基于ARM的嵌入式超声传播时间测量装置

应用超声波检测技术进行检测时,通常需对超声波在介质中的传播时间进行精准的测量,为精准测量超声波的传播时间,设计了一套基于ARM的嵌入式超声传播时间测量装置。该装置电路运行稳定,成本低廉,采用多次测量结果取算数平均值的方法以减小随机干扰,采用参比方法放置接收探头以消减电路中电子器件的延时。通过对实验结果进行分析,得出该装置可精准测量超声波在实验试块中的传播时间且满足设计要求,分辨率可达一纳秒。     

Sonochemistry of molten gallium

This review article summarizes the comprehensive work that was done in our laboratory in recent years, as-well-as other reports, on the various aspects of sonochemistry of molten gallium. The low m_p (29.8 °C) of gallium enables its melting in warm water, aqueous solutions and organic liquids. This opened a new research direction that focused on the chemical and physical properties of gallium particles that were formed in such media. It includes their interactions with water and with organic and inorganic solutes in aqueous solutions and with carbon nanoparticles. Formation of nanoparticles of liquid gallium alloys was also reported.     

弯纵复合超声直线马达的研究

本文研究了一种利用一阶纵振动和二阶弯曲振动的弯纵直线超声马达，采用加粗两端金属块的方法达到频率简并。实验测量得出一阶纵振动为36．6kHz，二阶弯曲振动频率为37．3kHz。利用该马达设计研制了一套驱动装置，经实验测得，当马达的预压力14．3N时，该装置无承载且无负载速度大于6cm／s；该装置承载196N的重物且负载l-2kgf时，仍能正常运行。     

超声珩磨区实际气体的单空泡动力学分析

为进一步揭示功率超声振动的珩磨机理,以珩磨液为工作介质,研究了功率超声珩磨环境中实际气体的单空泡动力学特性。基于Rayleigh-Plesset方程,应用实际气体绝热方程和范德瓦尔斯方程对其进行了修正,建立了功率超声珩磨环境中实际气体的单空泡动力学方程以及实际气体单空泡共振频率方程。并运用4~5阶RungeKutta法模拟了不同超声条件(声压幅值、空泡初始半径、振动频率)对泡壁的运动以及运动速度的影响。结果表明:较高的声压幅值,空泡理论共振半径R'0与初始半径R0的比值为102数量级以及较低的超声频率有利于超声珩磨磨削区空化效应的发生。     

A planar Bézier profiled horn for reducing penetration force in ultrasonic cutting

An ultrasonic planar horn with a Bézier profile is developed. The first longitudinal displacement mode of the horn is exploited for high displacement amplification in order to reduce the penetration force required to enter and cut materials. The displacement amplification and stress distribution characteristics of the Bézier horn and the commonly used catenary horn are examined. The penetration force by the Bézier horn is nearly 75% of that by the catenary horn with a penetration speed of 0.25 mm/s during cutting a tissue stimulant. At a penetration speed of 0.5 mm/s, the penetration force by the Bézier horn is nearly 85% of that by the catenary horn for cutting a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) material. The decrease in the penetration force by the Bézier horn is attributed to the fact that the displacement amplification of the Bézier horn is 30% higher than that of the traditional catenary horn with the same length and end surface widths.     

Bipolar-power-transistor-based limiter for high frequency ultrasound imaging systems

High performance limiters are described in this paper for applications in high frequency ultrasound imaging systems. Limiters protect the ultrasound receiver from the high voltage (HV) spikes produced by the transmitter. We present a new bipolar power transistor (BPT) configuration and compare its design and performance to a diode limiter used in traditional ultrasound research and one commercially available limiter. Limiter performance depends greatly on the insertion loss (IL), total harmonic distortion (THD) and response time (RT), each of which will be evaluated in all the limiters. The results indicated that, compared with commercial limiter, BPT-based limiter had less IL (−7.7 dB), THD (−74.6 dB) and lower RT (43 ns) at 100 MHz. To evaluate the capability of these limiters, they were connected to a 100 MHz single element transducer and a two-way pulse-echo test was performed. It was found that the −6 dB bandwidth and sensitivity of the transducer using BPT-based limiter were better than those of the commercial limiter by 22% and 140%, respectively. Compared to the commercial limiter, BPT-based limiter is shown to be capable of minimizing signal attenuation, RT and THD at high frequencies and is thus suited for high frequency ultrasound applications.     

Design of an ultrasonic sensor for measuring distance and detecting obstacles

This paper introduces a novel method for designing the transducer of a highly directional ultrasonic range sensor for detecting obstacles in mobile robot applications. The transducer consists of wave generation, amplification, and radiation sections, and a countermass. The operating principle of this design is based on the parametric array method where the frequency difference between two ultrasonic waves is used to generate a highly directional low-frequency wave with a small aperture. The aim of this study was to design an optimal transducer to generate the two simultaneous longitudinal modes efficiently. We first derived an appropriate mathematical model by combining the continuum model of a bar and countermass with the compatibility condition between a piezoelectric actuator and a linear horn. Then we determined the optimal length of the aluminum horn and the piezoelectric actuator using a finite element method. The proposed sensor exhibited a half-power bandwidth of less than ±1.3° at 44.8 kHz, a much higher directivity than existing conventional ultrasonic range sensors.     

In vitro mouse model in Duchenne muscular dystrophy diagnosis using 50-MHz ultrasound waves

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by the absence of dystrophin, the protein that plays a key mechanical role in maintaining muscle membrane integrity. One of the major consequences of dystrophin deficiency is the degeneration of muscle fibres, with a progressive loss in muscle strength. The objective of this research was to find an ultrasonic parameter sensitive to DMD, which could give relevant information related to microstructure if compared to traditional investigations such as morphometrical analysis. This “in vitro” study focused on the Mdx mouse model and investigated the potential differences between wild-type and dystrophin-deficient mice diaphragms. Using a 50 MHz ultrasonic sensor built in our group, we recorded an increase in ultrasonic wave attenuation in the dystrophin-deficient samples in comparison with normal muscles. A correlation between attenuation, mouse age and the percentage of non-muscular proportion in muscle was observed. As Mdx mouse is the best animal model for DMD and reproduces the degenerative pattern observed in human DMD muscles, this approach could be a powerful tool for in vitro DMD investigation and, more generally, for the characterisation of muscle properties.     

Detection of delamination defects in CFRP materials using ultrasonic signal processing

In this paper, signal processing techniques are tested for their ability to resolve echoes associated with delaminations in carbon fiber-reinforced polymer multi-layered composite materials (CFRP) detected by ultrasonic methods. These methods include split spectrum processing (SSP) and the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. A simulation study on defect detection was performed, and results were validated experimentally on CFRP with and without delamination defects taken from aircraft. Comparison of the methods for their ability to resolve echoes are made.     

船用超声液位传感器的分析与设计

介绍了一种船用某型超声液位传感器的基本结构和工作原理。在对脉冲式超声探头的轴向声压分布特点及其声透射强度分析研究的基础上,给出了该传感器的超声信号发射端与接收端之间距离d和压电晶片保护膜的壁厚δ值的确定方法。最后设计了一套超声液位传感器性能测试实验平台,对上述理论研究结论进行了实验验证。