Dual-energy gamma-tof opposing method super-thick steel plate thickness gauge

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of steel plate thickness measurement. The present application is a kind of double energy gamma-TOF opposed method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge. The rack is provided with two parallel guide rails in the width direction of the steel plate and is arranged on both sides of the thickness direction of the steel plate. The positioning unit is fixed on the rack. The two positioning units corresponding to the same measuring point and symmetrically arranged on both sides of the steel plate are a group. The two positioning units in the same group are coaxially arranged along the thickness direction of the steel plate, and the spacing is L. The positioning unit is provided with a positioning hole. Two distance measuring units are respectively slidingly assembled on the two guide rails for detecting H1 and H2 from the corresponding side surface of the steel plate to the emission source. The distance measuring unit comprises a positioning sleeve coaxially arranged with the emission source. The positioning sleeve is inserted into the positioning hole, so that the emission source is coaxially arranged with the positioning hole. The main control unit collects H1 and H2, and calculates the thickness of the steel plate in combination with L. The present application realizes the technical effect of stable and high-precision light path alignment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of steel plate thickness measurement technology, and in particular to a dual-energy γ-TOF opposed method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge. Background Technology

[0002] In the steel plate rolling process, a dual-ray through-beam thickness gauge is typically used for online thickness measurement. Existing similar gauges rely solely on guide rail constraints to ensure coaxial alignment of the upper and lower emission sources. Wear and tear from long-term operation, coupled with assembly gaps in the frame and slight deformation of the frame due to temperature variations during rolling, makes the measuring unit prone to offset and tilting after sliding to the measurement point. This results in inaccurate coaxial alignment of the upper and lower emission sources, leading to significant errors in steel plate thickness measurement and poor consistency across multiple measurements. Traditional industry solutions, such as improving guide rail machining and assembly precision to reduce offset, not only significantly increase manufacturing costs but also struggle to maintain stable coaxial alignment accuracy of the emission sources over the long term, failing to meet the production demands for frequent, high-precision steel plate thickness measurements. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the technical problems of existing dual-ray steel plate thickness gauges, such as easy displacement of the ranging unit, low coaxial alignment accuracy of the emission source, and large measurement error, this invention provides a dual-energy γ-TOF opposed method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge, which can achieve stable and high-precision optical path alignment and realize accurate detection of steel plate thickness.

[0004] This application is achieved through the following technical solution: This invention provides a dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge for measuring steel plate thickness. It includes: a frame with two guide rails parallel to the width direction of the steel plate, positioned on opposite sides of the plate's thickness direction; and positioning units fixed to the frame. Two positioning units corresponding to the same measurement point and symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of the steel plate form a group. The two positioning units in the same group are coaxially arranged along the steel plate's thickness direction. Each positioning unit is positioned between the guide rail and the steel plate on the same side as it. The distance between the two positioning units in the same group is a fixed distance L. The positioning unit is equipped with a positioning hole; the ranging unit has two units, which are slidably mounted on two guide rails respectively. The two ranging units are used to detect the first distance H1 and the second distance H2 from their own emission source to the corresponding side surface of the steel plate. The ranging unit also includes a positioning sleeve coaxially set with the emission source. The positioning sleeve can be inserted into the positioning hole for positioning, so that the emission source and the positioning hole are coaxially set; the main control unit is connected to the ranging unit for signal acquisition. It is used to collect the first distance H1 and the second distance H2 after positioning and alignment, and calculate the thickness of the steel plate by combining it with a fixed distance L.

[0005] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the positioning unit is fixedly installed on the frame, and the ranging unit is installed on the guide rail. One set of positioning units corresponds to one measurement point, and multiple measurement points are arranged along the guide rail. Multiple sets of positioning units are fixed on the frame, and each set of positioning units corresponds to one measurement point. By sliding the ranging unit on the guide rail, it cooperates with the positioning units of different measurement points to realize multi-point measurement.

[0006] After the two ranging units are inserted into their corresponding positioning units, the alignment between the two ranging units is ensured by the insertion of the positioning sleeve and the positioning hole. This ensures that the transmitters of the ranging units on both sides of the steel plate are coaxially aligned, overcoming the shortcomings of poor alignment accuracy and large measurement errors caused by relying solely on guide rails for positioning. By first aligning the transmitters on both sides of the steel plate using the positioning unit before collecting distance data, measurement deviations caused by optical path skew can be eliminated.

[0007] The symmetrically arranged positioning units are spaced at a fixed distance L. The ranging units on both sides collect the vertical distances H1 and H2 between their transmitters and the two sides of the steel plate. The main control unit combines the fixed distance L, the first distance H1, and the second distance H2 to calculate the steel plate thickness. By aligning the positioning units with the ranging units, the obtained distances are more accurate, thus improving the accuracy of the calculated steel plate thickness.

[0008] In some embodiments, the positioning hole is configured as a conical hole structure, and the positioning sleeve is configured as a conical sleeve structure that matches the conical hole; when the positioning sleeve and the positioning hole are inserted into each other, the conical surfaces of the two fit together to achieve automatic centering and positioning of the ranging unit.

[0009] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, when the conical positioning hole and the conical positioning sleeve are inserted, the conical surface fit can play a role in automatic centering, and during the insertion process, it can automatically correct the small-amplitude lateral offset of the ranging unit, further improving the alignment accuracy of the two transmitting sources. Moreover, the conical shape, compared with shapes such as cylinders or cuboids, makes it easier to achieve insertion, facilitating the insertion between the ranging unit and the positioning unit.

[0010] In some embodiments, an elastic guide is provided at the entrance of the positioning hole, and the elastic guide is capable of elastic deformation along the radial direction of the positioning hole; during the process of the positioning sleeve being inserted into the positioning hole, the elastic guide first contacts the outer wall of the positioning sleeve to pre-position the positioning sleeve.

[0011] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, an elastic guide is added to the inlet of the positioning hole. Before insertion, the positioning sleeve can be pre-positioned to prevent large lateral deviations. It can also prevent the positioning sleeve from directly rubbing against the inner wall of the positioning hole, reduce the wear of the positioning unit, and extend the service life of the equipment.

[0012] In some embodiments, the resilient guide is configured with a rolling portion for contacting the outer wall of the positioning sleeve.

[0013] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, a rolling part is provided at the end of the elastic guide facing the center of the positioning hole. The insertion process of the positioning sleeve is transformed into rolling friction, which reduces frictional resistance, makes the insertion smooth, greatly reduces the wear of the positioning sleeve, and can maintain a stable pre-positioning effect even after long-term use.

[0014] In some embodiments, a purging unit is provided at the entrance of the positioning hole, and the purging unit is an annular nozzle.

[0015] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, an annular blowing nozzle is provided at the inlet of the positioning hole. This nozzle can directionally clean the metal dust and debris accumulated inside and on the surface of the positioning hole, preventing dust from clogging the conical hole and also preventing problems such as incomplete insertion and misalignment caused by dust and debris. The nozzle is set to be annular on the one hand to adapt to the circular opening of the conical positioning hole, and on the other hand to ensure that the positioning hole is thoroughly blew, preventing insufficient bleeding.

[0016] In some embodiments, the annular nozzle includes: a housing having an annular chamber inside, and multiple nozzles disposed on the inner side of the housing; at least one baffle disposed inside the housing and dividing the annular chamber into multiple independent chambers, each independent chamber corresponding to one nozzle, and each independent chamber being independently connected to an air supply device; and at least one sealing gasket disposed between the baffle and the housing.

[0017] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the annular nozzle divides the space into multiple independent air supply chambers. Each layer of nozzles supplies air independently, and each layer operates independently without interfering with each other, thus improving service life and preventing the system from becoming unusable due to damage or blockage of one layer of nozzles. The sealing gasket isolates the airflow between chambers, preventing airflow crosstalk, and ensuring stable airflow pressure in each layer, thereby ensuring uniform cleaning power.

[0018] Traditional annular nozzles mostly use a single chamber, which cannot achieve independent air control in layers. Furthermore, conventional pulse methods rely on the on / off state of a front-end solenoid valve; after the airflow is activated, the entire annular chamber must be filled first, which significantly reduces the impact energy of the airflow, resulting in weak pulse purging force and poor cleaning effect. This embodiment uses baffles to divide the annular chamber into multiple independent chambers, with each chamber independently connected to an air supply device. This achieves independent air supply in layers, controllable air pressure, and a sealing gasket to ensure complete airtight isolation, preventing airflow leakage and pressure reduction between layers.

[0019] In some embodiments, the baffle is provided with multiple openings corresponding to the number of nozzle layers, and the multiple openings are staggered; the baffle and the housing are rotatably coupled, and during the rotation of the baffle, when the opening and the nozzle overlap, the airflow is released outward, and when the opening and the nozzle are staggered, the airflow is cut off; through the rotatable coupling of each staggered opening on the baffle, the multiple nozzles provided on the housing alternately spray airflow.

[0020] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the airflow is directly cut off by using a staggered opening baffle at the nozzle position, eliminating the need for air filling in the annular chamber and preserving the impact kinetic energy of the airflow to a greater extent, thus achieving true high-intensity pulse purging. Simultaneously, multiple independent chambers are supplied with air independently, and the rotation of the baffle causes the multiple nozzles to alternately pulse and spray air. During the sliding insertion and connection of the ranging unit, layered, alternating, and continuous pulse cleaning of the conical positioning hole is achieved, thoroughly removing stubborn dust from the positioning hole and solving the problems of insufficient pulse force and incomplete cleaning in traditional annular nozzles.

[0021] In some embodiments, an openable dust cover is provided at the entrance of the positioning hole, which can open or close the positioning hole.

[0022] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the closable dust cover is opened during measurement and closed when the machine is stopped to prevent dust from continuously falling into the positioning hole.

[0023] In some embodiments, the ranging unit further includes a temperature compensation module for real-time monitoring of the operating temperature of the ranging unit and compensating for time drift caused by ranging under high-temperature conditions.

[0024] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the ranging unit is equipped with a temperature compensation module to correct the time drift error caused by electronic components and radiation propagation medium under high temperature conditions in real time, so as to ensure the accuracy of the H1 and H2 distance acquisition values ​​and avoid the temperature change indirectly affecting the final plate thickness measurement accuracy.

[0025] In some embodiments, the thickness gauge is also equipped with a radiation protection component, which covers the outside of the ranging unit to shield against radiation, and the radiation protection component contains a radiation dose monitoring component.

[0026] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the ranging unit is covered with a radiation protection component to shield the radiation, and a radiation dose monitoring component is provided to monitor radiation leakage in real time. While ensuring high-precision thickness measurement function, this avoids safety hazards caused by radiation.

[0027] The beneficial effects of this invention are reflected in the fact that, addressing the shortcomings of existing dual-ray steel plate thickness gauges such as easy displacement of the measuring unit, poor alignment accuracy of the emission source, and large measurement error, this solution sets up a positioning unit to achieve automatic alignment of the measuring units on both sides of the steel plate. The measuring unit can be positioned after being inserted into the positioning unit. With positioning and measuring units set on both sides of the steel plate, the rays emitted by the measuring units at the same measurement point can be aligned, ensuring the accuracy of the distance detected by the rays. The main control unit then performs calculations to obtain a highly accurate steel plate thickness measurement result. The positioning hole of the positioning unit is also equipped with an elastic rolling part to correct deviations, ensuring precise alignment of the rays emitted by the emission sources on both sides of the steel plate. In addition, the thickness gauge is equipped with a purging unit capable of layered alternating air jets and a dust cover to avoid dust interference that affects accuracy. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 A perspective view of the thickness gauge provided by the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the frame structure provided by the present invention; Figure 3 This is a front view of the thickness gauge provided by the present invention; Figure 4 The present invention provides Figure 3 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction; Figure 5 The present invention provides Figure 4 Enlarged view of point A in the middle; Figure 6 The present invention provides Figure 4 Enlarged view of point B in the middle.

[0029] Figure Labels Steel plate-10; Frame-100; First crossbeam-111; Second crossbeam-112; First guide rail-121; First horizontal guide rail-121a; First vertical guide rail-121b; Second guide rail-122; Second horizontal guide rail-122a; Second vertical guide rail-122b; Ranging unit-200; First ranging unit-211; Second ranging unit-212; Positioning sleeve-220; Transmitter-230; Positioning unit-30 0; First positioning unit - 311; Second positioning unit - 312; Positioning hole - 320; Elastic guide - 331; Rolling part - 332; Slider - 333; Spring - 334; Blowing unit - 400; Housing - 410; Annular chamber - 411; Nozzle - 412; Baffle - 420; Opening - 421; Opening baffle - 422; First connecting plate - 423; Second connecting plate - 424; Dust cover - 431. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] Example 1: Reference Figures 1-2 This embodiment provides a thickness gauge for measuring the thickness of a steel plate 10. The thickness gauge includes a frame 100, a positioning unit 300, a ranging unit 200, and a main control unit.

[0032] The frame 100 includes a first crossbeam 111 and a second crossbeam 112, which are respectively located on both sides along the thickness direction of the steel plate 10. The steel plate 10 is arranged parallel to the first crossbeam 111 and the second crossbeam 112. The frame 100 also includes a first guide rail 121 and a second guide rail 122. The first guide rail 121 is located on one side of the first crossbeam 111, and the second guide rail 122 is located on one side of the second crossbeam 112. The first guide rail 121 includes a first horizontal guide rail 121a and a first vertical guide rail 121b. The second guide rail 122 includes a second horizontal guide rail 122a and a second vertical guide rail 122b. The vertical guide rail is slidably connected to the horizontal guide rail and can slide along the horizontal guide rail. A ranging unit 200 is installed on the vertical guide rail and can slide along the vertical guide rail. The first horizontal guide rail 121a is arranged parallel to the first crossbeam 111, and the second horizontal guide rail 122a is arranged parallel to the second crossbeam 112.

[0033] The positioning unit 300 is provided with a positioning hole 320, which is a tapered hole structure. The positioning unit 300 includes a first positioning unit 311 fixedly mounted on the first crossbeam 111 and a second positioning unit 312 fixedly mounted on the second crossbeam 112. A set of positioning units 300 corresponding to the same measurement point, namely the first positioning unit 311 and the second positioning unit 312, are arranged coaxially along the thickness direction of the steel plate 10 and have a fixed distance L between them. The positioning unit 300 is fixedly mounted on the frame 100, and the upper first positioning unit 311 and the lower second positioning unit 312 are ensured to be coaxial during installation.

[0034] The ranging unit 200 has an emission source 230 for emitting rays and a positioning sleeve 220 coaxially arranged with the emission source 230. The positioning sleeve 220 is configured as a conical sleeve structure that matches a conical hole. The conical positioning sleeve 220 can be positioned in conjunction with the conical positioning hole 320. When the conical positioning sleeve 220 and the conical positioning hole 320 are inserted into each other, their conical surfaces fit together to achieve automatic centering and positioning of the ranging unit 200, so that the emission source 230 and the positioning hole 320 are coaxially arranged.

[0035] The ranging unit 200 includes a first ranging unit 211 and a second ranging unit 212. The first ranging unit 211 is slidably connected to a first vertical guide rail 121b, and the first vertical guide rail 121b is slidably connected to a first horizontal guide rail 121a. This allows the first ranging unit 211 to slide in both the horizontal and vertical directions, facilitating its engagement with the first positioning unit 311. The first ranging unit 211 can detect a first distance H1 from its own transmitter 230 to one side of the steel plate 10. The second ranging unit 212 is slidably connected to a second vertical guide rail 122b, and the second vertical guide rail 122b is slidably connected to a second horizontal guide rail 122a. This allows the second ranging unit 212 to slide in both the horizontal and vertical directions, facilitating its engagement with the second positioning unit 312. The second ranging unit 212 can detect a second distance H2 from its own transmitter 230 to the other side of the steel plate 10.

[0036] The first ranging unit 211 slides to the measurement point via the first guide rail 121 and engages with the first positioning unit 311. The second ranging unit 212 slides to the same measurement point via the second guide rail 122 and engages with the second positioning unit 312. After the upper and lower ranging units 200 are connected to the upper and lower positioning units 300 respectively, the emission source 230 of the first ranging unit 211 and the emission source 230 of the second ranging unit 212 are aligned via the first positioning unit 311 and the second positioning unit 312, so that the rays emitted by the two emission sources 230 are aligned and coordinated to complete the measurement of the thickness of the steel plate 10.

[0037] Both the first ranging unit 211 and the second ranging unit 212 include a dual-energy gamma emission component, a fast-time response detection component, a TDC time digitization component, and a distance calculation module. 137 Cs and 60 A Co-isotope source outputs dual-level gamma rays. The fast-time response detection component uses a BaF2 fast scintillator detector with a time resolution ≤50 ps. The time-to-digital converter (TDC) component employs a ps-level time-to-digital converter with a time measurement accuracy ≤20 ps. The distance calculation module calculates the distance based on the time of flight t and the speed of light c. .

[0038] The main control unit is connected to the signals of the first ranging unit 211 and the second ranging unit 212, respectively. It is used to collect the first distance H1 and the second distance H2 obtained by the first ranging unit 211 and the second ranging unit 212 after positioning and alignment by the first positioning unit 311 and the second positioning unit 312, respectively. The thickness of the steel plate 10 is calculated by combining this with a fixed distance L. The thickness calculation formula is as follows: .

[0039] It is understandable that the first guide rail 121 and the second guide rail 122 can be set on the same side, as long as the ranging unit 200 can be slidably sent to the corresponding positioning unit 300 via the guide rails. Furthermore, the fit between the positioning sleeve 220 and the positioning hole 320 is not limited to a conical sleeve and a conical hole; other structural forms capable of automatic centering and positioning, such as spherical fits and cylindrical fits, can also be used. The fast-time response detection component is not limited to BaF2; LYSO or LaBr3 fast scintillator detectors can also be used. The dual-energy gamma emission component is not limited to… 137 Cs and 60 Co combinations can also be used as a single 60 Co isotope source.

[0040] This embodiment achieves automatic centering and positioning by fixing the positioning unit 300 to the frame 100 and sliding the ranging unit 200 on the guide rail, with the tapered positioning sleeve 220 engaging with the tapered positioning hole 320. This effectively solves the technical problem of misalignment between the upper and lower ranging units 200 caused by positional shifts in the ranging unit 200 due to guide rail wear and the adhesion of oxide scale, dust, and other contaminants to the steel plate 10. This application establishes a benchmark at the measurement point. Even if the ranging unit 200 is tilted on the guide rail or the upper and lower guide rails are not aligned, its position can be determined as long as it can ultimately be installed with the positioning unit 300. The tapered engagement of the tapered positioning sleeve 220 and the tapered positioning hole 320 enables rapid and accurate positioning of the ranging unit 200, ensuring high positioning accuracy of the transmitter 230 of the upper and lower ranging units 200, thereby guaranteeing the accuracy of the steel plate 10 thickness measurement. In addition, the ranging unit 200 can switch between multiple measurement points, avoiding the problem of radiation multiplying due to the installation of multiple ranging units 200, thus reducing equipment costs and the difficulty of radiation protection.

[0041] Example 2: In this embodiment, refer to Figures 3-5 An elastic guide 331 is provided at the entrance of the positioning hole 320. The elastic guide 331 is capable of elastic deformation along the radial direction of the positioning hole 320. During the insertion of the conical positioning sleeve 220 into the conical positioning hole 320, the elastic guide 331 first contacts the outer wall of the conical positioning sleeve 220 to pre-position the conical positioning sleeve 220. The elastic guide 331 is provided with a rolling part 332 for contacting the outer wall of the conical positioning sleeve 220. The rolling part 332 is configured as a roller or ball structure, preferably a roller. The rolling part 332 can be made of nylon or rubber material to avoid wear on the conical positioning sleeve 220.

[0042] Multiple grooves are provided at the entrance of the positioning hole 320. A spring 334 and a slider 333 are installed within each groove. One end of the spring 334 abuts against the side wall of the groove, and the other end abuts against the slider 333. A rolling part 332, a roller, is located at the end of the slider 333 facing into the positioning hole 320. Specifically, three elastic guide members 331 are evenly arranged circumferentially along the entrance of the positioning hole 320. Before the conical positioning sleeve 220 and the conical positioning hole 320 fully contact, the three elastic guide members 331 pre-position the conical positioning sleeve 220 from three directions.

[0043] Understandably, the rolling part 332 is not limited to rollers or balls, but can also be a universal ball or other structure capable of rolling contact; the material of the rolling part 332 is not limited to nylon or rubber, but can also be a self-lubricating and wear-resistant polymer material such as polyurethane or polytetrafluoroethylene. The number of elastic guides 331 is not limited to three, but can also be two, four or more, as long as they can effectively pre-position the tapered positioning sleeve 220. The elastic deformation of the elastic guide 331 is not limited to springs 334, but can also be a gas spring, a rubber elastomer, a disc spring 334 or other elastic elements. The installation position of the elastic guide 331 is not limited to the inlet of the positioning hole 320, but can also be set in the axial extension direction of the inlet of the positioning hole 320.

[0044] This embodiment, by setting up an elastic guide 331 and its rolling part 332, can pre-position the tapered positioning sleeve 220 before it is inserted into the tapered positioning hole 320. This effectively solves the problem that the front end of the positioning sleeve 220 deviates to other directions before insertion, causing friction and wear against the inner wall of the positioning hole 320, due to the distance measuring unit 200 having a certain degree of freedom on the guide rail. The elastic guide 331 contacts the positioning sleeve 220 before the wall of the positioning hole 320 during insertion, guiding the positioning sleeve 220 so that it contacts the wall of the positioning tapered hole only when it is fully inserted. The rolling part 332 converts sliding friction into rolling friction. Combined with the use of nylon or rubber, this significantly reduces wear on the outer wall of the tapered positioning sleeve 220, extends its service life, ensures repeated insertion and removal, and improves the smoothness of the insertion process.

[0045] Example 3: In this embodiment, the blowing unit 400 is located at the entrance of the positioning hole 320. The blowing unit 400 is an annular nozzle, which is mainly used to perform pulse blowing on the conical positioning sleeve 220 during the movement of the ranging unit 200.

[0046] Reference Figures 3-6The annular nozzle includes a housing 410, a baffle 420, and a sealing gasket. An annular chamber 411 is formed inside the housing 410. Two layers of nozzles 412, namely an upper nozzle 412 and a lower nozzle 412, are provided on the inner side of the housing 410. A slit is present on the outer periphery of the housing 410. The baffle 420 includes an open baffle 422 that fits against the inner side of the housing 410, a first connecting plate 423 rotatably connected to a driving device, and a second connecting plate 424 connecting the first connecting plate 423 and the open baffle 422. The first connecting plate 423 is located on the outer side of the housing 410, the open baffle 422 is located on the inner side of the housing 410, and the second connecting plate 424 passes through the slit in the housing 410 and is perpendicularly connected to the first connecting plate 423 and the open baffle 422.

[0047] The second connecting plate 424 is located inside the housing 410 and divides the annular chamber 411 into two independent chambers: an upper chamber and a lower chamber. Each independent chamber corresponds to one nozzle 412, and each independent chamber is independently connected to an air supply device, such as an air pump. A sealing gasket is placed between the baffle 420 and the housing 410 to ensure airtightness. The opening baffle 422 has two openings 421 corresponding to the number of nozzles 412: an upper opening 421 and a lower opening 421, which are staggered. The baffle 420 is rotatably connected to the housing 410 via the first connecting plate 423. Gears are provided on the outer periphery of the first connecting plate 423, and a motor drives the baffle 420 to rotate via the gears.

[0048] During the rotation of the baffle 420, airflow is released outward when the opening 421 overlaps with the nozzle 412, and is cut off when the opening 421 and nozzle 412 are misaligned. Through the rotational engagement of the staggered openings 421 on the baffle 420, the two layers of nozzles 412 on the housing 410 alternately eject airflow. The staggered arrangement of the two layers of nozzles 412 creates a pulsed purging effect by alternating airflow from the upper and lower layers.

[0049] Two independent chambers are connected to different air pumps, and the upper and lower nozzles 412 alternately perform pulse purging. In this embodiment, the annular nozzle achieves pulse purging by cutting off the airflow at the nozzle 412, avoiding the problem of airflow filling the annular chamber 411 first and thus consuming the impact force, which would be caused by setting a solenoid valve before entering the annular chamber 411. This achieves the best pulse impact effect for annular purging.

[0050] Understandably, the number of layers of nozzle 412 is not limited to two; it can also be set to three or more layers. Correspondingly, the number of layers of openings 421 on the baffle 420 matches this, with each layer of openings 421 staggered to achieve alternating pulse jets from the multi-layered nozzles 412. The driving method of the baffle 420 is not limited to motor-driven gears; it can also be achieved by a motor-driven worm gear transmission, synchronous belt transmission, linkage transmission, etc., to rotate the baffle 420. The air supply equipment is not limited to each independent chamber being connected to a separate air pump; it can also use the same air source to supply air to each independent chamber through branch valves.

[0051] This embodiment divides the annular chamber 411 of the annular nozzle into multiple independent chambers, each with its own independent air supply. Combined with the staggered arrangement of multiple openings 421 on the baffle 420 and the rotatable engagement between the baffle 420 and the housing 410, this achieves the effect of directly cutting off the airflow at the nozzle 412. This allows each nozzle 412 to alternately eject high-pressure pulsed airflow, effectively solving the problem of existing annular chambers 411 only being able to pulse purge via an inlet solenoid valve, resulting in airflow first filling the annular chamber 411, thus consuming impact force and leading to poor purging effect. The annular nozzle allows the pulsed airflow to be formed directly at the nozzle 412, resulting in high impact force and high cleaning efficiency. It can efficiently purge oxide scale, dust, and other contaminants adhering to the surfaces of the conical positioning hole 320 and the conical positioning sleeve 220, ensuring the cleanliness of the positioning cone surface, reducing measurement errors caused by contaminant adhesion, and lowering the frequency of equipment maintenance.

[0052] Example 4: In this embodiment, refer to Figure 1 An openable dust cover 431 is provided at the entrance of the positioning hole 320. The dust cover 431 can open or close the positioning hole 320. The dust cover 431 is mainly used to protect the positioning hole 320 when the thickness gauge is not in operation, to prevent oxide scale, dust and other contaminants from falling into the positioning hole 320 and affecting the positioning accuracy.

[0053] The opening and closing of the dust cover 431 is achieved through a drive mechanism. Specifically, the positioning unit 300 is provided with a slot that mates with the dust cover 431, and the dust cover 431 is installed in the slot. The drive mechanism includes a motor and a transmission assembly, and the motor drives the dust cover 431 to move through the transmission assembly. When the dust cover 431 is inserted into the slot, the dust cover 431 covers the positioning hole 320, and the positioning hole 320 is in a closed state; when the dust cover 431 is disengaged from the slot, the dust cover 431 moves away from above the positioning hole 320, and the positioning hole 320 is in an open state. Before the ranging unit 200 needs to cooperate with the positioning unit 300, the drive mechanism is first controlled to open the dust cover 431, and after the ranging unit 200 completes the positioning measurement, the drive mechanism is then controlled to close the dust cover 431.

[0054] Example 5: The ranging unit 200 also includes a temperature compensation module for real-time monitoring of its operating temperature and compensation for time drift caused by high-temperature conditions. The temperature compensation module employs a temperature sensor and a temperature drift calibration algorithm to compensate for time drift of the detector and electronics under high-temperature conditions. The compensation accuracy of the temperature compensation module is ≤±5ps, adaptable to industrial temperature ranges from -20℃ to 150℃. The ultra-thick steel plate 10 is subjected to high temperatures of 800℃ to 1300℃ during continuous casting and hot rolling processes, accompanied by large amounts of water vapor and oxidizing dust. The temperature compensation module ensures that the thickness gauge maintains measurement accuracy under high-temperature conditions.

[0055] The main control unit includes a data acquisition module, a thickness calculation module, an anti-interference filtering module, an error calibration module, a data communication module, and a data storage module. The data acquisition module collects flight time data measured by the first ranging unit 211 and the second ranging unit 212. The thickness calculation module uses a formula... The thickness d of the ultra-thick steel plate 10 is calculated. The anti-interference filtering module employs a combined wavelet transform and Kalman filter algorithm to filter out noise signals caused by steam dust and electromagnetic interference, improving the stability of time-of-flight measurements. The error calibration module compensates for installation deviations, detector response differences, and electronic delays through on-site calibration, achieving a calibration accuracy ≤ ±0.05mm. The data communication module uses industrial Ethernet, 5G, or RS-485 communication methods to transmit thickness measurement data to the industrial control system in real time, with a transmission rate ≥100Mbps and a latency ≤10ms; the data communication module supports remote monitoring and parameter configuration. The data storage module stores thickness measurement data, calibration parameters, and operation logs, supporting data traceability and fault diagnosis.

[0056] The thickness gauge is also equipped with a radiation protection component, which covers the outside of the ranging unit 200 to shield against radiation. The radiation protection component uses a lead alloy shielding shell with a shielding efficiency of ≥99.9%, controlling the gamma-ray leakage dose to ≤1μSv / h, meeting industrial radiation safety standards. The radiation protection component contains a radiation dose monitoring component for real-time monitoring of ambient radiation dose, triggering alarms and shutdown protection when the dose exceeds the standard.

[0057] Example 6: Measurements are performed using the aforementioned thickness gauge. Initial calibration is first completed using a standard thickness sample to determine installation deviations and electronic delays. Next, the baffle of the driving blowing unit 400 rotates relative to the housing 410, causing the multi-layered, staggered openings 421 of the baffle to alternately overlap with the multi-layered nozzles 412 of the housing 410. This causes the airflow from each independent chamber to alternately exit, achieving pulse blowing dust removal from the conical positioning hole 320. Then, the first ranging unit 211 is slid to the measurement point via the first guide rail 121, and its conical positioning sleeve 220 is inserted into the conical positioning hole 320 of the first positioning unit 311 for automatic centering. Similarly, the second ranging unit 212 is slid to the same measurement point via the second guide rail 122, and its conical positioning sleeve 220 is inserted into the conical positioning hole 320 of the second positioning unit 312 for automatic centering. During the insertion process, the elastic guide 331 at the entrance of the positioning hole 320 first contacts the outer wall of the conical positioning sleeve 220 to pre-position the conical positioning sleeve 220. After positioning, the first ranging unit 211 and the second ranging unit 212 synchronously emit γ-rays. The fast time response detection component captures the transmitted or reflected γ-ray photons, and the TDC time digitization component collects the flight time t1 of the photon emitted from the first ranging unit 211 and the flight time t2 of the second ranging unit 212. The distance calculation module calculates the first distance respectively. Second distance The main control unit calculates the thickness of the steel plate 10 based on a fixed distance L, a first distance H1, and a second distance H2, and outputs the thickness measurement results. The thickness calculation module of the main control unit uses a formula... The thickness d of the steel plate 10 is calculated. An anti-interference filtering module filters out noise, an error calibration module compensates for system errors, and finally, the thickness measurement result is output through a data communication module. The measurement method provided in this embodiment compensates for installation drift and temperature drift, achieving high-precision online measurement of ultra-thick steel plates 10.

[0058] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "center," "top," "bottom," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "inner side," and "outer side," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and 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, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. "Inner side" refers to the interior or enclosed area or space. "Outer perimeter" refers to the area surrounding a specific component or specific area.

[0059] In the description of embodiments of the present invention, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first," "second," "third," or "fourth" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0060] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "assembly" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0061] In the description of embodiments of the present invention, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0062] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that "-" and "~" represent a range of two numerical values, and this range includes the endpoints. For example, "AB" represents a range greater than or equal to A and less than or equal to B. "A~B" represents a range greater than or equal to A and less than or equal to B.

[0063] In the description of embodiments of the present invention, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0064] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge, used for measuring the thickness of steel plates, characterized in that, include: The frame is provided with two guide rails parallel to the width direction of the steel plate, and the two guide rails are respectively located on both sides of the thickness direction of the steel plate; The positioning unit is fixed on the frame. Two positioning units corresponding to the same measurement point and symmetrically arranged on both sides of the steel plate form a group. The two positioning units in the same group are coaxially arranged along the thickness direction of the steel plate. Each positioning unit is arranged between the guide rail and the steel plate on the same side. The distance between the two positioning units in the same group is a fixed distance L. The positioning unit is provided with positioning holes. The ranging unit includes two units that are slidably mounted on the two guide rails. The two ranging units are used to detect the first distance H1 and the second distance H2 from their own emission source to the corresponding side surface of the steel plate. The ranging unit also includes a positioning sleeve that is coaxially arranged with the emission source. The positioning sleeve can be inserted into the positioning hole for positioning so that the emission source is coaxially arranged with the positioning hole. The main control unit is signal-connected to the ranging unit and is used to collect the first distance H1 and the second distance H2 after positioning and alignment, and calculate the thickness of the steel plate in combination with the fixed distance L.

2. The dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning hole is configured as a conical hole structure, and the positioning sleeve is configured as a conical sleeve structure that matches the conical hole; when the positioning sleeve and the positioning hole are inserted into each other, the conical surfaces of the two fit together to achieve automatic centering and positioning of the ranging unit.

3. The dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge according to claim 2, characterized in that, An elastic guide is provided at the entrance of the positioning hole. The elastic guide is capable of elastic deformation along the radial direction of the positioning hole. During the process of the positioning sleeve being inserted into the positioning hole, the elastic guide first contacts the outer wall of the positioning sleeve to pre-position the positioning sleeve.

4. The dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge according to claim 3, characterized in that, The elastic guide is provided with a rolling part for contacting the outer wall of the positioning sleeve.

5. The dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge according to claim 2, characterized in that, A purging unit, which is an annular nozzle, is provided at the entrance of the positioning hole.

6. The dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge according to claim 5, characterized in that, The annular nozzle includes: The shell has an internal annular chamber, and multiple nozzles are provided on the inner side of the shell; At least one baffle is disposed inside the housing and divides the annular chamber into multiple independent chambers, each independent chamber corresponding to one nozzle, and each independent chamber is independently connected to an air supply device; At least one sealing gasket is disposed between the baffle and the housing.

7. The dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge according to claim 6, characterized in that, The baffle is provided with multiple openings corresponding to the number of nozzle layers, and the multiple openings are arranged in a staggered manner. The baffle is rotatably engaged with the housing. During the rotation of the baffle, when the opening overlaps with the nozzle, the airflow is released outward, and when the opening is misaligned with the nozzle, the airflow is cut off. Through the rotational engagement of the staggered openings on the baffle, the multiple nozzles on the housing alternately eject airflow.

8. The dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning hole is provided with an openable dust cover, which can open or close the positioning hole.

9. The dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The ranging unit also includes a temperature compensation module, which is used to monitor the operating temperature of the ranging unit in real time and compensate for the time drift caused by ranging under high temperature conditions.

10. The dual-energy γ-TOF opposed-method ultra-thick steel plate thickness gauge according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The thickness gauge is also equipped with a radiation protection component, which covers the outside of the ranging unit to shield against radiation. The radiation protection component contains a radiation dose monitoring component.

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