Probe for the ultrasonic inspection of molten aluminum

An improved probe for conducting ultrasonic mechanical energy to and from an aluminum melt in a process of inspecting molten aluminum, where said probe comprises:

• (a) A body member made essentially of titanium and having first and second opposite ends, each of which has a substantially flat end surface which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body member, where said first end forms a working tip for said probe, said working tip being about 1/8 to 3 inches in length, said body member being further defined by a lateral portion adjacent said working tip, where said lateral portion defines a cooling zone for said probe;
• and
• (b) Cooling means, such as a water jacket or the like, for extracting heat at said cooling zone to cool said probe, where said cooling means has the capacity to cool said probe in a manner such that when said working tip reaches a thermal equilibrium upon being immersed in an aluminum melt at a temperature in the range of about 675.degree. to 825.degree. C., there exists a negative temperature gradient of at least 200.degree. C./in along the longitudinal axis of said body within said cooling zone, and the temperature of said second end of said body member is maintained at 300.degree. C. or less.