Auto-scanning and visualizing system for the acoustic field of transducer

This paper presents an automatic scanning and visualizing system for ultrasound field of a planar piston transducer. This system consists of a water tank with wedge absorber, stepper motors driver, system controller, a planar piston transducer, a needle-type hydrophone and data processing software. Our software realizes the processing and displaying of ultrasonic data, which are acquired by adjusting accurately positions of the hydrophone and transducer that are driven by stepper motors. And the ultrasonic field is represented by employing 1D, 2D or 3D graphs of data, respectively. Experimental results show that this auto-scanning and visualizing system provides a more spatial structure of ultrasonic field and reveals a more characteristic of ultrasonic beam radiated by the planar piston transducer.     

功率超声作用下柴油的深度氧化脱硫

在催化氧化溶剂抽提的基础上,同时增加超声波为反应提供能量,开辟了一条全新的柴油氧化脱硫技术。考察超声频率、声强等因素对脱硫效果的影响。结果表明,对于高硫FCC柴油,以H2O2-乙酸为氧化剂,超声波氧化脱硫效果明显优于未加超声波的脱硫效果,可以在数分钟内达到深度脱硫的效果。当超声波的频率为28 kHz,声强为0．4 W／cm2时脱硫效果最好,脱硫率可达95％,产品回收率在93%以上。     

多普勒超声频谱图像信息提取方法研究

心脑血管血流动力学研究对阐明心脑血管的病因以及诊治均起到一定的指导作用，因此血流信号的采集和分析是十分重要的。多普勒超声是目前能够无创、简便、有效提供心脑血管血流动力学资料的最新技术，为此，设计了一套采集系统，将多普勒超声频谱图像提取出来，通过对打印机输出数据格式的分析研究，将其转换为人们熟悉的图形文件格式，再利用计算机图像处理技术，获取血流信号的时间序列数据，使得获取的数据适合各种非线性分析要求。实际算例表明，该系统可靠，能够比较准确地获取血流信号的时间序列数据，为心脑血管疾病的进一步研究提供帮助。     

基于ARM内核的嵌入式肿瘤热疗系统

采用基于ARM内核的嵌入式系统开发小型超声热疗仪是肿瘤热疗系统开发领域中应用嵌入式技术的一个全新尝试，实现了上、下位机一体化设计。嵌入式肿瘤热疗系统包括组织温度采集与转换系统、超声功率控制信号发生模块、存储管理系统、人机交互系统（包括液晶显示及键盘输入）以及其他基本功能模块。根据热疗实际需要对PID控制算法进行改进与优化，提高了治疗中肿瘤组织温度的控制品质。实验结果表明，系统设计可靠，满足临床肿瘤热疗要求。     

Ultrasound treatment on tailings to enhance copper flotation recovery

As ore grades fall, the amount of tailings production for the same copper production is expected to rise. Flotation recovery of copper sulfide from the El Teniente plant has deteriorated in recent years, in this regard ultrasound treatment of tailings for enhanced copper recovery was evaluated in laboratory experiments. The impact of the ultrasound wave was examined under different conditions, with the conclusion that improved recovery occurs when ultrasound is applied during conditioning and flotation. The results can be explained by the effect of acoustic cavitation that cleans particle surfaces and minimizes slime coatings, facilitating the action of the reagents. In this way, improvement in copper recovery of up to 3.5% were obtained.     

Standardized Ultrasound Measurement of Subcutaneous Fat Patterning: High Reliability and Accuracy in Groups Ranging from Lean to Obese

A recently standardized ultrasound technique for measuring subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) was applied to normal-weight, overweight and obese persons. Eight measurement sites were used: upper abdomen, lower abdomen, erector spinae, distal triceps, brachioradialis, lateral thigh, front thigh and medial calf. Fat compression was avoided. Fat patterning in 38 participants (body mass index: 18.6–40.3 kgm^?2; SAT thickness sums from eight sites: 12–245 mm) was evaluated using a software specifically designed for semi-automatic multiple thickness measurements in SAT (sound speed: 1450 m/s) that also quantifies embedded fibrous structures. With respect to ultrasound intra-observer results, the correlation coefficient ρ = 0.999 (p < 0.01), standard error of the estimate = 1.1 mm and 95% of measurements were within ±2.2 mm. For the normal-weight subgroup, the median measurement deviation was 0.43 mm (1.1% of mean thickness), and for the obese/overweight subgroup it was 0.89 mm (0.5%). The eight sites used here are suggested to represent inter-individual differences in SAT patterning. High measurement accuracy and reliability can be obtained in all groups, from lean to overweight and obese, provided that measurers are trained appropriately.     

Detectability of corrosion damage with circumferential guided waves in reflection and transmission

There is an increasing interest in high frequency short range guided waves to screen or monitor for corrosion. This contrasts with long range guided waves (LRGWs) which screen pipes for large patches of corrosion and have been successfully used in corrosion management for the past twenty years. The fundamental setup described in this paper uses circumferential guided waves, which are excited at a single location on a pipe and travel around the pipe wall and are detected at the same location. The study uses a finite element model assisted method to evaluate the detection capability of two short range circumferential guided wave setups which use both the reflected and transmitted signals. The setups themselves consist of either an axial array of transducers, for monitoring, or a single transducer which axially scans a pipe. Both setups have an array or scan pitch between either adjacent transducers or measurements. The detection capability of the fundamental Lamb wave modes (A0 and S0) in both reflection and transmission have been compared, as well as a hybrid shear horizontal wave setup, which uses the SH0 mode in reflection and the SH1 mode in transmission. A sensitivity analysis was conducted using two separate methods to determine the probability of detection (POD) for either the reflection or transmission signals. Both methods determine a POD for a specific defect, noise level, and array or scan pitch. Probability images are produced which map the POD for a range of defect sizes. For the parameters investigated in this study, it was found that in transmission large diameter defects have a higher detectability, whereas deep, narrow diameter defects are more detectable in reflection. A generalised overview of the sensitivity of short range guided waves is presented by combining both the reflection and transmission PODs. The data fused sensitivity of the S0 and SH hybrid modes are given as 0.6% and 0.75% cross sectional area (CSA) respectively, allowing for the comparison with LRGWs. The A0 mode was excluded from the POD analysis because it was much less sensitive than the other two modes.     

Investigations of electrically driven liquid metal flows using an ultrasound Doppler flow mapping system

This paper presents a combined experimental and numerical study of the properties of a liquid metal flow inside a cylinder driven by the application of a strong electrical current. The interaction between the electric current running through the melt and the corresponding induced magnetic field produces so-called electro-vortex flows. We consider here a configuration of two parallel pencil electrodes immersed at the free surface. Velocity measurements were performed by means of the Ultrasound Doppler method. A linear array of 25 singular transducers was used to determine the two-dimensional pattern of the vertical flow component. Numerical simulations of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) problem were conducted to calculate the Lorentz force, the Joule heating and the induced melt flow. Experimental and numerical results reveal a complex three-dimensional flow structure of the liquid metal flow. In particular, two pronounced downward jets are formed below both electrodes. The flow structure appears to be symmetrical with respect to two vertical cross sections being perpendicular to each other and one of the two planes contains the electrodes. The comparison between the experimental data and the numerical results shows a very good agreement.