High Temperature ECA Probe

Abstract

An eddy current probe assembly for analyzing an article is provided. The eddy current probe assembly includes a housing, an eddy current probe disposed on or within the housing, and a barrier layer. The housing has a coolant passage extending within the housing and forming a loop within the housing. The coolant passage enables flow of coolant through the housing. The eddy current probe is thermally coupled to a first portion of the coolant passage at a first surface of the eddy current probe. The barrier layer is on a second surface of the eddy current probe opposite the first surface of the eddy current probe.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 201,297, filed April 22, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.

[0002] This document relates generally, but not by way of limitation, to systems for use with non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection devices that can be used to analyze components. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, this application relates to a cooling system for an eddy current probe that can be used to support the analysis of components. [Background technology]

[0003] Eddy current testing (ECT) is a form of non-destructive testing. ECT can be used to detect cracks, defects, or corrosion on or in conductive materials. Illustratively, structures can be analyzed using ECT to detect features such as defects that are open to or near the surface. Such structures can include articles used in aerospace applications, such as conductive structures forming parts of the airframe or wing regions, or associated support structures such as bars or spars. In another example, articles related to petrochemical extraction, transportation, or processing, such as conductive piping and other tubing, can be inspected using ECT. ECT can also be used, for example, to monitor the effect of heat treatment on an article, or to determine the thickness of a non-conductive coating on a conductive coating.

[0004] Typically, ECT uses an eddy current probe, which generates an oscillating magnetic field created by alternating current passing through one or more conductive coils. When the eddy current probe is energized and approaches a conductive material, eddy currents are induced in the conductive material. Inhomogeneities in the conductive material, such as defects or thickness variations, along with the resulting magnetic field, can modify the amplitude and pattern of the induced eddy currents. The modified amplitude or spatial pattern of the eddy current distribution can be detected by sensing the impedance of the receiver coils of the eddy current probe. The detected impedance data can be recorded or plotted and then used by an operator, for example, to identify changes and / or defects in the component being inspected. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When an article includes a ferromagnetic material, such as steel, the ferromagnetism associated with the material increases the difficulty of sensing defects in the article using ECT. To address the issue of ferromagnetism affecting the ability of an eddy current probe to detect defects during ECT, ferromagnetic articles are analyzed at temperatures above the Curie point of the article. At the Curie point, an abrupt change occurs in the ferromagnetic properties, so the ferromagnetism of the article has less impact on ECT (e.g., testing above the Curie point suppresses the ferromagnetic behavior of the article under test, facilitating testing using ECT). For example, the Curie point of steel may be greater than 700° C. Thus, ECT can be performed when the article is greater than 700° C. However, when an article is analyzed at a temperature above the Curie point, the eddy current probe used in ECT is exposed to extreme heat levels and extreme thermal cycles that may degrade the eddy current probe and cause premature failure of the eddy current probe used during ECT. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To address the above challenges, the inventors have recognized that an eddy current probe may include a configuration for cooling an eddy current array (ECA) of the eddy current probe during ECT. Optionally, the eddy current probe assembly may cool electronics that control the ECA during ECT while limiting wear or damage to the ECA during ECT of the article.

[0007] Examples of the present disclosure address the above-mentioned problems by providing an eddy current probe assembly including a housing and a coolant passage extending within the housing. During operation of the cooling device, a coolant, such as water, oil, or a coolant including ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, is provided to the eddy current probe assembly. The eddy current probe assembly can also include an eddy current probe that can be used to analyze an article at an elevated temperature. In one embodiment, the eddy current probe can be thermally coupled to the coolant passage such that heat absorbed by the eddy current probe during analysis of the article at an elevated temperature is conducted to the coolant passage and to the coolant within the coolant passage. Additionally, the cooling device can include a barrier layer disposed adjacent to the eddy current probe, the barrier layer acting as a thermal or protective barrier between the eddy current probe and the article being analyzed during ECT.

[0008] In a further example, the cooling system can include electronics that control the ECA in the eddy current probe. The electronics can be disposed on a side of the housing opposite the eddy current probe. Further, the electronics can be thermally coupled to the coolant passages such that heat absorbed by the electronics via heat dissipation is conducted to the coolant passages and to the coolant in the coolant passages. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an eddy current probe assembly having an eddy current probe capable of analyzing an article in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] 2 illustrates a configuration of coolant passages within a housing of the eddy current probe assembly of FIG. 1 in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] 2 illustrates a configuration of coolant passages within a housing of the eddy current probe assembly of FIG. 1 in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 2C] 2 illustrates a configuration of coolant passages within a housing of the eddy current probe assembly of FIG. 1 in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] 2 illustrates the eddy current probe of FIG. 1 in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 2 illustrates a coil that may be used with the eddy current probe of FIG. 1 in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] 2 illustrates an array of coils that can be used with the eddy current probe of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] 2 illustrates an array of coils that can be used with the eddy current probe of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5C] 2 illustrates an array of coils that can be used with the eddy current probe of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 5A-5C, in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates an eddy current probe assembly having an eddy current probe capable of analyzing an article in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 1 illustrates an eddy current probe assembly having an eddy current probe capable of analyzing an article in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 9 illustrates a refrigerant line set of the eddy current probe of FIG. 8 in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 1 illustrates an eddy current probe assembly having an eddy current probe capable of analyzing an article in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] 1 illustrates a configuration of coolant passages within a housing of an eddy current probe assembly in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. [Figure 12]12 illustrates a surface of an eddy current probe of the eddy current probe assembly of FIG. 11 and a surface of a barrier of the eddy current probe assembly of FIG. 11 in accordance with at least one example of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] An example of the present disclosure provides an eddy current probe assembly including a housing and a coolant passage extending within the housing. During operation of the cooling device, a coolant, such as water, oil, or a coolant including ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, is provided to the eddy current probe assembly. The eddy current probe assembly can also include an eddy current probe that can be used to analyze an article at a high temperature. In one embodiment, the eddy current probe can be thermally coupled to the coolant passage such that heat absorbed by the eddy current probe during analysis of the article at the high temperature is conducted to the coolant passage and to the coolant within the coolant passage. In addition, the cooling device can include a barrier layer disposed adjacent to the eddy current probe, which acts as a thermal or protective barrier between the eddy current probe and the article being analyzed during ECT.

[0011] In a further embodiment, the coolant passages may be in direct contact with an eddy current probe of the eddy current probe assembly. In this embodiment, the eddy current probe may have a thickness in the range of about 0.07 mm to about 0.5 mm. In an embodiment in which the coolant passages are in direct contact with an eddy current probe having a thickness in the range of about 0.07 mm to about 0.5 mm, a temperature gradient may be formed between the outer surface of the barrier and the coolant passages, where the outer surface of the barrier may have a temperature of about 700° C. while the temperature of the eddy current probe is about 100° C.

[0012] Referring now to the figures, and more specifically to FIG. 1 , an eddy current probe assembly 100 having an eddy current probe 102 capable of analyzing an article 104 is shown according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The eddy current probe assembly 100 can also include a housing 106 with a coolant passage 108 disposed therein. The housing 106 can be formed from any metal alloy, such as 300 series stainless steel. Additionally, the housing 106 can be formed using any type of additive technology, such as those available from Lithoz™, headquartered in Vienna, Austria. In an embodiment where the housing 106 is formed from additive technology, the housing 106 can be formed from a ceramic material such that instead of having a separate barrier, such as the barrier 118, the ceramic structure of the housing 106 allows the housing 106 to act as a barrier and have the same function as the barrier 108. In this embodiment where the housing 106 is formed using additive technology, the eddy current probe 102 can be inserted into the bottom of a coolant channel, such as the coolant passage section 210 ( FIG. 2A ) of the coolant passage 108. 1, the coolant passage 108 includes a first portion 110 that extends into the housing 106 at a top surface 112 of the housing 106. Further, the coolant passage 108 includes a second portion 114 that extends away from the housing top surface 112 where the coolant passage forms a loop within the housing 106. Additionally, the coolant passage 108 may extend along a length 122 of the housing 106. As can be seen with reference to FIG. 1, the eddy current probe 102 may be disposed on a bottom surface 116 of the housing 106, with a side surface 200 (FIG. 2A) of the eddy current probe 102 disposed adjacent the housing bottom surface 116. Additionally, the eddy current probe assembly 100 may include a barrier 118 disposed on a side surface 120 of the eddy current probe 102.

[0013] The eddy current probe 102 can be used to analyze the article 104 for defects such as cracks, voids, etc. In particular, as discussed with reference to FIG. 3, the eddy current probe 102 can include an ECA 300 having individual coils 400 (FIG. 4) disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) 302 along with circuitry 304 that can be used to control the ECA 300. In particular, the circuitry 304 can include electronics for controlling the ECA 300. In the embodiment shown with reference to FIG. 3, the ECA 300 can have a transmit-receive configuration. The PCB 302 can be flexible such that a section of the PCB 302, such as the flexible PCB section 306, can be manipulated based on the requirements of the eddy current probe assembly 100 and the eddy current probe 102. In one embodiment, the eddy current probe assembly 100, along with the PCB 302 and the flexible PCB section, can have a thickness in the range of about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm. Due to the thin eddy current probe 102 along with the PCB 302 and the PCB section 306, this increases the efficiency with which cooling can occur. Additionally, the thin construction of eddy current probe 102 along with PCB 302 and PCB section 306 allows for cooling on eddy current probe side 200 .

[0014] In one embodiment, the coils 400 of the eddy current probe 102 can operate in one of a bridge mode, a transmit-receive mode, or a differential transmit-receive mode. Additionally, the coils of the eddy current probe 102 can have an array configuration, as shown with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C. For example, in FIG. 5A, the coils 400 can be arranged in a line to form an array 500. Additionally, the coils can be arranged in two offset lines to form an array 502, as shown with reference to FIG. 5B. In the embodiment of FIG. 5B, the array 502 can be defined by a row 504 of coils 400 along with a row 506 of coils 400. As can be seen with reference to FIG. 5B, the row 504 can be offset from the row 506. In particular, in the embodiment shown with reference to FIG. 5B, instead of the center 508 of the coils 400 in the row 504 being aligned with the center 510 of the coils 400 in the row 506, the centers 508 and 510 are spaced apart by a width "w", as shown with reference to FIG. 5B. Thus, any inspection area missed by the coils 400 in row 504 will be inspected by the coils 400 in row 506. Additionally, the eddy current probe 102 may have an array of coils having any number of rows, as shown with reference to FIGURE 5C and array 508. It should be noted that although only two and four row arrays are shown, the array may have any number of arrays with any number of coils 400 in each of the arrays, according to an embodiment.

[0015] In an embodiment in which the eddy current probe 102 includes an array of coils, such as the arrays 500, 502, and 508 shown with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C, the eddy current probe 102 may include a selector 600 that provides a generator signal 602 from a generator 604 to one or more elements in the array of coils, such as the arrays 500, 502, and 508 of coils 400, as shown with reference to FIG. 6. In one embodiment, the selector 600 may establish a signal path for driving a selected coil 400 during operation of the eddy current probe 102 in response to a control signal from the circuitry 304. As illustratively shown, with reference to the switch 606 of the selector 600, the selector 600 may enable the switch 606 to establish a signal path between the generator signal 602 and a selected one of the coils 400. Additionally, the selector 600 may include circuitry that monitors the coils 400 selected for operation to receive an indication of eddy currents induced by excitation of the selected one of the coils 400. Further examples of multiplexing can be found in US Pat. No. 8,816,680, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

[0016] Returning attention to FIG. 1 , as described above, the eddy current probe assembly 100 can analyze the article 104 to detect features such as defects, cracks, voids, etc. that are open or near the surface. Examples of the article 104 can include metal bars, metal tubes, pipes, airplane fuselages, airplane wings, railroad vehicle components such as railroad wheels, etc. The article 104 can be a ferromagnetic material such as steel. The ferromagnetism of the article 104 can affect the ability of the eddy current probe 102 to detect defects during ECT. However, when the article 104 exceeds the Curie point of the material from which the article 104 is formed, a sudden change occurs in the ferromagnetic properties such that the ferromagnetism of the article 104 has less of an effect on the ECT. For example, the Curie point of steel can be greater than 700° C. When the eddy current probe 102 is used to analyze the article 104 above the Curie point of the material used to form the article 104, the eddy current probe assembly 100 may regulate the temperature of the eddy current probe 102 to prevent overheating of the eddy current probe 102 during analysis of the article 104. In particular, as shown with reference to FIG. 2A , the coolant passages 108 may provide a coolant 202 to the eddy current probe assembly 100.

[0017] In one embodiment, the coolant 202 may be supplied to the eddy current probe assembly 100 and the housing 106 at an inlet port 204 of the housing 106. Additionally, the coolant 202 may exit the housing 106 via an outlet port 206 of the housing 106. The coolant passage 108 may include coolant passage sections 208 and 209 disposed on a side of the housing 106, as shown with reference to FIG. 2A. In some embodiments, the coolant passage 108 may include a jacket structure 214, as shown with reference to FIG. 2B, extending from the inlet port 204 and the outlet port 206, as shown with reference to FIG. 2C.

[0018] Further, in one embodiment, the coolant passage 108 may function to regulate the temperature of the flexible OCB section 306 of the eddy current probe 102. More specifically, as shown with reference to FIG. 2A , the coolant passage section 208 may be thermally coupled to the flexible OCB section 306 of the eddy current probe 102. Here, the coolant 202 passing through the coolant passage section 208 may absorb heat from the flexible OCB section 306 during operation of the eddy current probe assembly 100, thereby regulating the temperature of the flexible OCB section 306 during analysis of the article 104.

[0019] As can be seen with reference to FIG. 2A, coolant passage sections 208 and 209 of coolant passage 108 may combine with coolant passage section 210 to form a coolant passage loop 212 between inlet port 204 and outlet port 206 through which heat transfer may occur between coolant 202 and eddy current probe 102. Coolant passage sections 208 and 209 may extend along a length of housing 106 or may extend near a surface of housing 106 that is different from the length and / or surface along which coolant passage section 210 extends. Additionally, as can be seen with reference to FIG. 2A, eddy current probe assembly 100 may be spaced a distance "D" from article 104. In one embodiment, distance "D" may be in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 3.0 mm, and may be about 1.0 mm.

[0020] As mentioned, the configuration of the cooling loop can facilitate heat transfer between the coolant 202 and the eddy current probe 102. In particular, the eddy current probe 102 is adjacent to the coolant passage section 210. The material of the article 104 can be above its Curie point so that the eddy current probe 102 can be heated during analysis. With the eddy current probe 102 adjacent to the coolant passage section 210, the eddy current probe 102 can be thermally coupled to the coolant passage section 210 and the coolant passage 108 so that heat transfer via conduction can occur between the coolant 202 passing through the coolant passage section 210 and the eddy current probe 102. The coolant can be any fluid in liquid form in air that can absorb heat. Examples of fluids that can be used for the coolant 202 can include water, oil, glycol, ethylene glycol, or propylene glycol. Additionally, examples of fluids that can be used for the coolant can include a combination of water, oil, or glycol.

[0021] In one embodiment, the coolant passage 108 can regulate the temperature of the circuit 304. In some embodiments, the circuit 304 can be in close proximity to the article 104. During analysis of the article 104 with the eddy current probe assembly 100, heat can radiate from the article 104 and adversely affect the circuit 304. In one embodiment, the circuit 304 can be thermally coupled to the section 216 of the coolant passage 108. The circuit 304 being thermally coupled to the coolant passage loop 212 can allow for heat transfer via conduction between the coolant 202 passing through the coolant passage loop 212 and the circuit 304.

[0022] Returning attention to FIG. 1 , when the eddy current probe assembly 100 is being used to analyze the article 104, the eddy current probe 102 is moved over the article 104 multiple times to detect potential defects in the article 104. Note that in an alternative embodiment, the eddy current probe assembly 100 may be fixed to a production line for rods, tubes, or any other type of article. In an alternative embodiment, the article passes through the production line below the eddy current probe assembly 100 such that the eddy current probe assembly 100 can inspect the article as it passes under the eddy current probe assembly 100. To prevent damage to the eddy current probe 102 during the analysis of the article 104, the eddy current probe assembly 100 may include a barrier 118. In one embodiment, the barrier 118 may be a thermal barrier that may partially thermally insulate the eddy current probe 102 from the article 104. Additionally, the barrier may function to protect the eddy current probe 102 from premature wear that may result from being moved along the surface of the article 104 during the analysis. In one embodiment, the barrier 118 may be formed from a ceramic material that increases the temperature and wear resistance of the eddy current probe 102. Examples of materials that may be used for the barrier 118 may include titanium oxide, silicon oxide, chromium oxide, aluminum oxide, and zirconium oxide. The barrier 118 may also be formed from a thin layer of austenitic stainless steel, such as any type of 300 series steel, or any material that provides high heat and mechanical resistance, low thermal conductivity, and low electrical conductivity, according to an embodiment. Additionally, according to an embodiment, the barrier 118 may be formed using a thin film deposition process, such as physical vapor deposition, electron beam deposition, pulsed laser deposition, or any type of sputtering technique.

[0023] In addition to the embodiment shown with reference to FIGS. 2A-2C, the coolant passage can have a configuration shown with reference to FIG. 7, in which an eddy current probe assembly 700 is shown according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure. The eddy current probe assembly 700 can include an eddy current probe 102 for analyzing the article 104. The eddy current probe assembly 700 can also include a coolant passage 702 through which the coolant 202 can flow. In one embodiment, the coolant passage 702 can include an upper section 704 disposed in an upper portion of a housing 706 of the eddy current probe assembly 700, as shown with reference to FIG. 7. Additionally, the coolant passage 702 can include a lower section 708 disposed in a lower portion of the housing 706, as also shown with reference to FIG. 7. In one embodiment, the upper section 704 of the coolant passage can be thermally coupled to the circuit 304 such that the coolant 202 passing through the coolant passage 702 and the upper section 704 of the coolant passage can remove heat from the circuit 304 during analysis of the article 104 by the eddy current probe assembly 700. Similar to the coolant passage 108, the coolant passage 702 may extend along the length 122 of the housing 106. In one embodiment, the housing 706 may include a heat spreading section 710 where thermal coupling and heat transfer may occur between the circuit 304 and the upper section 704 of the coolant passage. In one embodiment, the housing heat spreading section 710 may be a heat spreader. Additionally, the housing 706 may be formed from any metal alloy, such as 300 series stainless steel, due to the high temperature, low heat transfer, low conductivity, and low ferromagnetic properties of 300 series steel.

[0024] In one embodiment, the coolant passage 702 can function to regulate the temperature of the flexible OCB section 306 of the eddy current probe 102. More specifically, as shown with reference to FIG. 7, the coolant passage 702 can include a section 712 that is thermally coupled to the flexible OCB section 306 of the eddy current probe 102. Here, the coolant 202 passing through the coolant passage section 712 can absorb heat from the flexible OCB section 306 during operation of the eddy current probe assembly 700, thereby regulating the temperature of the flexible OCB section 306 during analysis of the article 104. To allow for the passage of the coolant 202 into the coolant passage 702, the housing 706 can include an inlet port 714 at a top portion of the housing 706. As the coolant 202 travels through the coolant passage 702 and absorbs heat from the eddy current probe 102, the circuit 304, and the flexible OCB section 306, the coolant 202 can exit the housing 706 via an outlet port 716. In the embodiment shown with reference to FIG. 7 , the coolant passage 702 can be combined with an upper coolant passage section 704, a lower coolant passage section 708, and a coolant passage section 712 to form a cooling loop 718 between an inlet port 714 and an outlet port 716 within the housing 706.

[0025] In the embodiment described above, the circuit 304 has been described as local to the housing 106 / 706. According to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, the circuit 304 may be isolated from the housing 106 / 706 while being cooled with a coolant passageway that regulates the temperature of the eddy current probe 102, as shown with reference to FIGS. 8-10. Now, with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, an eddy current probe assembly 800 having an eddy current probe 102 for analyzing an article 104 is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, as shown with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the coolant passageway 108 may include a coolant line set 802 disposed therein. The coolant line set 802 may include coolant passageways 900-904, as shown with reference to FIG. 9. In one embodiment, the coolant 202 may pass through the coolant passageways 900-904 to regulate the temperature of the eddy current probe 102 during analysis of the article 104. Additionally, as can be seen with reference to FIG. 9, the circuit 304 may be disposed adjacent to the coolant passageways 900-904. For example, the circuit 304 may be thermally coupled to each of the refrigerant passages 900-904, and the refrigerant 202 passing through each of the refrigerant passages 900-904 may absorb heat from the circuit 304, thereby regulating the temperature of the circuit 304. However, it should be noted that the circuit 304 may be thermally coupled to any combination of the refrigerant passages 900-904, such that the circuit 304 may be thermally coupled to only one or two of the refrigerant passages 900-904. In one embodiment, the circuit 304 may be separated from the housing 106, such as being separate from the housing 106, as can be seen with reference to FIG.

[0026] It should be noted that although the configuration described with reference to Figure 9 is shown in conjunction with and components of the housing 106 and refrigerant passage loop 212 described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the configuration described with reference to Figure 9 can also be used in conjunction with and components of the housing 706 and cooling loop 718 described with reference to Figure 7, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, refrigerant line set 802 with refrigerant passages 900-904 can enter housing 706 at inlet port 714 and exit housing 706 at 716, and cooling loop 718 can include refrigerant passages 900-904 in addition to the components previously discussed.

[0027] 9, the flexible OCB section 306 may be coupled to the circuit 304 within the refrigerant line set 802 and then extend out from the refrigerant line set 802. Additionally, as shown with reference to FIG. 8, the flexible OCB section 306 may extend along an outer surface 804 of the refrigerant line set 802 between the circuit 304 and the eddy current probe 102. Additionally, the flexible OCB section 306 may be thermally coupled to the refrigerant line set 802 such that the refrigerant 202 within the refrigerant line set 802 can regulate the temperature of the flexible OCB section 306 during analysis of the article 104.

[0028] 8 and 9, the circuit 304 may be located remotely from the eddy current probe assembly 100 while simultaneously being thermally coupled to the coolant passage 108. In this embodiment, a thermal coupler 1000 may thermally couple the circuit 304 to the coolant passage 108. Additionally, the thermal coupler may be mechanically isolated from the eddy current probe assembly 100. In one embodiment, the thermal coupler 1000 may be a heat spreader.

[0029] In addition to the embodiments discussed above, the eddy current probe assembly 100 may have the configuration shown with reference to FIG. The coolant passage 108 may be in direct contact with the eddy current probe 102. Here, the coolant passage 210 is in direct contact with the eddy current probe side 200. In this embodiment, the eddy current probe 102 may have a thickness in the range of about 0.07 mm to about 0.5 mm, as discussed above. In this embodiment, the coolant passage 108 is in direct contact with the eddy current probe 102, which has a thin profile, so that the eddy current probe 102 may be in direct contact with the coolant passage 108, so that a temperature gradient may be formed between the outer surface 1200 of the barrier 118 (FIG. 12) and the coolant passage 108, where the barrier outer surface 1200 may have a temperature of about 700° C. while the temperature of the eddy current probe 102 is about 100° C. As can be seen with reference to FIG. 11, the eddy current probe side 200 contacts the barrier outer surface 1200 at 1100.

[0030] The above detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific examples in which the invention may be practiced. These examples are also referred to herein as "embodiments." Such examples may include elements in addition to those shown or described. However, the inventors also contemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described are provided. Furthermore, the inventors also contemplate examples using any combination or permutation of those elements (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described with respect to a particular example (or one or more aspects thereof) or with respect to other examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein.

[0031] In this document, the terms "a" or "an" are used to include one or more than one, as is common in patent documents, regardless of any other instance or usage of "at least one" or "one or more." In this document, the term "or" is used to refer to a non-exclusive or, such that "A or B" includes "A but not B," "B but not A," and "A and B," unless otherwise indicated. In this document, the terms "including" and "in which" are used as the plain English equivalents of the terms "comprising" and "wherein," respectively. Also, in the following claims, the terms "including" and "comprising" are not limiting, i.e., a system, device, article, composition, formulation, or process that includes elements in addition to those recited after such terms in a claim is still considered to be within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the following claims, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used merely as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.

[0032] The above description is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. For example, the examples described above (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other examples may be used, such as by those of ordinary skill in the art who review the above description. The Abstract is provided to enable the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be construed as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, the subject matter of the invention may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed example. For this reason, the following claims are incorporated into the Detailed Description as an example or examples, and it is contemplated that each claim stands alone as a separate example, and that such examples can be combined with each other in various combinations or permutations. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 100 Eddy current probe assembly 102 Eddy current probe 104 Goods 106 Housing 108 Refrigerant passage, barrier 110 First Part 112 Housing top surface 114 Second Part 116 Bottom of housing 118 Barrier 120 Side 200 Eddy current probe side view 202 Refrigerant 204 Inlet Port 206 Exit Port 208, 209, 210 Refrigerant passage section 210 Refrigerant passage 212 Refrigerant passage loop 214 Jacket structure Section 216 302 Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 304 Circuit 306 Flexible PCB Section 306 Flexible OCB Section 400 Coil 500 Array 502 Array Columns 504 and 506 508, 510 center 600 Selector 602 Generator Signal 604 Generator 606 Switch 700 Eddy Current Probe Assembly 702 Refrigerant passage 704 Upper Section 706 Housing 708 Lower Section 710 Housing Heat Spreading Section 712 Refrigerant passage section 714 Inlet Port 716 Exit Port 718 Cooling Loop 800 Eddy Current Probe Assembly 802 Refrigerant Line Set 804 Exterior 900, 901, 902, 903, 904 Refrigerant passage

Claims

1. 1. An eddy current probe assembly for analyzing an article, the eddy current probe assembly comprising: a housing including a coolant passage extending within the housing, the coolant passage forming a loop within the housing including a port of the housing, the coolant passage enabling flow of coolant through the housing; at least one eddy current probe disposed on or within a housing surface, the at least one eddy current probe being thermally coupled to a first portion of the coolant passage using at least a first surface of the at least one eddy current probe; a barrier layer disposed on a second surface of the at least one eddy current probe opposite a first surface of the at least one eddy current probe.

2. 2. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 1, further comprising a circuit configured to control at least one of the eddy current probes, the circuit being thermally coupled to a second portion of the coolant passage, and the at least one eddy current probe being supported by a printed circuit board that is thermally coupled to the first portion of the coolant passage.

3. 2. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 1, further comprising a circuit configured to control at least one of the eddy current probes, a portion of the coolant passage extending toward the housing and comprising a coolant line set, the circuit thermally coupled to at least a portion of the coolant line set, the circuit thermally coupled to at least a portion of the coolant line set via a heat exchanger or a heat spreader, and at least one of the eddy current probes being supported by a printed circuit board thermally coupled to the first portion of the coolant passage.

4. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 3 , wherein the heat exchanger or heat spreader is mechanically isolated from the housing.

5. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 3 , wherein the heat exchanger or heat spreader is included as part of the housing.

6. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the coolant passage extends along the housing at a surface of the housing.

7. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises stainless steel.

8. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer comprises a ceramic material.

9. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a coolant comprising at least one of water, oil, or glycol, or a combination thereof.

10. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coolant passage comprises a jacket structure including a portion extending from the housing.

11. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer is a thermal barrier layer.

12. 10. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the eddy current probes has a thickness in the range of about 0.101 mm to about 0.5 mm, the thickness allowing for cooling on one side of the at least one eddy current probe.

13. 1. An eddy current probe assembly for analyzing an article, the eddy current probe assembly comprising: a housing including a coolant passage extending within the housing, the coolant passage forming a loop within the housing including a port of the housing, the coolant passage enabling flow of coolant through the housing; at least one eddy current probe disposed on or within a housing surface, the at least one eddy current probe being supported by a printed circuit board, and the at least one eddy current probe being thermally coupled to a first portion of the coolant passage using at least a first surface of the at least one eddy current probe; a barrier layer disposed on a second surface of the at least one eddy current probe opposite the first surface of the at least one eddy current probe; and a circuit configured to control at least one of the eddy current probes, wherein a portion of the refrigerant passage extends toward the housing and includes a refrigerant line set, the refrigerant line set being disposed in the circuit, and the circuit being thermally coupled to at least a portion of the refrigerant line set.

14. 14. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 13, wherein a second portion of the coolant passage extends along a surface of the housing, the housing comprising stainless steel, and the printed circuit board is coupled to the first portion of the coolant passage.

15. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 13 , wherein the barrier layer comprises a ceramic material and is a thermal barrier layer.

16. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a coolant comprising at least one of water, oil, or glycol, or a combination thereof.

17. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 13 , wherein the coolant passage comprises a jacket structure including a portion extending from the housing.

18. 14. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 13, wherein at least one of the eddy current probes has a thickness in the range of about 0.101 mm to about 0.5 mm, the thickness allowing for cooling on one side of the at least one eddy current probe.

19. 1. An eddy current probe assembly for analyzing an article, the eddy current probe assembly comprising: a housing including a coolant passage extending within the housing, the coolant passage forming a loop within the housing including a port of the housing, the coolant passage enabling flow of coolant through the housing; at least one eddy current probe disposed on or within a housing surface, the at least one eddy current probe being supported by a printed circuit board, and the at least one eddy current probe being thermally coupled to a first portion of the coolant passage using at least a first surface of the at least one eddy current probe; a barrier layer disposed on a second surface of the at least one eddy current probe opposite the first surface of the at least one eddy current probe; and a circuit configured to control at least one of the eddy current probes, the circuit being thermally coupled to a second portion of the coolant passage via a thermal coupler.

20. 20. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 19, wherein at least one of the eddy current probes has a thickness in the range of about 0.101 mm to about 0.5 mm, the thickness allowing for cooling on one side of the at least one eddy current probe.

21. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 1, wherein a second portion of the refrigerant passage extends along the housing near a surface of the housing.

22. The eddy current probe assembly of claim 13, wherein a second portion of the refrigerant passage extends along the housing near a surface of the housing, the housing comprises stainless steel, and the printed circuit board is coupled to the first portion of the refrigerant passage.

Images