Single point imaging with suppressed sound pressure levels through gradient-shape adjustment

Acoustic noise produced during single point imaging (SPI) experiments was modulated by changes in the spatial encoding gradients. Parameters of both linear and sine-shaped gradient ramps were modified to minimize the acoustic noise levels. Acoustic noise measurements during SPI were measured on three different gradient systems and revealed that for small gradient-bore systems a considerable acoustic noise reduction of more than 20 dB can easily be achieved. SPI in conjunction with an optimized gradient waveform can be a superb alternative to the previously introduced single point ramped imaging with T(1) enhancement (SPRITE) method when sound levels and overheating of gradients are a concern.     

Investigation of the influence of humidity on the ultrasonic agglomeration of submicron particles in diesel exhausts

Removing very fine particles in the 0.01-1 micro m range generated in diesel combustion is important for air pollution abatement because of the impact such particles have on the environment. By forming larger particles, acoustic agglomeration of submicron particles is presented as a promising process for enhancing the efficiency of the current filtration systems for particle removal. Nevertheless, some authors have pointed out that acoustic agglomeration is much more efficient for larger particles than for smaller particles. This paper studies the effect of humidity on the acoustic agglomeration of diesel exhausts particles in the nanometer size range at 21 kHz. For the agglomeration tests, the experimental facility basically consists of a pilot scale plant with a diesel engine, an ultrasonic agglomeration chamber a dilution system, a nozzle atomizer, and an aerosol sampling and measuring station. The effect of the ultrasonic treatment, generated by a linear array of four high-power stepped-plate transducers on fumes at flow rates of 900 Nm(3)/h, was a small reduction in the number concentration of particles at the outlet of the chamber. However, the presence of humidity raised the agglomeration rate by decreasing the number particle concentration by up to 56%. A numerical study of the agglomeration process as a linear combination of the orthokinetic and hydrodynamic agglomeration coefficients resulting from mutual radiation pressure also found that acoustic agglomeration was enhanced by humidity. Both results confirm the benefit of using high-power ultrasound together with humidity to enhance the agglomeration of particles much smaller than 1 micro m.     

Velocity study in an ultrasonic reactor

In order to determine the parameters required to describe and to optimize sonochemical reactors, we have investigated the water flow inside such a reactor. With this aim, the experimental velocity field has been measured by tomography laser. The influence of certain parameters such as the electric power, the water height and the fluid viscosity has been evaluated. At the same time, the water movement has been studied theoretically using Nyborg's model. We have tried to improve this model by considering a three-dimensional velocity.     

Surface acoustic waves at the vacuum-thermoviscoelastic solid interface

The present investigation concerns the propagation of surface waves at the vacuum-solid interface of a solid which is isotropic and thermoviscoelastic, i.e., for which the effects of heat conductivity need to be taken into account. Calculations show that, in addition to the Rayleigh wave, a thermal surface wave propagates that couples both the thermal and the elasticity effects. This latter wave is interpreted in terms of evanescent plane waves. The displacement field associated with this wave is calculated and interpreted. Some experimental results are also presented.     

Toward the quantification of vocal efficiency

Quantifiable aspects of vocal fold vibration may be inferred by means of the electrolaryngograph. Changes in inferred vocal fold closed quotient are considered as a possible correlate of acoustic efficiency variation; automatic measures of closed quotient compare favorably with results obtained from inverse filtering of the speech pressure waveform. This article describes closed quotient measures based on electrolaryngographic analysis of 18 trained and untrained men singers, and results show a significant difference in mean vocal fold closed quotient between trained and untrained singers.     

Stochastic frequency-domain tissue characterization: application to human spleens ‘in vivo’

Ultrasonic waveforms backscattered from normal and pathologic human spleens were recorded in vivo using a high-speed digital data acquisition system. A frequency-domain analysis was performed for 50 digitized waveforms from each spleen, in which auto-correlations of frequency spectra were employed to measure the mean spacing among adjacent tissue scatterers. Mean scatterer spacing for normal spleens averaged 1.10 ± 0.14 mm, whereas abnormal, diffusely enlarged spleens had mean scatterer spacings averaging 1.52 ± 0.14 mm. The results of these measurements are in accord with those expected from splenic histology. The techniques described may be valuable in ultrasonic diagnosis of the spleen and other organs.     

固体浸没透镜光存储的信号探测技术

信号探测是固体浸没透镜成为实用存储技术的一个必需的组成部分。对在该项研究中获得的理论和实验成果进行了介绍。总结了针对固体浸没透镜机理的三维矢量理论 ,对影响信号探测的因素 ,例如头盘间距、盘片结构和光的偏振态等进行了讨论。介绍了基于固体浸没透镜光存储中信号探测的新技术和重要的实验结果。     

激光测距中的几种虚警抑制措施

激光测距的关键在于光电微弱信号的检测，如何调和可靠性和灵敏度之间的矛盾是弱检问题的关键。激光测距系统包括主控电路、发射电路、接收电路、计时电路以及其他一些功能电路，其中与虚警的产生和抑制密切相关的部分主要是接收电路和主控电路。从硬件设计和主控电路软件算法两方面，对测距机虚警抑制方法进行了分析，其虚警抑制方法对其他激光测距系统具有普遍意义。     

Stochastic filtering of multiphase transport phenomena

Whether or not a multiphase mixture is to be considered heterogeneous is a function of scale and hence also a function of the measurement process. Heterogeneities manifested through the measurement process and sampling frequency (extrinsic heterogeneity) are discussed in relationship to the intrinsic heterogeneity associated with the true physical environment. The question of whether or not a multiphase environment may be scaled is partially a function of the scale of the extrinsic heterogeneity of interest. Thus, it is also a function of the instrumental apparatus, which implies that the instrument must also be scaled. We review restrictive scaling constraints in frequency space that an instrument must satisfy for proper scaling of an experiment. Cushman (1984 Water Resour. Res. and 1985 Acta Appl. Math) developed a theory that incorporates the scale and measurement process directly into the multiphase transport equations and which in turn allows for correlation of field properties over scales of motion. We discuss a generalization of this theory which accounts for integral representations of distributional stochastic processes as a function of the scale of the instrument used in the measurement of the field variables. This allows us to solve the stochastic transport equations in an operational setting, i.e., in terms of measurable quantities. Throughout the article examples are presented to illustrate the concepts.