Pulse Radar Testing for Thin Refractory Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-destructive testing methods, such as ultrasonic and ground penetrating radar, are ineffective for detecting internal defects in thin refractory parts due to blind zones and immersion requirements, particularly for parts less than 200 millimeters thick.
Innovation Solution
A pulse radar method using electromagnetic pulses with durations less than or equal to 0.5 nanoseconds, emitted at frequencies between 2 and 10 GHz, and received by antennas close to each other, to analyze the internal structure of refractory parts, allowing for defect detection without immersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If ground penetrating radar is used for non-destructive testing, then defects can be detected without immersion, but there is a blind spot directly beneath the antennas where defects cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic pulsed electromagnetic signals instead of continuous waves. By transmitting short pulses and measuring the time delay of reflected signals, the system can resolve defects at very shallow depths. The pulsed nature allows separation of the transmitted signal from the reflected signal, eliminating the blind spot problem that affects continuous wave radar systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal parameters of the electromagnetic signal by using very short pulse durations. This parameter change allows the system to distinguish between signals reflected from different depths, including defects very close to the surface. The short pulse width improves depth resolution and eliminates the blind zone present in conventional radar systems.
2Use of energy by moving object
If conventional radar with longer pulse duration is used, then signal strength is sufficient, but the blind spot extends deeper making it ineffective for thin refractory materials
Solution Approach 1:
By using periodic pulsed signals with very short duration, the system achieves both sufficient signal strength and reduced blind spot depth. The pulsed transmission allows energy to be concentrated in short bursts, maintaining signal strength while the short duration enables early detection of reflected signals from shallow depths, thus reducing the blind spot.
3Measurement precision
If ultrasonic method is used for non-destructive testing, then internal defects can be detected effectively, but the component must be immersed in water which complicates the testing process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical ultrasonic testing method with an electromagnetic radar-based method. Instead of using mechanical wave propagation through water coupling, the system uses electromagnetic waves that can directly penetrate the refractory material without requiring water immersion, thereby maintaining defect detection capability while simplifying the testing procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent eliminates water as an intermediary medium by using electromagnetic waves that can directly interact with the refractory material. The electromagnetic waves serve as the new intermediary, allowing energy transmission and reflection measurement without requiring water coupling, thus removing the complexity of immersion testing.
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 effective evaluation of internal structures in refractory parts thinner than 200 millimeters, providing reliable images of defects and ensuring the quality of refractory parts for critical applications, such as glassmaking furnaces.
Implementation Method 1
send, by means of a transmitting antenna, at least one electromagnetic wave, called an incident pulse, into the refractory piece to be tested
Implementation Method 2
receive, by means of a receiving antenna, said pulse after it has been reflected by a reflective area of the refractory piece
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for testing the internal structure of a refractory part, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a) by means of a transmission antenna, sending at least one electromagnetic wave, termed a "pulse", into the refractory part to be tested; b) by means of a reception antenna, receiving said pulse after reflection thereof by a reflecting zone of the refractory part; c) analysing the time offset between the two preceding steps in order to deduce the position, in the refractory part, of the reflecting zone, said pulse having a duration less than or equal to 0.5 nanoseconds.