Patent · US Expired

Method for determining the wall thickness and the speed of sound in a tube from reflected and transmitted ultrasound pulses

US6883376B2 · kind B2 · utility

47Cited by
16References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 11, 2003
Grant dateApr 26, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 10, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2291/2634
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for the determining ultrasonic sound propagation speed and wall thickness of a tubular object. Time-domain and frequency-domain analyses are used, where the latter can determine acoustic dispersion if the specimen is made up of a dispersive material. Data is sensed from a series of transmitted ultrasonic waves, some of which are reflected. The data can be used to calculate speed of sound in the tube, as well as wall thickness. Inherent in the data is the speed of the ultrasonic wave; accordingly, correction for temperature variations in the tube is not required. The calculations based on measured speed of sound quantities produces more accurate results than in calculations where the speed of sound in the specimen is assumed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.