3D computational method to study the focal laws of transducer arrays for NDE applications

Based on the impulse response and the discrete representation methods, a 3D computational method has been developed to calculate the optimal focal laws to focus the ultrasonic beams through interfaces of complex geometry, and the respective transmitted ultrasonic field generated by NDE transducer arrays. 1- and 2D array transducers are considered. Two different focusing techniques are used to obtain the time delays: the first travel time on each center of the array element, and the cross correlation between the simulated signals from neighboring array elements. Applying the time delays to the array, the transmitted field can be simulated using the same computational method. Several simulations were performed to present the ability of the computational method to focus through, for instance, curved and plane surfaces between two media (acrylic-steel). A comparison between the two focusing techniques is presented.     

基于时间反转法的相控换能器声场的仿真研究

相控换能器具有焦距可调的优势。本文以82阵元相控换能器建立的3D数值仿真模型为例,基于时间反转法提取阵元的激励信号,利用时域有限差分(FDTD)法对Westervelt声波非线性传播方程进行声场数值仿真,研究不同阵元分布、偏离声轴的距离、设定焦距大小对形成声场的影响,可调控范围及其消除旁瓣方法。研究结果表明,随机分布相控阵可明显降低声场中的旁瓣;随着偏离声轴距离的增加,主瓣声压幅值逐渐减小,旁瓣与主瓣的最大声强比值r逐渐增大,且沿声轴的可调控范围逐渐减小;随声轴方向上设定焦距的增加,主瓣声压幅值先增大后减小,r值先减小后增大;基于时间反转法的高声压旁瓣消除法可在一定程度上扩大相控阵声场的可调控范围。     

A synthesis pattern of acoustic field produced by phased array based on the direct weighting of the controlled acoustic pressure

To optimize the acoustic field produced by phased array effectively and quickly, the pseudo-inverse method proposed previously is simplified.An approximate weight formula of sound pressure using a method of compensation to the amplitude and phase of the controlled sound pressure was presented.A multiple-focus field patterns based on the pseudo-inverse matrix algorithm can be obtained by presetting the value of the controlled sound pressure.A phased array comprised of 16×16 square elements is used for numerical simulation.The results show that the acoustic energy can be effectively deposited at the desired points,and the acoustic field can be synthesized quickly using the direct weight formula of the sound pressure.This study may offer an effective way for controlling the distribution of acoustic field in ultrasound hyperthermia.     

Combining COMSOL modeling with acoustic pressure maps to design sono-reactors

Scaled-up and economically viable sonochemical systems are critical for increased use of ultrasound in environmental and chemical processing applications. In this study, computational simulations and acoustic pressure maps were used to design a larger-scale sono-reactor containing a multi-stepped ultrasonic horn. Simulations in COMSOL Multiphysics showed ultrasonic waves emitted from the horn neck and tip, generating multiple regions of high acoustic pressure. The volume of these regions surrounding the horn neck were larger compared with those below the horn tip. The simulated acoustic field was verified by acoustic pressure contour maps generated from hydrophone measurements in a plexiglass box filled with water. These acoustic pressure contour maps revealed an asymmetric and discrete distribution of acoustic pressure due to acoustic cavitation, wave interaction, and water movement by ultrasonic irradiation. The acoustic pressure contour maps were consistent with simulation results in terms of the effective scale of cavitation zones (∼10 cm and <5 cm above and below horn tip, respectively). With the mapped acoustic field and identified cavitation location, a cylindrically-shaped sono-reactor with a conical bottom was designed to evaluate the treatment capacity (∼5 L) for the multi-stepped horn using COMSOL simulations. In this study, verification of simulation results with experiments demonstrates that coupling of COMSOL simulations with hydrophone measurements is a simple, effective and reliable scientific method to evaluate reactor designs of ultrasonic systems.     

基于电阻抗层析成像的高强度聚焦超声温度监测技术

作为一种对正常组织无损伤且不易引起癌细胞转移的非入侵肿瘤治疗手段,高强度聚焦超声(HIFU)治疗过程中焦域的温度监测是实现剂量精准控制的关键.本文基于生物组织的温度-电阻抗的关系,将电阻抗层析成像(EIT)和HIFU治疗相结合,提出了一种利用组织焦平面的表面电压实现电阻抗重构的检测技术.建立了HIFU治疗和EIT综合系统模型,在考虑组织的声吸收条件下,对三维Helmholtz方程在柱坐标下的声场计算进行了二维简化,并引入Pennes生物热传导方程来计算HIFU焦域的声压和温升分布特性;引入生物组织的温度-电阻抗关系,基于麦克斯韦电磁场理论,建立了具有温度分布HIFU焦域的电流和电压计算模型,利用恒流注入的边界条件实现电场计算,获得焦平面的表面电压分布.在数值计算中,利用实验聚焦换能器参数,模拟了在固定声功率下组织焦域的声场和温度场分布,以及中心和偏心聚焦条件下不同治疗时刻的电导率分布;然后通过对称电极的循环电流注入,计算了组织模型焦平面内的电流密度和电势分布,获得了焦平面圆周分布的表面电极电压;进一步采用修正的牛顿-拉夫逊算法,利用32×32的表面电极电压实现了焦平面内电导率分布的重建.结果表明,基于温度-电阻抗关系的EIT电导率重建技术不但能准确定位HIFU焦域中心,还能恢复HIFU治疗中焦域的温度分布,证明了EIT用于HIFU治疗中温度监测的可行性,为其疗效评估和剂量控制提供了一种无创电阻抗测量和成像新方法.     

Weak-focused acoustic vortex generated by a focused ring array of planar transducers and its application in large-scale rotational object manipulation

Contactless manipulation of multi-scale objects using the acoustic vortex(AV) tweezers offers tremendous perspectives in biomedical applications.However,it is still hindered by the weak acoustic radiation force(ARF) and torque(ART)around the vortex center.By introducing the elevation angle to the planar transducers of an N-element ring array,the weakfocused acoustic vortex(WFAV) composed of a main-AV and N paraxial-AVs is constructed to conduct a large-scale object manipulation.Different from the traditional focused AV(FAV) generated by a ring array of concave spherical transducers,a much larger focal region of the WFAV is generated by the main lobes of the planar transducers with the size inversely associated with the elevation angle.With the pressure simulation of the acoustic field,the capability of the rotational object driving in the focal plane for the WFAV is analyzed using the ARF and the ART exerted on an elastic ball based on acoustic scattering.With the experimental system built in water,the generation of the WFAV is verified by the scanning measurements of the acoustic field and the capability of object manipulation is also analyzed by the rotational trapping of floating particles in the focal plane.The favorable results demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale rotational manipulation of objects with a strengthened ART and a reduced acousto-thermal damage to biological tissues,showing a promising prospect for potential applications in clinical practice.     

Radiation Acoustic Field of a Linear Phased Array on a Cylindrical Surface

A new linear ultrasonic phased array fixed on a cylindrical surface is designed. This kind of the cylindrical phased array can meet the specific requirements of the application in testing pipe quality inside pipes. Using the transducer, we can not only avoid mechanical rotating but also test the quality of any point in a pipe by ultrasonic phase array technology. The focused acoustic field distributions in the axial, radial and tangential directions of the transducer are investigated theoretically by numerical simulation. The energy flux density, the width of the main lobe, the imaging resolution, the grating lobe elimination and other characteristics are analysed. The effect of the focal distance, effective aperture, transducer radius, number of total element, and steering angle on the acoustic field distribution is also studied.thoroughly. Many important results are obtained.     

Acoustic power measurement of high intensity focused ultrasound in medicine based on radiation force

How to measure the acoustic power of HIFU is one of the most important tasks in its medical application. In the paper a whole series of formula for calculating the radiation force related to the acoustic power radiated by a single element focusing transducer and by the focusing transducer array were given. Various system of radiation force balance (RFB) to measure the acoustic power of HIFU in medicine were designed and applied in China. In high power experiments, the dependence of radiation force acting the absorbing target on the target position at the beam axis of focusing transducer was fined. There is a peak value of "radiation force" acting the absorbing target in the focal region when the acoustic power through the focal plane exceeds some threshold. In order to avoid this big measurement error caused by the 'peak effect' in focal region, the distance between the absorbing target of RFB and the focusing transducer or transducer array was defined to be equal to or less than 0.7 times of the focal length in the National Standard of China for the measurements of acoustic power and field characteristics of HIFU. More than six different therapeutic equipments of HIFU have been examined by RFB for measuring the acoustic power since 1998. These results show that RFB with the absorbing target is valid in the acoustic power range up to 500W with good linearity for the drive voltage squared of focusing transducer or array. The uncertainty of measurement is within +/-15%.     

Laser generation of narrow-band and directed ultrasound

An aluminium hemicylindrical sample has been irradiated with an array of laser lines, with each line acting as a source of acoustic waves. Detection of the generated ultrasonic waves was performed using both a wide-band stabilized Michelson interferometer and a 20 MHz piezoelectric transducer. Experimental and theoretical results are presented which reveal that the use of a spatially modulated laser source produces significant narrow-banding of the detected ultrasound, compared with a single point or single line source case. Additionally, for a given line spacing, ultrasound of a particular frequency can be directed. Owing to the nature of the acoustic signals generated by each individual array element, superposition of several signals does not result in any energy directivity similar to that encountered in phase electromagnetic array antennas. While time or frequency feature enhancement may be obtained in a desired direction, in most cases the far field energy directivity pattern is simply the incoherent sum of the energy directivity of each array element.     

利用扩散场信息的超声兰姆波全聚焦成像

利用兰姆波的扩散场信号,实现了距离传感器较近缺陷的全聚焦成像.通过两传感器接收的扩散场全矩阵信号进行互相关,恢复出两传感器之间的格林函数响应,重建新的全矩阵.该重建全矩阵削弱了直接耦合采集响应信号中存在的早期饱和非线性效应信号,恢复了被遮盖的近距离缺陷散射信号.在含缺陷的各向同性铝板中激发兰姆波,重建信号的早期信息与直接俘获信号的后期信息相结合形成混合全矩阵,结合全聚焦成像,优化成像效果.所提方法为薄板类结构中距离传感器较近缺陷的兰姆波无损检测提供了理论指导.     

随机相控高强度聚焦超声换能器的栅瓣抑制

采用3种随机排列策略形成相控阵元线性排列结构抑制高强度聚焦超声(HIFU)相控阵栅瓣。第1种和第2种策略中阵元基于规则排列随机移动,而第3种策略中阵元则直接进行随机移动,阵元可移动范围依次为:第1种<第2种<第3种。采用瑞利积分和非线性Westervelt方程分别计算了3种策略对应随机相控阵产生的线性和非线性声场,并通过归一化栅瓣最大声压、归一化栅瓣平均声强和归一化旁瓣平均声强3个参量,对栅瓣抑制效果进行评价。结果表明:线性声场中,阵元可移动范围的增加有利于栅瓣抑制,3种随机策略的归一化栅瓣最大声压相比规则排列分别降低30.7%,53.8%和55.8%;非线性声场中对于同一种随机排列策略,随机度的增加可以改善栅瓣抑制效果。例如,第3种随机策略在随机度为0.9时正负压的归一化栅瓣最大声压相比规则排列分别降低55.6%和54.8%。进一步讨论了焦点偏移时随机相控阵的非线性声场,以-8 dB作为栅瓣的安全标准,第2种和第3种随机策略可以满足要求,横向偏移分别为6 mm和10 mm。本文的工作为抑制栅瓣提供了新思路,有利于随机HIFU相控阵的设计优化。      

Sound field control with a circular double-layer array of loudspeakers

This paper describes a method of generating a controlled sound field for listeners inside a circular array of loudspeakers without disturbing people outside the array appreciably. To achieve this objective, a double-layer array of loudspeakers is used. Several solution methods are suggested, and their performance is examined using computer simulations. Two performance indices are used in this work, (a) the level difference between the average sound energy density in the listening zone and that in the quiet zone (sometimes called "the acoustic contrast"), and (b) a normalized measure of the deviations between the desired and the generated sound field in the listening zone. It is concluded that the best compromise is obtained with a method that combines pure contrast maximization with a pressure matching technique.     

Two-dimensional phased arrays for application in surgery: Scanning by several focuses

Numerical simulation and comparative analysis of acoustic fields formed by two-dimensional phased arrays designed for ultrasonic surgery are conducted for the case of scanning by several focuses (in particular, by nine focuses arranged in a line and also by an array of nine focuses forming a 3×3 square grid). Calculations are performed for arrays with elements positioned at the surface both regularly (in square, ring, or hexagonal patterns) and randomly. Criteria for evaluating the “quality” of the intensity distributions in the field formed by the array in the case of scanning by several focuses are proposed. The quality of the intensity distributions for arrays containing 255 and 256 elements 5 mm in diameter arranged in regular patterns on the array’s surface (in square, ring, or hexagonal patterns) is inferior to that for arrays containing 256 randomly positioned elements. Among the regular arrays, the highest quality of intensity distributions is obtained for ring arrays, and the lowest quality is obtained for arrays with elements arranged in square or hexagonal patterns. The irregularity in the element positioning the array’s surface improves the quality of intensity distributions by reducing the secondary intensity peaks in the field formed by the array and, primarily, in the focal plane.     

Numerical analysis of the 2D acoustic field with epistemic uncertainty

Aiming at the problem that the epistemic uncertain parameters exist in an acoustic field,an evidence theory-based finite element method(ETFEM) is proposed by introducing the evidence theory,in which the focal element and basic probability assignment(BPA) are used to describe the epistemic uncertainty.In order to reduce the computational cost,the interval analysis technique based on perturbation method is adopted to acquire the approximate sound pressure response bounds for each focal element.The corresponding formulations of intervals of expectation and standard deviation of the sound pressure response with epistemic uncertainty are deduced.The sound pressure response of a 2D acoustic tube and a 2D car acoustic cavity with epistemic uncertain parameters are analyzed by the proposed method.The proposed method is verified through the comparison of the analysis results of random acoustic field with that of epistemic uncertain acoustic field.Numerical analysis results show that the proposed method can analyze the 2D acoustic field with epistemic uncertainty effectively,and has good prospect of engineering application.     

经颅超声聚焦方法和声场特性研究

基于高分辨的CT数据建立了非均匀颅骨仿真模型,该模型引入了颅骨的声衰减系数,深入研究和分析了声波时间反转法和超声相控阵法在颅脑中的聚焦方法及效果。颅骨具有较强的声波衰减特性,使用时间反转聚焦时需要进行幅度补偿,对于0.7MHz的频率信号,幅度补偿后的时间反转聚焦声场主瓣宽度窄、旁瓣低,焦点处声场比无幅度补偿的时间反转法提高8.86dB,比超声相控阵聚焦法提高7.89dB,具有很好的空间聚焦精度和聚焦效率。研究了颅骨衰减系数、声场焦点位置、声波频率、换能器阵列位置和方位等参数对聚焦声场的影响,结果表明,幅度补偿时间反转法比相控阵法具有更低的旁瓣,且高频时的聚焦效果比相控阵好,相控阵聚焦对换能器阵列的位置和方位比较敏感,而时间反转经颅超声聚焦对声传播路径和入射角具有更高的鲁棒性。      

Temperature and CH* measurements and simulations of laminar premixed ethylene jet-wall stagnation flames

New experimental 2D measurements are reported to characterise the flame location, shape and temperature of laminar premixed ethylene jet-wall stagnation flames when the equivalence ratio, exit gas velocity and burner-plate separation distance are varied. Bandpass-filtered optical measurements of the CH* chemiluminescence were used to provide information about the shape and location of the flames. Thin filament pyrometry (TFP) using a 14 µm diameter SiC filament was used to make line measurements of the temperature to reconstruct the full 2D temperature field for the first time in premixed, jet-wall stagnation flames. The comparison of CH* measurements with (intrusive) and without (non-intrusive) the presence of the SiC filament showed that the filament resulted in minimal disturbance of the flame when the filament was placed downstream of the flame front. However, the flame was observed to attach to the filament, resulting in more significant disturbance, when it was placed upstream of the flame front. The flames were simulated using both 1D and 2D models. The 2D simulations were used to provide estimates of the velocity, kinematic viscosity and thermal conductivity required to calculate the gas temperature from the TFP data. The 1D simulations showed excellent agreement with the experimentally observed centreline quantities, but required the strain boundary condition to be fitted in order to match the experimentally observed flame location. The 2D simulations showed excellent agreement without the need for any fitting, and correctly predicted the flame shape, location and temperature as the experimental conditions were varied. A comparison of the set of simulated temperature-residence times along different streamlines showed relatively uniform distributions within each flame. However, the most uniform set of temperature-residence time distributions did not correlate with the flattest flame.     

圆环形聚焦声场的构建与调控

提出了一种由径向振动模式的圆环形压电换能器晶片组成的圆柱形阵列换能器结构, 依据阵元激励信号的相位调控机理, 推导了圆环形聚焦声场的调控公式, 在三维空间中构建了圆环形聚焦声场, 实现了对其聚焦区域大小、聚焦圆环半径以及轴向位置移动的调控. 理论分析和仿真研究表明, 所提出的圆柱形阵列换能器实现了对圆环形聚焦声场的调控. 为检测超声、功率超声、医学超声等应用领域提供了一种可实现的新型圆环形可调控聚焦声场.     

Focusing of longitudinal ultrasonic waves in air with an aperiodic flat lens

Modeling and experimental results of an ultrasonic aperiodic flat lens for use in air are presented. Predictive modeling of the lens is performed using a hybrid genetic-greedy algorithm constrained to a linear structure. The optimized design parameters are used to fabricate a lens. A method combining a fiber-disk arrangement and scanning laser vibrometer measurements is developed to characterize the acoustic field distribution generated by the lens. The focal spot size is determined to be 0.88 of the incident wavelength of 80-90 kHz at a distance of 2.5 mm from the lens. Theoretically computed field distributions, optimized frequency of operation, and spatial resolution focal length are compared with experimental measurements. The differences between experimental measurements and the theoretical computations are analyzed. The theoretical calculation of the focal spot diameter is 1.7 mm which is 48% of the experimental measurement at a frequency of 80-90 kHz. This work illustrates the capabilities of a hybrid algorithm approach to design of flat acoustic lenses to operate in air with a resolution of greater than the incident wavelength and the challenges of characterizing acoustic field distribution in air.     

多层介质中超声相控阵声场仿真*

由于良好的声束偏转与聚焦特性,超声相控阵已经广泛应用于多层固体介质的缺陷检测。当超声束经过多层介质时,由于反射、透射以及模式转换的存在,多种声束存在于这种结构中,使得声场分析变得复杂。为了提高多层介质检测的准确性,有必要对超声声场的分布规律进行深入地了解。该文结合高斯声束等效点源模型以及射线追踪法,给出了相控阵声源在多层固体介质中激发声场的仿真方法,并且模拟计算了一维线型相控阵在楔块-铝-黄铜-钢四层固体介质中的辐射声场。通过对不同延时法则的计算,实现了声波在这种复杂介质中的偏转与聚焦,进而研究了不同焦点处聚焦声场的分布。结果表明:相控阵方法能使聚焦点处的声场幅值增大,能量集中,提高了检测分辨率;不同聚焦点处声场聚焦效果不同,实际检测时应根据检测区域结构及位置特点,合理放置相控阵换能器。与瑞利积分法的比较表明,该文的仿真方法适用于多层介质相控阵声场的计算。     

基于超声相控阵的环焊缝缺陷检测方法研究

针对传统超声探头焦距固定,检测位置的改变就要更换相应焦距的探头而影响检测效率的问题,提出一种基于超声相控阵换能器的环焊缝缺陷检测方法。而超声相控阵具有电子偏转和电子聚焦特性,能在不移动的情况下发射偏转聚焦超声束,有效地解决了上述问题。首先基于超声相控线阵换能器的声场特点,采用数值分析方法,研究了影响声束偏转聚焦性能的几个主要参数。然后给出了与超声相控阵换能器相连接的多通道数据采集系统结构。介绍了单通道声信号的硬件结构及相应的信号处理方法,实现了对换能器中单个阵元的精确延时的控制。实验结果表明,优化设计的超声相控线阵换能器具有较高的检测精度和检测效率。