Ultrasound thermometry in transparent and opaque fluids

We have exploited the temperature dependence of sound velocity to measure the thermal fields in transparent and opaque fluids. A chamber containing glycerol undergoing Rayleigh–Bénard convection was probed with an ultrasound transducer operating in the pulse-echo mode. The times-of-flight for the ultrasound pulse to traverse the fluid at several transducer locations were converted into a temperature profile that is in qualitative agreement with simultaneous thermochromic liquid crystal visualization of the flow pattern. Temperature profiles in a mercury-filled stainless steel chamber have also been obtained, both for quiescent and turbulent flows, thereby validating the ultrasound thermometry concept for opaque fluids as well.