Acoustic temperature measurement in layered environments
AssigneePerceptive Sensor Technologies, Inc.
InventorsLAZAR BIVOLARSKY, JOEL D. BURCHAM, JAMES M. HEIM
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for measuring temperature in a layered environment includes an ultrasound transducer positioned perpendicular to an exterior surface of a first layer. The ultrasound transducer is in communication with a computer processor, power source, and computer-readable memory. The processor is configured to: measure a thickness of the first layer; measure an exterior surface temperature of the first layer; calculate an impedance of the first layer based on the thickness and the exterior surface temperature; and calculate an interior surface temperature of the first layer based on the impedance and the exterior surface temperature of the first layer.
Claims20
An apparatus for measuring temperature in a layered environment, comprising:
- an ultrasound transducer positioned perpendicular to an exterior surface of a first layer, the ultrasound transducer in communication with a computer processor, power source, and computer-readable memory,
- wherein the processor is configured to:
- measure a thickness of the first layer;
- measure an exterior surface temperature of the first layer;
- calculate an impedance of the first layer based on the thickness and the exterior surface temperature;
- and
- calculate an interior surface temperature of the first layer based on the impedance and the exterior surface temperature of the first layer.
A system for measuring temperature in a layered environment, comprising:
- a first ultrasound transducer positioned perpendicular to an exterior surface of a first layer at a first location;
- and
- at least a second ultrasound transducer positioned perpendicular to the exterior surface of the first layer at a second location, wherein the first and at least second ultrasound transducers are in communication with a computer processor, power source, and computer-readable memory, and wherein the processor is configured to:
- measure a thickness of the first layer at the first and at least second locations;
- measure an exterior surface temperature of the first layer at the first and at least second locations;
- calculate an impedance of the first layer at the first and at least second locations based on the thickness and the exterior surface temperature;
- and
- determine a temperature gradient of a second layer between the first and at least second locations, wherein the temperature gradient is calculated using the first and at least second ultrasound transducer.
A method of measuring a temperature in a layered environment, comprising the following steps:
- measuring a thickness of a first layer at at least one position;
- measuring a surface temperature of an exterior surface of the first layer at the at least one position;
- calculating an impedance of the first layer at the at least one position based on the thickness and the exterior surface temperature at the at least one position;
- calculating an interior surface temperature of the first layer at the at least one position based on the impedance and the exterior surface temperature at the at least one position;
- and
- determining at least one temperature gradient of a second layer in contact with the first layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.