration of ultrasonic (60 s), nearly 90% of the algal cells were damaged and the maximum concentration of DON attained more than 3 mg/L. In order to control the leakage extent of DON, the sonication time should be less than 30 s with power intensity of more than 1.0 W/cm(3). In the mean time, ultrasonic treatment could inhibit the reactivation and the proliferation of algal, keep the algae cell wall integrity and enhance coagulation effectively under the same condition. However, ultrasound frequency had little effect on DON at the frequency range used in this study (20-150 kHz). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High pressure changes of the castor oil viscosity by ultrasonic method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rostocki, A J; Siegoczynski, R M; Kielczynski, P; Szalewski, M

2008-01-01

The pressure change of viscosity of castor oil have been measured by ultrasonic method within the range of pressure up to 0.9 GPa. For the measurement, the authors have applied a new ultrasonic method based on Bleustein-Gulyaev (B-G) waves. For the lower pressures (up to 0.3 GPa) the results have been compared with earlier results obtained by falling body method, whereas for the higher pressure range results were compared with those obtained by the flow type viscometer. The measurements have shown: 1. Exponential rise of viscosity with pressure up to 0.4 GPa according to the Barus formula. 2. Extraordinary increment of viscosity at constant pressure during phase transition. 3. The decomposition of the high pressure phase during the decompression process have shown very large hysteresis of viscosity on pressure. 4. After the decompression process the viscosity lasts higher then a initial value for several hours

High efficiency and low cost preparation of size controlled starch nanoparticles through ultrasonic treatment and precipitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Yanjiao; Yan, Xiaoxia; Wang, Qian; Ren, Lili; Tong, Jin; Zhou, Jiang

2017-07-15

The purpose of this work was to develop an approach to produce size controlled starch nanoparticles (SNPs), via precipitation with high efficiency and low cost. High concentration starch aqueous pastes (up to 5wt.%) were treated by ultrasound. Viscosity measurements and size exclusion chromatography characterization revealed that, after 30min ultrasonic treatment, viscosity of the starch pastes decreased two orders of magnitude and the weight average molecular weight of the starch decreased from 8.4×10 7 to 2.7×10 6 g/mol. Dynamic light scattering measurements and scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the SNPs prepared from the starch pastes with ultrasonic treatments were smaller (∼75nm) and more uniform. Moreover, SNPs could be obtained using less non-solvents. X-ray diffraction results indicated that effect of the ultrasonic treatment on crystalline structure of the SNPs was negligible. Ultrasound can be utilized to prepare smaller SNPs through nanoprecipitation with higher efficiency and lower cost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elastic-Plastic Behaviour of Ultrasonic Assisted Compression of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Foam

Science.gov (United States)

Muhalim, N. A. D.; Hassan, M. Z.; Daud, Y.

2018-04-01

The present study aims to investigate the elastic-plastic behaviour of ultrasonic assisted compression of PVC closed-cell foam. A series of static and ultrasonic compression test of PVC closed-cell foam were conducted at a constant cross head speed of 30 mm/min on dry surface condition. For quasi-static test, specimen was compressed between two rigid platens using universal testing machine. In order to evaluate the specimen behavior under ultrasonic condition, specimen was placed between a specifically design double-slotted block horn and rigid platen. The horn was designed and fabricated prior to the test as a medium to transmit the ultrasonic vibration from the ultrasonic transducer to the working specimen. It was tuned to a frequency of 19.89 kHz in longitudinal mode and provided an average oscillation amplitude at 6 µm on the uppermost surface. Following, the characteristics of stress-strain curves for quasi-static and ultrasonic compression tests were analyzed. It was found that the compressive stress was significantly reduced at the onset of superimposed ultrasonic vibration during plastic deformation.

Modeling cavitation in a rapidly changing pressure field - application to a small ultrasonic horn.

Science.gov (United States)

Žnidarčič, Anton; Mettin, Robert; Dular, Matevž

2015-01-01

Ultrasonic horn transducers are frequently used in applications of acoustic cavitation in liquids. 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. The term "acoustic supercavitation" was proposed for this type of cavitation Žnidarčič et al. (2014) [1]. We tested several established hydrodynamic cavitation models on this problem, but none of them was able to correctly predict the flow features. As a specific characteristic of such acoustic cavitation problems lies in the rapidly changing driving pressures, we present an improved approach to cavitation modeling, which does not neglect the second derivatives in the Rayleigh-Plesset equation. Comparison with measurements of acoustic supercavitation at an ultrasonic horn of 20kHz frequency revealed a good agreement in terms of cavity dynamics, cavity volume and emitted pressure pulsations. The newly developed cavitation model is particularly suited for simulation of cavitating flow in highly fluctuating driving pressure fields. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

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.

High frequency transducer for vessel imaging based on lead-free Mn-doped (K0.44Na0.56)NbO3 single crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jinpeng; Xue, Saidong; Zhao, Xiangyong; Wang, Feifei; Tang, Yanxue; Duan, Zhihua; Wang, Tao; Shi, Wangzhou; Yue, Qingwen; Zhou, Huifang; Luo, Haosu; Fang, Bijun

2017-08-01

We report a high frequency ultrasonic transducer up to 50 MHz for vessel imaging based on a lead-free (K0.44Na0.56)NbO3-0.5 mol. % Mn (Mn-KNN) single crystal, which has a high electromechanical coupling coefficient kt of 0.64 and a large thickness frequency constant Nt of 3210 kHz . mm. The Krimholtz, Leedom, and Mattaei (KLM) equivalent circuit model was utilized to simulate and optimize the pulse-echo response combined with PiezoCAD software. Theoretically, a high -6 dB bandwidth of 74.94% was obtained at a center frequency of 50.47 MHz and optimized matching conditions. The experimental results showed a center frequency of 51.8 MHz with a -6 dB bandwidth of 70.2%. The excellent global performance makes this lead-free single-crystal transducer quite potential in an environmentally friendly vessel imaging transducer.

Influence of ultrasonic irradiation on ozone generation in a dielectric barrier discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusano, Y; Drews, J; Leipold, F; Fateev, A; Bardenshtein, A; Krebs, N

2012-01-01

An atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) was generated in an N 2 /O 2 gas mixture at room temperature with and without ultrasonic irradiation to investigate ozone production. Powerful ultrasonic irradiation with the sound pressure level of approximately 150 dB into the DBD can enhance ozone production especially when the DBD was driven at a frequency of 15 kHz.

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

Ultrasonic characterization of cancellous bone using apparent integrated backscatter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoffmeister, B K [Department of Physics, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112 (United States); III, C I Jones [Department of Physics, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112 (United States); Caldwell, G J [Department of Physics, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112 (United States); Kaste, S C [Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St Jude Children' s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105 (United States)

2006-06-07

Apparent integrated backscatter (AIB) is a measure of the frequency-averaged (integrated) backscattered power contained in some portion of a backscattered ultrasonic signal. AIB has been used extensively to study soft tissues, but its usefulness as a tissue characterization technique for cancellous bone has not been demonstrated. To address this, we performed measurements on 17 specimens of cancellous bone over two different frequency ranges using a 1 MHz and 5 MHz broadband ultrasonic transducer. Specimens were obtained from bovine tibiae and prepared in the shape of cubes (15 mm side length) with faces oriented along transverse (anterior, posterior, medial and lateral) and longitudinal (superior and inferior) principal anatomic directions. A mechanical scanning system was used to acquire multiple backscatter signals from each direction for each cube. AIB demonstrated highly significant linear correlations with bone mineral density (BMD) for both the transverse (R{sup 2} = 0.817) and longitudinal (R{sup 2} = 0.488) directions using the 5 MHz transducer. In contrast, the correlations with density were much weaker for the 1 MHz transducer (R{sup 2} = 0.007 transverse, R{sup 2} = 0.228 longitudinal). In all cases where a significant correlation was observed, AIB was found to decrease with increasing BMD.

Piezoelectric Sensor to Measure Soft and Hard Stiffness with High Sensitivity for Ultrasonic Transducers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan-Rui Li

2015-06-01

Full Text Available During dental sinus lift surgery, it is important to monitor the thickness of the remaining maxilla to avoid perforating the sinus membrane. Therefore, a sensor should be integrated into ultrasonic dental tools to prevent undesirable damage. This paper presents a piezoelectric (PZT sensor installed in an ultrasonic transducer to measure the stiffness of high and low materials. Four design types using three PZT ring materials and a split PZT for actuator and sensor ring materials were studied. Three sensor locations were also examined. The voltage signals of the sensor and the displacement of the actuator were analyzed to distinguish the low and high stiffness. Using sensor type T1 made of the PZT-1 material and the front location A1 provided a high sensitivity of 2.47 Vm/kN. The experimental results demonstrated that our design can measure soft and hard stiffness.

Trans-skull ultrasonic Doppler system aided by fuzzy logic

Science.gov (United States)

Hata, Yutaka; Nakamura, Masato; Yagi, Naomi; Ishikawa, Tomomoto

2012-06-01

This paper describes a trans-skull ultrasonic Doppler system for measuring the blood flow direction in brain under skull. In this system, we use an ultrasonic array probe with the center frequency of 1.0 MHz. The system determines the fuzzy degree of blood flow by Doppler Effect, thereby it locates blood vessel. This Doppler Effect is examined by the center of gravity shift of the frequency magnitudes. In in-vitro experiment, a cow bone was employed as the skull, and three silicon tubes were done as blood vessels, and bubble in water as blood. We received the ultrasonic waves through a protein, the skull and silicon tubes in order. In the system, fuzzy degrees are determined with respect to the Doppler shift, amplitude of the waves and attenuation of the tissues. The fuzzy degrees of bone and blood direction are calculated by them. The experimental results showed that the system successfully visualized the skull and flow direction, compared with the location and flow direction of the phantom. Thus, it detected the flow direction by Doppler Effect under skull, and automatically extracted the region of skull and blood vessel.

The Effect of Ultrasonic Waves on Sugar Extraction and Mechanical Properties of Sugar Beet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Hedayati

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Sugar, which can be extracted from sugar cane and sugar beet, is one of the most important ingredients of food. Conducting more research to increase the extraction efficiency of sugar is necessary due to high production of sugar beet and its numerous processing units in northern Khorasan province. In this research, the effect of temperature, time and the frequency of ultrasonic waves on mechanical properties of sugar beet and its extraction rate of sugar in moisture content of 75% were studied. In this regard, an ultrasonic bath in laboratory scale was used. The studied parameters and their levels were frequency in three levels (zero, 25 and 45 KHz, temperature in three levels (25, 50 and 70 ° C and the imposed time of ultrasonic waves in three levels (10, 20 and 30 min. Samples were prepared using planned experiments and the results were compared with control sugar beet samples. A Saccharimeter was used to measure the concenteration of sugar in samples. Two different types of probe including semi-spherical end and the other one with sharpened edges were used to measure mechanical properties. The studied parameters of frequency, temperature and time showed significant effect on sugar extraction and their resulted effect in optimized levels revealed up to 56% increase in sugar extraction compared with control samples. The obtained values of elastic modulus and shear modulus showed a decreasing trend. The obtained values of total energy of rupture, the total energy of shear, the maximum force of rupture, and the yield point of rupture showed an increasing trend. The frequency had no significant effect on the yield point of rupture and shear force.

Coded ultrasonic remote control without batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerhardy, C; Burlage, K; Schomburg, W K

2009-01-01

A concept for battery-less remote controls has been developed based on mechanically actuated beams and micro whistles generating ultrasound signals. These signals need to be frequency or time coded to increase the number of signals which can be distinguished from each other and environmental ultrasound. Several designs for generating coded ultrasonic signals have been investigated

Vibration analysis and sound field characteristics of a tubular ultrasonic radiator.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Zhaofeng; Zhou, Guangping; Zhang, Yihui; Li, Zhengzhong; Lin, Shuyu

2006-12-01

A sort of tubular ultrasonic radiator used in ultrasonic liquid processing is studied. The frequency equation of the tubular radiator is derived, and its radiated sound field in cylindrical reactor is calculated using finite element method and recorded by means of aluminum foil erosion. The results indicate that sound field of tubular ultrasonic radiator in cylindrical reactor appears standing waves along both its radial direction and axial direction, and amplitudes of standing waves decrease gradually along its radial direction, and the numbers of standing waves along its axial direction are equal to the axial wave numbers of tubular radiator. The experimental results are in good agreement with calculated results.

High frequency guided wave propagation in monocrystalline silicon wafers

Science.gov (United States)

Pizzolato, Marco; Masserey, Bernard; Robyr, Jean-Luc; Fromme, Paul

2017-04-01

Monocrystalline silicon wafers are widely used in the photovoltaic industry for solar panels with high conversion efficiency. The cutting process can introduce micro-cracks in the thin wafers and lead to varying thickness. High frequency guided ultrasonic waves are considered for the structural monitoring of the wafers. The anisotropy of the monocrystalline silicon leads to variations of the wave characteristics, depending on the propagation direction relative to the crystal orientation. Full three-dimensional Finite Element simulations of the guided wave propagation were conducted to visualize and quantify these effects for a line source. The phase velocity (slowness) and skew angle of the two fundamental Lamb wave modes (first anti-symmetric mode A0 and first symmetric mode S0) for varying propagation directions relative to the crystal orientation were measured experimentally. Selective mode excitation was achieved using a contact piezoelectric transducer with a custom-made wedge and holder to achieve a controlled contact pressure. The out-of-plane component of the guided wave propagation was measured using a noncontact laser interferometer. Good agreement was found with the simulation results and theoretical predictions based on nominal material properties of the silicon wafer.

Electroacoustics modeling of piezoelectric welders for ultrasonic additive manufacturing processes

Science.gov (United States)

Hehr, Adam; Dapino, Marcelo J.

2016-04-01

Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a recent 3D metal printing technology which utilizes ultrasonic vibrations from high power piezoelectric transducers to additively weld similar and dissimilar metal foils. CNC machining is used intermittent of welding to create internal channels, embed temperature sensitive components, sensors, and materials, and for net shaping parts. Structural dynamics of the welder and work piece influence the performance of the welder and part quality. To understand the impact of structural dynamics on UAM, a linear time-invariant model is used to relate system shear force and electric current inputs to the system outputs of welder velocity and voltage. Frequency response measurements are combined with in-situ operating measurements of the welder to identify model parameters and to verify model assumptions. The proposed LTI model can enhance process consistency, performance, and guide the development of improved quality monitoring and control strategies.

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.

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

Low frequency phase signal measurement with high frequency squeezing

OpenAIRE

Zhai, Zehui; Gao, Jiangrui

2011-01-01

We calculate the utility of high-frequency squeezed-state enhanced two-frequency interferometry for low-frequency phase measurement. To use the high-frequency sidebands of the squeezed light, a two-frequency intense laser is used in the interferometry instead of a single-frequency laser as usual. We find that the readout signal can be contaminated by the high-frequency phase vibration, but this is easy to check and avoid. A proof-of-principle experiment is in the reach of modern quantum optic...

Ultrasonic Resonance of Metallic Spheres at Elevated Temperatures

OpenAIRE

Johnson , W.

1996-01-01

A unique ultrasonic system has been constructed for measuring resonant frequencies and damping of metallic spheres at elevated temperatures. This system employs electromagnetic-acoustic transduction, with a solenoid coil surrounding the sphere in a uniform magnetic field. Temperature is measured with an optical pyrometer. Since the acoustic and temperature measurements are noncontacting, the uncertainties associated with external damping are relatively small. The resonant frequency and Q of t...

Reducing forces during drilling brittle hard materials by using ultrasonic and variation of coolant

Science.gov (United States)

Schopf, C.; Rascher, R.

2016-11-01

The process of ultrasonic machining is especially used for brittle hard materials as the additional ultrasonic vibration of the tool at high frequencies and low amplitudes acts like a hammer on the surface. With this technology it is possible to drill holes with lower forces, therefor the machining can be done faster and the worktime is much less than conventionally. A three-axis dynamometer was used to measure the forces, which act between the tool and the sample part. A focus is set on the sharpness of the tool. The results of a test series are based on the Sauer Ultrasonic Grinding Centre. On the same machine it is possible to drill holes in the conventional way. Additional to the ultasonic Input the type an concentration of coolant is important for the Drilling-force. In the test there were three different coolant and three different concentrations tested. The combination of ultrasonic vibration and the right coolant and concentration is the best way to reduce the Forces. Another positive effect is, that lower drilling-forces produce smaller chipping on the edge of the hole. The way to reduce the forces and chipping is the main issue of this paper.

Heat stability and acid gelation properties of calcium-enriched reconstituted skim milk affected by ultrasonication.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrapala, Jayani; Bui, Don; Kentish, Sandra; Ashokkumar, Muthupandian

2014-05-01

The aggregation of proteins after heating of calcium-fortified milks has been an ongoing problem in the dairy industry. This undesirable effect restricts the manufacture of calcium rich dairy products. To overcome this problem, a completely new approach in controlling the heat stability of dairy protein solutions, developed in our lab, has been employed. In this approach, high intensity, low frequency ultrasound is applied for a very short duration after a pre-heating step at ⩾70 °C. The ultrasound breaks apart whey/whey and whey/casein aggregates through the process of acoustic cavitation. Protein aggregates do not reform on subsequent post-heating, thereby making the systems heat stable. In this paper, the acid gelation properties of ultrasonicated calcium-enriched skim milks have also been investigated. It is shown that ultrasonication alone does not change the gelation properties significantly whereas a sequence of preheating (72 °C/1 min) followed by ultrasonication leads to decreased gelation times, decreased gel syneresis and increased skim milk viscosity in comparison to heating alone. Overall, ultrasonication has the potential to provide calcium-fortified dairy products with increased heat stability. However, enhanced gelation properties can only be achieved when ultrasonication is completed in conjunction with heating.

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

Basic study of water-cement ratio evaluation for fresh mortar using an ultrasonic measurement technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamza Haffies Ismail; Murata, Yorinobu

2009-01-01

The objective of this research is for the basic study of ultrasonic evaluation method for the determination of the water-cement-ratio (W/C) in fresh concrete at the early age of hardening. Water-cement ratio is a important parameter to evaluate the strength of concrete for concrete construction. Using an ultrasonic pulse measurement technique, wave velocity and frequency variations depend on the age of concrete during hardening process could be evaluated. As a sample test, fresh mortar of water-cement ratio of 40 %, 50% and 60 % was poured into cylindrical plastic mould form (φ100 mm x 50 mm). For an ultrasonic pulse wave transmission technique, two wide band ultrasonic transducers were set on the top and bottom surface of mortar, and start measuring from 10 minutes after pouring water until 60 minutes of 5 minutes of intervals. As a result, it was confirmed that wave velocity and center frequency were changed with the age of mortar depends on the water-cement ratio. (author)

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)

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)

Visualization of flaws within heavy section ultrasonic test blocks using high energy computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

House, M.B.; Ross, D.M.; Janucik, F.X.; Friedman, W.D.; Yancey, R.N.

1996-05-01

The feasibility of high energy computed tomography (9 MeV) to detect volumetric and planar discontinuities in large pressure vessel mock-up blocks was studied. The data supplied by the manufacturer of the test blocks on the intended flaw geometry were compared to manual, contact ultrasonic test and computed tomography test data. Subsequently, a visualization program was used to construct fully three-dimensional morphological information enabling interactive data analysis on the detected flaws. Density isosurfaces show the relative shape and location of the volumetric defects within the mock-up blocks. Such a technique may be used to qualify personnel or newly developed ultrasonic test methods without the associated high cost of destructive evaluation. Data is presented showing the capability of the volumetric data analysis program to overlay the computed tomography and destructive evaluation (serial metallography) data for a direct, three-dimensional comparison

Power MOSFET-diode-based limiter for high-frequency ultrasound systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hojong; Kim, Min Gon; Cummins, Thomas M; Hwang, Jae Youn; Shung, K Kirk

2014-10-01

The purpose of the limiter circuits used in the ultrasound imaging systems is to pass low-voltage echo signals generated by ultrasonic transducers while preventing high-voltage short pulses transmitted by pulsers from damaging front-end circuits. Resistor-diode-based limiters (a 50 Ω resistor with a single cross-coupled diode pair) have been widely used in pulse-echo measurement and imaging system applications due to their low cost and simple architecture. However, resistor-diode-based limiters may not be suited for high-frequency ultrasound transducer applications since they produce large signal conduction losses at higher frequencies. Therefore, we propose a new limiter architecture utilizing power MOSFETs, which we call a power MOSFET-diode-based limiter. The performance of a power MOSFET-diode-based limiter was evaluated with respect to insertion loss (IL), total harmonic distortion (THD), and response time (RT). We compared these results with those of three other conventional limiter designs and showed that the power MOSFET-diode-based limiter offers the lowest IL (-1.33 dB) and fastest RT (0.10 µs) with the lowest suppressed output voltage (3.47 Vp-p) among all the limiters at 70 MHz. A pulse-echo test was performed to determine how the new limiter affected the sensitivity and bandwidth of the transducer. We found that the sensitivity and bandwidth of the transducer were 130% and 129% greater, respectively, when combined with the new power MOSFET-diode-based limiter versus the resistor-diode-based limiter. Therefore, these results demonstrate that the power MOSFET-diode-based limiter is capable of producing lower signal attenuation than the three conventional limiter designs at higher frequency operation. © The Author(s) 2014.

Kinetics analysis for development of a rate constant estimation model for ultrasonic degradation reaction of methylene blue.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Daisuke; Honma, Chiemi; Matsumoto, Hideyuki; Takahashi, Tomoki; Kuroda, Chiaki; Otake, Katsuto; Shono, Atsushi

2014-07-01

Ultrasound has been used as an advanced oxidation method for wastewater treatment. Sonochemical degradation of organic compounds in aqueous solution occurs by pyrolysis and/or reaction with hydroxyl radicals. Moreover, kinetics of sonochemical degradation has been proposed. However, the effect of ultrasonic frequency on degradation rate has not been investigated. In our previous study, a simple model for estimating the apparent degradation rate of methylene blue was proposed. In this study, sonochemical degradation of methylene blue was performed at various frequencies. Apparent degradation rate constant was evaluated assuming that sonochemical degradation of methylene blue was a first-order reaction. Specifically, we focused on effects of ultrasonic frequency and power on rate constant, and the applicability of our proposed model was demonstrated. Using this approach, maximum sonochemical degradation rate was observed at 490 kHz, which agrees with a previous investigation into the effect of frequency on the sonochemical efficiency value evaluated by KI oxidation dosimetry. Degradation rate increased with ultrasonic power at every frequency. It was also observed that threshold power must be reached for the degradation reaction to progress. The initial methylene blue concentration and the apparent degradation rate constant have a relation of an inverse proportion. Our proposed model for estimating the apparent degradation rate constant using ultrasonic power and sonochemical efficiency value can apply to this study which extended the frequency and initial concentration range. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

An Ultrasonic Backscatter Instrument for Cancellous Bone Evaluation in Neonates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chengcheng Liu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Ultrasonic backscatter technique has shown promise as a noninvasive cancellous bone assessment tool. A novel ultrasonic backscatter bone diagnostic (UBBD instrument and an in vivo application for neonatal bone evaluation are introduced in this study. The UBBD provides several advantages, including noninvasiveness, non-ionizing radiation, portability, and simplicity. In this study, the backscatter signal could be measured within 5 s using the UBBD. Ultrasonic backscatter measurements were performed on 467 neonates (268 males and 199 females at the left calcaneus. The backscatter signal was measured at a central frequency of 3.5 MHz. The delay (T1 and duration (T2 of the backscatter signal of interest (SOI were varied, and the apparent integrated backscatter (AIB, frequency slope of apparent backscatter (FSAB, zero frequency intercept of apparent backscatter (FIAB, and spectral centroid shift (SCS were calculated. The results showed that the SOI selection had a direct influence on cancellous bone evaluation. The AIB and FIAB were positively correlated with the gestational age (|R| up to 0.45, P10 µs. Moderate positive correlations (|R| up to 0.45, P10 µs. The T2 mainly introduced fluctuations in the observed correlation coefficients. The moderate correlations observed with UBBD demonstrate the feasibility of using the backscatter signal to evaluate neonatal bone status. This study also proposes an explicit standard for in vivo SOI selection and neonatal cancellous bone assessment.

Relation between ultrasonic properties, rheology and baking quality for bread doughs of widely differing formulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Peressini, Donatella; Braunstein, Dobrila; Page, John H; Strybulevych, Anatoliy; Lagazio, Corrado; Scanlon, Martin G

2017-06-01

The objective was to evaluate whether an ultrasonic reflectance technique has predictive capacity for breadmaking performance of doughs made under a wide range of formulation conditions. Two flours of contrasting dough strength augmented with different levels of ingredients (inulin, oil, emulsifier or salt) were used to produce different bread doughs with a wide range of properties. Breadmaking performance was evaluated by conventional large-strain rheological tests on the dough and by assessment of loaf quality. The ultrasound tests were performed with a broadband reflectance technique in the frequency range of 0.3-6 MHz. Principal component analysis showed that ultrasonic attenuation and phase velocity at frequencies between 0.3 and 3 MHz are good predictors for rheological and bread scoring characteristics. Ultrasonic parameters had predictive capacity for breadmaking performance for a wide range of dough formulations. Lower frequency attenuation coefficients correlated well with conventional quality indices of both the dough and the bread. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterization of Olive Oil by Ultrasonic and Physico-chemical Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Alouache, B.; Khechena, F. K.; Lecheb, F.; Boutkedjirt, T.

Olive oil excels by its nutritional and medicinal benefits. It can be consumed without any treatment. However, its quality can be altered by inadequate storage conditions or if it is mixed with other kinds of oils. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the ability of ultrasonic methods to characterize and control olive oil quality. By using of a transducer of 2.25 MHz nominal frequency, in pulse echo mode, ultrasonic parameters, such as propagation velocity and attenuation,have been measured for pure olive oil and for its mixtures with sunflower oil at different proportions. Mechanical properties, such as density and viscosity, have also been determined. The results of ultrasonic measurements are consistent with those obtained by physico-chemical methods, such as rancidity degree, acid index, UV specific extinction coefficient and viscosity. They show that the ultrasonic method allows to distinguish between mixtures at different proportions. The study allows concluding that ultrasound techniques can be considered as a useful complement to existing physico-chemical analysis techniques.

Remote Inspection Techniques for Reactor Internals of Liquid Metal Reactor by using Ultrasonic Waveguide Sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joo, Young Sang; Kim, Seok Hun; Lee, Jae Han

2006-02-01

The primary components such as a reactor core, heat exchangers, pumps and internal structures of a liquid metal reactor (LMR) are submerged in hot sodium of reactor vessel. The division 3 of ASME code section XI specifies the visual inspection and continuous monitoring as major in-service inspection (ISI) methods of reactor internal structures. Reactor core and internal structures of LMR can not be visually examined due to an opaque liquid sodium. The under-sodium viewing and remote inspection techniques by using an ultrasonic wave should be applied for the in-service inspection of reactor internals. The remote inspection techniques using ultrasonic wave have been developed and applied for the visualization and ISI of reactor internals. The under sodium viewing technique has a limitation for the application of LMR due to the high temperature and irradiation environment. In this study, an ultrasonic waveguide sensor with a strip plate has been developed for an application to the under-sodium viewing and remote inspection. The Lamb wave propagation of a waveguide sensor has been analyzed and the zero-order antisymmetric A 0 plate wave was selected as the application mode of the sensor. The A 0 plate wave can be propagated in the dispersive low frequency range by using a liquid wedge clamped to the waveguide. A new technique is presented which is capable of steering the radiation beam angle of a waveguide sensor without a mechanical movement of the sensor assembly. The steering function of the ultrasonic radiation beam can be achieved by a frequency tuning method of the excitation pulse in the dispersive range of the A 0 mode. The technique provides an opportunity to overcome the scanning limitation of a waveguide sensor. The beam steering function has been evaluated by an experimental verification. The ultrasonic C-scanning experiments are performed in water and the feasibility of the ultrasonic waveguide sensor has been verified. The various remote inspection

[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.

Redesigning axial-axial (biaxial) cruciform specimens for very high cycle fatigue ultrasonic testing machines.

Science.gov (United States)

Montalvão, Diogo; Wren, Andrew

2017-11-01

The necessity to increase performances in terms of lifetime and security in mechanical components or structures is the motivation for intense research in fatigue. Applications range from aeronautics to medical devices. With the development of new materials, there is no longer a fatigue limit in the classical sense, where it was accepted that the fatigue limit is the stress level such that there is no fracture up to 1E7 cycles. The recent development of ultrasonic testing machines where frequencies can go as high as 20 kHz or over enabled tests to be extended to ranges larger than 1E9 in just a few days. This area of studies is now known as Very High Cycle Fatigue (VHCF). On the other hand, most of the existing test equipment in the market for both classical and VHCF are uniaxial test machines. However, critical components used in Engineering applications are usually subjected to complex multi-axial loading conditions. In this paper, it is presented the methodology to redesigning existing cruciform test specimens that can be used to create an in-plane biaxial state of stress when used in 'uniaxial' VHCF ultrasonic testing machines (in this case, the term 'uniaxial' is used not because of the state of stress created at the centre of the specimen, but because of the direction at which the load is applied). The methodology is explained in such a way that it can be expanded to other existing designs, namely cruciform designs, that are not yet used in VHCF. Also, although the approach is presented in simple and logical terms, it may not be that obvious for those who have a more focused approach on fatigue rather than on modal analysis. It is expected that by contributing to bridging the gap between the sciences of modal analysis and fatigue, this research will help and encourage others exploiting new capabilities in VHCF.

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

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.

High-frequency, high-intensity photoionization

Science.gov (United States)

Reiss, H. R.

1996-02-01

Two analytical methods for computing ionization by high-frequency fields are compared. Predicted ionization rates compare well, but energy predictions for the onset of ionization differ radically. The difference is shown to arise from the use of a transformation in one of the methods that alters the zero from which energy is measured. This alteration leads to an apparent energy threshold for ionization that can, especially in the stabilization regime, differ strongly from the laboratory measurement. It is concluded that channel closings in intense-field ionization can occur at high as well as low frequencies. It is also found that the stabilization phenomenon at high frequencies, very prominent for hydrogen, is absent in a short-range potential.

Dynamic Takagi-Sugeno Model for the Control of Ultrasonic Motor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi Jingzhuo

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Model of ultrasonic motor is the foundation of the design of ultrasonic motor's speed and position controller. A two-input and one-output dynamic Takagi-Sugeno model of ultrasonic motor driving system is worked out using fuzzy reasoning modeling method in this paper. Many fuzzy reasoning modeling methods are sensitive to the initial values and easy to fall into local minimum, and have a large amount of calculation. In order to overcome these defects, equalized universe method is used in this paper to get clusters centers and obtain fuzzy clustering membership functions, and then, the unknown parameters of the conclusions of fuzzy rules are identified using least-square method. Different experimental data that are tested with different operational conditions are used to examine the validity of the fuzzy model. Comparison between experimental data and calculated data of the model indicates that the model can well describe the nonlinear characteristics among the frequency, amplitude of driving voltage and rotating speed. The proposed fuzzy model can be used to analyze the performance of ultrasonic motor driving system, and also can be used to design the speed and position controller of ultrasonic motor.

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)

Fatigue fracture of steel after mechanical and ultrasonic strengthening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stotskij, I.M.

1978-01-01

Fatigue fracture surfaces of samples after mechanical and ultrasonic strengthening have been studied metallographically and by electron fractography. Studied was the 40Kh steel hardened from 850 deg and then tempered at 180 deg or at 550 deg C. The ultrasound power was 25 kWt, the frequency was 20 kHz, the sample rotation velocity was 39.5 m/min. Mechanical and ultrasonic treatment was found to cause structural changes (formation of a white layer) and deformation of the material under the layer. The fatigue cracks were extending beyond the white layer; their propagation involved generation and coalescence of microcracks on account of segregation of carbides. It is concluded that mechanical and ultrasonic treatment should be used for increasing the fatigue strength of low and average strength materials rather than hardened or low-tempered ones

50-Hz plasma treatment of glass fibre reinforced polyester at atmospheric pressure enhanced by ultrasonic irradiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusano, Yukihiro; Norrman, Kion; Singh, Shailendra Vikram

2011-01-01

Glass fibre reinforced polyester (GFRP) plates are treated using a 50-Hz dielectric barrier discharge at peak-to-peak voltage of 30 kV in helium at atmospheric pressure with and without ultrasonic irradiation to study adhesion improvement. The ultrasonic waves at the fundamental frequency of around...

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.

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

Chaos and Beyond in a Water Filled Ultrasonic Resonance System

Science.gov (United States)

Lazlo, Adler; Yost, W.; Cantrell, John H.

2013-01-01

Finite amplitude ultrasonic wave resonances in a one-dimensional liquid-filled cavity, formed by a narrow band transducer and a plane reflector, are reported. The resonances are observed to include not only the expected harmonic and subharmonic signals (1,2) but chaotic signals as well. The generation mechanism requires attaining a threshold value of the driving amplitude that the liquid-filled cavity system becomes sufficiently nonlinear in response. The nonlinear features of the system were recently investigated via the construction of an ultrasonic interferometer having optical precision. The transducers were compressional, undamped quartz and lithium niobate crystals having the frequency range 1-10 MHz, driven by a high power amplifier. Both an optical diffraction system to characterize the diffraction pattern of laser light normally incident to the cavity and a receiving transducer attached to an aligned reflector with lapped flat and parallel surfaces were used to assess the generated resonance response in the cavity. At least 5 regions of excitation are identified.

Development of a Versatile Ultrasonic Internal Pipe/Vessel Component Monitor for In-Service Inspection of Nuclear Reactor Components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Searfass, Clifford T. [Structural Integrity Associates, Inc., State College, PA (United States); Malinowski, Owen M. [Structural Integrity Associates, Inc., State College, PA (United States); Van Velsor, Jason K. [Structural Integrity Associates, Inc., State College, PA (United States)

2015-03-22

The stated goal of this work was to develop a versatile system which could accurately measure vessel and valve internal vibrations and cavitation formation under in-service conditions in nuclear power plants, ultrasonically. The developed technology will benefit the nuclear power generation industry by allowing plant operators to monitor valve and vessel internals during operation. This will help reduce planned outages and plant component failures. During the course of this work, Structural Integrity Associates, Inc. gathered information from industry experts that target vibration amplitudes to be detected should be in the range of 0.001-in to 0.005-in (0.025-mm to 0.127-mm) and target vibration frequency ranges which should be detected were found to be between 0-Hz and 300-Hz. During the performed work, an ultrasonic measuring system was developed which utilized ultrasonic pulse-echo time-of-flight measurements to measure vibration frequency and amplitude. The developed system has been shown to be able to measure vibration amplitudes as low as 0.0008-in (0.020-mm) with vibration frequencies in the range of 17-Hz to 1000-Hz. Therefore, the developed system was able to meet the industry needs for vibration measurement. The developed ultrasonic system was also to be able to measure cavitation formation by monitoring the received ultrasonic time- and frequency-domain signals. This work also demonstrated the survivability of commercially available probes at temperatures up to 300-F for several weeks.

Standing wave brass-PZT square tubular ultrasonic motor.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Soonho; He, Siyuan

2012-09-01

This paper reports a standing wave brass-PZT tubular ultrasonic motor. The motor is composed of a brass square tube with two teeth on each tube end. Four PZT plates are attached to the outside walls of the brass tube. The motor requires only one driving signal to excite vibration in a single bending mode to generate reciprocating diagonal trajectories of teeth on the brass tube ends, which drive the motor to rotate. Bi-directional rotation is achieved by exciting different pairs of PZT plates to switch the bending vibration direction. Through using the brass-PZT tube structure, the motor can take high magnitude vibration to achieve a high output power in comparison to PZT tube based ultrasonic motors. Prototypes are fabricated and tested. The dimension of the brass-PZT tube is 3.975mm×3.975mm×16mm. Measured performance is a no-load speed of >1000RPM, a stall torque of 370μNm and a maximum output power of 16 mW when a sinusoidal driving voltage of 50V is applied. The working frequencies of the motor are 46,050Hz (clockwise) and 46,200Hz (counter-clockwise). Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Device for welding components using ultrasonics, particularly for solar cell contacts and solar cell connections. Vorrichtung zum Verschweissen von Bauteilen unter Verwendung von Ultraschall, insbesondere von Solarzellenkontakten und Solarzellenverbindern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gochermann, H.

1983-06-23

This is a device for welding components, particularly solar cell contacts and solar cell connections, using an ultrasonic welding device. The ultrasonic welding device has a high frequency generator, an ultrasonic emitter, a transmitter, a sonotrode, a device for accommodating the components and controls. The sonotrode is provided with a circumferential beading acting as the welding disc, which, together with the sonotrode, is rolled over the components by a relative movement. The part of the beading which is tangential to the component introduces ultrasonic energy into the component. The relative movement is made possible by the system of the ultrasonic emitter, transmitter and sonotrode with the surrounding beading being mounted so that it can rotate in a vibration node of the transmitter. (orig.).

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.

Joint formation of dissimilar steels in pressure welding with superposition of ultrasonic oscillations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surovtsev, A P; Golovanenko, S A; Sukhanov, V E; Kazantsev, V F

1983-12-01

Investigation results of kinetics and quality of carbon steel joints with the steel 12Kh18N10T, obtained by pressure welding with superposition of ultrasonic oscillations with the frequency 16.5-18.0 kHz are given. The effect of ultrasonic oscillations on the process of physical contact development of the surfaces welded, formation of microstructure and impact viscosity of the compound, is shown.

Underwater detection by using ultrasonic sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Bakar, S. A. A.; Ong, N. R.; Aziz, M. H. A.; Alcain, J. B.; Haimi, W. M. W. N.; Sauli, Z.

2017-09-01

This paper described the low cost implementation of hardware and software in developing the system of ultrasonic which can visualize the feedback of sound in the form of measured distance through mobile phone and monitoring the frequency of detection by using real time graph of Java application. A single waterproof transducer of JSN-SR04T had been used to determine the distance of an object based on operation of the classic pulse echo detection method underwater. In this experiment, the system was tested by placing the housing which consisted of Arduino UNO, Bluetooth module of HC-06, ultrasonic sensor and LEDs at the top of the box and the transducer was immersed in the water. The system which had been tested for detection in vertical form was found to be capable of reporting through the use of colored LEDs as indicator to the relative proximity of object distance underwater form the sensor. As a conclusion, the system can detect the presence of an object underwater within the range of ultrasonic sensor and display the measured distance onto the mobile phone and the real time graph had been successfully generated.

Ultrasonic flow-meter test in sodium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Y.; Uno, O.; Kamei, M.

1978-01-01

As a part of the R and D programme for the prototype fast breeder reactor MONJU, an ultrasonic flow-meter (USFM) test is being carried out in sodium in the O-Arai Engineering Center of PNC. Prior to the present test, an in-water test was done at the manufacturer's as a preliminary investigation. The results reported here are the results up to the present. Calibration tests using the actual fluid were conducted on a 12-inch ultrasonic flow-meter with guide rods fabricated for sodium flow measurement. The test conditions in sodium were a temperature of 200 approximately 400 0 C and flow-rates of 0 approximately 6m/s. The main results are: (1) The linearity of output signal was good and accuracy was within 1%; (2) The alternating type of the USFM was much better than the fixed type in temperature change; (3) 2MHz of transducer frequency was better than 3MHz in sodium; (4) The S/N ratio of the ultrasonic signal and the length/diameter effect in a wide range in sodium surpassed the in-water test. (author)

The Machining of Hard Mold Steel by Ultrasonic Assisted End Milling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming Yi Tsai

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This study describes the use of ultrasonic-assisted end milling to improve the quality of the machined surface of hard Stavax (modified AISI 420 mold steel and to reduce the amount of work involved in the final polishing process. The effects of input voltage, the stretch length and cutter holding force on the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration used were measured. The effect of ultrasonic frequency (25 and 50 kHz and amplitude (0, 2.20 and 3.68 μm as well as the effect of the rake angle (6° and −6° and the cutter helix angle (25°, 35° and 45° on tool wear and quality of the workpiece surface finish were also investigated. It was found that the ultrasonic amplitude increased with cutter stretch length and input voltage, as expected. The amplitude remained constant when the cutter holding force exceeded 15 N. The experimental results showed that the ultrasonic amplitude had an optimum value with respect to surface finish. However, large amplitude ultrasonics did not necessarily improve quality. Furthermore, the cutters used for ultrasonic-assisted milling show less wear than those used for normal milling. It was also found that a positive rake angle and cutters with a large helix angle gave a better surface finish.

An ultrasonic phased array applicator for deep localized hyperthermia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ocheltree, K.B.; Benkeser, P.J.; Foster, S.G.; Frizzell, L.A.; Cain, C.A.

1984-01-01

The use of an ultrasonic phased array applicator presents a major advantage over the fixed beam ultrasonic applicators which are typically used for clinical hyperthermia. Such an applicator allows focal region placement in the three dimensional treatment field by electronic steering instead of mechanical movement of the transducer assembly. The design of an array is discussed theoretically, considering that the constraints on grating lobes and power output for hyperthermic applications are quite different from those for imaging. The effects of various design parameters are discussed. Experimental results are presented for several arrays for frequencies under 1 Mhz

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)

Degree of dispersion monitoring by ultrasonic transmission technique and excitation of the transducer's harmonics

Science.gov (United States)

Schober, G.; Heidemeyer, P.; Kretschmer, K.; Bastian, M.; Hochrein, T.

2014-05-01

The degree of dispersion of filled polymer compounds is an important quality parameter for various applications. For instance, there is an influence on the chroma in pigment colored plastics or on the mechanical properties of filled or reinforced compounds. Most of the commonly used offline methods are work-intensive and time-consuming. Moreover, they do not allow an all-over process monitoring. In contrast, the ultrasonic technique represents a suitable robust and process-capable inline method. Here, we present inline ultrasonic measurements on polymer melts with a fundamental frequency of 1 MHz during compounding. In order to extend the frequency range we additionally excite the fundamental and the odd harmonics vibrations at 3 and 5 MHz. The measurements were carried out on a compound consisting of polypropylene and calcium carbonate. For the simulation of agglomerates calcium carbonate with a larger particle size was added with various rates. The total filler content was kept constant. The frequency selective analysis shows a linear correlation between the normalized extinction and the rate of agglomerates simulated by the coarser filler. Further experiments with different types of glass beads with a well-defined particle size verify these results. A clear correlation between the normalized extinction and the glass bead size as well as a higher damping with increasing frequency corresponds to the theoretical assumption. In summary the dispersion quality can be monitored inline by the ultrasonic technique. The excitation of the ultrasonic transducer's harmonics generates more information about the material as the usage of the pure harmonic vibration.

Evaluation of Ultrasonic Nonlinear Characteristics in Heat-Treated Aluminum Alloy (Al-Mg-Si-Cu

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JongBeom Kim

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The nonlinear ultrasonic technique has been known to be more sensitive to minute variation of elastic properties in material than the conventional linear ultrasonic method. In this study, the ultrasonic nonlinear characteristics in the heat-treated aluminum alloy (Al-Mg-Si-Cu have been evaluated. For this, the specimens were heat treated for various heating period up to 50 hours at three different heating temperatures: 250°C, 300°C, and 350°C. The ultrasonic nonlinear characteristics of each specimen were evaluated by measuring the ultrasonic nonlinear parameter β from the amplitudes of fundamental and second harmonic frequency components in the transmitted ultrasonic wave. After the ultrasonic test, tensile strengths and elongations were obtained by the tensile test to compare with the parameter β. The heating time showing a peak in the parameter β was identical to that showing critical change in the tensile strength and elongation, and such peak appeared at the earlier heating time in the higher heating temperature. These results suggest that the ultrasonic nonlinear parameter β can be used for monitoring the variations in elastic properties of aluminum alloys according to the heat treatment.

Behavioral Correlates of 50-kHz Ultrasonic Vocalizations in Rats: Progressive Operant Discrimination Learning Reduces Frequency Modulation and Increases Overall Amplitude

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shoko Yuki

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs in rats are thought to contain ecological signals reflecting emotional states. These USVs are centered on 50-kHz, and frequency modulation (FM is hypothesized to indicate positive emotion; however, results from recent studies are inconsistent with this hypothesis. We suspected that such inconsistencies might result from ambiguity in defining frequency modulation, and problems with acoustic analyses and behavioral protocols. We addressed these problems by applying quantitative methods for USV analyses and using a food reward operant paradigm. Our results revealed that frequency modulation varied according to the degree of positive outcomes, but the direction of change was opposite to what had been observed in previous studies. The FM in 50-kHz USVs decreased as animals learned the task and obtained more reinforcement, while USV amplitude increased as learning progressed. To reconcile these results with those from prior studies, we suggest that FM in 50-kHz USVs should be taken as an index of reward prediction errors, and USV amplitude should be considered as an index of positive emotion.

Feature extraction for ultrasonic sensor based defect detection in ceramic components

Science.gov (United States)

Kesharaju, Manasa; Nagarajah, Romesh

2014-02-01

High density silicon carbide materials are commonly used as the ceramic element of hard armour inserts used in traditional body armour systems to reduce their weight, while providing improved hardness, strength and elastic response to stress. Currently, armour ceramic tiles are inspected visually offline using an X-ray technique that is time consuming and very expensive. In addition, from X-rays multiple defects are also misinterpreted as single defects. Therefore, to address these problems the ultrasonic non-destructive approach is being investigated. Ultrasound based inspection would be far more cost effective and reliable as the methodology is applicable for on-line quality control including implementation of accept/reject criteria. This paper describes a recently developed methodology to detect, locate and classify various manufacturing defects in ceramic tiles using sub band coding of ultrasonic test signals. The wavelet transform is applied to the ultrasonic signal and wavelet coefficients in the different frequency bands are extracted and used as input features to an artificial neural network (ANN) for purposes of signal classification. Two different classifiers, using artificial neural networks (supervised) and clustering (un-supervised) are supplied with features selected using Principal Component Analysis(PCA) and their classification performance compared. This investigation establishes experimentally that Principal Component Analysis(PCA) can be effectively used as a feature selection method that provides superior results for classifying various defects in the context of ultrasonic inspection in comparison with the X-ray technique.

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

Ultrasonic attenuation measurements and 'glassy' behaviour of neutron irradiated quartz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laermans, C.; Esteves, V.; Vanelstraete, A.

1986-01-01

The ultrasonic attenuation of longitudinal acoustic waves in slightly disordered crystalline quartz has been measured over a temperature range from 1.3 to 300 K, using the pulse-echo technique. Neutron irradiation is demonstrated to increase the ultrasonic attenuation at low temperatures indicating the presence of two-level tunneling systems similar to those of glasses. The present low-temperature acoustic results agree with a frequency independence and a T 3 behaviour for the relaxation process predicted by the two-level tunneling TLS-model where the regime ωT 1 >> 1 holds. (author)

Effect of Heat Generation of Ultrasound Transducer on Ultrasonic Power Measured by Calorimetric Method

Science.gov (United States)

Uchida, Takeyoshi; Kikuchi, Tsuneo

2013-07-01

Ultrasonic power is one of the key quantities closely related to the safety of medical ultrasonic equipment. An ultrasonic power standard is required for establishment of safety. Generally, an ultrasonic power standard below approximately 20 W is established by the radiation force balance (RFB) method as the most accurate measurement method. However, RFB is not suitable for high ultrasonic power because of thermal damage to the absorbing target. Consequently, an alternative method to RFB is required. We have been developing a measurement technique for high ultrasonic power by the calorimetric method. In this study, we examined the effect of heat generation of an ultrasound transducer on ultrasonic power measured by the calorimetric method. As a result, an excessively high ultrasonic power was measured owing to the effect of heat generation from internal loss in the transducer. A reference ultrasound transducer with low heat generation is required for a high ultrasonic power standard established by the calorimetric method.

Fast ultrasonic visualisation under sodium. Application to the fast neutron reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imbert, Ch.

1997-01-01

The fast ultrasonic visualization under sodium is in the programme of research and development on the inspection inside the fast neutron reactors. This work is about the development of a such system of fast ultrasonic imaging under sodium, in order to improve the existing visualization systems. This system is based on the principle of orthogonal imaging, it uses two linear antennas with an important dephasing having 128 piezo-composite elements of central frequency equal to 1.6 MHz. (N.C.)

Ultrasonic relaxation studies associated with n-octylamine-heavy water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kor, S.K.; Singh, R.K.

1994-01-01

Ultrasonic absorption measurements have been carried out in lyotropic liquid crystalline system n-octylamine/heavy water in the frequency range 5-65 MHz and at temperatures 30 degC and 37 degC at different concentrations of heavy water in octylamine. Velocity has been measured using interferometric technique at 2 MHz at different concentrations of heavy water. Ultrasonic absorption coefficients at different concentrations in the concentration range 0.3-0.9 m.f. heavy water have been found to show a maxima in the absorption curve at critical concentration (∼0.85 m.f. heavy water). This peak has been found to shift towards lower concentrations of heavy water at higher frequencies. Results have been analysed and it has been found that single relaxation process takes place around 30 MHz and this has been attributed to aggregation of octylamine and heavy water molecules. (author). 8 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs

Wireless cardiac action potential transmission with ultrasonically inserted silicon microprobes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, C J; Ramkumar, A; Lal, A; Gilmour, R F Jr

2011-01-01

This paper reports on the integration of ultrasonically inserted horn-shaped cardiac probes with wireless transmission of 3D cardiac action potential measurement for applications in ex vivo preparations such as monitoring the onset of ventricular fibrillation. Ultrasonically inserted silicon horn probes permit reduced penetration force during insertion, allowing silicon, a brittle material, to penetrate cardiac tissue. The probes also allow recording from multiple sites that are lithographically defined. An application-specific integrated circuit has been designed with a 40 dB amplifying stage and a frequency modulating oscillator at 95 MHz to wirelessly transmit the recorded action potentials. This ultrasonically inserted microprobe wireless system demonstrates the initial results in wireless monitoring of 3D action potential propagation, and the extraction of parameters of interest including the action potential duration and diastolic interval

Development of a bank for ultrasonic characterization of olive oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabra Gemayel, M.N.; Zaatar, Y.; Zaouk, D.; El Hajj, A.; Honein, E.; Assaad, J.

2015-01-01

Olive oil has long been renowned for its nutritional and healthy values. These values are being continuously verified by new scientific results. Not all olive oils found in the market are, however,authentic. One of the ways to cheat in olive oil is to mix it with other, cheaper oils. The aim of our study is to develop an ultrasonic measurement system that would quickly detect the fraud in the olive oil and thus protect and preserve this quality product. By using ultrasonic waves of frequency 1.7MHz in transmission through the oils, we have obtained promising results for detection of different mixtures of olive oil with pure sunflower oil. Our results have shown an increasing ultrasonic speed for an increasing percentage of sunflower oil in the mixture. (author)

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.)

Process monitoring using optical ultrasonic wave detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Telschow, K.L.; Walter, J.B.; Garcia, G.V.; Kunerth, D.C.

1989-01-01

Optical ultrasonic wave detection techniques are being developed for process monitoring. An important limitation on optical techniques is that the material surface, in materials processing applications, is usually not a specular reflector and in many cases is totally diffusely reflecting. This severely degrades the light collected by the detection optics, greatly reducing the intensity and randomly scattering the phase of the reflected light. A confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer, which is sensitive to the Doppler frequency shift resulting from the surface motion and not to the phase of the collected light, is well suited to detecting ultrasonic waves in diffusely reflecting materials. This paper describes the application of this detector to the real-time monitoring of the sintering of ceramic materials. 8 refs., 5 figs

Ultrasonic stress evaluation through thickness of a stainless steel pressure vessel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Javadi, Yashar; Pirzaman, Hamed Salimi; Raeisi, Mohammadreza Hadizadeh; Najafabadi, Mehdi Ahmadi

2014-01-01

This paper investigates ultrasonic method in stress measurement through thickness of a pressure vessel. Longitudinal critically refracted (L CR ) waves are employed to measure the welding residual stresses in a vessel constructed from austenitic stainless steel 304L. The acoustoelastic constant is measured through a hydro test to keep the pressure vessel intact. Hoop and axial residual stresses are evaluated by using different frequency range of ultrasonic transducers. The welding processes of vessel shell and caps are simulated by a 3D finite element (FE) model which is validated by hole-drilling method. The residual stresses calculated by FE simulation are then compared with those obtained from the ultrasonic measurement while a good agreement is observed. It is demonstrated that the residual stresses through thickness of the stainless steel pressure vessel can be evaluated by combining FE and L CR method (known as FEL CR method). - Highlights: • The main goal is ultrasonic evaluation of through thickness stresses. • Welding processes of a stainless steel pressure vessel are modelled by FE. • The hole-drilling method is used to validate the FE results. • Residual stresses are measured by four different series of ultrasonic transducers. • The comparison between ultrasonic and FE results show an acceptable agreement

A coatable, light-weight, fast-response nanocomposite sensor for the in situ acquisition of dynamic elastic disturbance: from structural vibration to ultrasonic waves

Science.gov (United States)

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

2016-06-01

Inspired by an innovative sensing philosophy, a light-weight nanocomposite sensor made of a hybrid of carbon black (CB)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has been developed. The nanoscalar architecture and percolation characteristics of the hybrid were optimized in order to fulfil the in situ acquisition of dynamic elastic disturbance from low-frequency vibration to high-frequency ultrasonic waves. Dynamic particulate motion induced by elastic disturbance modulates the infrastructure of the CB conductive network in the sensor, with the introduction of the tunneling effect, leading to dynamic alteration in the piezoresistivity measured by the sensor. Electrical analysis, morphological characterization, and static/dynamic electromechanical response interrogation were implemented to advance our insight into the sensing mechanism of the sensor, and meanwhile facilitate understanding of the optimal percolation threshold. At the optimal threshold (˜6.5 wt%), the sensor exhibits high fidelity, a fast response, and high sensitivity to ultrafast elastic disturbance (in an ultrasonic regime up to 400 kHz), yet with an ultralow magnitude (on the order of micrometers). The performance of the sensor was evaluated against a conventional strain gauge and piezoelectric transducer, showing excellent coincidence, yet a much greater gauge factor and frequency-independent piezoresistive behavior. Coatable on a structure and deployable in a large quantity to form a dense sensor network, this nanocomposite sensor has blazed a trail for implementing in situ sensing for vibration- or ultrasonic-wave-based structural health monitoring, by striking a compromise between ‘sensing cost’ and ‘sensing effectiveness’.

Nonlinear Acoustic and Ultrasonic NDT of Aeronautical Components

Science.gov (United States)

Van Den Abeele, Koen; Katkowski, Tomasz; Mattei, Christophe

2006-05-01

In response to the demand for innovative microdamage inspection systems, with high sensitivity and undoubted accuracy, we are currently investigating the use and robustness of several acoustic and ultrasonic NDT techniques based on Nonlinear Elastic Wave Spectroscopy (NEWS) for the characterization of microdamage in aeronautical components. In this report, we illustrate the results of an amplitude dependent analysis of the resonance behaviour, both in time (signal reverberation) and in frequency (sweep) domain. The technique is applied to intact and damaged samples of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) composites after thermal loading or mechanical fatigue. The method shows a considerable gain in sensitivity and an incontestable interpretation of the results for nonlinear signatures in comparison with the linear characteristics. For highly fatigued samples, slow dynamical effects are observed.

Ultrasonic Spray Drying vs High Vacuum and Microwaves Technology for Blueberries

Science.gov (United States)

Candia-Muñoz, N.; Ramirez-Bunster, M.; Vargas-Hernández, Y.; Gaete-Garretón, L.

Interest in high quality foods: good taste and a high content of nutrients with healthy beneficial effects are increasing. Fruits have good properties but, they are lost because the oxidation process, additionally, for different reasons a 40% of harvested fruit are lost. To conserve the fruit properties an ultrasonic assisted spray dryer was developed and tested, comparing its results with microwave-vacuum drying technology. Results did shown taste, color, smell, particle shape and size distribution better than the conventional one. The antioxidants conservation were quite good except in the anthocyanins, in which the microwave and vacuum technology shown best results.

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.

High-frequency annular array with coaxial illumination for dual-modality ultrasonic and photoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Filoux, Erwan; Sampathkumar, Ashwin; Chitnis, Parag V.; Aristizábal, Orlando; Ketterling, Jeffrey A.

2013-05-01

This paper presents a combined ultrasound and photoacoustic (PA) imaging (PAI) system used to obtain high-quality, co-registered images of mouse-embryo anatomy and vasculature. High-frequency ultrasound (HFU, >20 MHz) is utilized to obtain high-resolution anatomical images of small animals while PAI provides high-contrast images of the vascular network. The imaging system is based on a 40 MHz, 5-element, 6 mm aperture annular-array transducer with a 800 μm diameter hole through its central element. The transducer was integrated in a cage-plate assembly allowing for a collimated laser beam to pass through the hole so that the optical and acoustic beams were collinear. The assembly was mounted on a two-axis, motorized stage to enable the simultaneous acquisition of co-registered HFU and PA volumetric data. Data were collected from all five elements in receive and a synthetic-focusing algorithm was applied in post-processing to beamform the data and increase the spatial resolution and depth-of-field (DOF) of the HFU and PA images. Phantom measurements showed that the system could achieve high-resolution images (down to 90 μm for HFU and 150 μm for PAI) and a large DOF of >8 mm. Volume renderings of a mouse embryo showed that the scanner allowed for visualizing morphologically precise anatomy of the entire embryo along with corresponding co-registered vasculature. Major head vessels, such as the superior sagittal sinus or rostral vein, were clearly identified as well as limb bud vasculature.

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)

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.

Density and Ultrasonic Characterization of Oil Palm Trunk Infected by Ganoderma Boninense Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Najmie, M. M. K.; Khalid, K.; Sidek, A. A.; Jusoh, M. A.

2011-01-01

Oil palm trunks infected by Ganoderma boninense disease have been studied using density and ultrasonic characterizations. The ultrasonic characterizations have been performed using a commercial ultrasonic instrument at the frequency of 54 kHz. The measurements have been done in 3 zones: inner zone, central zone and peripheral zone. It was found that the stem density of the oil palm infected by Ganoderma boninense disease was reduced by 50% in comparison to the original healthy trunk. From this effect the velocity of the ultrasonic wave propagated through the Longitudinal, Radial, and Tangential directions is lower for the trunk infected by Ganoderma boninense disease compared to a healthy trunk. For the 10 cm thickness of samples, the ultrasonic velocity for all transit directions was in range of 260 - 750 ms-1 for the infected sample, whereas for healthy samples was in the range of 460 - 900 ms-1. These results are very useful for the detection of the area which has been affected by the disease.

Study on Gap Flow Field Simulation in Small Hole Machining of Ultrasonic Assisted EDM

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yu; Chang, Hao; Zhang, Wenchao; Ma, Fujian; Sha, Zhihua; Zhang, Shengfang

2017-12-01

When machining a small hole with high aspect ratio in EDM, it is hard for the flushing liquid entering the bottom gap and the debris could hardly be removed, which results in the accumulation of debris and affects the machining efficiency and machining accuracy. The assisted ultrasonic vibration can improve the removal of debris in the gap. Based on dynamics simulation software Fluent, a 3D model of debris movement in the gap flow field of EDM small hole machining assisted with side flushing and ultrasonic vibration is established in this paper. When depth to ratio is 3, the laws of different amplitudes and frequencies on debris distribution and removal are quantitatively analysed. The research results show that periodic ultrasonic vibration can promote the movement of debris, which is beneficial to the removal of debris in the machining gap. Compared to traditional small hole machining in EDM, the debris in the machining gap is greatly reduced, which ensures the stability of machining process and improves the machining efficiency.

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.

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.

Application of High-Resolution Ultrasonic Spectroscopy for analysis of complex formulations. Compressibility of solutes and solute particles in liquid mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckin, V

2012-01-01

The paper describes key aspects of interpretation of compressibility of solutes in liquid mixtures obtained through high-resolution measurements of ultrasonic parameters. It examines the fundamental relationships between the characteristics of solutes and the contributions of solutes to compressibility of liquid mixtures expressed through apparent adiabatic compressibility of solutes, and adiabatic compressibility of solute particles. In addition, it analyses relationships between the adiabatic compressibility of solutes and the measured ultrasonic characteristics of mixtures. Especial attention is given to the effects of solvents on the measured adiabatic compressibility of solutes and on concentration increment of ultrasonic velocity of solutes in mixtures.

Characteristics of a Bidirectional Rotary Ultrasonic Motor Using Obliquely Polarized Piezoelectric Transducers

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, Takaaki; Ohnishi, Kazumasa; Ueha, Sadayuki

1993-05-01

Obliquely polarized piezoelectric ceramic transducers are newly employed to an ultrasonic motor. Since the direction of polarization is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the applied electric field, the longitudinal and the torsional vibrations are excited simultaneously. In addition, the direction of rotation can be switched by changing the driving frequency. Thus, this motor rotates in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions in spite of a single-phase input signal. The principle and the characteristics of the ultrasonic motor are described.

Stand-alone front-end system for high- frequency, high-frame-rate coded excitation ultrasonic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jinhyoung; Hu, Changhong; Shung, K Kirk

2011-12-01

A stand-alone front-end system for high-frequency coded excitation imaging was implemented to achieve a wider dynamic range. The system included an arbitrary waveform amplifier, an arbitrary waveform generator, an analog receiver, a motor position interpreter, a motor controller and power supplies. The digitized arbitrary waveforms at a sampling rate of 150 MHz could be programmed and converted to an analog signal. The pulse was subsequently amplified to excite an ultrasound transducer, and the maximum output voltage level achieved was 120 V(pp). The bandwidth of the arbitrary waveform amplifier was from 1 to 70 MHz. The noise figure of the preamplifier was less than 7.7 dB and the bandwidth was 95 MHz. Phantoms and biological tissues were imaged at a frame rate as high as 68 frames per second (fps) to evaluate the performance of the system. During the measurement, 40-MHz lithium niobate (LiNbO(3)) single-element lightweight (<;0.28 g) transducers were utilized. The wire target measure- ment showed that the -6-dB axial resolution of a chirp-coded excitation was 50 μm and lateral resolution was 120 μm. The echo signal-to-noise ratios were found to be 54 and 65 dB for the short burst and coded excitation, respectively. The contrast resolution in a sphere phantom study was estimated to be 24 dB for the chirp-coded excitation and 15 dB for the short burst modes. In an in vivo study, zebrafish and mouse hearts were imaged. Boundaries of the zebrafish heart in the image could be differentiated because of the low-noise operation of the implemented system. In mouse heart images, valves and chambers could be readily visualized with the coded excitation.

The ultrasonic relaxation spectra for furfural molecules undergoing conformational changes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirzaev, S. Z.; Telyaev, S. Q.; Egamberdiev, K.

2011-01-01

The acoustic spectra of liquid furfural have been investigated in the frequency range from 0.1MHz to 150 MHz and at the temperatures from 303.15 K to 333.15 K. The ultrasonic spectra of pure furfural show two relaxation processes. One relaxation process is located in the frequency range ∼0.2 MHz, and the second in the frequency range ∼2 MHz. The process with the lower relaxation frequency has been assigned to the 'X0-cis and X0-trans' internal rotation of furfural molecules. (authors)

A Gaussian beam method for ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Jacquet, O.; Leymarie, N.; Cassereau, D.

2018-05-01

The propagation of high-frequency ultrasonic body waves can be efficiently estimated with a semi-analytic Dynamic Ray Tracing approach using paraxial approximation. Although this asymptotic field estimation avoids the computational cost of numerical methods, it may encounter several limitations in reproducing identified highly interferential features. Nevertheless, some can be managed by allowing paraxial quantities to be complex-valued. This gives rise to localized solutions, known as paraxial Gaussian beams. Whereas their propagation and transmission/reflection laws are well-defined, the fact remains that the adopted complexification introduces additional initial conditions. While their choice is usually performed according to strategies specifically tailored to limited applications, a Gabor frame method has been implemented to indiscriminately initialize a reasonable number of paraxial Gaussian beams. Since this method can be applied for an usefully wide range of ultrasonic transducers, the typical case of the time-harmonic piston radiator is investigated. Compared to the commonly used Multi-Gaussian Beam model [1], a better agreement is obtained throughout the radiated field between the results of numerical integration (or analytical on-axis solution) and the resulting Gaussian beam superposition. Sparsity of the proposed solution is also discussed.

Rapid bonding enhancement by auxiliary ultrasonic actuation for the fabrication of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) microfluidic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, H; Tor, S B; Loh, N H

2014-01-01

Thermal compression bonding is a straightforward, inexpensive and widely used method for enclosing open microchannels in thermoplastic microfluidic devices. It is advantageous over adhesive, solvent and grafting bonding methods in retaining material homogeneity. However, the trade-off between high bond strength and low microchannel deformation is always a crucial consideration in thermal compression bonding. In this study, an effective method for improving bond strength while retaining the microchannel integrity with negligible distortion is proposed and analyzed. Longitudinal ultrasonic actuation was applied to the preheated cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) substrates to achieve accelerated and enhanced bonding with an ultrasonic welding system. Intimate contact between the bonding surfaces before the ultrasonic actuation was found to be an important prior condition. With improper contact, several bonding defects would occur, such as voids, localized spot melting and edge melting. Under auxiliary ultrasonic vibration, within 10 s, the bond strength developed at the bonding interface could be dramatically improved compared with those achieved without ultrasonic actuation. The enhanced bond strength obtained at a preheating temperature of 20 °C lower than its T g could be comparable to the strength for pure thermal compression at 5 °C higher than its T g . It is believed that the ultrasonic energy introduced could elevate the interfacial temperature and facilitate the interdiffusion of molecular chain segments at the interface, consequently resulting in rapidly enhanced bonding. Also, the microchannel distortion after ultrasonic actuation was found to be satisfactory—another important requirement. From dynamic mechanical analysis, the glass transition temperature of COC was found to increase with increasing frequency, and the temperature of the bulk polymer under ultrasonic actuation was still well under T g ; therefore the deformation is minor under ultrasonic

High performance ultrasonic field simulation on complex geometries

Science.gov (United States)

Chouh, H.; Rougeron, G.; Chatillon, S.; Iehl, J. C.; Farrugia, J. P.; Ostromoukhov, V.

2016-02-01

Ultrasonic field simulation is a key ingredient for the design of new testing methods as well as a crucial step for NDT inspection simulation. As presented in a previous paper [1], CEA-LIST has worked on the acceleration of these simulations focusing on simple geometries (planar interfaces, isotropic materials). In this context, significant accelerations were achieved on multicore processors and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), bringing the execution time of realistic computations in the 0.1 s range. In this paper, we present recent works that aim at similar performances on a wider range of configurations. We adapted the physical model used by the CIVA platform to design and implement a new algorithm providing a fast ultrasonic field simulation that yields nearly interactive results for complex cases. The improvements over the CIVA pencil-tracing method include adaptive strategies for pencil subdivisions to achieve a good refinement of the sensor geometry while keeping a reasonable number of ray-tracing operations. Also, interpolation of the times of flight was used to avoid time consuming computations in the impulse response reconstruction stage. To achieve the best performance, our algorithm runs on multi-core superscalar CPUs and uses high performance specialized libraries such as Intel Embree for ray-tracing, Intel MKL for signal processing and Intel TBB for parallelization. We validated the simulation results by comparing them to the ones produced by CIVA on identical test configurations including mono-element and multiple-element transducers, homogeneous, meshed 3D CAD specimens, isotropic and anisotropic materials and wave paths that can involve several interactions with interfaces. We show performance results on complete simulations that achieve computation times in the 1s range.

The Effect of Nano Loading and Ultrasonic Compounding of EVA/LDPE/Nano-magnesium Hydroxide on Mechanical Properties and Distribution of Nano Particles

Science.gov (United States)

Azman, I. A.; Salleh, R. M.; Alauddin, S. M.; Shueb, M. I.

2018-05-01

Blends of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) are promising composite which have good mechanical properties to environmental stress cracking. However, they lack fire resistant properties, which limits it usage in wire and cable industry. In order to improve flame retardancy ability, a range of nano-magnesium hydroxide (nano-MH) loading which is from 0 phr to maximum of 20 phr with ultrasonic extrusion 0-100 kHz frequencies have been introduced. Ultrasonic extrusion was used to improve the distribution of nano-MH. It was found that, 10 phr of nano loading with 100 kHz ultrasonic assisted has greater tensile strength compared to the nanocomposite without ultrasonication. Further increase of nano MH loading, will decrease the tensile properties. Better elongation at break was observed at10 phr nano-MH with the frequency of 50 kHz. The sample of 20 phr of nanoMH assisted with 50 kHz ultrasonic exhibits good flexural properties while 10 phr of nano-MH without the ultrasonic assisted demonstrates good in izod impact properties. From the evaluation of mechanical properties studied, it was found that 10 phr of nano-MH has shown the best performance among all the samples tested for EVA/LDPE/nano-MH composites. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) has been conducted on 10 phr sample with different frequencies in order to observe the distribution of nano-MH particles. The sample with 100 kHz frequency shows more uniform dispersion of nano-MH in EVA/LDPE composites. This investigation indicates that the ultrasonic technology can enhance the mechanical properties studied as well as the dispersion of nano particles in the composite.

Characterization of High Density Concrete by Ultrasonic Goniometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suhairy Sani; Mohamad Pauzi Ismail; Noor Azreen Masenwat; Nasharuddin Isa; Mohamad Haniza Mahmud

2014-01-01

This paper described the results of ultrasonic goniometer measurements on concrete containing hematite. Local hematite stones were used as aggregates to produce high density concrete for application in X-and gamma shielding. Concrete cube samples (150 mm x 150 mm x 150 mm) containing hematite as coarse aggregates were prepared by changing mix ratio, water to cement ratio (w/ c) and types of fine aggregate. All samples were cured in water for 7 days. After 28 days of casting, the concrete cubes were then cut into small size of about 10 mm x 20 mm x 30 mm so that it can be fitted into goniometer specimen holder. From this measurement, longitudinal, shear and surface Rayleigh waves in the concrete can be determined. The measurement results are explained and discussed. (author)

High resolution, high sensitivity, dynamic distributed structural monitoring using optical frequency domain reflectometry

Science.gov (United States)

Kreger, Stephen T.; Sang, Alex K.; Garg, Naman; Michel, Julia

2013-05-01

Fiber-optic ultrasonic transducers are an important component of an active ultrasonic testing system for structural health monitoring. Fiber-optic transducers have several advantages such as small size, light weight, and immunity to electromagnetic interference that make them much more attractive than the current available piezoelectric transducers, especially as embedded and permanent transducers in active ultrasonic testing for structural health monitoring. In this paper, a distributed fiber-optic laser-ultrasound generation based on the ghost-mode of tilted fiber Bragg gratings is studied. The influences of the laser power and laser pulse duration on the laser-ultrasound generation are investigated. The results of this paper are helpful to understand the working principle of this laser-ultrasound method and improve the ultrasonic generation efficiency.

Nano features of Al/Au ultrasonic bond interface observed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Hongjun; Li Mingyu; Kim, Jong-Myung; Kim, Dae-Won; Wang Chunqing

2008-01-01

Nano-scale interfacial details of ultrasonic AlSi1 wire wedge bonding to a Au/Ni/Cu pad were investigated using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The intermetallic phase Au 8 Al 3 formed locally due to diffusion and reaction activated by ultrasound at the Al/Au bond interface. Multilayer sub-interfaces roughly parallel to the wire/pad interface were observed among this phase, and interdiffusional features near the Au pad resembled interference patterns, alternately dark and bright bars. Solid-state diffusion theory cannot be used to explain why such a thick compound formed within milliseconds at room temperature. The major formation of metallurgical bonds was attributed to ultrasonic cyclic vibration

Study on the extraction of dioscin by the ultrasonic- assisted ethanol

African Journals Online (AJOL)

aghomotsegin

2014-02-19

Feb 19, 2014 ... 1Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Key laboratory of Auxiliary ... the effect on extraction yield of dioscin of frequency of ultrasonic, the period of ..... steroidal saponins on Taiwanese yam cultivar (Dioscorea.

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

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.