Current ISI and monitoring technologies in European energy industries

This paper reviews available information on the state of practice of inservice material property monitoring performed in European energy industries. Current practice includes a range of standard nondestructive testing and monitoring methods, improved remote sampling and surveillance specimen testing, and new monitoring techniques which are emerging from ongoing development programs. These new technologies include ultrasonic, positron annihilation, neutron diffraction, and magnetic techniques.     

A comparative study of transient waves in random (polycrystalline) media

The paper investigates the transient response of a random medium as predicted by two methods, a perturbation scheme and a causal approach. It is shown by direct computation of a pulse propagation that the perturbation scheme yields an advanced response inconsistent with the physical realizability of the medium. The causal model as well as a modified perturbation scheme exhibit a physically reasonable behavior.     

Ultrasonic crack characterization via a constrained inversion algorithm

The Kirchhoff approximation is used to show that the time domain impulse response of an isolated flat crack can be given a simple geometrical interpretation in terms of the derivative of a projected length function. For an elliptical crack, this derivative can be obtained explicitly to yield the two edge-diffracted waves which originate from the flashpoints of the crack. An explicit coordinate invariant expression is obtained from this elliptical crack solution which relates the time difference, t, between the arrival of these edge-diffracted waves and the crack size and orientation. Previously, we have proposed that this expression, together with t measurements in different scattering directions, could be used in a regression analysis as the basis for performing a constrained inversion of crack scattering data (i.e., where we attempt to obtain the best equivalent flat elliptical crack that fits the scattering measurements). Here we will demonstrate some results of applying the proposed algorithm using noisy synthetic data. The sensitivity of the results to both, number of measurements and transducer orientation, will be discussed.     

Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis for Synthesis of Spherical Zirconia Particles

This paper presents new findings on ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of zirconium hydroxyl acetate precursor drops whose sizes were precisely measured using laser light diffraction technique. Precursor concentration plays a predominant role in determination of product particle size. At 0.01 wt% precursor concentration, conventional spray pyrolysis at 750°C using precursor drops 5–8 μm in diameter, generated by an ultrasonic nebulizer at 2.66 MHz, yielded uniform spherical yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) particles 73 nm in diameter measured by scanning electron microscopy. The YSZ particle diameters were much smaller than those predicted by the one-particle-per-drop mechanism. Under similar reaction conditions, the high-throughput ultrasound-modulated two-fluid (UMTF) spray pyrolysis of larger precursor drops (28-μm peak diameter) also yielded spherical dense particles; they were significantly smaller in size than those produced by the low-throughput conventional ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of smaller drops (6.8-μm peak diameter).     

Fatigue lifetime prediction with the aid of SAW NDE

The present studies concentrated on predicting the remaining fatigue life for single fatigue cracks in the Paris regime of macrocrack propagation. Acoustic surface waves were used to interrogate the crack during cyclic fatigue. The inversion of the obtained scattering data provided crack depth and crack length as a function of the number of cycles applied in tension-tension fatigue. Auxiliary experiments were conducted to study the acoustic response of the crack to tensile and compressive loads, thought to open and close the crack. The technique may allow for new insights into the physics of the crack closure effect.     

The effects of oxygen partial pressure on the acoustic velocity in zirconia films studied by picosecond ultrasonics

We have performed a picosecond ultrasonic study of the effects of oxygen partial pressure on the acoustic velocity in zirconium oxide films made by radio frequency reactive sputtering. To derive more accurate and reliable values of sound velocity, various reflective layers were used to enhance the echo signals of acoustic pulses photoexcited by an ultrafast laser. It is found that the acoustic responses of the samples with a W reflective layer are much stronger than those with a Si or SiO₂ reflective layer. In addition, the W reflective layer generates extra photoacoustic waves, which can be utilized to improve the accuracy of velocity measurement. The thin film velocities we measured were 10∼24% less than the bulk value, and exhibited a strong dependence on the growth conditions and the microstructure of films.     

合金钢中白点缺陷超声反射波辨析

通过对进口合金钢中白点缺陷超声反射波形的分析研究，为白点缺陷的判定提供借鉴，保证工程材料的使用安全。     

球形微细金属粉末超声雾化技术的最新研究进展

处于制粉技术前沿的超声振动雾化技术以其在粉体质量、形貌与粒度分布等方面的独特优势而逐渐成为高品质、高性能金属与合金粉末的重要制备手段。概述了超声雾化制备球性微细金属粉末的技术特点，阐述了金属超声雾化技术的原理与相关机制，总结了近年来超声雾化在机制、粒度控制和工艺改进等方面的研究进展，同时介绍了国内外新近发展起来的复合型高效超声雾化技术和最新研究热点，以及针对实现窄粒度分布、扩大雾化金属种类方面所采取的相应对策。     

Beam shaping to enhance zero group velocity Lamb mode generation in a composite plate and nondestructive testing application

Zero group velocity (ZGV) Lamb modes have already shown their potential in nondestructive testing applications as they are sensitive to the sample structural characteristics. In this paper, we first consider an aluminum sample to validate a method based on the beam shaping of the generation laser. This method is proven to enhance ZGV Lamb modes in aluminum, and then advantageously applied to a composite material plate. Finally, based on the proposed method, scanning the sample over healthy and flawed zones demonstrates the ability to detect subsurface flaws.     

Measurement of High-Temperature Elastic Properties of Ceramics Using a Laser Ultrasonic Method

Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of SiC ceramics at temperatures >1400°C were obtained using a laser ultrasonics method that included a Fabry-Pérot interferometer (LUFP). At temperatures <1000°C, Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio measured using the LUFP method agreed well with those measured using standard contact methods, such as the resonance method and the ultrasonic pulse method. These results showed that the LUFP method is a powerful tool for measuring high-temperature elastic properties of advanced ceramics in a noncontact manner.