Bechtel Bwxt Idaho, Lcc

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC

Eg&g, Inc.

John A Johnson

Herschel B Smartt

Eric D Larsen

Karen S Miller

Vance Albert Deason

Kenneth L Telschow

Timothy R McJunkin

Nancy M Carlson

James Arthur Smith

Edward W Reutzel

Kevin L Kenney

Denis E Clark

Charles R Tolle

Paul L Taylor

Ben C Perrenoud

Rodney J Bitsoi

David P Pace

Daphne L Stoner

David M Tow

John B Walter

Donald W Hood

A welding apparatus using ultrasonic sensing is described and which includes a movable welder having a selectively adjustable welding head for forming a partially completed weld in a weld seam defined between adjoining metal substrates; an ultrasonic assembly borne by the moveable welder and which is operable to generate an ultrasonic signal which is directed toward the partially completed weld, and is further reflected from same; and a controller electrically coupled with the ultrasonic assembly and controllably coupled with the welding head, and wherein the controller receives information regarding the ultrasonic signal and in response to the information optimally positions the welding head relative to the weld seam.

Welding apparatus and methods for using ultrasonic sensing

The present invention relates to process control where some of the controllable parameters are difficult or impossible to characterize. The present invention relates to process control in biotechnology of such systems, but not limited to. Additionally, the present invention relates to process control in biotechnology minerals processing. In the inventive method, an application of the present invention manipulates a minerals bioprocess to find local exterma (maxima or minima) for selected output variables/process goals by using a learning-based controller for bioprocess oxidation of minerals during hydrometallurgical processing. The learning-based controller operates with or without human supervision and works to find processor optima without previously defined optima due to the non-characterized nature of the process being manipulated.

Learning-based controller for biotechnology processing, and method of using

A method for the concurrent ultrasonic inspection of partially completed welds is disclosed and which includes providing a pair of transducers which are individually positioned on the opposite sides of a partially completed weld to be inspected; moving the transducers along the length of and laterally inwardly and outwardly relative to the partially completed weld; pulsing the respective transducers to produce an ultrasonic signal which passes through or is reflected from the partially completed weld; receiving from the respective transducers ultrasonic signals which pass through or are reflected from the partially completed welds; and analyzing the ultrasonic signal which has passed through or is reflected from the partially completed weld to determine the presence of any weld defects.

Method for the concurrent ultrasonic inspection of partially completed welds

An apparatus and method for measuring the thickness of a coating adhered to a substrate. An electromagnetic acoustic transducer is used to induce surface waves into the coating. The surface waves have a selected frequency and a fixed wavelength. Interpolation is used to determine the frequency of surface waves that propagate through the coating with the least attenuation. The phase velocity of the surface waves having this frequency is then calculated. The phase velocity is compared to known phase velocity/thickness tables to determine the thickness of the coating.

Apparatus and method for measuring the thickness of a coating

An apparatus for the concurrent inspection of partially completed welds is described in which is utilized in combination with a moveable welder for forming a partially completed weld, and an ultrasonic generator mounted on a moveable welder in which is reciprocally moveable along a path of travel which is laterally disposed relative to the partially completed weld.

Apparatus for the concurrent inspection of partially completed welds

Apparatus for determining a quality of a weld produced by a welding device according to the present invention includes a sensor operatively associated with the welding device. The sensor is responsive to at least one welding process parameter during a welding process and produces a welding process parameter signal that relates to the at least one welding process parameter. A computer connected to the sensor is responsive to the welding process parameter signal produced by the sensor. A user interface operatively associated with the computer allows a user to select a desired welding process. The computer processes the welding process parameter signal produced by the sensor in accordance with one of a constant voltage algorithm, a short duration weld algorithm or a pulsed current analysis module depending on the desired welding process selected by the user. The computer produces output data indicative of the quality of the weld.

Method and apparatus for assessing weld quality

An apparatus for the concurrent nondestructive evaluation of partially completed welds is described and which is used in combination with an automated welder and which includes an ultrasonic signal generator mounted on the welder and which generates an ultrasonic signal which is directed toward one side of the partially completed welds; an ultrasonic signal receiver mounted on the automated welder for detecting ultrasonic signals which are transmitted by the ultrasonic signal generator and which are reflected or diffracted from one side of the partially completed weld or which passes through a given region of the partially completed weld; and an analysis assembly coupled with the ultrasonic signal receiver and which processes the ultrasonic signals received by the ultrasonic signal receiver to identify welding flaws in the partially completed weld.

Apparatus for the concurrent ultrasonic inspection of partially

A system for detecting the phase of a frequency of phase modulated signal that includes digital quadrature sampling of the frequency or phase modulated signal at two times that are one quarter of a cycle of a reference signal apart, determination of the arctangent of the ratio of a first sampling of the frequency or phase modulated signal to the second sampling of the frequency or phase modulated signal, and a determination of quadrant in which the phase determination is increased by 2.pi. when the quadrant changes from the first quadrant to the fourth quadrant and decreased by 2.pi. when the quadrant changes from the fourth quadrant to the first quadrant whereby the absolute phase of the frequency or phase modulated signal can be determined using an arbitrary reference convention.

Digital quadrature phase detection

A method for measuring the energy of individual laser pulses or a series of laser pulses by reading the output of a piezoelectric (PZ) transducer which has received a known fraction of the total laser pulse beam. An apparatus is disclosed that reduces the incident energy on the PZ transducer by means of a beam splitter placed in the beam of the laser pulses.

Piezoelectric measurement of laser power

A method and apparatus for nondestructive material characterization, such as identification of material flaws or defects, material thickness or uniformity and material properties such as acoustic velocity. The apparatus comprises a pulsed laser used to excite a piezoelectric (PZ) transducer, which sends acoustic waves through an acoustic coupling medium to the test material. The acoustic wave is absorbed and thereafter reflected by the test material, whereupon it impinges on the PZ transducer. The PZ transducer converts the acoustic wave to electrical impulses, which are conveyed to a monitor.

Nondestructive material characterization

A system for concurrent, non-destructive evaluation of partially completed welds for use in conjunction with an automated welder. The system utilizes real time, automated ultrasonic inspection of a welding operation as the welds are being made by providing a transducer which follows a short distance behind the welding head. Reflected ultrasonic signals are analyzed utilizing computer based digital pattern recognition techniques to discriminate between good and flawed welds on a pass by pass basis. The system also distinguishes between types of weld flaws.

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Idaho Falls, ID, United States of America

John A Johnson