Acoustic sensor for pipeline deposition characterization and monitoring
US6513385B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 8, 2001 |
| Grant date | Feb 4, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 8, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/2634
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for analyzing a deposited layer on the inner surface of a fluid container wall having inner and outer surfaces are disclosed. One embodiment of the method comprises (a) transmitting an acoustic signal from a transmitter at a first distance from the outer surface of the wall; (b) receiving a first received signal A, comprising a reflection from the wall outer surface; (c) receiving a second received signal B, comprising a reflection from the wall inner surface; (d) receiving a third received signal C from the wall inner surface; (e) calculating a coefficient Rwp from A, B and C, and (f) calculating a coefficient Rpd from A, B and Rwp, and calculating the acoustic impedance of the deposited layer Zd from Rwp, Rpd, and Zw, where Zw is the acoustic impedance of the material between the transmitter and the wall outer surface. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus comprises a piezoelectric or ferroelectric transducer having front and back faces; a backing member acoustically coupled to said transducer back face and impedance-matched to said transducer element, said backing member having proximal and remote faces; and a delay material disposed between said transdu…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.