Slurry ultrasonic testing method and system based on ring array probe

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of slurry ultrasonic detection method and system based on ring array probe.It includes: providing to be detected slurry, and utilize ring array probe to at least carry out circumferential ultrasonic scanning to the to be detected slurry, to generate corresponding slurry ultrasonic reflection information with each circumferential ultrasonic scanning;Corresponding slurry ultrasonic scanning image is generated based on slurry ultrasonic reflection information, wherein, when slurry parameter feature includes viscosity, then based on slurry ultrasonic scanning image in solving the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient of the to be detected slurry, and based on slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient calculation generates the viscosity of the to be detected slurry;When slurry parameter feature includes solid content, then based on slurry ultrasonic scanning image solving the slurry acoustic velocity of the to be detected slurry, and based on slurry acoustic velocity calculation generates the solid content of the to be detected slurry.Can real-time on-line detection of slurry, to determine the slurry viscosity and solid content of slurry, reduce detection cost, improve the efficiency and reliability of detection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a detection method and system, and more particularly to a method and system for ultrasonic testing of slurry based on a ring array probe. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing process of electrodes for lithium-ion batteries, slurry mixing is the first critical step that determines the quality of subsequent coating and the final electrochemical performance. In actual production, the scrap rate of this step is about 1%–2%, which is lower than that of the coating step (about 5%). However, if the viscosity and solid content of the slurry deviate from the process window, it will directly lead to uneven coating thickness, electrode cracking or active material detachment, and even batch scrap.

[0003] Currently, monitoring of viscosity and solid content in production still relies primarily on offline sampling and testing. Common methods include laser diffraction particle size analysis, rotational rheometer testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) morphology observation. While these laboratory methods offer high accuracy, they suffer from significant practical limitations: First, a complete process from sampling, dilution (or drying), sample preparation to testing takes anywhere from tens of minutes to several hours. By the time test results are available, the corresponding batch of slurry has often already been coated or even moved to the next process, resulting in delayed feedback that cannot guide immediate process adjustments. Second, the slurry before coating is often in a circulating state within a slurry transport tank, leading to poor representativeness of localized sampling. The viscosity and solid content measured for samples at different times and locations can vary considerably, and offline methods struggle to capture such dynamic fluctuations. Third, equipment such as rheometers is expensive and requires regular calibration and dedicated operation. Small and medium-sized battery factories often cannot afford multiple sets of such equipment, forcing a reduction in testing frequency. Finally, the adjustment of mixing process parameters (such as stirring speed, time, and vacuum degree) still largely depends on the engineers' on-site experience and trial and error, lacking quantitative basis linked to online sensor data, which makes it difficult to stably control the quality consistency between batches.

[0004] Therefore, relying solely on traditional laboratory testing methods is insufficient to meet the real-time and intelligent process control requirements of large-scale battery manufacturing. If real-time estimates of viscosity and solid content could be obtained directly online while maintaining the transport conditions, it would be possible to move quality control upstream, creating conditions for adaptive adjustments in the coating process. Ultrasonic testing technology, due to its sensitivity to the mechanical properties of the medium, rapid response, and relatively controllable hardware costs, naturally possesses the potential to solve this problem. However, establishing a reliable inverse relationship between ultrasonic signal characteristics and slurry viscosity and solid content to achieve truly non-destructive, continuous, and low-cost online monitoring is one of the key technological directions that urgently needs breakthroughs in this field. In other words, developing a method that can estimate slurry viscosity and solid content online, in real-time, and at low cost is of great significance for improving the consistency and yield of battery manufacturing. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a method and system for ultrasonic testing of slurry based on a ring array probe, which can detect slurry in real time to determine the viscosity and solid content of the slurry, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of the test.

[0006] According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, a slurry ultrasonic testing method based on a ring array probe is provided, which detects and determines at least the slurry parameter characteristics of the slurry to be tested, wherein the slurry parameter characteristics include at least viscosity and / or solid content. When performing ultrasonic testing on slurry, the following are included: Provide the slurry to be tested, and use a ring array probe to perform at least one circumferential ultrasonic scan on the slurry to generate ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry corresponding to each circumferential ultrasonic scan. The circumferential ultrasonic scan of the slurry to be tested includes several sequential interval scans. Based on the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry, a corresponding ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is generated, wherein... When the slurry parameter characteristics include viscosity, the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, and the viscosity of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient. When the slurry parameter characteristics include solid content, the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, and the solid content of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the slurry sound velocity.

[0007] When generating ultrasonic scanning images of slurry based on ultrasonic reflection information of slurry, at least SAFT processing should be performed on the ultrasonic reflection information of slurry, and ultrasonic scanning images of slurry should be generated after SAFT processing. The generated ultrasonic scanning images of the slurry are subjected to equivalent reflector identification processing to determine the presence and state of equivalent reflectors within the ultrasonic scanning images of the slurry. When it is determined that there is an equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, the slurry sound attenuation coefficient and slurry sound velocity of the slurry under test are calculated based on all the equivalent reflectors. When it is determined that there is no equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient and slurry acoustic velocity of the slurry under test are calculated based on the reflective interface characteristics formed by the ring array probe.

[0008] When calculating the sound velocity of the slurry under test based on all equivalent reflectors within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, the following steps are included: The position information of each equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is determined, and based on the position information of each equivalent reflector and all effective channels in each interval scan, the local sound velocity information corresponding to each interval scan is determined, wherein the local sound velocity information includes the local sound velocity consistent with the number of effective channels in the current interval scan; Based on the local sound velocity information of all equivalent reflectors, the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is determined, wherein determining the slurry sound velocity includes configuring the median corresponding to all local sound velocities as the slurry sound velocity.

[0009] The position information of each equivalent reflector includes at least the position of the centroid of the equivalent reflector, wherein... When calculating the local sound velocity information corresponding to each interval scan, the following is included: Determine the valid channels in each interval scan; Based on the position information of the current equivalent reflector and the channel state of each effective channel, the channel geometric distribution information of the current effective channel is determined, wherein the channel geometric distribution information includes at least the channel sound path. Based on the rough estimate of the sound velocity of the slurry to be tested and the channel path of each effective channel, the rough TOF value of each effective channel is calculated. A fine search is performed on the coarse TOF value based on the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry received by each effective channel to generate the fine TOF value for each effective channel. Based on the channel path length and fine TOF value corresponding to each effective channel, the corresponding local sound velocity is calculated. Based on the local sound velocity of all valid channels in the current interval scan, the local sound velocity information corresponding to the current interval scan is obtained.

[0010] When performing a fine search on coarse TOF values, the following is included: Based on the coarse TOF value and the pre-set fine search range, a fine TOF search range is generated, wherein the fine TOF search range includes several candidate TOF values; For each candidate TOF value, determine the peak value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in the current effective channel and the corresponding TOF value. When the signal peak value is the maximum peak value of the current slurry ultrasonic reflection signal, the corresponding candidate TOF value is configured as the fine TOF value.

[0011] When determining the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry under test based on all equivalent reflectors within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, the following steps are included: The position information of each equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is determined, and based on the position information of each equivalent reflector and all effective channels in each interval scan, local attenuation coefficient information corresponding to each interval scan is generated, wherein the local sound velocity information includes several effective channels paired with local attenuation coefficients; Based on the local attenuation coefficients of all effective channels in each interval scan, determine the estimated value of the attenuation coefficient for the current interval scan; Based on all the estimated attenuation coefficients in the circumferential ultrasonic scanning, the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested is determined.

[0012] When generating local attenuation coefficient information corresponding to each interval scan, the following is included: Based on the intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry corresponding to each effective channel and the channel acoustic path, a geometric diffusion compensation equation for the channel acoustic attenuation coefficient is constructed. When there are at least two effective channels, based on the above geometric diffusion equation, the channel acoustic attenuation coefficients corresponding to any two effective channels are paired to calculate the corresponding effective channel paired local attenuation coefficients, and the local attenuation coefficient information of the current interval scan is generated based on all the effective channel local attenuation coefficients. When generating the estimated attenuation coefficient for the current interval scan, the median of the local attenuation coefficients of all valid channels within the current local attenuation coefficient information is determined, and the determined median is used as the estimated attenuation coefficient.

[0013] When calculating the corresponding effective channel-paired local attenuation coefficient, the following is included:

[0014] in, For the first The first effective channel and the first The effective channel pairing local attenuation coefficient is generated after channel pairing processing of each effective channel. For the first The intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in each effective channel. For the first The intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in each effective channel. For the first Channel path length of ultrasonic reflection signal of slurry in each effective channel For the first The channel path of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in each effective channel.

[0015] When calculating the sound velocity of the slurry under test based on the reflection interface features formed by the ring array probe, the following steps are included: Obtain the interval scan reflection signal group formed by any interval scan, and calculate the interval scan flight time based on the interval scan reflection signal group; Based on the reflective interface characteristics formed by the ring array probe and the interval scanning flight time, the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is calculated, wherein... The reflective interface features formed by the ring array probe include at least the maximum acoustic path of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, and the formula for calculating the acoustic velocity of the slurry is: c = 2 × L_max / Δt Where c is the sound velocity of the slurry, L_max is the maximum single-pass sound path corresponding to the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, and Δt is the interval scanning flight time calculated under the maximum single-pass sound path.

[0016] When calculating the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry under test based on the reflective interface characteristics formed by the ring array probe, the following steps are included: Based on the propagation characteristics of reflected signals when ultrasonically scanning the slurry under test using a ring array probe, a linear equation for the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry is constructed. Obtain the interval scan reflection signal set formed by any interval scan, and construct a linear equation to fit the dataset based on the obtained interval scan reflection signal set, where, The linear equation fitting dataset includes linear equation fitting data that are not completely identical. Each linear equation fitting dataset includes the two-way propagation path length from the transmitting element through the reflecting interface to the receiving element and the intensity features associated with the two-way propagation path length. The linear equation of the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient is fitted to the dataset using a linear equation fitting method, so as to generate the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested after fitting.

[0017] The ring array probe includes several circumferentially distributed array elements. The slurry to be tested can flow through the ring array probe, so that the slurry flowing through the ring array probe can be ultrasonically scanned. When performing ultrasonic scanning on the slurry to be tested, the following are included: A predetermined number of array elements within the ring array probe are sequentially used as a scanning substrate for a given interval. The slurry to be inspected is then scanned using the scanning substrate until the circumferential ultrasonic scan of the slurry is completed using the ring array probe. During each interval scan, all array elements within the interval scan matrix are configured to operate to transmit the required ultrasonic scanning signal to the slurry to be inspected. Subsequently, all array elements within the current interval scan matrix are configured to synchronously receive the corresponding ultrasonic reflection signal from the slurry to form an interval scan reflection signal group. After completing the circumferential ultrasonic scan, the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry is formed based on all the interval scan reflection signal groups.

[0018] An ultrasonic testing system for slurry based on a ring array probe includes at least an ultrasonic testing processor and a ring array probe capable of ultrasonically scanning the slurry to be tested. For any slurry to be tested, the ultrasonic testing processor is used in conjunction with the ring array probe, and ultrasonic testing is performed using the method described above to determine the slurry parameter characteristics of the slurry to be tested.

[0019] The advantages of this invention are as follows: A ring array probe is used to perform at least one circumferential ultrasonic scan on the slurry to generate ultrasonic reflection information corresponding to each circumferential ultrasonic scan. Based on this ultrasonic reflection information, a corresponding ultrasonic scan image of the slurry is generated. When the slurry parameter features include viscosity, the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the ultrasonic scan image, and the viscosity of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the acoustic attenuation coefficient. When the slurry parameter features include solid content, the sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the ultrasonic scan image, and the solid content of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the sound velocity. This allows for online detection of the slurry to determine its viscosity and solid content.

[0020] When performing online ultrasonic testing on the slurry under test, it does not affect the normal production process such as slurry transportation, and has a truly continuous online monitoring capability. Crucially, the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry generated by the circular array probe can simultaneously calculate the sound velocity and sound attenuation coefficient, eliminating the need for multi-frame averaging or long-term signal accumulation. This allows for rapid determination of the viscosity and solids content of the slurry under test, providing not only extremely strong real-time response capability for ultrasonic testing of the slurry but also effectively avoiding time-varying errors introduced by slurry flow or temperature fluctuations, resulting in high robustness. Furthermore, the ultrasonic testing hardware structure is simple and cost-effective, significantly improving the efficiency and reliability of production line quality monitoring. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of one embodiment of ultrasonic testing of slurry according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention for calculating the aperture angle.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, showing an equivalent reflector within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0025] In order to enable real-time detection of slurry to determine its viscosity and solid content, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of the detection, this invention provides an ultrasonic detection method for slurry based on a ring array probe. Specifically, it determines at least the slurry parameter characteristics of the slurry to be tested, wherein the slurry parameter characteristics include at least viscosity and / or solid content. When performing ultrasonic testing on slurry, the following are included: Provide the slurry to be tested, and use a ring array probe to perform at least one circumferential ultrasonic scan on the slurry to generate ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry corresponding to each circumferential ultrasonic scan. The circumferential ultrasonic scan of the slurry to be tested includes several sequential interval scans. Based on the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry, a corresponding ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is generated, wherein... When the slurry parameter characteristics include viscosity, the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, and the viscosity of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient. When the slurry parameter characteristics include solid content, the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, and the solid content of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the slurry sound velocity.

[0026] It should be noted that when performing ultrasonic testing on slurries, this invention primarily determines the slurry parameter characteristics, which can be the viscosity or solid content. Viscosity and solid content are generally understood properties of slurries, and their specific meanings will not be elaborated here. Of course, the slurry parameter characteristics can also be other properties, which can be selected as needed; examples will not be provided here.

[0027] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates an embodiment of ultrasonic testing of slurry according to the present invention. As shown, when performing slurry testing, a slurry to be tested should be provided. This slurry is the object of ultrasonic testing according to the present invention. The slurry to be tested includes, but is not limited to, slurries used in the preparation of lithium batteries. The type of slurry can be selected as needed to meet the testing requirements of the aforementioned slurry parameter characteristics. When performing ultrasonic testing on the slurry to be tested, a ring array probe should also be provided to perform ultrasonic testing. For example, if the slurry to be tested is transported through a pipeline, the ring array probe is mounted on the pipeline. When the slurry flows within the pipeline and passes through the scanning area where the ring array probe is located, a circumferential ultrasonic scan of the slurry to be tested can be performed using the ring array probe.

[0028] Similar to existing technologies, a single circumferential ultrasonic scan requires several interval scans. The number of interval scans depends on the scanning method, specifically ensuring that a single circumferential ultrasonic scan is achieved. After one circumferential ultrasonic scan, ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry is generated. In other words, this invention primarily utilizes the echo signal of ultrasound waves when ultrasonically scanning the slurry under test. After obtaining the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry, an ultrasonic scan image of the slurry can be generated. The method for generating the ultrasonic scan image of the slurry is consistent with existing technologies and will not be elaborated here.

[0029] As can be seen from the above description, the characteristics of slurry parameters may include viscosity or solid content, determined by... Figure 1It is known that when the slurry parameter characteristics include viscosity, the corresponding slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient should be calculated based on the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry. Subsequently, the viscosity of the slurry to be tested can be calculated based on the slurry acoustic velocity attenuation coefficient. When the slurry parameter characteristics include solid content, the corresponding slurry acoustic velocity should be calculated based on the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry. The solid content of the slurry to be tested can then be calculated based on the slurry acoustic velocity. This allows for online detection of the slurry parameter characteristics, including viscosity and solid content, improving the efficiency and reliability of the detection.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, the ring array probe includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed array elements, and the slurry to be inspected can flow through the ring array probe to perform ultrasonic scanning on the slurry flowing through the ring array probe. When performing ultrasonic scanning on the slurry to be tested, the following are included: A predetermined number of array elements within the ring array probe are sequentially used as a scanning substrate for a given interval. The slurry to be inspected is then scanned using the scanning substrate until the circumferential ultrasonic scan of the slurry is completed using the ring array probe. During each interval scan, all array elements within the interval scan matrix are configured to operate to transmit the required ultrasonic scanning signal to the slurry to be inspected. Subsequently, all array elements within the current interval scan matrix are configured to synchronously receive the corresponding ultrasonic reflection signal from the slurry to form an interval scan reflection signal group. After completing the circumferential ultrasonic scan, the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry is formed based on all the interval scan reflection signal groups.

[0031] Specifically, the ring array probe can adopt a commonly used form. The ring array probe generally includes several circumferentially distributed array elements. For example, a ring array probe may include 96 uniformly distributed circumferential array elements. The number of array elements within the ring array probe can be selected as needed. As explained above, when using the ring array probe to perform ultrasonic scanning of the slurry under test, the slurry should be able to flow through the ring array probe. As mentioned above, the ring array probe is fitted onto a pipe, and the slurry under test is transported through the pipe. When the slurry under test flows through the scanning area where the ring array probe is located, ultrasonic scanning of the slurry under test can be performed.

[0032] As explained above, a number of interval scans should be performed during circumferential ultrasound scanning. During each interval scan, a preset number of array elements should be used as the scan matrix. For example, the 96 array elements in the aforementioned ring array probe are numbered sequentially, with corresponding element numbers of 1, 2, ..., 96. If the preset number of array elements is 6, then during the first interval scan, the array elements numbered 1 to 6 can be used as the scan matrix, and during the second interval scan, the array elements numbered 2 to 7 can be used as the scan matrix. That is, for two adjacent interval scans, one array element is staggered according to the numbering order to obtain the corresponding scan matrix. Other cases of forming the scan matrix will not be illustrated here, until the circumferential ultrasound scan is completed.

[0033] During each interval scan, all array elements within the interval scan matrix are configured to operate, transmitting the required ultrasonic scanning signals to the slurry to be inspected. For example, during the first interval scan, array elements numbered 1 to 6 simultaneously transmit ultrasonic waves to the slurry. Subsequently, array elements numbered 1 to 6 simultaneously receive the ultrasonic reflection signals of the slurry formed by the reflection, thus forming an interval scan reflection signal group. It should be understood that at this time, there are 6 ultrasonic reflection signals of the slurry within the interval scan reflection signal group. When the number of array elements within the interval scan matrix is ​​other, the number of ultrasonic reflection signals of the slurry within the corresponding interval scan reflection signal group can be obtained, which will not be elaborated here.

[0034] Since the method of each interval scan is the same, after completing the circumferential ultrasonic scan, the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry can be formed based on all the interval scan reflection signal groups. It should be understood that the number of interval scan reflection signal groups in the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry should be related to the number of interval scans performed. Therefore, in specific implementation, the number of interval scan reflection signal groups in the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry can be determined according to the number of array elements in the ring array probe and the number of array elements in the interval scan matrix. The specific determination method can be referred to the corresponding explanation above, which will not be repeated here.

[0035] In one embodiment of the present invention, when generating an ultrasonic scanning image of slurry based on ultrasonic reflection information of slurry, at least SAFT processing is performed on the ultrasonic reflection information of slurry, and an ultrasonic scanning image of slurry is generated after SAFT processing. The generated ultrasonic scanning images of the slurry are subjected to equivalent reflector identification processing to determine the presence and state of equivalent reflectors within the ultrasonic scanning images of the slurry. When it is determined that there is an equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, the slurry sound attenuation coefficient and slurry sound velocity of the slurry under test are calculated based on all the equivalent reflectors. When it is determined that there is no equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning reflection image of the slurry, the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient and slurry acoustic velocity of the slurry under test are calculated based on the reflection interface characteristics formed by the ring array probe.

[0036] In practical implementation, when generating ultrasonic scanning images of the slurry, the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry can be processed using SAFT (Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique). The ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry can be generated after SAFT processing. The method of SAFT processing for the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry can be consistent with existing technologies and will not be elaborated here. After generating the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, equivalent reflector identification processing should also be performed. Equivalent reflectors are considered as defects present in the slurry under inspection. Therefore, equivalent reflector identification processing can be regarded as defect identification processing in the slurry under inspection. Defects can be bubbles or agglomerates present in the slurry under inspection.

[0037] When performing equivalent reflector identification processing, a feasible approach is to include at least threshold segmentation processing. Specifically, when an equivalent reflector exists in the slurry to be inspected, the threshold segmentation processing determines the existence of pixel regions in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry that match the segmentation threshold. Then, the pixel regions that match the segmentation threshold are subjected to connected region marking processing. After the connected region marking processing, the regional position of each equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is generated.

[0038] As explained above, when performing threshold segmentation, a segmentation threshold should be set. Commonly used methods can be employed, such as Otsu's dynamic segmentation threshold setting. Other threshold setting methods can also be used, depending on the specific needs; examples will not be provided here. When setting the segmentation threshold, the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry can be binarized. When an equivalent reflector exists within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, it should be identified by connecting regions, and pixel regions belonging to the same equivalent reflector should be connected. This allows the determination of the location of the equivalent reflector within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry. Figure 3 An embodiment of an ultrasonic scanning image of a slurry containing an equivalent reflector is shown.

[0039] It should be understood that when there are no defects in the slurry to be inspected, the equivalent reflector cannot be identified in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry after threshold segmentation, and therefore, the effective pixel connectivity region cannot be obtained. Therefore, the presence of the equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry can be determined based on the obtained pixel connectivity region.

[0040] In practice, when it is determined that an equivalent reflector exists within the ultrasonic scan image of the slurry, the acoustic attenuation coefficient and sound velocity of the slurry under test are calculated based on all equivalent reflectors. The method and process for calculating the acoustic attenuation coefficient and sound velocity based on all equivalent reflectors will be explained in detail below. Conversely, when it is determined that no equivalent reflector exists within the ultrasonic scan image of the slurry, the acoustic attenuation coefficient and sound velocity of the slurry under test should be calculated based on the reflection interface characteristics formed by the ring array probe. The reflection interface characteristics and the method for calculating the acoustic attenuation coefficient and sound velocity can be found in the corresponding explanations below.

[0041] In one embodiment of the present invention, when calculating the sound velocity of the slurry under test based on all equivalent reflectors within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, the method includes: The position information of each equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is determined, and based on the position information of each equivalent reflector and all effective channels in each interval scan, the local sound velocity information corresponding to each interval scan is determined, wherein the local sound velocity information includes the local sound velocity consistent with the number of effective channels in the current interval scan. Based on the local sound velocity information of all equivalent reflectors, the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is determined, wherein determining the slurry sound velocity includes configuring the median corresponding to all local sound velocities as the slurry sound velocity.

[0042] When the existence of an equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is determined using the above method, the position information of each equivalent reflector can be further determined. The position information of the equivalent reflector is its location within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry. In one embodiment of the present invention, the position information of each equivalent reflector includes at least the centroid position of the equivalent reflector. Of course, the position information of the equivalent reflector can also be other positional features that characterize the position of the equivalent reflector, and can be selected as needed. When the position information of each equivalent reflector is the centroid position of the equivalent reflector, the corresponding centroid can be determined using commonly used techniques in this technical field based on the pixel coordinates of the area where the equivalent reflector is located. The specific method for determining the centroid will not be elaborated here.

[0043] After determining the position information of each equivalent reflector, the local sound velocity information corresponding to each interval scan should be calculated based on all effective channels in each interval scan. In one embodiment of the present invention, calculating the local sound velocity information corresponding to each interval scan includes: Determine the valid channels in each interval scan; Based on the position information of the current equivalent reflector and the channel state of each effective channel, the channel geometric distribution information of the current effective channel is determined, wherein the channel geometric distribution information includes at least the channel sound path. Based on the rough estimate of the sound velocity of the slurry to be tested and the channel path of each effective channel, the rough TOF value of each effective channel is calculated. A fine search is performed on the coarse TOF value based on the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry received by each effective channel to generate the fine TOF value for each effective channel. Based on the channel path length and fine TOF value corresponding to each effective channel, the corresponding local sound velocity is calculated. Based on the local sound velocity of all valid channels in the current interval scan, the local sound velocity information corresponding to the current interval scan is obtained.

[0044] In specific implementation, one feasible way to determine the corresponding effective channel in each interval scan is as follows: During each interval scan, ultrasonic waves are emitted into the slurry to be inspected, and all array elements in the interval scan matrix are equivalent to a transmitting array element. When receiving the echo signal, each array element in the interval scan matrix forms a receiving array element. Then, the aperture angle between the transmitting array element and each receiving array element is calculated. When the aperture angle is within the effective aperture angle range, the transmitting array element and the receiving array element can form an effective channel. Therefore, the number of effective channels formed in each interval scan should not exceed the number of array elements contained in the interval scan matrix. For example, if the interval scan matrix contains 6 array elements, then the number of effective channels formed in each interval scan will not exceed 6.

[0045] Figure 2 The diagram shows a transmit-receive channel formed between the transmit array element and the receive array element. Figure 2 In this context, P represents the position information of each equivalent reflector, Tx represents the position of the equivalent transmitting element, Rx represents the position of the receiving element within the effective channel, and θ represents the aperture angle between the current transmitting and receiving elements. When forming the aperture angle, point M should be the midpoint of the line connecting the transmitting and receiving elements, and point H should be the foot of the perpendicular from point P to the line connecting the transmitting and receiving elements. After determining line segments PM and PH, the angle between line segments PM and PH can be calculated, and the calculated angle is the aperture angle.

[0046] To calculate the aperture angle as described above, point P should be the position of the equivalent reflector within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, converted to a Cartesian coordinate system. Similarly, points M and H should also be their Cartesian coordinate positions. It should be noted that the position information of each equivalent reflector within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry can be converted to a Cartesian coordinate system using techniques commonly used in this field. The specific conversion method can be consistent with existing technologies and will not be elaborated here. To obtain the positions of points M and H, the corresponding positions of the transmitting and receiving array elements are also configured in a Cartesian coordinate system.

[0047] In practical implementation, the aperture angle range can be set as needed, such as 30°~45°. The specific setting depends on the ultrasonic scanning capability of the slurry under test using the ring array probe, ensuring effective ultrasonic scanning. When the calculated aperture angle is within the range of 30°~45°, an effective channel can be formed between the transmitting and receiving elements; otherwise, an effective channel cannot be formed. It should be noted that when all elements within the scannable matrix are equivalent to a single transmitting element, it can be considered equivalent to focused emission, and the method of forming a single reflecting element is consistent with existing technologies.

[0048] Once the status of the effective channels is determined, the channel geometric distribution information of the current effective channels should be determined. The channel geometric distribution information should include at least the channel path length. When determining the channel geometric distribution information, it should be based on the position information of the current equivalent reflector and the channel status of each effective channel. Specifically, a feasible way to determine the channel geometric distribution information is to calculate the corresponding path distance based on the position of the transmitting array element, the position information of the equivalent reflector, and the position of the receiving array element that forms the effective channel. For example, the sum of the distance from the transmitting array element to the position of the equivalent reflector and the distance from the position of the equivalent reflector to the receiving array element can be used as the channel path length within the channel set distribution information.

[0049] It should be noted that all distance calculations should be performed in a Cartesian coordinate system, specifically the Euclidean distance. Understandably, to achieve this, a Cartesian coordinate system must first be constructed. Specifically, the center of the ring array probe can be used as the origin of the Cartesian coordinate system. The method of constructing the Cartesian coordinate system can be consistent with existing technologies and will not be elaborated here. After constructing the Cartesian coordinate system, the position information of the transmitting elements, receiving elements, and the equivalent reflector can be obtained, thus enabling the aforementioned distance calculations.

[0050] It should be understood that for each slurry to be tested, the rough estimated sound velocity of the slurry can be obtained based on the basic conditions of the slurry. For example, the material type and the state of ultrasonic wave propagation can be determined to preliminarily estimate the rough estimated sound velocity of the slurry. After that, the ratio of the channel path of the effective channel to the rough estimated sound velocity of the slurry is calculated, and the calculated ratio is used as the rough TOF value of each effective channel.

[0051] After calculating the coarse TOF value, a fine search should be performed on the coarse TOF value based on the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry received by each effective channel to generate a fine TOF value for each effective channel. In one embodiment of the present invention, the fine search for the coarse TOF value includes: Based on the coarse TOF value and the pre-set fine search range, a fine TOF search range is generated, wherein the fine TOF search range includes several candidate TOF values; For each candidate TOF value, determine the peak value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in the current effective channel and the corresponding TOF value. When the signal peak value is the maximum peak value of the current slurry ultrasonic reflection signal, the corresponding candidate TOF value is configured as the fine TOF value.

[0052] As explained above, for each effective channel, a corresponding receiving element can be determined, and after determining the receiving element, the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry received by the receiving element can be extracted. After extracting the corresponding ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, the corresponding waveform position can be determined based on the coarse TOF value. The determined waveform position can characterize the waveform region corresponding to the ultrasonic wave emitted by the transmitting element to the equivalent reflector, reflected by the equivalent reflector, and received by the receiving element. The fine search range can be a search time range, such as ±2μs. Here, -2μs specifically refers to a time interval 2μs forward from the determined waveform position, and +2μs specifically refers to a time interval 2μs backward from the determined waveform position. Thus, a fine TOF search range centered on the waveform position can be formed.

[0053] As explained above, forming a fine TOF search range includes several candidate TOF values, where a coarse TOF value can also be a candidate TOF value. When forming candidate TOF values ​​within the fine TOF search range, a feasible approach is to select corresponding waveform positions using equal intervals or similar methods, centered on the waveform position corresponding to the coarse TOF value, and then use the TOF value corresponding to the selected waveform position as the candidate TOF value. It is understood that after selecting the corresponding waveform position, the signal peak value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry at the selected waveform position can be determined, thus obtaining the candidate TOF value and the corresponding signal peak value.

[0054] It should be noted that the signal peak value refers to the maximum peak value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the current slurry, specifically the peak amplitude of the signal. Therefore, after determining the signal peak value corresponding to the candidate TOF, the absolute values ​​of all signal peak values ​​are compared to find the maximum peak value. At this point, the candidate TOF value corresponding to the maximum peak value is taken as the fine TOF value. From the search and generation method of the fine TOF value, it can be seen that the fine TOF value better characterizes the TOF value corresponding to the reflection by the equivalent reflector.

[0055] In one embodiment of the present invention, the corresponding local sound velocity is calculated based on the channel path length and the fine TOF value corresponding to each effective channel. Specifically, the calculation method of the channel path length can be referred to the corresponding description above. Generally, the ratio of the channel path length to the fine TOF value can be used as the local sound velocity of the current effective channel. As can be seen from the above description, several effective channels can be obtained in each interval scan, and the corresponding local sound velocity of each effective channel can be calculated using the above method. Based on the local sound velocities of all effective channels, the local sound velocity information corresponding to the current interval scan can be obtained.

[0056] It is understood that one or more equivalent reflectors may exist within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, and the local sound velocity information for the corresponding scan interval of each equivalent reflector should be obtained using the method described above. Therefore, each equivalent reflector may have one or more local sound velocity information. After obtaining the local sound velocity information of each equivalent reflector, the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is determined based on all the local sound velocity information of all equivalent reflectors. Specifically, determining the slurry sound velocity includes setting the median corresponding to all local sound velocities as the slurry sound velocity. It should be understood that other statistical methods can also be used to obtain the slurry sound velocity; specific methods will not be listed here.

[0057] In one embodiment of the present invention, when calculating the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested based on the reflection interface features formed by the ring array probe, the method includes: Obtain the interval scan reflection signal group formed by any interval scan, and calculate the interval scan flight time based on the interval scan reflection signal group; Based on the reflective interface characteristics formed by the ring array probe and the interval scanning flight time, the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is calculated, wherein... The reflective interface features formed by the ring array probe include at least the maximum acoustic path of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, and the formula for calculating the acoustic velocity of the slurry is: c = 2 × L_max / Δt Where c is the sound velocity of the slurry, L_max is the maximum single-pass sound path corresponding to the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, and Δt is the interval scanning flight time calculated under the maximum single-pass sound path.

[0058] As explained above, when there are no defects in the slurry under inspection, there is no equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scan image of the slurry. When there are no defects in the slurry under inspection, the emitted ultrasonic waves will continue to propagate forward within the slurry until they are reflected by the reflection interface formed by the slurry and the ring array probe. Afterward, they can be received by the corresponding array elements to obtain the corresponding interval scan reflection signal group. The interval scan and the resulting interval scan reflection signal group can be referred to the above explanation, and will not be repeated here. Therefore, the reflection interface characteristics based on the ring probe are based on the position of the reflection interface formed by the slurry and the ring array probe.

[0059] When the array elements are uniformly distributed within the ring array probe, the slurry sound velocity can be calculated based on the approximate reflection interface formed between the slurry and the ring array probe during each interval scan, according to the interval scan reflection signal set formed by any interval scan. Specifically, the interval scan flight time can be calculated based on the interval scan reflection signal set. The method for calculating the interval scan flight time can be consistent with existing technologies, such as referring to the description of the corresponding coarse TOF above. In this case, the farthest signal peak within the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry can be selected, and the interval scan flight time can be calculated and determined based on the selected signal peak, i.e., the first ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry corresponding to the maximum single-pass sound path.

[0060] Since there is no equivalent reflector within the slurry under test, ultrasonic waves are reflected only at the reflective interface formed between the slurry and the ring array probe. In this case, the maximum single-pass ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry can be considered as the diameter of the ring array probe. It should be noted that the first ultrasonic reflection signal at other sound paths can also be used, i.e., the reflective interface corresponding to other different locations. It should be understood that after determining the maximum single-pass sound path and the interval scanning flight time, the slurry sound velocity can be calculated in the above manner. Furthermore, when calculating the slurry sound velocity using the above method, the units of measurement for the slurry sound velocity, maximum single-pass sound path, and interval scanning flight time can all adopt commonly used measurement forms in this technical field, which will not be illustrated here.

[0061] In one embodiment of the present invention, when calculating the solid content of the slurry to be tested based on the slurry sound velocity, the following is true:

[0062] in, The solid content of the slurry to be tested. For the sound velocity of the slurry, The baseline sound velocity in a pure liquid phase. The sound velocity-solid content calibration coefficient.

[0063] In practice, the sound velocity-solid content calibration coefficient can be determined through a finite number of data fitting tests. For example, a reference slurry can be provided; by measuring the sound velocity and solid content of the reference slurry, the sound velocity-solid content calibration coefficient can be obtained through fitting. Of course, other methods can also be used to determine the sound velocity-solid content calibration coefficient, but these will not be listed here. It should be noted that once the slurry sound velocity is calculated using any of the above methods, the solid content of the slurry to be tested can be calculated using the same methods.

[0064] It should be noted that the solid content of the slurry to be tested... Dimensionless, slurry sound velocity Pure liquid baseline sound velocity The corresponding unit of measurement is m / s, the baseline sound velocity in pure liquid phase. The velocity of sound in a standard liquid, i.e., a single-phase homogeneous liquid without any solids or defects (such as bubbles or agglomerates). Velocity of sound - solid content calibration factor. The unit of measurement is m / s.

[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, determining the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry under test based on all equivalent reflectors within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry includes: The position information of each equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is determined, and based on the position information of each equivalent reflector and all effective channels in each interval scan, local attenuation coefficient information corresponding to each interval scan is generated, wherein the local sound velocity information includes several effective channels paired with local attenuation coefficients; Based on the local attenuation coefficients of all effective channels in each interval scan, determine the estimated value of the attenuation coefficient for the current interval scan; Based on all the estimated attenuation coefficients in the circumferential ultrasonic scanning, the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested is determined.

[0066] Specifically, once the presence of an equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is identified, the position information of each equivalent reflector can be determined using the above method. In addition, all effective channels in each interval scan can be determined using the above method. Subsequently, local attenuation coefficient information corresponding to each interval scan can be generated.

[0067] In one embodiment of the present invention, generating local attenuation coefficient information corresponding to each interval scan includes: Based on the intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry corresponding to each effective channel and the channel acoustic path, a geometric diffusion compensation equation for the channel acoustic attenuation coefficient is constructed. When there are at least two effective channels, based on the above geometric diffusion equation, the channel acoustic attenuation coefficients corresponding to any two effective channels are paired to calculate the corresponding effective channel paired local attenuation coefficients, and the local attenuation coefficient information of the current interval scan is generated based on all the effective channel local attenuation coefficients. When generating the estimated attenuation coefficient for the current interval scan, the median of the local attenuation coefficients of all valid channels within the current local attenuation coefficient information is determined, and the determined median is used as the estimated attenuation coefficient.

[0068] When considering geometric diffusion compensation, the intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry corresponding to each effective channel should be geometrically diffused. Here, the intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry can be the peak amplitude of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry. Of course, the intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry can also be other characteristics that can characterize the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, such as the PPV value, etc. The specific choice can be made according to the needs, which will not be elaborated here.

[0069] Taking the intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry as the peak amplitude of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry as an example, in one embodiment of the present invention, after constructing the geometric diffusion compensation equation, the relationship between the channel acoustic attenuation coefficient of each effective channel, the peak amplitude of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, and the channel acoustic path of the current effective channel is constructed through the geometric diffusion compensation equation. Specifically, for the constructed geometric diffusion acoustic path equation, we have:

[0070] in, To compensate for the peak amplitude of the ultrasonic reflection signal in the slurry, The channel path of the currently effective channel. The channel acoustic attenuation coefficient of the currently effective channel. The amplitude of the ultrasonic transmitted signal. This is the geometric diffusion compensation coefficient.

[0071] Specifically, the peak amplitude of the ultrasonic reflected signal in the slurry refers to the maximum absolute value of the peak amplitude of the ultrasonic reflected signal in the slurry. The amplitude of the ultrasonic emitted signal. The amplitude of the emitted ultrasonic signal can be determined based on the emitted ultrasonic signal. Here, it is based on the ultrasonic signal emitted by the array element within the interval scanning matrix. The amplitude of the emitted ultrasonic signal can be obtained using the technical means of this field. It should be understood that the ultrasonic emission signal here and the corresponding ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry belong to the same interval scan.

[0072] Geometric diffusion compensation coefficient The amplitude of the ultrasonic emission signal can be obtained by fitting a finite number of experiments. The specific fitting method can be selected as needed, and will not be elaborated here. In the above calculations, the amplitude of the ultrasonic emission signal... The unit of measurement can be V, the geometric diffusion compensation coefficient. It is a dimensionless constant, and the peak amplitude is... The unit of measurement is V, and the unit of measurement for channel path length is m. The channel attenuation coefficient of the currently effective channel. The unit of measurement can be dB / m.

[0073] As explained above, in each interval scan, there can be several effective channels. When there are at least two effective channels, based on the geometric diffusion compensation equation constructed above, the channel acoustic attenuation coefficients corresponding to any two effective channels are paired to calculate the corresponding effective channel paired local attenuation coefficient. In one embodiment of the present invention, calculating the corresponding effective channel paired local attenuation coefficient includes:

[0074] in, For the first The first effective channel and the first The effective channel pairing local attenuation coefficient is generated after channel pairing processing of each effective channel. For the first The intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in each effective channel. For the first The intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in each effective channel. For the first Channel path length of ultrasonic reflection signal of slurry in each effective channel For the first The channel path of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in each effective channel.

[0075] When performing pairing processing, the meaning of the ultrasonic reflection signal intensity value of the slurry can be referred to the above explanation, and will not be repeated here. In each interval scan, the above pairing processing is performed according to the number of existing effective channels. If there are 3 effective channels, the pairing processing is performed three times to generate 3 effective channel pairing local attenuation coefficients respectively. When the number of effective channels is other, the number of effective channel pairing local attenuation coefficients to be generated can be determined, and will not be illustrated here.

[0076] It is understandable that the relationship between the channel acoustic attenuation coefficient and the intensity of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in the corresponding effective channel, as well as the channel acoustic path, can be obtained through the geometric diffusion compensation equation constructed above. Based on the geometric diffusion compensation equation, it can be seen that in the above calculations, The channel acoustic attenuation coefficient that can characterize the i-th effective channel is... This can characterize the channel acoustic attenuation coefficient of the j-th effective channel, that is, when calculating the paired local attenuation coefficient of the effective channels, the geometric diffusion compensation coefficient in the geometric diffusion compensation equation can be eliminated. Geometric diffusion compensation coefficient The impact.

[0077] It should be noted that when the effective channel pairing calculated through the above pairing process has an attenuation coefficient, it can avoid abnormal values ​​in the calculated slurry sound attenuation coefficient, thus improving the stability and reliability of the calculated slurry sound attenuation coefficient. In the above calculations, when the intensity value is at its peak, the corresponding unit of measurement is V, and the unit of measurement for the channel sound path is m.

[0078] After channel pairing, the local attenuation coefficients of the effective channel pairs should be sorted, and the corresponding median should be used as the estimated attenuation coefficient. Alternatively, the average of the local attenuation coefficients of all effective channel pairs can be calculated and used as the estimated attenuation coefficient. Specifically, it is preferable to use the corresponding median as the estimated attenuation coefficient.

[0079] For each equivalent reflector, the estimated attenuation coefficient for each interval scan can be obtained. Subsequently, based on all the estimated attenuation coefficients in the circumferential ultrasonic scan, the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested is determined. Specifically, when determining the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient of the slurry, the median of all estimated attenuation coefficients can be used as the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry. Alternatively, the average value of all estimated attenuation coefficients can be calculated and used as the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry. In specific implementation, it is preferred to use the median of all estimated attenuation coefficients as the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry.

[0080] In one embodiment of the present invention, when calculating the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested based on the reflective interface features formed by the ring array probe, the method includes: Based on the propagation characteristics of reflected signals when ultrasonically scanning the slurry under test using a ring array probe, a linear equation for the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry is constructed. Obtain the interval scan reflection signal set formed by any interval scan, and construct a linear equation to fit the dataset based on the obtained interval scan reflection signal set, where, The linear equation fitting dataset includes linear equation fitting data that are not completely identical. Each linear equation fitting dataset includes the two-way propagation path length from the transmitting element through the reflecting interface to the receiving element and the intensity features associated with the two-way propagation path length. The linear equation of the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient is fitted to the dataset using a linear equation fitting method, so as to generate the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested after fitting.

[0081] The following example illustrates how to construct a linear equation for the acoustic attenuation coefficient of slurry. One feasible implementation method includes: Based on the propagation characteristics of reflected signals, a physical propagation model of the reflected echo signal for each effective channel is constructed, resulting in:

[0082] in, The intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal from the slurry received by the receiving array element of the effective channel. The reflection coefficient of the reflective interface corresponding to the effective channel. The attenuation coefficient characteristics of the slurry to be tested, The length of the two-way propagation path from the transmitting element through the reflecting interface to the receiving element; Specifically, intensity value Please refer to the corresponding explanations above, when the strength value When the amplitude of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry is , then the intensity value is... The unit of measurement is V, when the intensity value For other types, the intensity value The appropriate unit of measurement can be determined according to the specific type. Reflectivity of the reflective interface. It can be considered a constant, that is, the reflection coefficient of the reflecting interface. The length of the two-way propagation path is a dimensionless constant. The unit of measurement is meters (m), representing the length of a two-way propagation path. For details, please refer to the explanation of the corresponding channel path above. The physical propagation model of the reflected echo signal described above can be obtained after formula transformation: ; make At that time, it is possible to have: Furthermore, by taking the natural logarithm, we have: .

[0083] make , When this is done, a linear equation for the slurry sound attenuation coefficient can be constructed, then:

[0084] For the constructed linear equation of the slurry sound attenuation coefficient, the independent variable is... , The slope term to be estimated.

[0085] As explained above, in order to obtain the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry, the slope term of the linear equation for the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry should be estimated. Specifically, when estimating the slope term of the linear equation for the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry, a linear equation fitting dataset should be constructed. Since there are no defects in the slurry to be inspected, the linear equation fitting dataset can be constructed based on the interval scan reflection signal group formed by any interval scan. The linear equation fitting dataset includes not entirely identical linear equation fitting data. Each linear equation fitting data includes the two-way propagation path length from the transmitting element through the reflecting interface to the receiving element, and the intensity characteristics related to the two-way propagation path length.

[0086] It should be noted that the linear equation fitting data here are not completely identical. Specifically, this means that the two-way propagation path lengths within different linear equation fitting data are at least not completely identical. For example, if there are 10 linear equation fitting data within the linear equation fitting dataset, then the two-way propagation path lengths within these 10 linear equation fitting data are not completely identical, meaning that there may be some identical two-way propagation path lengths. The linear equation fitting data within the linear equation fitting dataset should be considered based on whether a slope term can be fitted.

[0087] As can be seen from the above description, when there are no defects in the slurry to be inspected, the above method can be used to directly obtain the corresponding channel sound path. For example, based on the two-way propagation path length that can be formed by 2 × L_max, the corresponding intensity characteristics of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry can be calculated under this channel sound path. For example, according to the corresponding interval scanning flight time, the corresponding waveform position can be extracted in the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry. Based on the extracted waveform position, the corresponding intensity characteristics can be determined, thereby obtaining a linear equation fitting data.

[0088] Based on the aforementioned method of fitting data using linear equations, the corresponding two-way propagation path length and intensity characteristics can be determined. One feasible method for determining the two-way propagation path length includes: determining the corresponding Time-of-Flight (TOF) values ​​based on the positions of multiple peaks in the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, and then determining the corresponding two-way propagation path length based on the determined TOF values. According to the characteristics of the peak values ​​of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, the two-way propagation path length can be the chord length of one-eighth, one-quarter, one-third, or one-half of a circle centered on the center of the ring array probe. After determining the two-way propagation path length, the corresponding intensity characteristics can be determined using techniques commonly used in this technical field. Of course, other methods can also be used to determine the required two-way propagation path length and corresponding intensity characteristics. Furthermore, other methods can be used to construct the corresponding linear equation fitting data; specific construction methods will not be illustrated here.

[0089] After constructing the linear equation fitting dataset, the linear equation for the slurry sound attenuation coefficient can be fitted. For example, the least squares method can be used for linear fitting to obtain the slope term to be estimated, thereby yielding the slurry sound attenuation coefficient. The method and process of linear fitting using the least squares method are consistent with existing techniques and will not be elaborated here. Of course, other fitting methods can also be used, depending on obtaining the desired slope term and ultimately the slurry sound attenuation coefficient. It should be noted that during fitting, the intensity characteristics and the two-way propagation path length, as explained above, can be used to calculate the y-value in the linear equation. Finally, after fitting, the slurry sound attenuation coefficient can be obtained.

[0090] In one embodiment of the present invention, when calculating the viscosity of the slurry to be tested based on the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient, the following is obtained:

[0091] in, The viscosity of the slurry to be tested. The sound attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested. , Both are acoustic attenuation coefficients minus viscosity calibration coefficients.

[0092] In practice, the sound attenuation coefficient-viscosity calibration coefficient can be determined through a finite number of data fitting tests. Alternatively, a reference slurry can be provided; by measuring the sound attenuation coefficient and viscosity of the reference slurry, the sound attenuation coefficient-viscosity calibration coefficient can be obtained through fitting. and Of course, other methods can also be used to determine the sound attenuation coefficient-viscosity calibration coefficient. as well as The specific methods will not be listed and explained here.

[0093] It should be noted that once the sound attenuation coefficient of the slurry is calculated using any of the above methods, the viscosity of the slurry to be tested can also be calculated using the same methods. Viscosity The unit of measurement is Pa*s, and the slurry sound attenuation coefficient is... The unit of measurement is dB / m, and the sound attenuation coefficient is equal to the viscosity calibration coefficient. The unit of measurement is dB / (Pa*m*s), and the sound attenuation coefficient is equal to the viscosity calibration coefficient. It is a dimensionless constant.

[0094] As can be seen from the above description, the present invention can also provide a slurry ultrasonic testing system based on a ring array probe, specifically, it includes at least an ultrasonic testing processor and a ring array probe capable of ultrasonically scanning the slurry to be tested, wherein, For any slurry to be tested, the ultrasonic testing processor is used in conjunction with the ring array probe, and ultrasonic testing is performed using the method described above to determine the slurry parameter characteristics of the slurry to be tested.

[0095] Specifically, the ultrasonic testing processor can be any commonly used computer terminal device, and the type of ultrasonic testing processor can be selected as needed. The ultrasonic testing processor works in conjunction with a ring array probe, specifically by using the ring array probe to perform ultrasonic scanning of the slurry under test to generate ultrasonic reflection information. Subsequently, the ultrasonic testing processor performs imaging and other processing on the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry, and uses the aforementioned method to determine the slurry parameter characteristics. The slurry parameter characteristics of the slurry under test and the specific determination method can be found in the corresponding descriptions above, and will not be repeated here.

Claims

1. A method for ultrasonic testing of slurry based on a ring array probe, characterized in that, At least the slurry parameter characteristics of the slurry to be tested are determined, wherein the slurry parameter characteristics include at least viscosity and / or solid content; When performing ultrasonic testing on slurry, the following are included: Provide the slurry to be tested, and use a ring array probe to perform at least one circumferential ultrasonic scan on the slurry to generate ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry corresponding to each circumferential ultrasonic scan. The circumferential ultrasonic scan of the slurry to be tested includes several sequential interval scans. Based on the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry, a corresponding ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is generated, wherein... When the slurry parameter characteristics include viscosity, the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, and the viscosity of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient. When the slurry parameter characteristics include solid content, the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, and the solid content of the slurry to be tested is calculated based on the slurry sound velocity.

2. The ultrasonic testing method for slurry based on a ring array probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, When generating ultrasonic scanning images of slurry based on ultrasonic reflection information of slurry, at least SAFT processing should be performed on the ultrasonic reflection information of slurry, and ultrasonic scanning images of slurry should be generated after SAFT processing. The generated ultrasonic scanning images of the slurry are subjected to equivalent reflector identification processing to determine the presence and state of equivalent reflectors within the ultrasonic scanning images of the slurry. When it is determined that there is an equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, the slurry sound attenuation coefficient and slurry sound velocity of the slurry under test are calculated based on all the equivalent reflectors. When it is determined that there is no equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient and slurry acoustic velocity of the slurry under test are calculated based on the reflective interface characteristics formed by the ring array probe.

3. The ultrasonic testing method for slurry based on a ring array probe according to claim 2, characterized in that, When calculating the sound velocity of the slurry under test based on all equivalent reflectors within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, the following steps are included: The position information of each equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is determined, and based on the position information of each equivalent reflector and all effective channels in each interval scan, the local sound velocity information corresponding to each interval scan is determined, wherein the local sound velocity information includes the local sound velocity consistent with the number of effective channels in the current interval scan; Based on the local sound velocity information of all equivalent reflectors, the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is determined, wherein determining the slurry sound velocity includes configuring the median corresponding to all local sound velocities as the slurry sound velocity.

4. The ultrasonic testing method for slurry based on a ring array probe according to claim 3, characterized in that, The position information of each equivalent reflector includes at least the position of the centroid of the equivalent reflector, wherein... When calculating the local sound velocity information corresponding to each interval scan, the following is included: Determine the valid channels in each interval scan; Based on the position information of the current equivalent reflector and the channel state of each effective channel, the channel geometric distribution information of the current effective channel is determined, wherein the channel geometric distribution information includes at least the channel sound path. Based on the rough estimate of the sound velocity of the slurry to be tested and the channel path of each effective channel, the rough TOF value of each effective channel is calculated. A fine search is performed on the coarse TOF value based on the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry received by each effective channel to generate the fine TOF value for each effective channel. Based on the channel path length and fine TOF value corresponding to each effective channel, the corresponding local sound velocity is calculated. Based on the local sound velocity of all valid channels in the current interval scan, the local sound velocity information corresponding to the current interval scan is obtained.

5. The ultrasonic testing method for slurry based on a ring array probe according to claim 4, characterized in that, When performing a fine search on coarse TOF values, the following is included: Based on the coarse TOF value and the pre-set fine search range, a fine TOF search range is generated, wherein the fine TOF search range includes several candidate TOF values; For each candidate TOF value, determine the peak value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in the current effective channel and the corresponding TOF value. When the signal peak value is the maximum peak value of the current slurry ultrasonic reflection signal, the corresponding candidate TOF value is configured as the fine TOF value.

6. The ultrasonic testing method for slurry based on a ring array probe according to claim 2, characterized in that, When determining the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry under test based on all equivalent reflectors within the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry, the following steps are included: The position information of each equivalent reflector in the ultrasonic scanning image of the slurry is determined, and based on the position information of each equivalent reflector and all effective channels in each interval scan, local attenuation coefficient information corresponding to each interval scan is generated, wherein the local sound velocity information includes several effective channels paired with local attenuation coefficients; Based on the local attenuation coefficients of all effective channels in each interval scan, determine the estimated value of the attenuation coefficient for the current interval scan; Based on all the estimated attenuation coefficients in the circumferential ultrasonic scanning, the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested is determined.

7. The ultrasonic testing method for slurry based on a ring array probe according to claim 6, characterized in that, When generating local attenuation coefficient information corresponding to each interval scan, the following is included: Based on the intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry corresponding to each effective channel and the channel acoustic path, a geometric diffusion compensation equation for the channel acoustic attenuation coefficient is constructed. When there are at least two effective channels, based on the above geometric diffusion equation, the channel acoustic attenuation coefficients corresponding to any two effective channels are paired to calculate the corresponding effective channel paired local attenuation coefficients, and the local attenuation coefficient information of the current interval scan is generated based on all the effective channel local attenuation coefficients. When generating the estimated attenuation coefficient for the current interval scan, the median of the local attenuation coefficients of all valid channels within the current local attenuation coefficient information is determined, and the determined median is used as the estimated attenuation coefficient.

8. The ultrasonic testing method for slurry based on a ring array probe according to claim 7, characterized in that, When calculating the corresponding effective channel-paired local attenuation coefficient, the following is included: in, For the first The first effective channel and the first The effective channel pairing local attenuation coefficient is generated after channel pairing processing of each effective channel. For the first The intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in each effective channel. For the first The intensity value of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in each effective channel. For the first Channel path length of ultrasonic reflection signal of slurry in each effective channel For the first The channel path of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry in each effective channel.

9. The ultrasonic testing method for slurry based on a ring array probe according to claim 2, characterized in that, When calculating the sound velocity of the slurry under test based on the reflection interface features formed by the ring array probe, the following steps are included: Obtain the interval scan reflection signal group formed by any interval scan, and calculate the interval scan flight time based on the interval scan reflection signal group; Based on the reflective interface characteristics formed by the ring array probe and the interval scanning flight time, the slurry sound velocity of the slurry to be tested is calculated, wherein... The reflective interface features formed by the ring array probe include at least the maximum acoustic path of the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, and the formula for calculating the acoustic velocity of the slurry is: c = 2 × L_max / Δt Where c is the sound velocity of the slurry, L_max is the maximum single-pass sound path corresponding to the ultrasonic reflection signal of the slurry, and Δt is the interval scanning flight time calculated under the maximum single-pass sound path.

10. The ultrasonic testing method for slurry based on a ring array probe according to claim 2, characterized in that, When calculating the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry under test based on the reflective interface characteristics formed by the ring array probe, the following steps are included: Based on the propagation characteristics of reflected signals when ultrasonically scanning the slurry under test using a ring array probe, a linear equation for the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry is constructed. Obtain the interval scan reflection signal set formed by any interval scan, and construct a linear equation to fit the dataset based on the obtained interval scan reflection signal set, where, The linear equation fitting dataset includes linear equation fitting data that are not completely identical. Each linear equation fitting dataset includes the two-way propagation path length from the transmitting element through the reflecting interface to the receiving element and the intensity features associated with the two-way propagation path length. The linear equation of the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient is fitted to the dataset using a linear equation fitting method, so as to generate the slurry acoustic attenuation coefficient of the slurry to be tested after fitting.

11. The ultrasonic testing method for slurry based on a ring array probe according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The ring array probe includes several circumferentially distributed array elements. The slurry to be tested can flow through the ring array probe, so that the slurry flowing through the ring array probe can be ultrasonically scanned. When performing ultrasonic scanning on the slurry to be tested, the following are included: A predetermined number of array elements within the ring array probe are sequentially used as a scanning substrate for a given interval. The slurry to be inspected is then scanned using the scanning substrate until the circumferential ultrasonic scan of the slurry is completed using the ring array probe. During each interval scan, all array elements within the interval scan matrix are configured to operate to transmit the required ultrasonic scanning signal to the slurry to be inspected. Subsequently, all array elements within the current interval scan matrix are configured to synchronously receive the corresponding ultrasonic reflection signal from the slurry to form an interval scan reflection signal group. After completing the circumferential ultrasonic scan, the ultrasonic reflection information of the slurry is formed based on all the interval scan reflection signal groups.

12. A slurry ultrasonic testing system based on a ring array probe, characterized in that, It includes at least an ultrasonic testing processor and a ring array probe capable of ultrasonically scanning the slurry to be tested, wherein, For any slurry to be tested, the ultrasonic testing processor is used in conjunction with the ring array probe, and ultrasonic testing is performed using the method described in any one of claims 1 to 11 above, in order to determine the slurry parameter characteristics of the slurry to be tested.

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