Acoustic Transducer Pulse Scheduling for Well Logging Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasound-based inspection systems for fluid-carrying structures, such as oil and gas wells, face limitations in scan rate and resolution due to simultaneous activation of transducers, which leads to confounding of pulses and restricted linear scan rates.
Innovation Solution
The method involves scheduling transmission and receiving periods for acoustic transducers in a way that allows overlapping of scan lines without interfering waves, using a processing circuit to generate timing signals and sequence scan lines to maximize physical distance between them, enabling faster logging or increased resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If transducers are operated sequentially to avoid pulse confounding, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to restricted linear scan rate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by transmitting multiple scan lines during the dwell period of previous scan lines before receiving their echoes. This allows advance transmission of acoustic waves while waiting for reflections, effectively utilizing idle time and increasing the number of scan lines that can be processed per unit time, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous useful action by overlapping transmission and reception operations across multiple scan lines. While one scan line is in its reception phase, other scan lines are being transmitted, ensuring that the transducer array is continuously productive throughout the frame period, thus increasing overall scan rate while maintaining pulse separation through proper timing.
2Productivity
If all transducers are activated simultaneously, then productivity is improved through parallel operation, but measurement precision deteriorates due to confounding of pulses
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the frame period into distinct transmission and reception periods for different scan lines, with careful timing to prevent overlap of transmitted and received pulses within the same scan line. This segmentation allows multiple scan lines to be processed in parallel while maintaining clear pulse separation for each individual scan line, thus achieving both high productivity and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic action by structuring the operation into repeating frames, where each frame contains a specific sequence of transmission and reception periods for multiple scan lines. This periodic structure allows the system to maintain a high scan rate through efficient time management while ensuring that pulses from different scan lines do not confound each other through proper periodic scheduling.
3Measurement precision
If the device waits for all transducers to complete transmission and reception, then measurement precision is maintained, but productivity deteriorates due to idle time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary transmissions of subsequent scan lines during the dwell and reception periods of previous scan lines. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare and transmit multiple scan lines in advance, reducing the total frame period by eliminating idle waiting time while maintaining data accuracy through proper pulse separation timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system eliminates idle time by ensuring continuous useful action throughout the frame period. While one scan line is receiving echoes, other scan lines are being transmitted, maximizing the utilization of the transducer array and minimizing wasted time, thus reducing the overall frame period while maintaining measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the frame period by up to 80%, allowing for faster detection of leaks and increased linear speed or resolution, enabling more efficient inspection of fluid-carrying structures.
Implementation Method 1
Each sensing element may be a piezoelectric transducer arranged to project most of its generated sound energy perpendicular to its top plane
Implementation Method 2
Each sensing element may be a piezoelectric transducer arranged to project most of its generated sound energy perpendicular to its top plane
Implementation Method 3
This energy travels through the fluid medium and backscatters off the wall (and subsequent layers) to be absorbed by all transducers in the array
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method used to increase the resolution when imaging, measuring and inspecting wells, pipes and objects located therein. The device comprises an array of acoustic transducers that both transmit and receive acoustic signals. Scan lines may be overlapped by interlacing transmission and receiving windows thus increasing either the resolution or logging speed drastically compared to conventional approaches. The sequence of the scan lines making up an imaging frame is created by stratifying physically close lines and randomly selecting from within each stratum, preventing interference from neighboring transducers, signals and acoustic artifacts that fundamentally limit logging speed and resolution using conventional methods.