Ultrasonic patch transducer for monitoring the condition of a structural asset
AssigneeMolex Incorporated
InventorsKe Wang, Alexander S. Chernyshov, Mariusz Kloza, Sascha Schieke, Dumitru Rosca
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasonic patch transducer is configured to be secured to an outer surface of a structural asset, such as a pipe or pressure vessel, for condition monitoring. The ultrasonic patch transducer includes a housing defining a centerline between a first end of the housing and a second end of the housing, a piezoelectric element within the housing and positioned along the centerline, and at least two magnets within the housing and positioned along the centerline. The at least two magnets and the piezoelectric element are configured to be positioned along a tangent plane of the structural asset.
Claims21
An ultrasonic patch transducer configured to be secured to an outer surface of a structural asset, the ultrasonic patch transducer comprising:
- an elongated housing having a length greater than a width, the elongated housing defining a centerline extending lengthwise between a first end of the elongated housing and a second end of the elongated housing;
- a single-element piezoelectric element within the elongated housing and positioned along the centerline;
- and
- at least two magnets within the elongated housing and positioned along the centerline,
- wherein the at least two magnets are configured to cause the elongated housing to be self-aligning to be positioned such that the length and the width of the elongated housing extend perpendicular to each other along a tangent plane of the structural asset and secure the ultrasonic patch transducer to the structural asset such that the centerline of the elongated housing is aligned with a direction of flow of the structural asset.
A method comprising:
- providing an ultrasonic patch transducer including an elongated housing having a length greater than a width, the elongated housing defining a centerline between a first end of the elongated housing and a second end of the elongated housing, a single-element piezoelectric element within the elongated housing and positioned along the centerline, and at least two magnets within the elongated housing and positioned along the centerline;
- applying a couplant to a bottom surface of the ultrasonic patch transducer;
- and
- positioning the elongated housing on an outer diameter of a structural asset such that each magnet engages the structural asset to self-align the elongated housing such that the length and the width of the elongated housing extend perpendicular to each other along a tangent plane of the structural asset, the elongated housing generally aligned lengthwise along an axial centerline of the structural asset.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.