A linear array probe layout excitation method for phased array ultrasonic testing imaging

Abstract

The present invention discloses a linear array probe layout excitation method for phased array ultrasonic detection imaging, S1: splitting a single phased array ultrasonic probe into two independent phased array ultrasonic probes, and connecting the phased array ultrasonic probe to a phased array ultrasonic host; S2: adjusting the excitation sequence of the ultrasonic detection system, and exciting the two phased array ultrasonic probes alternately; S3: collecting the high-voltage excitation and echo signals of the ultrasonic probe; S4: moving the ultrasonic probe for scanning, storing the ultrasonic signal according to the actual physical position, and performing C-scan imaging on the data body. By changing the layout mode and the transmission-reception sequence of the array probe, and increasing the distance between two adjacent groups of virtual probes in space, they are isolated, avoiding the crosstalk effect of the ultrasonic wave excited in the previous time on the next detection signal under high-speed detection conditions, and improving the upper limit of the pulse repetition frequency of the ultrasonic detection system, so as to achieve rapid scanning under high-speed detection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of ultrasonic detection, in particular to a linear array probe layout excitation method for phased array ultrasonic detection imaging. Background Art

[0002] In the field of ultrasonic testing, ultrasonic waves are emitted by exciting the ultrasonic transmitting probe. The ultrasonic waves enter the interior of the object to be tested through the coupling medium. When there are discontinuous structures inside the object to be tested, the ultrasonic waves will be scattered. The scattered ultrasonic waves are collected by the ultrasonic receiving probe to obtain the detection signal, thereby reconstructing and imaging the internal structure of the object to be tested.

[0003] Phased array ultrasonic technology is based on traditional ultrasonic testing technology. Based on the Huygens principle, the ultrasonic probe is cut to form an ultrasonic probe array, and each probe chip is individually controlled to achieve the control of the ultrasonic wavefront shape. This technology can improve the ultrasonic testing effect, increase the testing efficiency, and form multi-dimensional testing results imaging. It has outstanding technical characteristics and has been widely used in industrial fields such as steel, railways, ships, petroleum and petrochemicals, and aerospace.

[0004] However, with the development of industrial production technology, the production efficiency of various industrial products has been greatly improved, and the requirements for the detection efficiency of ultrasonic detection systems have also been continuously improved. Therefore, high-speed online automated phased array ultrasonic detection technology has also been continuously developed. Through the upgrade of electronic and electrical systems, high-speed movement of phased array ultrasonic probes during the detection process and real-time imaging of detection results have been achieved. At present, this technology has been applied in production lines in the fields of steel, non-ferrous metals, etc.

[0005] However, as the detection speed is further improved, the chip array of the phased array ultrasonic probe needs to increase the pulse repetition frequency and realize the high-speed switching of the virtual probe to match the scanning speed of the ultrasonic detection system. In the traditional phased array linear scanning process, in order to complete the complete coverage of a certain area, the chips in a phased array ultrasonic probe need to be grouped and then switched according to the number of chips preset by the operator. Assuming that the number of chips in the phased array ultrasonic probe is 128, when the switching step is 1 chip, the switching order is: 1~16, 2~17, ..., 113~128, when the switching step is 2 chips, the switching order is: 1~16, 3~18, ..., 113~128. At this time, since the chips of the two transmitting and receiving probe virtual probes are basically overlapped (for example, when the chip group 1~16 and 2~17 is excited, the overlapping chips are 2~16), therefore, when the pulse repetition frequency of the ultrasonic system is high, the ultrasonic wave emitted by the virtual probe (1~16) will be received by the virtual probe (2~17) after multiple reflections, resulting in crosstalk signals, which in turn leads to the generation of false alarms during detection. In order to avoid the influence of crosstalk signals, existing methods all adopt the method of reducing the repetition frequency of the detection system, and the scanning speed needs to match the pulse repetition frequency of the ultrasonic detection system. Therefore, it will seriously limit the scanning speed of the phased array ultrasonic automatic detection system. Summary of the invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a linear array probe layout excitation method for phased array ultrasonic testing imaging.

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A linear array probe layout excitation method for phased array ultrasonic detection imaging, comprising the following steps:

[0008] S1: Split a single phased array ultrasonic probe into two independent phased array ultrasonic probes, and connect the phased array ultrasonic probes to a phased array ultrasonic host;

[0009] S2: adjusting the excitation sequence of the ultrasonic detection system and exciting the two phase array ultrasonic probes alternately;

[0010] S3: collecting high voltage excitation and echo signals of the ultrasonic probe;

[0011] S4: Move the ultrasonic probe to scan, store the ultrasonic signal according to the actual physical position through the encoder signal, and perform C-scan imaging on the 3D data volume in the memory.

[0012] Preferably, in step S1, two phased array ultrasonic probes are arranged in parallel on a straight line, and the spacing distance between the two phased array ultrasonic probes is less than 4 / 5 of the width of a single array probe.

[0013] Preferably, in step S1, the virtual aperture is 16 chips, the step size is 1 chip, and each probe has 49 virtual probes.

[0014] Preferably, in step S1, the ultrasound host parameters are adjusted according to the ultrasound probe parameters, and the ultrasound host parameters include pulse repetition frequency, excitation pulse width, excitation voltage, sampling frequency, sampling length, sampling delay, filter and detection method.

[0015] Preferably, in step S2, in the first transmit-receive cycle of the ultrasonic detection system, the first virtual probe in the first array probe is excited; in the second transmit-receive cycle, the first virtual probe in the second array probe is excited; in the third transmit-receive cycle, the second virtual probe of the first array probe is excited; in the fourth transmit-receive cycle, the second virtual probe of the second array probe is excited, and the cycle is repeated until all virtual probes of the two array probes are excited.

[0016] Preferably, in step S4, mechanical parameters are set according to the actual scanning area, and the mechanical parameters include the scanning area length, the scanning area width, the scanning resolution and the encoder resolution.

[0017] The present invention has the following advantages: the present invention changes the layout mode and the transmission-reception sequence of the array probes and spatially increases the distance between two adjacent groups of virtual probes to isolate them, thereby avoiding the crosstalk effect of the ultrasonic wave excited in the previous time on the next detection signal under high-speed detection conditions, thereby improving the upper limit of the pulse repetition frequency of the ultrasonic detection system and realizing rapid scanning under high-speed detection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the principle of phased array ultrasonic vertical incident linear scanning detection;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a structural diagram of the probe layout;

[0020] Figure 3 It is a structural diagram of the probe excitation method;

[0021] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the scanning mode corresponding to the probe layout;

[0022] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of crosstalk signal and detection imaging;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the detection signal and imaging after adjusting the probe layout excitation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0025] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed for protection, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the features of the embodiments may be combined with each other.

[0027] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or the positions or positional relationships in which the product of the invention is usually placed when in use, or the positions or positional relationships commonly understood by those skilled in the art, which are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish the description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0029] In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "install", "connect", and "connect" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0030] In this embodiment, if Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4~Figure 6As shown, a linear array probe layout excitation method for phased array ultrasonic detection imaging includes the following steps:

[0031] S1: Split a single phased array ultrasonic probe into two independent phased array ultrasonic probes, and connect the phased array ultrasonic probes to a phased array ultrasonic host; preferably, the two phased array ultrasonic probes are arranged in parallel in a straight line, and the spacing between the two phased array ultrasonic probes is less than 4 / 5 of the width of a single array probe. Specifically, the main function of the spacing between the two phased array ultrasonic probes being less than 4 / 5 of the width of a single array probe is to ensure that the coverage areas overlap each time during scanning.

[0032] S2: adjusting the excitation sequence of the ultrasonic detection system and exciting the two phase array ultrasonic probes alternately;

[0033] S3: collecting high voltage excitation and echo signals of the ultrasonic probe;

[0034] S4: Move the ultrasonic probe to scan, and store the ultrasonic signal according to the actual physical position through the encoder signal, divide the detection surface into rectangular areas of equal width, and the scanning order is 1-3, 2-4, 5-7, 6-8, and so on. During the movement, the ultrasonic echo signal needs to be observed to ensure the stability of the echo signal, and C-scan imaging is performed on the 3D data body in the memory. Preferably, the mechanical parameters are set according to the actual scanning area, and the mechanical parameters include the scanning area length, scanning area width, scanning resolution and encoder resolution. By changing the layout mode and the transmission-reception order of the array probe, and increasing the distance between two adjacent groups of virtual probes in space, they are isolated, so as to avoid the crosstalk effect of the ultrasonic wave excited in the previous time on the next detection signal under high-speed detection conditions, thereby increasing the upper limit of the pulse repetition frequency of the ultrasonic detection system, and realizing fast scanning under high-speed detection. Specifically, a single phased array ultrasonic probe is split into two independent phased array ultrasonic probes, namely probe 1 and probe 2, that is, an IPEX connector connects two independent 64-chip phased array ultrasonic probes, thereby replacing the traditional 128-chip ultrasonic probe, and the phased array ultrasonic probe is connected to the phased array ultrasonic host, and probe 1 and probe 2 are respectively installed on the scanner to ensure that the distance between the two probes is 4 / 5 of the width of a single 64-chip ultrasonic probe. The linear scanning focus law is set, the virtual aperture is 16 chips, the step amount is 1 chip, starting from the first chip and ending at the last chip, and each probe has a total of 49 virtual probes. In this embodiment, according to actual site needs, if the scanning speed needs to be further improved, the phased array ultrasonic probe can be divided into more parts, and the virtual probe excitation mode can be adjusted accordingly, which will not be repeated here.

[0035] Further, in step S1, the virtual aperture is 16 chips, the step size is 1 chip, and each probe has 49 virtual probes. Further, in step S1, the ultrasound host parameters are adjusted according to the ultrasound probe parameters, and the ultrasound host parameters include pulse repetition frequency, excitation pulse width, excitation voltage, sampling frequency, sampling length, sampling delay, filter and detection method.

[0036] In this embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, in step S2, in the first transmit-receive cycle of the ultrasonic detection system, the first virtual probe in the first array probe is excited; in the second transmit-receive cycle, the first virtual probe in the second array probe is excited; in the third transmit-receive cycle, the second virtual probe of the first array probe is excited; in the fourth transmit-receive cycle, the second virtual probe of the second array probe is excited, and the cycle is repeated until all virtual probes of the two array probes are excited. Specifically, in the first transmit-receive cycle: virtual probe 1 of probe 1 is excited (probe 1, chip 1-16); in the second transmit-receive cycle: virtual probe 1 of probe 2 is excited (probe 2, chip 1-16); in the third transmit-receive cycle: virtual probe 2 of probe 1 is excited (probe 1, chip 2-17); in the fourth transmit-receive cycle: virtual probe 2 of probe 2 is excited (probe 2, chip 2-17); ; The 97th transmit-receive cycle: the virtual probe 49 of probe 1 (probe 1, chip 49~64) is stimulated; the 98th transmit-receive cycle: the virtual probe 49 of probe 2 (probe 2, chip 49~64) is stimulated.

[0037] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, it is still possible for those skilled in the art to modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or to make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features therein. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A linear array probe layout excitation method for phased array ultrasonic detection imaging, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1: Split a single phased array ultrasonic probe into two independent phased array ultrasonic probes, and connect the phased array ultrasonic probes to a phased array ultrasonic host; S2: adjusting the excitation sequence of the ultrasonic detection system and exciting the two phase array ultrasonic probes alternately; S3: collecting high voltage excitation and echo signals of the ultrasonic probe; S4: Move the ultrasonic probe to scan, store the ultrasonic signal according to the actual physical position through the encoder signal, and perform C-scan imaging on the 3D data volume in the memory; In step S1, the virtual aperture is 16 chips, the step size is 1 chip, and each probe has 49 virtual probes; In step S2, in the first transmit-receive cycle of the ultrasonic detection system, the first virtual probe in the first array probe is excited; in the second transmit-receive cycle, the first virtual probe in the second array probe is excited; in the third transmit-receive cycle, the second virtual probe of the first array probe is excited; in the fourth transmit-receive cycle, the second virtual probe of the second array probe is excited, and the cycle is repeated until all virtual probes of the two array probes are excited.

2. The linear array probe layout excitation method for phased array ultrasonic detection imaging according to claim 1 is characterized in that: In step S1, two phased array ultrasonic probes are arranged in parallel on a straight line, and the interval between the two phased array ultrasonic probes is less than 4 / 5 of the width of a single array probe.

3. The linear array probe layout excitation method for phased array ultrasonic detection imaging according to claim 2 is characterized in that: In step S1, the ultrasound host parameters are adjusted according to the ultrasound probe parameters, and the ultrasound host parameters include pulse repetition frequency, excitation pulse width, excitation voltage, sampling frequency, sampling length, sampling delay, filter and detection method.

4. The linear array probe layout excitation method for phased array ultrasonic detection imaging according to claim 3 is characterized in that: In step S4, mechanical parameters are set according to the actual scanning area, and the mechanical parameters include the scanning area length, the scanning area width, the scanning resolution and the encoder resolution.

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