Ultrasonic Transducer Compression Element Acoustic Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic transducers face design complexities and thermally induced stresses due to the use of composite materials with high acoustic impedance in high-temperature environments, which complicates the acoustic damping process.
Innovation Solution
A piezoelectric transducer design incorporating a compression element with a lower acoustic impedance, which is compressed to maximize mechanical damping and minimize acoustic energy transfer, using a compressible material or ceramic with controlled acoustic impedance, and a compression mechanism to apply a consistent force, thereby simplifying the design and reducing thermal stresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If composite materials with high acoustic impedance are used in the acoustic absorber, then efficient acoustic coupling and energy transfer are achieved, but design complexity increases and thermally induced stresses worsen in high-temperature environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heavy metal component from the composite acoustic absorber material, using only the ceramic matrix material (such as alumina or zirconia) without adding tungsten or copper particles. This simplifies the design while maintaining adequate acoustic damping performance through the ceramic's inherent properties and the compression mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the acoustic impedance parameter of the absorber material by using ceramic materials with controlled impedance values (typically 10-30 Mrayls) rather than high-impedance composites (50+ Mrayls). This parameter adjustment reduces thermal stresses while maintaining effective acoustic energy absorption through the compression element's mechanical damping action.
2Loss of energy
If composite materials with high acoustic impedance are used in the acoustic absorber, then efficient acoustic coupling is achieved, but thermally induced stresses increase in high-temperature environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heavy metal particles (tungsten, copper) from the composite material that cause significant thermal expansion differences. By using pure ceramic matrices, the design eliminates the primary source of thermally induced stresses while maintaining acoustic damping through the compression mechanism's mechanical action.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adjusts the acoustic impedance parameter to a moderate range (10-30 Mrayls) using ceramic materials, which have more favorable thermal expansion characteristics compared to metal-ceramic composites. This parameter change reduces thermal stress while the compression element provides adequate acoustic energy absorption through its compressible structure.
3Device complexity
If a compression element with lower acoustic impedance is used, then design complexity is reduced and thermal stresses are minimized, but acoustic energy transfer efficiency may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a compressible ceramic element that dynamically adjusts its acoustic impedance through applied compression. The element's effective impedance increases under compression, enabling efficient acoustic energy transfer when needed, while maintaining design simplicity by using a single material system without complex multi-layer structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the acoustic impedance parameter of the absorber material by using ceramic materials with controlled impedance values (typically 10-30 Mrayls) rather than high-impedance composites (50+ Mrayls). This parameter adjustment reduces thermal stresses while maintaining effective acoustic energy absorption through the compression element's mechanical damping action.
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 design simplifies the transducer's acoustic damping mechanism, reduces thermally induced stresses, and enhances the mechanical damping of the piezoelectric element, improving the transducer's performance in high-temperature applications by efficiently managing ultrasonic signals.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric element having a front face which faces the target, and an opposing rear face which faces away from the target
Implementation Method 2
The ultrasonic wave, once it is transferred into the acoustic absorber, is attenuated normally through scattering, absorption and geometric deflection of the waves
Implementation Method 3
A compression mechanism may be arranged to urge the compression element towards the piezoelectric element such that the compression element is compressed between the compression mechanism and piezoelectric element
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a piezoelectric transducer which is mounted to a target in use, comprising: a piezoelectric element having a front face which faces the target, and an opposing rear face which faces away from the target, wherein the piezoelectric element has a first acoustic impedance; an compression element located on the rear surface side of the piezoelectric element, the compression element having a second acoustic impedance which is less than the first acoustic impedance; and, a compression mechanism which urges the compression element towards the piezoelectric element such that the compression element is compressed between the compression mechanism and piezoelectric element.