Battelle Memorial Institute

Paul D Panetta

Richard A Pappas

Brian J Tucker

James R Skorpik

Margaret Stautberg Greenwood

Aaron A Diaz

Larry Dean Reid

Bob W Wright

Leslie J Kirihara

John T Munley

Todd J Samuel

Kenneth I Johnson

Juan D Valencia

Kevin L Gervais

Jason S Thompson

Marino Morra

Judith A Bamberger

Generally speaking, the method of the present invention is performed by making various ultrasonic scans at preselected orientations along the length of a material being tested. Data from the scans are then plotted together with various calculated parameters that are calculated from this data. Lines or curves are then fitted to the respective plotted points. Review of these plotted curves allows the location and severity of defects within these sections to be determined and quantified. With this information various other decisions related to how, when or whether repair or replacement of a particular portion of a structure can be made.

System and process for ultrasonic characterization of deformed structures

Using an ultrasonic field, properties of a solid liquid suspension such as through-transmission attenuation, backscattering, and diffuse field are measured. These properties are converted to quantities indicating the strength of different loss mechanisms (such as absorption, single scattering and multiple scattering) among particles in the suspension. Such separation of the loss mechanisms can allow for direct comparison of the attenuating effects of the mechanisms. These comparisons can also indicate a model most likely to accurately characterize the suspension and can aid in determination of properties such as particle size, concentration, and density of the suspension.

Ultrasonic characterization of solid liquid suspensions

A multiparameter acoustic signature inspection device and method are described for non-invasive inspection of containers. Dual acoustic signatures discriminate between various fluids and materials for identification of the same.

Methods and apparatus for multi-parameter acoustic signature inspection

A system for determining properties of settling suspensions includes a settling container, a mixer, and devices for ultrasonic interrogation transverse to the settling direction. A computer system controls operation of the mixer and the interrogation devices and records the response to the interrogating as a function of settling time, which is then used to determine suspension properties. Attenuation versus settling time for dilute suspensions, such as dilute wood pulp suspension, exhibits a peak at different settling times for suspensions having different properties, and the location of this peak is used as one mechanism for characterizing suspensions. Alternatively or in addition, a plurality of ultrasound receivers are arranged at different angles to a common transmitter to receive scattering responses at a variety of angles during particle settling. Angular differences in scattering as a function of settling time are also used to characterize the suspension.

System and technique for ultrasonic characterization of settling suspensions

A fermention process is monitored by detecting ultrasound backscattered from the cells as a function of time. A transduceris placed in a fermentorand transmits ultrasound towards a reflecting surface. The transducer receives that portion of the ultrasound which reflects from the reflecting surface, as well as that portion of the ultrasound which backscatters from cellsbetween the transducerand the reflecting surface. Signals from the transducer are conditioned and subsequently processed to provide output to a controller regarding the status of the fermentation process in real time. The backscattering measurements can be used to determine a growth phase transition, such as the transition between the logarithmic growth phase of the cells and their stationary phase.

Process monitoring and particle characterization with ultrasonic backscattering

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Richland, WA, United States of America

Paul D Panetta