Dual Phased Array Ultrasonic Probe for Corroded Material Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic probes are inefficient and costly for measuring the thickness of large areas, especially corroded materials, due to a limited field of view and high likelihood of missing defects, as they generate noise from corrosion and are not compatible with large surface areas.
Innovation Solution
A dual phased array ultrasonic probe with a delay block and cross-talk barrier, featuring a transmitter side and receiver side in a spaced relationship, allowing for improved acoustic separation and enhanced measurement capabilities, including a method of forming active groups with transducer elements to generate and receive ultrasound beams effectively across larger areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single transducer element is used to transmit and receive acoustic waves, then the probe structure is simple, but the measurement precision for corroded materials deteriorates due to noise from corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is segmented into separate transmitter and receiver transducer elements, allowing independent optimization of transmission and reception functions. This segmentation enables the transmitter to send acoustic waves while the receiver captures echoes, improving measurement precision by eliminating the noise interference that occurs when the same element performs both functions.
Solution Approach 2:
A delay block is introduced as an intermediary component between the transmitter and receiver elements. The delay block acoustically isolates the transmitter from the receiver while maintaining the necessary timing relationship for accurate thickness measurement, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring complex signal processing.
2Measurement precision
If a probe with separate transmitter and receiver elements is used, then the measurement precision for corroded materials improves, but the field of view remains limited making large area inspection inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate transducer elements are merged into a phased array configuration within a single probe. This combining of multiple elements allows the probe to maintain the precision benefits of separate transmitter and receiver elements while expanding the field of view through electronic beam steering and focusing, thereby improving inspection efficiency for large areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The phased array enables dynamic electronic steering and focusing of the acoustic beam without mechanical movement. By dynamically adjusting the phase and amplitude of individual elements, the probe can scan across large areas rapidly, improving productivity while maintaining the precision measurement capabilities provided by the separate transmitter and receiver elements.
3Productivity
If the field of view of the probe is increased to cover larger areas, then the inspection efficiency improves, but the likelihood of missing defects increases because defects may not fall within the field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The phased array technology enables dynamic electronic steering of the acoustic beam across the entire area of interest. This dynamic capability allows the probe to maintain a focused beam for high-resolution defect detection while rapidly scanning across large areas, ensuring that defects are not missed due to field of view limitations, thereby improving both productivity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The phased array enables continuous scanning of the test object surface without interruption or gaps. By continuously steering the acoustic beam across the entire area of interest, the system ensures complete coverage and eliminates the risk of missing defects that would occur with discrete, separate measurements, thereby improving defect detection reliability while maintaining high inspection efficiency.
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
The solution enables accurate thickness measurement of large areas, including corroded materials, while reducing the likelihood of missing defects and lowering inspection costs by improving the inspection efficiency and coverage.
Implementation Method 1
The probe incorporates transducer elements that are constructed of piezoelectric materials that are responsive to certain stimuli in a manner conducive to non-destructive testing. For example, certain transducer elements that are found in the probes generate acoustic waves in response to electrical waveform pulses that are applied to electrodes connected to the element.
Implementation Method 2
These elements are also responsive to acoustic waves, such as those acoustic waves that are reflected from the test object. This generates a voltage difference across electrodes that are connected to the element.
Implementation Method 3
a cross-talk barrier disposed in the gap in a manner acoustically separating the transmitter side from and the receiver side of the active group
Implementation Method 4
a delay block including a body having a longitudinal axis, the body including a scan surface to be placed proximate the test object, and a support surface opposite the scan surface
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and system for measuring material thickness of a test object. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a measurement probe that can have a plurality of transducer elements that can include transmitter elements and receiver elements arranged, respectively, in on a first side and a second side of a gap. The first side and the second side can form a scan area with at least one active group that can have at least one transmitter element and at least one receiver element, which can be separated from the transmitter element in a spaced relationship.