US 7,404,671 B2 · Dynamic acoustic thermometer

Abstract

Acoustic temperature measurement at a remote location is provided. An acoustic source transmits acoustic radiation to an acoustic receiver along an acoustic path. The path passes through or near the remote location. The temperature is non-uniform along the path. A change in an integrated acoustic delay between the source and receiver along the path is measured. This acoustic delay can be either a phase velocity delay or a group velocity delay. The temperature at the remote location is determined by relating the measured change in integrated acoustic delay to the remote location temperature with a combined thermal-acoustic model. The combined model relates temperature to acoustic propagation velocity along the path. The combined model preferably includes temperatures of the source and receiver locations, and a heat source geometry at the remote location.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method for measuring temperature at a remote location of a structure that includes a first surface on one side of the structure and a second surface on another side of the structure, where a perpendicular distance between the first and second surfaces defines a thickness of the structure, the method comprising:

providing at a source location an acoustic source transducer disposed on or near the first surface of the structure and separated from the remote location;
providing at a receiver location an acoustic receiver transducer disposed on or near the first surface of the structure and separated from the remote location;
propagating acoustic radiation from the source transducer to the receiver transducer through a medium along a path that passes through or near the remote location;
measuring multiple times an acoustic delay associated with propagating the acoustic radiation along the path;
integrating the multiple measured acoustic delays to obtain an integrated acoustic delay;
measuring a change in the integrated acoustic delay as a function of time;
and
processing the measured change in the integrated acoustic delay using a thermal-acoustic model relating a non-uniform temperature distribution along the path with a non-uniform distribution of acoustic propagation velocity along the path to determine the change in the remote location temperature.

5 more elements

A system for measuring temperature at a remote location of a structure that includes a first surface on one side of the structure and a second surface on another side of the structure, where a perpendicular distance between the first and second surfaces defines a thickness of the structure, comprising:

an acoustic source transducer located at a source location disposed on or near the first surface of the structure and separated from the remote location;
an acoustic receiver transducer located at a source location disposed on or near the first surface of the structure and separated from the remote location;
wherein the source transducer is configured to propagate acoustic radiation to the receiver transducer through a medium along a path that passes through or near the remote location;
and
a processor configured to measure multiple times an acoustic delay associated with propagating the acoustic radiation along the path and to integrate the multiple measured acoustic delays to obtain an integrated acoustic delay as a function of time,
wherein the processor is further configured to process the measured change in the integrated acoustic delay using a thermal-acoustic model relating a non-uniform temperature distribution along the path with a non-uniform distribution of acoustic propagation velocity along the path to determine the change in the remote location temperature.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dynamic acoustic thermometer

Life of this patent

Dynamic acoustic thermometer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28