Echogenic Ultrasonic Waveguides for Noninvasive Temperature Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensing technologies for extreme environments suffer from errors, complexity, and large form factors, limiting their utility and introducing undue risk, particularly in harsh conditions where insertion sensors breach protective barriers and noninvasive methods lack adequate sampling rates for real-time monitoring.
Innovation Solution
The use of echogenically segmented ultrasonic waveguides with multiple echoes to noninvasively measure spatially distributed properties, such as temperature, by encoding temperature distributions through time-of-flight measurements and incorporating echogenic features within fiber waveguides to provide robust signal echoes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If insertion sensors are used to measure temperature in extreme environments, then direct temperature measurements can be obtained, but the sensors breach protective barriers and introduce undue risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ultrasonic waves as an intermediary medium to transfer temperature information non-invasively. Instead of placing sensors directly in the extreme environment, the system transmits ultrasonic signals through the protective barrier and measures the time-of-flight to infer temperature at the interface, eliminating the need for physical insertion while maintaining measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical insertion sensors with an acoustic field-based measurement system. By substituting physical contact-based sensing with non-contact ultrasonic wave propagation, the system achieves temperature measurement without breaching protective barriers or exposing sensors to harsh conditions
2Reliability
If noninvasive measurement methods are used, then sensor safety is improved, but adequate sampling rates for real-time monitoring are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic ultrasonic pulse transmission to achieve real-time monitoring. By sending sequential ultrasonic pulses at high frequency and measuring the time-of-flight for each pulse, the system obtains continuous temperature data at adequate sampling rates while maintaining noninvasive operation throughout the measurement process
3Measurement precision
If multiple transducer/receiver pairs are used for tomographic estimation in nonuniform temperature fields, then spatial distribution measurement is achieved, but the complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ultrasonic measurement path into multiple zones by placing echogenic features at different locations along the waveguide. This segmentation allows the system to obtain temperature information at multiple spatial points by measuring time-of-flight through each segment, achieving spatial distribution measurement without requiring multiple separate transducer pairs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes a single transducer-receiver pair perform multiple measurement functions by incorporating echogenic features at different positions along the ultrasonic waveguide. The same device measures temperature at multiple locations through sequential pulse transmission, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated transducer pairs while maintaining spatial distribution capability
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
Enables high-density, nondestructive, and real-time measurement of temperature distributions and other intensive properties in extreme environments, overcoming the limitations of previous methods by providing accurate and reliable data without breaching containment barriers.
Implementation Method 1
encoding temperature distributions through time-of-flight measurements
Implementation Method 2
The dependence of the speed of sound (SOS) on the gas temperature
Implementation Method 3
incorporating echogenic features within fiber waveguides to provide robust signal echoes
Implementation Method 4
each fiber having a proximal end joined to the at least one transducer and a distal end remote therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for monitoring intensive properties in an extreme environment, such as a boiler or other hostile temperature. The intensive properties include temperature, temperature, elasticity, density, strength, and any other properties which effect changes in the ultrasound propagation velocity. The system plural fibers ultrasonically communicating joined at distal ends to a transducer which emits ultrasonic pulses through and to the distal ends of the fibers. The fibers have mutually different length, resulting in mutually different propagation times for echoes from the distal ends back to the transducer. Changes in the intensive property under consideration result in corresponding changes in the propagation times of ultrasonic pulses from the proximal end of the fiber to the distal end and back.