Ultrasonic propagation in slurries

Experimental measurements have been made of the ultrasonic velocity and attenuation in some simple suspensions of, mainly, silicon carbide in water and in ethylene glycol. These are compared with theoretical predictions based on a novel hydrodynamic model. Predicted ultrasonic velocities are in excellent agreement with the measured values. Predicted and measured ultrasonic attenuations do not agree as well. However, the suspensions give rise to excess attenuations rising to a few hundred nepers per metre and special experimental techniques were needed to measure ultrasonic properties. To predict attenuations to within, say, 20% for mixtures such as these is a major achievement.