An ultrasonic sensor includes a first base facing a conveying surface, a transmission section on a first axis tilted relative to the conveying surface and at a far side of the first base for transmitting an ultrasonic wave toward the first axis, and a reception section on the first axis and at a far side of the conveying surface for receiving the ultrasonic wave. The transmission section has a plurality of transmission elements for transmitting the ultrasonic wave arranged to cross the first axis. The first base has a first aperture through which the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transmission section along the first axis passes. An area of the first aperture is smaller than an area of an ultrasonic wave transmission surface of the transmission section. The transmission section delays driving the transmission elements to converge the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transmission section toward the first aperture.

A sensor system for detecting water or air in a hollow member comprises a first acoustic sensor assembly in a first housing on one side of the hollow member, a second acoustic sensor assembly in a second housing on the opposite side, a controller unit connected to the first and/or second sensor assemblies, and where the first and second sensor assemblies and the controller unit are provided with power supply. Each of the first and second sensor assemblies comprises a set of probes connected to electronics for transmitting and receiving signals, and where the housings comprise fastening means for connecting the housings and the probes to the hollow member. The controller unit comprises a microcontroller, software for controlling and coordinating transmission and reception of signals between said probes, and means for registering and logging data generated by the sensor assemblies. A method detects water or air in a hollow member.

A portable inspecting device includes PZT transducers and performs active sensing to measure the characteristics of bolted connections. The PZT transducers are mounted on opposing ends of spring-loaded rods and can be moved apart to accommodate a structure for testing. The springs cause the PZT transducers to push against opposing parts of the structure in a stable but temporary fashion. The device can be physically moved to inspect the status and health of multiple different bolted connections.

Techniques for non-invasive diagnosis and/or monitoring of corrosion in high temperature systems using specialized sensors that produce multi-mode acoustic signals in situ for accurate determination of wall loss and/or physical property changes for a vessel in contact with a high temperature, highly corrosive substance are disclosed. Sensitivity of a few microns (or about 0.1%) of wall loss, detection of changes in physical properties of vessel contents (e.g., approximately 1%), or both, at temperatures of 500° C., 600° C., or higher may be realized. Corrosion may be identified and/or monitored using time domain, frequency domain, or mixed time domain and frequency domain analysis of signal characteristics, signal delay, or both, for relatively short circumferential acoustic wave propagation (e.g., a few inches), as well as relatively long axial acoustic wave propagation (e.g., tens of feet).

An ultrasonic detection and tensile calibration test method for bonding strength grade comprising bonding an upper substrate block to bonding groove(s) to form a theoretical bonding area, and applying a downward actual tensile force to a lower substrate block; obtaining an actual bonding area of the theoretical bonding area; calculating a first actual bonding strength by using the actual tensile force and the actual bonding area, and comparing the first actual bonding strength with a second actual bonding strength calculated to verify the correctness of the theoretical bonding area as a calibrated bonding strength; forming a bond strength table in which the theoretical bonding areas, the actual bonding areas and the first actual bonding strengths are in one-to-one correspondence; and using the actual bonding area to find the actual bonding strength corresponding to the actual bonding area from the bonding area bonding strength table.

An apparatus for measuring thickness includes: a chamber; a sound wave transmitter transmitting a sound wave in the chamber; a sound wave receiver receiving the sound wave transmitted from the sound wave transmitter in the chamber; and a supporter between the sound wave transmitter and the sound wave receiver.

According to one implementation, a structural health monitoring system includes an ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic sensor, a strain sensor and a signal processing part. The ultrasonic transducer oscillates an ultrasonic wave to the first inspection area. The ultrasonic sensor detects a waveform of at least one of a transmission wave of the ultrasonic wave and a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave. The transmission wave has transmitted the first inspection area. The reflected wave has been reflected in the first inspection area. The strain sensor detects a strain amount of the second inspection area. The signal processing part obtains at least one index, representing health of the structural object including the first inspection area and the second inspection area, based on the waveform detected by the ultrasonic sensor and the strain amount detected by the strain sensor.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a transport belt, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a controller. The transport belt transports the recording sheet. The optical sensor emits light to the transport belt, and receives the light reflected by the transport belt. The ultrasonic sensor transmits ultrasonic wave to the transport belt, and receives the ultrasonic wave transmitted through the transport belt. The controller decides whether an output from each of the optical sensor and the ultrasonic sensor represents a normal value or an abnormal value, and executes predetermined control, depending on a combination of decision results about the respective outputs from the optical sensor and the ultrasonic sensor.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an ultrasonic characterization method for a flowstream to detect impurities that can include placing a first transducer and a second transducer aligned confocally to a flowstream, transmitting, from the first transducer, ultrasonic waveform signals into the flowstream, receiving, by the second transducer, the ultrasonic waveform signals, removing waveform signal reflections using a pitch-catch configuration of the first transducer and the second transducer, detecting waveform signals indicating impurities in the flowstream using induced nucleation of the impurities, detecting waveform signals indicating bubbles in the flowstream using nonlinear dynamic behaviors of the bubbles, and differentiating between the waveform signals of the impurities and the waveform signals of the bubbles using cavitation properties of the impurities and the bubbles.

The technology of the invention relates to an ultrasonic characterization method for a flowstream to detect impurities that can include placing a first transducer and a second transducer aligned confocally to a flowstream, transmitting, from the first transducer, ultrasonic waveform signals into the flowstream, receiving, by the second transducer, the ultrasonic waveform signals, removing waveform signal reflections using a pitch-catch configuration of the first transducer and the second transducer, detecting waveform signals indicating impurities in the flowstream using induced nucleation of the impurities, detecting waveform signals indicating bubbles in the flowstream using nonlinear dynamic behaviors of the bubbles, and differentiating between the waveform signals of the impurities and the waveform signals of the bubbles using cavitation properties of the impurities and the bubbles.