Apparent volume measurement apparatus, method and device

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of batteries, and provides an apparent volume measurement apparatus, method and device. The apparent volume measurement apparatus comprises: a measuring container, an ultrasonic excitation assembly, an ultrasonic receiving assembly, and a processor. The measuring container is used for holding a sample to be measured and a liquid, and the liquid is an ultrasonic transmission medium. The ultrasonic excitation assembly is used for emitting ultrasonic waves toward the measuring container; the ultrasonic receiving assembly is used for receiving ultrasonic signals generated by the ultrasonic waves passing through the measuring container; and the processor is used for determining a first liquid level contour image of the liquid level of the liquid on the basis of a first ultrasonic signal acquired by the ultrasonic receiving assembly before the sample to be measured is put into the measuring container, determining a second liquid level contour image of the liquid level of the liquid on the basis of a second ultrasonic signal acquired after said sample is put into the measuring container, and determining the apparent volume of said sample by means of the first liquid level contour image and the second liquid level contour image. The present application can meet the measurement requirements of irregularly shaped samples to be measured, and improves the accuracy of apparent volume measurement.

Description

Apparent volume measurement device, method and apparatus CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on Chinese Patent Application No. 202411232121.9 filed on September 4, 2024, entitled “Apparent volume measurement device, method and apparatus,” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of batteries, and in particular to an apparent volume measurement device, method and apparatus. BACKGROUND

[0003] In the densification degree detection process of a solid-state battery, the apparent volume of the solid-state battery is measured, and the porosity of the solid-state battery can be calculated from the apparent volume to detect the densification degree of the solid-state battery. That is, the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement will affect the accuracy of the densification degree detection.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the accuracy of apparent volume measurement is a technical problem to be solved. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application aims to at least solve one of the technical problems in the background art. To this end, one object of the present application is to provide an apparent volume measurement device, method and apparatus to improve the accuracy of apparent volume measurement.

[0006] Embodiments of the first aspect of the present application provide an apparent volume measurement device, comprising: a measurement container, an ultrasonic excitation assembly, an ultrasonic receiving assembly and a processor. The measurement container is used to hold a sample to be measured and a liquid, and the liquid is an ultrasonic transmission medium. The ultrasonic excitation assembly is used to emit ultrasonic waves to the measurement container, the ultrasonic receiving assembly is used to receive ultrasonic signals of the ultrasonic waves passing through the measurement container, and the processor is used to determine a first liquid level profile image of the liquid surface according to a first ultrasonic signal obtained by the ultrasonic receiving assembly before the sample to be measured is placed in the measurement container, and determine a second liquid level profile image of the liquid surface according to a second ultrasonic signal obtained after the sample to be measured is placed in the measurement container, and determine the apparent volume of the sample to be measured by the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image; wherein the frequency of the ultrasonic wave corresponding to the first ultrasonic signal is lower than the frequency of the ultrasonic wave corresponding to the second ultrasonic signal.

[0007] In the technical scheme of the embodiment of the present application, the to-be-measured sample is placed in the liquid, the to-be-measured sample pushes away part of the liquid, that is, the liquid level of the liquid rises, the profile image of the liquid level is obtained by using the ultrasonic signal, the change amount of the liquid level is detected, and thus the apparent volume of the to-be-measured sample can be obtained, the measurement requirement of the to-be-measured sample with irregular shape can be met, the ultrasonic frequency corresponding to the ultrasonic signal after imaging of the sample is higher, the resolution of the image is improved, the interference of the to-be-measured sample on the liquid level measurement of the liquid is reduced, and thus the accuracy of the liquid level measurement is improved. Compared with the method of calculating the apparent volume by measuring the size, the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement is improved.

[0008] In some embodiments, the apparent volume measurement device further comprises an excitation controller connected with the ultrasonic excitation assembly. The excitation controller is configured to control the ultrasonic excitation assembly to emit the first ultrasonic wave before the to-be-measured sample is placed in the measurement container, and control the ultrasonic excitation assembly to emit the second ultrasonic wave after the to-be-measured sample is placed in the measurement container. The excitation controller is used to control the frequency of the ultrasonic wave, so that the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave have good penetrability to penetrate the measurement container, the liquid and the to-be-measured sample, and thus are received by the ultrasonic receiving assembly.

[0009] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic excitation assembly comprises a plurality of ultrasonic excitation units, and the plurality of ultrasonic excitation units are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the measurement container. Thus, the stability and accuracy of the apparent volume measurement are improved.

[0010] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic receiving assembly comprises a plurality of ultrasonic receiving units, and the plurality of ultrasonic receiving units are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the measurement container. Thus, the stability and accuracy of the apparent volume measurement are improved.

[0011] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic excitation assembly and the ultrasonic receiving assembly are respectively located on opposite sides of the measurement container and respectively adhere to the outer surface of the measurement container. Thus, the ultrasonic wave can penetrate the measurement container and be received by the ultrasonic receiving assembly, and meanwhile, the loss of the ultrasonic wave in the propagation process is reduced.

[0012] In some embodiments, the measurement container comprises a container body, a liquid injection port in communication with the container body, and a to-be-measured sample inlet in communication with the container body and arranged at intervals with the liquid injection port, and the to-be-measured sample inlet is used to place the to-be-measured sample. By arranging the liquid injection port and the to-be-measured sample inlet independently, the to-be-measured sample can be easily placed in the measurement container.

[0013] In some embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is greater than or equal to 3000 millipascal·second and less than or equal to 10000 millipascal·second. By selecting a liquid with high viscosity, the phenomenon of the liquid entering the gap of the to-be-measured sample is reduced, and thus the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement is improved.

[0014] The embodiment of the second aspect of the application provides an apparent volume measurement method, comprising: acquiring a first ultrasonic signal of a measuring container containing a liquid before a sample to be measured is placed in the measuring container; acquiring a second ultrasonic signal of the measuring container after the sample to be measured is placed in the measuring container; determining a first liquid level profile image of a liquid level of the liquid according to the first ultrasonic signal, determining a second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid according to the second ultrasonic signal, and determining an apparent volume of the sample to be measured through the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image; wherein the liquid is an ultrasonic transmission medium, and a frequency of ultrasonic waves corresponding to the first ultrasonic signal is lower than a frequency of ultrasonic waves corresponding to the second ultrasonic signal.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid is determined according to the first ultrasonic signal, the second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid is determined according to the second ultrasonic signal, and the apparent volume of the sample to be measured is determined through the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image, comprising: taking a liquid level height of a preset profile position in the first liquid level profile image as a first liquid level height; and taking a liquid level height of the preset profile position in the second liquid level profile image as a second liquid level height. The liquid level profile is imaged by using the ultrasonic signal, the liquid level height is determined by the liquid level profile, and the accuracy of the liquid level height detection is improved, and thus the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement is improved.

[0016] In some embodiments, the preset profile position is a lowest liquid level position, a highest liquid level position, or a liquid level profile position corresponding to any designated position of the bottom of the measuring container. The first liquid level height and the second liquid level height are determined by taking the preset profile position as a unified reference point, the accuracy of the first liquid level height and the second liquid level height detection is improved, and thus the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement is improved.

[0017] In some embodiments, the first liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid is determined according to the first ultrasonic signal, comprising: determining the first liquid level profile image based on a part of signals in the first ultrasonic signal that are higher than a first preset signal threshold and a remaining part of signals in the first ultrasonic signal that are lower than the first preset signal threshold; and wherein the second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid is determined according to the second ultrasonic signal, comprising: determining the second liquid level profile image based on a part of signals in the second ultrasonic signal that are higher than a second preset signal threshold and a remaining part of signals in the second ultrasonic signal that are lower than the second preset signal threshold. The accuracy of the liquid level height detection is improved, and thus the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement is improved.

[0018] In some embodiments, the first preset signal threshold is smaller than the second preset signal threshold. By setting the first preset signal threshold to be smaller than the second preset signal threshold, the frequencies corresponding to the first ultrasonic waves and the second ultrasonic waves are adapted, and thus the accuracy of the liquid level profile image detection is improved.

[0019] The embodiment of the third aspect of the present application provides an apparent volume measuring device, comprising: a first acquisition module, a second acquisition module and a determination module. The first acquisition module is configured to acquire a first ultrasonic signal of a measuring container containing liquid before a sample to be measured is placed in the measuring container; wherein the liquid is an ultrasonic transmission medium. The second acquisition module is configured to acquire a second ultrasonic signal of the measuring container after the sample to be measured is placed in the measuring container. The determination module is configured to determine a first liquid level profile image of a liquid level of the liquid according to the first ultrasonic signal, determine a second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid according to the second ultrasonic signal, and determine an apparent volume of the sample to be measured through the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image.

[0020] The embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present application provides a computing device, comprising at least one processor; and at least one memory connected with the at least one processor in communication, the at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor alone or jointly, cause the computing device to perform the method described in the above embodiments.

[0021] The embodiment of the fifth aspect of the present application provides a computer readable storage medium, storing instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device alone or jointly, cause the computing device to perform the method described in the above embodiments.

[0022] The embodiment of the sixth aspect of the present application provides a computer program product, comprising instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device alone or jointly, cause the computing device to perform the method described in the above embodiments.

[0023] The above description is only a summary of the technical solutions of the present application, in order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, and to be implemented according to the content of the specification, and in order to make the above and other purposes, characteristics and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the following specific embodiments of the present application are described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained without creating laborious work. In the drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference signs represent the same or similar parts or elements throughout the drawings. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings only depict some embodiments according to the present disclosure, and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present application.

[0025] Fig. 1 is an exploded structural schematic view of an apparent volume measuring device according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0026] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the principle of apparent volume measurement according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0027] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an apparent volume measurement device according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0028] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the flow of an apparent volume measurement method according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0029] Fig. 5 is a structural block diagram of an apparent volume measurement device according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0030] Legend: 100, apparent volume measurement device 10, measurement container; 11, container body; 12, liquid injection port; 13, sample to be measured inlet; 14, branch pipe; 20, ultrasonic excitation assembly; 21, ultrasonic excitation unit; 22, first wedge; 30, ultrasonic receiving assembly; 31, ultrasonic receiving unit; 32, probe body; 33, second wedge; 40, excitation controller; 200, sample to be measured; 300, liquid; 400, apparent volume measurement device; 401, first acquisition module; 402, second acquisition module; 403, determination module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The embodiments of the technical solutions of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, and therefore only serve as examples, and cannot limit the protection scope of the present application.

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application; the terms "include" and "have" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of the present application and the above description of drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0033] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish different objects, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0034] Reference to“an embodiment” herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the application. The appearances of the phrase“in an embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are they necessarily mutually exclusive of one another. It is expressly understood that any of the embodiments described herein can be incorporated into any other embodiment.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of the application, the term“and / or” is merely an association relationship of the associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B, which can represent the three cases of A alone, A and B together, and B alone. In addition, the character“ / ” herein generally represents an“or” relationship between the front and rear associated objects.

[0036] In the description of the embodiments of the application, the term“a plurality of” refers to two or more (including two), and similarly, “a plurality of groups” refers to two or more groups (including two groups), and “a plurality of pieces” refers to two or more pieces (including two pieces).

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of the application, the technical terms“center”,“longitudinal”,“transverse”,“length”,“width”,“thickness”,“upper”,“lower”,“front”,“rear”,“left”,“right”,“vertical”,“horizontal”,“top”,“bottom”,“inner”,“outer”,“clockwise”,“counterclockwise”,“axial”,“radial”,“circumferential” and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the embodiments of the application.

[0038] In the description of the embodiments of the application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the technical terms“mounting”,“connection”,“connection”,“fixing” and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, can be fixedly connected, or can be detachably connected, or can be integrated; can be mechanically connected, or can be electrically connected; can be directly connected, or can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] At present, from the development of market situation, the application of battery is more and more extensive. The battery is not only applied to the energy storage power supply system of hydropower, thermal power, wind power and solar power station, but also widely applied to electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, electric vehicles and other electric vehicles, and aerospace and other fields. With the continuous expansion of the application field of the battery, the demand of the market is also increasing.

[0040] Solid-state batteries have the advantages of high energy density and good safety, and are one of the development directions of battery technology. In the production process of solid-state batteries, the densification degree of the solid-state battery needs to be detected. The densification degree detection involves the determination of the apparent volume of the solid-state battery. The apparent volume can be used to calculate the porosity of the solid-state battery to detect the densification degree of the solid-state battery. For irregular parts, it is difficult to calculate the apparent volume by measuring the size, resulting in a larger error in the determination of the apparent volume, and further resulting in a lower accuracy of the densification degree detection result of the solid-state battery.

[0041] Based on the above considerations, in order to solve the problem of low accuracy of apparent volume measurement, an apparent volume measurement device, method and equipment are designed. The apparent volume measurement device comprises a measurement container, an ultrasonic excitation assembly, an ultrasonic receiving assembly and a processor. The measurement container is used to contain the sample to be measured and a liquid. The liquid is an ultrasonic transmission medium. The ultrasonic excitation assembly is used to emit ultrasonic waves to the measurement container. The ultrasonic receiving assembly is used to receive ultrasonic signals of the ultrasonic waves passing through the measurement container. The processor is used to determine a first liquid level profile image of the liquid surface according to a first ultrasonic signal obtained by the ultrasonic receiving assembly before the sample to be measured is put into the measurement container, and determine a second liquid level profile image of the liquid surface according to a second ultrasonic signal obtained after the sample to be measured is put into the measurement container, and determine the apparent volume of the sample to be measured by the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image. The frequency of the ultrasonic wave corresponding to the first ultrasonic signal is lower than the frequency of the ultrasonic wave corresponding to the second ultrasonic signal.

[0042] By putting the sample to be measured into the liquid, the sample to be measured will displace a part of the liquid, i.e. the liquid level height of the liquid will rise. The profile image of the liquid surface is obtained by using the ultrasonic signal, so that the change amount of the liquid level height is detected, and thus the apparent volume of the sample to be measured can be obtained. The measurement demand of the sample to be measured with irregular shape can be met. The frequency of the ultrasonic wave corresponding to the ultrasonic signal after the sample is imaged is higher, which improves the resolution of the image, reduces the interference of the sample to be measured on the liquid level height measurement of the liquid, and further improves the accuracy of the liquid level height measurement. Compared with the method of calculating the apparent volume by measuring the size, the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement is improved.

[0043] The apparent volume measurement device, method and equipment disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be used for the determination of the apparent volume of the solid-state battery, but are not limited to this. They can also be used for the determination of the apparent volume of other samples.

[0044] In combination with FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, FIG. 1 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of the apparent volume measurement device according to some embodiments of the present application, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the apparent volume measurement principle according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0045] The embodiment of the present application provides a kind of apparent volume measuring device 100, comprising: measuring container 10, ultrasonic excitation component 20, ultrasonic receiving component 30 and processor.Measuring container 10 is used to hold sample 200 to be measured and liquid 300, and liquid 300 is ultrasonic transmission medium.Ultrasonic excitation component 20 is used to send ultrasonic wave to measuring container 10, and ultrasonic receiving component 30 is used to receive ultrasonic signal of ultrasonic wave through measuring container 10, and processor is used to determine the first liquid level profile image of the liquid level of liquid according to the first ultrasonic signal obtained by ultrasonic receiving component 30 before sample 200 to be measured is placed in measuring container 10, and determine the second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of liquid according to the second ultrasonic signal obtained after sample 200 to be measured is placed in measuring container 10, and the apparent volume of sample 200 to be measured is determined by the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image;Wherein, the ultrasonic wave frequency corresponding to the first ultrasonic signal is lower than the ultrasonic wave frequency corresponding to the second ultrasonic signal.

[0046] Measuring container 10 refers to a device with a certain volume, which can accommodate sample 200 to be measured and a certain amount of liquid 300, and make sample 200 to be measured can be completely immersed in liquid 300.Liquid 300 is ultrasonic transmission medium, and it can be understood that ultrasonic wave can propagate in liquid 300.

[0047] In some embodiments, liquid 300 can be paraffin liquid, cellulose acetate liquid or polyacrylonitrile liquid, etc., paraffin, cellulose acetate or polyacrylonitrile is heated to a temperature above the respective melting point, so that it is in liquid state.For example, paraffin is heated to greater than or equal to 100 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 130 degrees Celsius to obtain paraffin liquid, which can be heated to 100 degrees Celsius, 110 degrees Celsius, 120 degrees Celsius or 130 degrees Celsius, so that the paraffin liquid obtained is used for apparent volume measurement.

[0048] Ultrasonic excitation component 20 refers to a component capable of emitting ultrasonic wave, and ultrasonic excitation component 20 emits ultrasonic wave to measuring container 10, and ultrasonic wave can pass through measuring container 10 and liquid 300 and sample 200 to be measured in measuring container 10.

[0049] Ultrasonic receiving component 30 refers to a component capable of receiving ultrasonic wave after passing through measuring container 10, and obtaining ultrasonic signal based on the received ultrasonic wave, which can be any one or more of analog signal, digital signal and gray scale converted signal.

[0050] The processor can be a device with computing capability, such as any one or a combination of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0051] In some embodiments, the apparent volume can be measured in the following way. The first and second ultrasonic signals are gray-scale converted signals. After gray-scale processing, the measuring container, the sample to be measured, and the liquid can be distinguished, and thus the image of the liquid 300 can be extracted. The processor obtains a first liquid level profile image of the liquid 300 before the sample to be measured 200 is placed according to the first ultrasonic signal, and obtains a second liquid level profile image of the liquid 300 after the sample to be measured 200 is placed according to the second ultrasonic signal. The first liquid level height is determined according to the first liquid level profile image, and the second liquid level height is determined according to the second liquid level profile image. After the sample to be measured is placed, the liquid level rises, that is, there is a difference between the first liquid level height and the second liquid level height. The cross-sectional area of the measuring container is constant. The volume corresponding to the part of the liquid whose liquid level rises can be calculated from the product of the difference and the cross-sectional area, and this volume is the apparent volume of the sample to be measured 200.

[0052] The first ultrasonic signal is obtained by the first ultrasonic wave passing through the measuring container 10 and the liquid 300. The objects passed through by the first ultrasonic wave are the measuring container 10 and the liquid 300. Since the measuring container 10 and the liquid 300 belong to different substances, the attenuation degree and speed of ultrasonic wave propagation in these two substances are different, so the measuring container 10 and the liquid 300 can be distinguished by imaging through the first ultrasonic signal, and thus the first liquid level height of the liquid 300 is obtained. The frequency of the first ultrasonic signal is defined as the first frequency.

[0053] Similarly, the second ultrasonic signal is obtained by the second ultrasonic wave passing through the measuring container 10, the liquid 300, and the sample to be measured 200. The objects passed through by the first ultrasonic wave are the measuring container 10, the liquid 300, and the sample to be measured 200. Since the measuring container 10, the liquid 300, and the sample to be measured 200 belong to different substances, the attenuation degree and speed of ultrasonic wave propagation in these three substances are different, so the measuring container 10, the liquid 300, and the sample to be measured 200 can be distinguished by imaging through the second ultrasonic signal, and thus the second liquid level height of the liquid 300 is obtained. The frequency of the second ultrasonic signal is defined as the second frequency.

[0054] The second ultrasonic wave also needs to penetrate the sample 200 to be measured, that is, the second ultrasonic signal also needs to be used to image the sample to be measured. Compared with imaging by using the first ultrasonic signal, more objects are imaged by using the second ultrasonic signal. By setting the second frequency to be higher than the first frequency, the resolution of the second ultrasonic signal imaging is improved, thereby improving the quality of the imaging, which is beneficial to distinguishing the measuring container, the sample to be measured and the liquid from the image, so as to reduce the interference of the sample to be measured on the liquid level measurement of the liquid, and further improve the accuracy of the liquid level measurement.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first frequency ranges from greater than or equal to 5 MHz to less than or equal to 35 MHz, and the second frequency ranges from greater than or equal to 10 MHz to less than or equal to 50 MHz.

[0056] By placing the sample 200 to be measured into the liquid 300, the sample 200 to be measured will displace a part of the liquid, that is, the liquid level of the liquid 300 will rise. The profile image of the liquid level is obtained by using the ultrasonic signal, so as to detect the change amount of the liquid level, thereby obtaining the apparent volume of the sample 200 to be measured, which can meet the measurement requirement of the irregularly shaped sample 200 to be measured. Moreover, the ultrasonic signal corresponding to the imaging after the sample is placed has a higher frequency, which improves the resolution of the image, reduces the interference of the sample to be measured on the liquid level measurement of the liquid, and further improves the accuracy of the liquid level measurement. Compared with the method of calculating the apparent volume by measuring the size, the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement is improved.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure of an apparent volume measurement device according to some embodiments of the present application. According to some embodiments of the present application, the apparent volume measurement device 100 further comprises an excitation controller 40 which is in signal connection with the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20. The excitation controller 40 is configured to control the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 to emit the first ultrasonic wave before the sample 200 to be measured is placed into the measuring container 10, and to control the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 to emit the second ultrasonic wave after the sample 200 to be measured is placed into the measuring container 10.

[0058] The excitation controller 40 is used to control the frequency of the ultrasonic wave, so that the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave have good penetrability to penetrate the measuring container 10, the liquid 300 and the sample 200 to be measured, and are thus received by the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30.

[0059] The frequency of the ultrasonic wave is controlled by the excitation controller 40, so that the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave can have good penetrability, thereby improving the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement of the sample to be measured.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 3, according to some embodiments of the present application, the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 comprises a plurality of ultrasonic excitation units 21 which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the measuring container 10.

[0061] The plurality of ultrasonic excitation units 21 are respectively connected with the excitation controller 40 in signal, and the excitation controller 40 can control the plurality of ultrasonic excitation units 21 to emit ultrasonic waves to the measuring container 10 at a certain frequency at the same time.

[0062] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 further comprises a first wedge 22, and the plurality of ultrasonic excitation units 21 are fixed on the first wedge 22, and the first wedge 22 is attached to the surface of the measuring container 10.

[0063] By arranging the plurality of ultrasonic excitation units 21 to be spaced along the circumference of the measuring container 10, the coverage area of the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 relative to the measuring container 10 is increased, so that ultrasonic waves can be emitted towards the measuring container 10 from multiple angles, further improving the stability and accuracy of the apparent volume measurement.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 3, according to some embodiments of the present application, the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 comprises a plurality of ultrasonic receiving units 31, and the plurality of ultrasonic receiving units 31 are spaced along the circumference of the measuring container 10.

[0065] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 further comprises a probe body 32 and a second wedge 33, and the plurality of ultrasonic receiving units 31 are fixed between the probe body 32 and the second wedge 33, and the second wedge 33 is attached to the surface of the measuring container 10.

[0066] By arranging the plurality of ultrasonic receiving units 31 to be spaced along the circumference of the measuring container 10, the coverage area of the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 relative to the measuring container 10 is increased, so that the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 can sufficiently receive ultrasonic waves that pass through the measuring container 10 to obtain accurate ultrasonic signals, further improving the stability and accuracy of the apparent volume measurement.

[0067] In combination with FIGS. 1 and 3, according to some embodiments of the present application, the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 and the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 are respectively located on opposite sides of the measuring container 10 and are respectively attached to the outer surface of the measuring container 10.

[0068] The ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 and the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 are respectively located on opposite sides of the measuring container 10, i.e., the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20, the measuring container 10 and the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 are arranged in sequence along the propagation direction of the ultrasonic waves.

[0069] In some embodiments, the cross section of the measuring container 10 is circular, and the area covered by the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 and the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 on the measuring container 10 corresponds to a central angle of 180 degrees relative to the measuring container 10.

[0070] By arranging the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 and the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 on opposite sides of the measuring container 10 respectively, the ultrasonic waves can pass through the measuring container 10 and be received by the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30, while the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 and the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 are respectively attached to the outer surface of the measuring container 10, reducing the loss of ultrasonic waves during propagation.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 1, according to some embodiments of the present application, the measuring container 10 includes a container body 11, a liquid inlet 12 in communication with the container body 11, and a sample inlet 13 in communication with the container body 11 and spaced apart from the liquid inlet 12, the sample inlet 13 being used to place the sample 200 to be measured.

[0072] In some embodiments, the container body 11 is cylindrical, the liquid inlet 12 is configured as an open end of the container body 11, the middle of the container body 11 is in communication with one end of a branch pipe 14, and the sample inlet 13 is configured as an open end of the other end of the branch pipe 14. The axis of the branch pipe 14 is arranged at an acute angle with the axis of the container body 11.

[0073] By arranging the liquid inlet 12 and the sample inlet 13 independently, the sample 200 to be measured can be easily placed into the measuring container 10.

[0074] According to some embodiments of the present application, the viscosity of the liquid 300 is greater than or equal to 3000 mPa·s and less than or equal to 10000 mPa·s.

[0075] The viscosity of the liquid 300 is greater than or equal to 3000 mPa·s and less than or equal to 10000 mPa·s, i.e. the viscosity of the liquid 300 is relatively large, and when the sample 200 to be measured is placed into the liquid 300, the liquid 300 is less likely to enter the voids of the sample 200 to be measured, thereby making the apparent volume measurement result obtained by measuring the volume of liquid displaced by the sample 200 to be measured more accurate.

[0076] By selecting a liquid 300 with a larger viscosity, the phenomenon of the liquid 300 entering the voids of the sample 200 to be measured is reduced, thereby improving the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 4, the embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides an apparent volume measurement method, comprising:

[0078] Step 410: obtaining a first ultrasonic signal of the measuring container containing the liquid before the sample to be measured is placed.

[0079] Step 420: obtaining a second ultrasonic signal of the measuring container after the sample to be measured is placed.

[0080] At step 430, a first liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid is determined according to the first ultrasonic signal, a second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid is determined according to the second ultrasonic signal, and an apparent volume of the sample under test is determined by the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image.

[0081] The liquid is an ultrasonic transmission medium, and the ultrasonic wave corresponding to the first ultrasonic signal has a lower frequency than the ultrasonic wave corresponding to the second ultrasonic signal.

[0082] The apparent volume measurement method can be executed by a controller of the apparent volume measurement device or another computer device. The method steps of the embodiment are described in detail below with the controller of the apparent volume measurement device as an example.

[0083] At step 410, the controller can send a control instruction to the excitation controller, and the excitation controller controls the ultrasonic excitation assembly to emit the first ultrasonic wave to the measurement container. The first ultrasonic wave passes through the measurement container and the liquid and is received by the ultrasonic receiving assembly. The ultrasonic receiving assembly obtains the first ultrasonic signal based on the received ultrasonic wave. The first ultrasonic signal can be any one or more of an analog signal, a digital signal, and a grayscale converted signal.

[0084] At step 420, the controller can send a control instruction to the excitation controller, and the excitation controller controls the ultrasonic excitation assembly to emit the second ultrasonic wave to the measurement container. The second ultrasonic wave passes through the measurement container, the liquid, and the sample under test and is received by the ultrasonic receiving assembly.

[0085] At step 430, the controller can send a processing instruction to the processor, and the processor processes the first ultrasonic signal and the second ultrasonic signal to obtain the apparent volume of the sample under test.

[0086] In some embodiments, the apparent volume of the sample under test can be obtained from the first ultrasonic signal and the second ultrasonic signal in the following manner. The first ultrasonic signal and the second ultrasonic signal are grayscale converted signals. After grayscale processing, the measurement container, the sample under test, and the liquid can be distinguished, and thus the image of the liquid can be extracted. The processor obtains a first liquid level profile image of the liquid before the sample under test is placed according to the first ultrasonic signal, and obtains a second liquid level profile image of the liquid after the sample under test is placed according to the second ultrasonic signal. The first liquid level height is determined from the first liquid level profile image, and the second liquid level height is determined from the second liquid level profile image. After the sample under test is placed, the liquid level rises, that is, there is a difference between the first liquid level height and the second liquid level height. The cross-sectional area of the measurement container is constant. The product of the difference and the cross-sectional area can be used to calculate the volume of the part of the liquid corresponding to the rise of the liquid level, and the volume is the apparent volume of the sample under test.

[0087] The first ultrasonic signal is obtained by a first ultrasonic wave passing through the measuring container 10 and the liquid 300. The first ultrasonic wave passes through the measuring container 10 and the liquid 300. Since the measuring container 10 and the liquid 300 belong to different substances, the attenuation degree and speed of the ultrasonic wave in the two substances are different, so that the measuring container 10 and the liquid 300 can be distinguished by imaging based on the first ultrasonic signal, and thus the first liquid level of the liquid 300 is obtained. The frequency of the first ultrasonic signal is defined as the first frequency.

[0088] Similarly, the second ultrasonic signal is obtained by a second ultrasonic wave passing through the measuring container 10, the liquid 300, and the sample 200 to be measured. The second ultrasonic wave passes through the measuring container 10, the liquid 300, and the sample 200 to be measured. Since the measuring container 10, the liquid 300, and the sample 200 to be measured belong to different substances, the attenuation degree and speed of the ultrasonic wave in the three substances are different, so that the measuring container 10, the liquid 300, and the sample 200 to be measured can be distinguished by imaging based on the second ultrasonic signal, and thus the second liquid level of the liquid 300 is obtained. The frequency of the second ultrasonic signal is defined as the second frequency.

[0089] The second ultrasonic wave needs to penetrate the sample 200 to be measured, that is, the second ultrasonic signal needs to be used to image the sample to be measured. Compared with imaging based on the first ultrasonic signal, the imaging object based on the second ultrasonic signal is more. By setting the second frequency to be higher than the first frequency, the resolution of the second ultrasonic signal imaging is improved, thereby improving the imaging quality, which is beneficial to distinguishing the measuring container, the sample to be measured, and the liquid from the image, reducing the interference of the sample to be measured on the liquid level measurement of the liquid, and further improving the accuracy of the liquid level measurement.

[0090] In some embodiments, the first frequency ranges from greater than or equal to 5 MHz to less than or equal to 35 MHz, and the second frequency ranges from greater than or equal to 10 MHz to less than or equal to 50 MHz.

[0091] By using the ultrasonic signal to obtain the profile image of the liquid surface, the change amount of the liquid level is detected, so that the apparent volume of the sample to be measured can be obtained, the measurement requirement of the irregularly shaped sample to be measured can be met, and the ultrasonic frequency corresponding to the ultrasonic signal for imaging after the sample is put in is higher, the resolution of the image is improved, the interference of the sample to be measured on the liquid level measurement of the liquid is reduced, and the accuracy of the liquid level measurement is further improved. Compared with the method of calculating the apparent volume by measuring the size, the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement is improved.

[0092] According to some embodiments of the present application, step 430 comprises: taking the liquid level height at which the preset profile position is located in the first liquid profile image as the first liquid level height; taking the liquid level height at which the preset profile position is located in the second liquid profile image as the second liquid level height; and determining the apparent volume of the sample to be measured based on the difference between the first liquid level height and the second liquid level height.

[0093] Since the measuring container, the liquid and the sample to be measured belong to different substances, the attenuation degree and speed of ultrasonic waves propagating in the three substances are different. The measuring container, the liquid and the sample to be measured are distinguished by imaging based on the ultrasonic signals, so as to extract the image of the liquid and distinguish the liquid profile image on the image of the liquid. The preset profile position is a corresponding point on the liquid profile image, and the liquid level height is determined at the point.

[0094] By imaging the liquid profile based on the ultrasonic signals and determining the liquid level height based on the liquid profile, the accuracy of the liquid level height detection is improved, and the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement is further improved.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 2, according to some embodiments of the present application, the preset profile position is the liquid profile position corresponding to the lowest liquid level position, the highest liquid level position or any designated position of the bottom of the measuring container.

[0096] The preset profile position is used as a reference point for determining the first liquid level height and the second liquid level height. The reference point for determining the first liquid level height and the reference point for determining the second liquid level height are determined by a unified reference point.

[0097] In some embodiments, the liquid surface is concave, and correspondingly, the liquid profile is arc-shaped. The lowest position m1 on the liquid profile can be selected as the preset profile position, or the highest position m2 on the liquid profile can be selected as the preset profile position, or the intermediate position m3 between the lowest position m1 and the highest position m2 can be selected as the preset profile position. The intermediate position m3 is selected by taking any designated position of the bottom of the measuring container as a reference point M, drawing a straight line parallel to the vertical direction through the reference point M, and the point of intersection between the straight line and the liquid profile is the intermediate position m3.

[0098] By selecting the preset profile position as a unified reference point to determine the first liquid level height and the second liquid level height, the accuracy of the first liquid level height and the second liquid level height detection is improved, and the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement is further improved.

[0099] According to some embodiments of the present application, determining the first liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid according to the first ultrasonic signal comprises determining the first liquid level profile image based on the part of the first ultrasonic signal higher than the first preset signal threshold and the remaining part of the first ultrasonic signal lower than the first preset signal threshold. Determining the second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid according to the second ultrasonic signal comprises determining the second liquid level profile image based on the part of the second ultrasonic signal higher than the second preset signal threshold and the remaining part of the second ultrasonic signal lower than the second preset signal threshold.

[0100] In the process of imaging by using the first ultrasonic signal, the first liquid level profile image is determined by the part of the signal higher than the first preset signal threshold, that is, the pixel points of the part of the signal higher than the first preset signal threshold are set to white, and correspondingly, the pixel points of the remaining part of the signal lower than the first preset signal threshold are set to black, so that the first liquid level profile image presents a clear black and white effect, which is more conducive to extracting the contour line in the image, thereby obtaining an accurate first liquid level profile image.

[0101] Similarly, in the process of imaging by using the second ultrasonic signal, the second liquid level profile image is determined by the part of the signal higher than the second preset signal threshold, that is, the pixel points of the part of the signal higher than the second preset signal threshold are set to white, and correspondingly, the pixel points of the remaining part of the signal lower than the second preset signal threshold are set to black, so that the second liquid level profile image presents a clear black and white effect, which is more conducive to extracting the contour line in the image, thereby obtaining an accurate second liquid level profile image.

[0102] In some embodiments, the first preset signal threshold and the second preset signal threshold have a value range of greater than or equal to 90 and less than or equal to 125.

[0103] By using the first preset signal threshold and the second preset signal threshold to process the liquid level profile image, a more accurate liquid level profile image can be obtained, thereby improving the accuracy of the liquid level detection and further improving the accuracy of the apparent volume measurement.

[0104] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first preset signal threshold is lower than the second preset signal threshold.

[0105] In some embodiments, the object of the first ultrasonic signal imaging is the measuring container and the liquid, and the object of the second ultrasonic signal is the measuring container, the liquid and the sample to be measured. The second frequency corresponding to the second ultrasonic signal is higher, so that the second ultrasonic signal has good imaging quality, and correspondingly, the second preset signal threshold corresponding to the second ultrasonic signal is also higher.

[0106] By setting the first preset signal threshold to be less than the second preset signal threshold, the ultrasonic wave frequencies corresponding to the first ultrasonic signal and the second ultrasonic signal are adapted, so as to improve the accuracy of liquid level profile image detection.

[0107] As shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a structural block diagram of an apparent volume measuring device according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0108] An apparent volume measuring device 400 is provided according to an embodiment of the present application, which includes a first acquisition module 401, a second acquisition module 402, and a determination module 403. The first acquisition module 401 is configured to acquire a first ultrasonic signal of a measuring container containing a liquid before a sample to be measured is placed in the measuring container; wherein the liquid is an ultrasonic transmission medium. The second acquisition module 402 is configured to acquire a second ultrasonic signal of the measuring container after the sample to be measured is placed in the measuring container. The determination module 403 is configured to determine a first liquid level profile image of a liquid level of the liquid according to the first ultrasonic signal, determine a second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid according to the second ultrasonic signal, and determine an apparent volume of the sample to be measured by means of the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image.

[0109] In some embodiments, the determination module 403 is further configured to take a liquid level height at which a preset profile position in the first liquid level profile image is located as a first liquid level height, and take a liquid level height at which a preset profile position in the second liquid level profile image is located as a second liquid level height.

[0110] In some other embodiments, the determination module 403 is further configured to determine the first liquid level profile image based on a part of the first ultrasonic signal that is higher than a first preset signal threshold and a remaining part of the first ultrasonic signal that is lower than the first preset signal threshold, and determine the second liquid level profile image based on a part of the second ultrasonic signal that is higher than a second preset signal threshold and a remaining part of the second ultrasonic signal that is lower than the second preset signal threshold.

[0111] The apparent volume measuring device 400 according to the embodiment can meet the measurement requirements of samples to be measured in irregular shapes, and improve the accuracy of apparent volume measurement.

[0112] A fourth aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a computing device, including at least one processor, and at least one memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, the at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor alone or jointly, cause the computing device to perform the method described in the above embodiments.

[0113] The various implementations described above can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuitry, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an Application Specific Standard Parts (ASSP), a System on Chip (SoC), a Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations can include implementation in one or more computer programs that are executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which can be special or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0114] A fifth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, alone or in combination, cause the computing device to perform the method described in the above embodiments.

[0115] A computer readable medium can be a tangible medium that can contain or store the program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The machine-readable medium can be a machine-readable signal medium or a machine-readable storage medium. The machine-readable medium can include, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of the machine-readable storage medium will include one or more lines of electrical connections, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0116] The sixth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a computer program product, comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, alone or in combination, cause the computing device to perform the method described in the above embodiments.

[0117] The embodiments of the present application are described in further detail below in conjunction with a specific implementation.

[0118] The apparent volume measuring device 100 comprises a measuring container 10, an ultrasonic excitation assembly 20, an ultrasonic receiving assembly 30, an excitation controller 40 and a processor.

[0119] The measuring container 10 is located between the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 and the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30, and is used to hold the sample 200 to be measured and a liquid 300, which is an ultrasonic transmission medium. The measuring container 10 comprises a container body 11 and a branch pipe 14, which are in communication with each other. An opening at one end of the container body 11 is configured as a liquid injection port 12, and an opening at one end of the branch pipe 14 is configured as a sample to be measured inlet port 13.

[0120] The ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 is used to emit ultrasonic waves to the measuring container 10. The ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 comprises a first wedge 22 and a plurality of ultrasonic excitation units 21 arranged circumferentially along the measuring container. The plurality of ultrasonic excitation units 21 are fixed to the first wedge 22, and the first wedge 22 is in contact with the outer surface of the measuring container 10. The plurality of ultrasonic excitation units 21 are signal connected to the excitation controller 40, and the excitation controller 40 is used to control the frequency of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic excitation units 21.

[0121] The ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 is used to receive ultrasonic signals passing through the measuring container 10. The ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 comprises a probe body 32, a second wedge 33 and a plurality of ultrasonic receiving units 31 arranged circumferentially along the measuring container. The second wedge 33 is in contact with the outer surface of the measuring container 10, and the plurality of ultrasonic receiving units 31 are fixed between the probe body 32 and the second wedge 33.

[0122] The processor is used to determine the apparent volume of the sample 200 to be measured according to a first ultrasonic signal obtained by the ultrasonic receiving assembly 30 before the sample 200 to be measured is placed in the measuring container 10, and a second ultrasonic signal obtained after the sample 200 to be measured is placed in the measuring container 10.

[0123] The apparent volume measurement step is to pre-add paraffin liquid into the measuring container 10, and the viscosity of the paraffin liquid is 7000 mPa·s. The first ultrasonic wave of 10MHz is emitted by the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 to perform primary imaging on the paraffin liquid. During image processing, the pixel points of the part of signals higher than the first preset signal threshold are set to white, and correspondingly, the pixel points of the remaining part of signals lower than the first preset signal threshold are set to black, so that the first liquid level profile image presents obvious black and white effect, which is more conducive to extracting the contour line in the image, thereby obtaining an accurate first liquid level profile image. The first liquid level height is obtained from the first liquid level profile image, denoted as H1.

[0124] The sample 200 to be measured is added into the measuring container 10, and the liquid level of the paraffin liquid rises. The second ultrasonic wave of 20MHz is emitted by the ultrasonic excitation assembly 20 to perform secondary imaging on the paraffin liquid. During image processing, the pixel points of the part of signals higher than the second preset signal threshold are set to white, and correspondingly, the pixel points of the remaining part of signals lower than the second preset signal threshold are set to black, so that the second liquid level profile image presents obvious black and white effect, which is more conducive to extracting the contour line in the image, thereby obtaining an accurate second liquid level profile image. The second liquid level height is obtained from the second liquid level profile image, denoted as H2.

[0125] The liquid level height difference H = H2-H1, the cross-sectional area of the measuring container 10 is constant, and is S, so the apparent volume V of the sample 200 to be measured = H·S.

[0126] Finally, it should be noted that: the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, and not to limit them; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent replacement for part or all of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should be covered in the scope of the claims and the specification of the present application. Especially, as long as there is no structural conflict, each technical feature mentioned in each embodiment can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the text, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A volume measurement device, comprising: a measurement container for containing a sample to be measured and a liquid, the liquid being an ultrasonic transmission medium; an ultrasonic excitation assembly for emitting ultrasonic waves to the measurement container; an ultrasonic receiving assembly for receiving ultrasonic signals of the ultrasonic waves passing through the measurement container; and a processor configured to determine a first liquid level profile image of a liquid level of the liquid based on a first ultrasonic signal obtained by the ultrasonic receiving assembly before the sample to be measured is placed in the measurement container, determine a second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid based on a second ultrasonic signal obtained by the ultrasonic receiving assembly after the sample to be measured is placed in the measurement container, and determine an apparent volume of the sample to be measured based on the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image. The first ultrasonic signal corresponds to ultrasonic waves with a frequency lower than that of the second ultrasonic signal. The volume measurement device further comprises an excitation controller connected to the ultrasonic excitation assembly.

2. The apparent volume measuring device of claim 1, wherein, The excitation controller is configured to control the ultrasonic excitation assembly to emit the first ultrasonic waves before the sample to be measured is placed in the measurement container, and control the ultrasonic excitation assembly to emit the second ultrasonic waves after the sample to be measured is placed in the measurement container. The ultrasonic excitation assembly comprises a plurality of ultrasonic excitation units.

3. The apparent volume measuring apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The plurality of ultrasonic excitation units are arranged along a circumference of the measurement container. The ultrasonic receiving assembly comprises a plurality of ultrasonic receiving units.

4. The apparent volume measuring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The ultrasonic excitation assembly and the ultrasonic receiving assembly are respectively located on opposite sides of the measurement container and respectively attached to an outer surface of the measurement container.

5. The apparent volume measuring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The measurement container comprises:

6. The apparent volume measuring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, a container body; a liquid inlet in communication with the container body; and a sample inlet in communication with the container body and spaced apart from the liquid inlet, the sample inlet being configured to place the sample to be measured. The liquid has a viscosity greater than or equal to 3000 mPa·s and less than or equal to 10000 mPa·s.

7. The apparent volume measuring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, 8.A volume measurement method, comprising: obtaining a first ultrasonic signal of a measurement container containing a liquid before a sample to be measured is placed in the measurement container; obtaining a second ultrasonic signal of the measurement container after the sample to be measured is placed in the measurement container; determining a first liquid level profile image of a liquid level of the liquid based on the first ultrasonic signal, determining a second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid based on the second ultrasonic signal, and determining an apparent volume of the sample to be measured based on the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image. The liquid is an ultrasonic transmission medium, and the first ultrasonic signal corresponds to ultrasonic waves with a frequency lower than that of the second ultrasonic signal. The determining a first liquid level profile image of a liquid level of the liquid based on the first ultrasonic signal, determining a second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid based on the second ultrasonic signal, and determining an apparent volume of the sample to be measured based on the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image comprises:

9. The apparent volume measurement method of claim 8, wherein, ​ The liquid level height where the preset profile position is located in the first liquid level profile image is taken as a first liquid level height; the liquid level height where the preset profile position is located in the second liquid level profile image is taken as a second liquid level height, and the apparent volume of the sample under test is determined based on the difference between the first liquid level height and the second liquid level height.

10. The apparent volume measurement method of claim 9, wherein, The preset profile position is a lowest liquid level position, a highest liquid level position, or a liquid level profile position corresponding to any designated position at the bottom of the measuring container.

11. The apparent volume measurement method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein, The first liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid is determined based on the first ultrasonic signal, and includes: The first liquid level profile image is determined based on the part of the first ultrasonic signal that is higher than a first preset signal threshold and the remaining part of the first ultrasonic signal that is lower than the first preset signal threshold. The second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid is determined based on the second ultrasonic signal, and includes: The second liquid level profile image is determined based on the part of the second ultrasonic signal that is higher than a second preset signal threshold and the remaining part of the second ultrasonic signal that is lower than the second preset signal threshold.

12. The apparent volume measurement method of claim 11, wherein, The first preset signal threshold is smaller than the second preset signal threshold.

13. An apparent volume measuring device, comprising: a first acquisition module configured to acquire a first ultrasonic signal of a measuring container containing a liquid before a sample under test is placed in the measuring container; wherein the liquid is an ultrasonic transmission medium; a second acquisition module configured to acquire a second ultrasonic signal of the measuring container after the sample under test is placed in the measuring container; a determination module configured to determine a first liquid level profile image of a liquid level of the liquid based on the first ultrasonic signal, determine a second liquid level profile image of the liquid level of the liquid based on the second ultrasonic signal, and determine an apparent volume of the sample under test through the first liquid level profile image and the second liquid level profile image.

14. A computing device, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, the at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the computing device to perform the method of any one of claims 8 to 12.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device individually or collectively, cause the computing device to perform the method of any one of claims 8 to 12.

16. A computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device individually or collectively, cause the computing device to perform the method of any one of claims 8 to 12.

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