Provided is a sensor and method for weld defect detection. The sensor includes several piezoelectric elements which form a matrix arranged on a flexible substrate. Each piezoelectric element is covered with a damping block and surrounded by sound absorbing material, within a flexible protective film. The sensor is simple, highly adaptable and high detection efficiency, which is especially suitable for the quick in-service inspection of long distance welds in large equipment, it has high degree of automation.

A photoacoustic gas sensor is provided. The photoacoustic gas sensor includes a hermetically sealed housing filled with a reference gas. Further, the photoacoustic gas sensor includes a microphone system arranged inside the housing. The microphone system is configured to generate a first microphone signal comprising a first signal component related to a photoacoustic excitation of the reference gas and a second microphone signal comprising a second signal component related to the photoacoustic excitation. The photoacoustic gas sensor additionally includes a circuit configured to generate an output signal based on the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal by destructively superimposing a third signal component of the first microphone signal related to mechanical vibrations of the photoacoustic gas sensor and a fourth signal component of the second microphone signal related to the mechanical vibrations.

A system and method directed to inspecting a high density polyethylene pipe. The system includes a pipe inspection tool that is positioned about a fused polyethylene pipe joint. The inspection tool may include search units, a pipe carriage, a pulser and a phased array testing instrument programmed to adjust an amplitude response signal from the search units based on a vertically established time corrected gain curve. The inspection tool is rotated around the high density polyethylene pipe joint while propagating acoustical waves at various patterns and angles through the polyethylene pipe joint. Prior to the joint inspection, the inspection tool is calibrated using a calibration tool which includes a block having an array of equal sized bores positioned along different axis' through the block's depth. The block is constructed of the same material type and grade as the pipes that were fused together to form-the polyethylene pipe joint.

An ultrasound circuit comprising a trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) with built-in time gain compensation functionality is described. The TIA is coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an electrical signal generated by the ultrasonic transducer in response to receiving an ultrasound signal. The TIA is, in some cases, followed by further analog and digital processing circuitry.

According to one embodiment, a structure evaluation system according to an embodiment includes a plurality of sensors, a position locator, and an evaluator. The plurality of sensors detect elastic waves. The position locator locates positions of elastic wave sources by using the elastic waves among the plurality of elastic waves respectively detected by the plurality of sensors having an amplitude exceeding a threshold value determined according to positions of the sources of the plurality of elastic waves and the positions of the plurality of disposed sensors. The evaluator evaluates a deteriorated state of the structure on the basis of results of the position locating of the elastic wave sources which is performed by the position locator.

A method and a device for testing a component by means of ultrasound is described. It is based on using transducers (4) for sending a probe signal into the component and monitoring its propagation. The response signals (C1 . . . C7) of the individual receivers are analyzed for the strength (A) of the arriving surface wave, and this strength (A) is used for scaling the response signals (C1 . . . C7). This allows to compensate for variations in the coupling strength between the various ultrasonic transducers {4}.

Systems and methods for determining rate of corrosion in pipes and other structures are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for measuring a rate of corrosion progress in a specimen includes: generating a first initial pulse into the specimen by an ultrasonic transducer, and acquiring a first reflected waveform from the specimen. The first reflected waveform includes a first reflection of the first waveform and a second reflection of the first waveform. The method also includes generating a second initial pulse into the specimen by the ultrasonic transducer. The first initial pulse and the second initial pulse are separated by a time period. The method also includes acquiring a second reflected waveform from the specimen. The second reflected waveform includes a first reflection of the second waveform and a second reflection of the second waveform.

The invention relates to a method for the non-destructive testing of a mechanical part (2) by propagation of ultrasonic waves accomplished by means of a multi-element transducer (3) placed opposite the mechanical part and comprising a plurality of piezoelectric elements e(1), e(2), . . . , e(N), N>1. It comprises: for each element e(i) of the transducer, the emission of an ultrasonic wave at a given frequency and measurement, by each element e(j) distinct from the element e(i), of a time-varying signal kij(t) representing the back-scattered ultrasonic wave received by the element e(j); the determination of a first matrix of time-varying components based on the measured signals kij(t), i,j=1, . . . , N; the determination of a second matrix of frequency components corresponding to a determined frequency based on the frequency of the ultrasonic wave by applying a Fourier transform to said first matrix; the filtering of said second matrix comprising a projection of it onto a single scattering sub-space determined by means of a numerical calculation using a ray tracing algorithm; and the verification of the integrity of the mechanical part by using said filtered second matrix.

According to one embodiment, an estimating apparatus includes an insertion tube, a first sensor, a second sensor, a processing unit, an adder, and an analyzer. The insertion tube is detachably mounted midway along a coupling tube that couples an excitation source to a main unit. The first sensor is provided inside the insertion tube at a first distance from an exit of a space housing the excitation source. The second sensor is provided at a second distance from the first sensor. The processing unit performs filter processing to a first signal obtained by the first sensor. The adder adds a filtered signal and a second signal obtained by the second sensor, the first signal being the first signal having undergone filter processing by the processing unit. The analyzer analyzes a frequency of a signal obtained by the adder.

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for enhancing operation of an ultrasonic sensing device for determining the status of an object near such ultrasonic sensing device. From the ultrasonic sensing device, an emission signal having a current frequency or band in an ultrasonic frequency range is emitted. Ultrasonic signals are received and analyzed to detect one or more objects near or contacting the ultrasonic sensing device. After expiration of a predefined time period of emitting the emission signal, a background noise signal is detected from an environment of the ultrasonic device and background noise metrics are estimated based on the background noise signal. It is then determined whether the current frequency of the emission signal is optimized based on the background noise metrics. A next frequency or band is selected and the emission signal is emitted at the next frequency or band if it is determined that the current frequency or band is not optimum. The operations of detecting, estimating, determining, and selecting are repeated after each time a next frequency or band is selected and the emission signal is emitted at such next frequency or band.