Ultrasound inspection methods for noisy cast materials and related probes
AssigneeNuovo Pignone S.p.A.
InventorsThomas James Batzinger, Riccardo Barigazzi, Fabrizio Betti, Waseem Ibrahim Faidi, Eugenio Giorni, Dane E. Hackenberger, Federico Iozzelli, Manoj Kumar Km, Zongqi Sun, Toby L. Sweigart
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Abstract
Ultrasound inspection methods for noisy materials and related probes are disclosed to inspect a defect in a cast material that use polycarbonate delay layers having a first surface configured to be disposed on a surface of the cast material; and an acoustic crystal element disposed on a second surface of the polycarbonate delay layer.
Claims21
An ultrasound probe to inspect a defect in a noisy material, comprising:
- a polycarbonate delay layer having a first surface configured to be disposed on a surface of the noisy material;
- and
- at least one acoustic crystal element disposed on a second surface of the polycarbonate delay layer,
- wherein the surface of the noisy material is curved and an end portion of the polycarbonate delay layer having the first surface is narrower than a second end portion having the second surface.
An ultrasound probe to inspect a defect in a noisy material, comprising:
- a polycarbonate delay layer having a first surface configured to be disposed on a surface of the noisy material;
- and
- at least one acoustic crystal element disposed on a second surface of the polycarbonate delay layer, wherein the surface of the noisy material is curved and an end portion of the polycarbonate delay layer is conical having an opening, the opening of the conical end portion being configured to be disposed on the surface of the noisy material.
A single-element acoustic probe to inspect a defect in a noisy material, comprising:
- means for reducing sensitivity to background noise from a microstructure of the noisy material and for increasing sensitivity to a scatter acoustic signal from the defect, said means having a first surface configured to be disposed on a surface of the cast material;
- and
- an acoustic crystal element disposed on a second surface of the means for reducing sensitivity to background noise from a microstructure of the noisy material and for increasing sensitivity to an scatter acoustic signal from the defect, said acoustic crystal element being configured to generate an acoustic signal to be scattered by the defect.
A method of detecting a defect in a noisy material, the method comprising:
- emitting an amount of acoustic energy from an acoustic crystal element through a polycarbonate delay layer attached to the acoustic crystal element, a surface of the polycarbonated delay being in contact with a surface of the noisy material;
- and
- detecting the defect in the noisy material based on a measurement of a portion of the emitted acoustic energy scattered by the defect through the polycarbonate delay,
- wherein the surface of the noisy material is curved and the surface of the polycarbonate delay layer in contact with the surface of the noisy material is narrower than a surface of the polycarbonate delay layer attached to the acoustic crystal element.
A method of detecting a defect in a noisy material, the method comprising:
- emitting an amount of acoustic energy from an acoustic crystal element through a polycarbonate delay layer attached to the acoustic crystal element, a surface of the polycarbonated delay being in contact with a surface of the noisy material;
- and
- detecting the defect in the noisy material based on a measurement of a portion of the emitted acoustic energy scattered by the defect through the polycarbonate delay, wherein the surface of the noisy material is curved and the emitting further comprises emitting the amount of acoustic energy from the acoustic crystal element through a polycarbonate delay having a conical end portion having an opening therein, the opening of the conical piece being in contact with the surface of the noisy material.
An ultrasound probe to inspect a defect in a noisy material, comprising:
- a polycarbonate delay layer having a first surface configured to be disposed on a surface of the noisy material;
- and
- at least one acoustic crystal element disposed on a second surface of the polycarbonate delay layer,
- wherein the noisy material is selected from the group consisting of a composite material, a ceramic, a structurally porous material, a nodular cast iron, a flake cast iron, and a cast steel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.