The systems and methods of the present disclosure are directed to ultrasound-based concentration measurement techniques in which both scatterer count and image volume are measured concurrently to provide absolute concentration measurements. In particular, through the techniques of the present disclosure, the effective thickness of an ultrasound beam can be determined based on the spreading of individual scatterers within ultrasound images. Based on the effective thickness of the ultrasound beam, the volume of the image and, thus, the concentration of particles in the image can be determined directly, without the need for estimation, approximation, or use of a reference sample.

A consumption meter, e.g. a water or heat meter, for measuring a flow rate of a fluid supplied in a flow tube. First and second ultrasonic transducers are arranged at the flow tube for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals transmitted through the fluid and operated by a flow measurement sub-circuit for generating a signal indicative of the flow rate of the fluid. A noise measurement sub-circuit operates a sensor arranged at the flow tube for detection of acoustic signals of the flow tube, and being arranged to generate a signal indicative of a noise level of the flow tube accordingly. This sensor may comprise a separate transducer, or the sensor may be constituted by one or both of the first and second ultrasonic transducers. The consumption meter may communicate data representative of the noise level via a communication module along with data consumed amount of water, heat etc. Such consumer noise level measurement at the consumer site allows collection of noise level data to assist in locating fluid leakages in a fluid supply pipe system.

An apparatus to determine the concentration of a target component in a mixture, the apparatus including at least one acoustic transducer located within the mixture, a controller generating a signal for the at least one acoustic transducer that's generating an acoustic signal in the mixture and transmitting same toward the target component within the mixture, wherein the acoustic signal is generated with a known power level, and a processor for measuring change in the power level of the at least one acoustic transducer as the acoustic signal is transmitted through the mixture, wherein the magnitude of the change in signal power determines the concentration of the target component in the mixture.

A system for treating cellulosic fibers to improve paper, board and tissue quality; the system involves splitting fibers into an original portion having original fibers and a refinable portion. The refinable portion may further be fractionated by one or more fibers properties by a fiber fractionation system into a first fraction and a second fraction. The refinable portion as a whole, or a fractionated fraction thereof, is then refined to produce refined fibers. Varying amounts of the original unrefined fibers, refined fibers and possibly additionally fractionated unrefined fibers are blended together to form an optimized slurry that is processed by a paper machine into an optimized paper product. A master control system, fiber measurement system and optional fractionation maintenance system may be integrated with the overall system to regulate all processing.

A method for dynamically evaluating sag of a fluid by providing a test volume of the fluid into an angled sample chamber, wherein the angled sample chamber has a central axis, and wherein the central axis of the angled sample chamber is angled relative to horizontal, rotating the sample chamber about the central axis for a test period, and determining a sag density, wherein the sag density is a density of a fluid sample taken at a sample location within a stratum of the test volume of the fluid present in the angled sample chamber.

A consumption meter, e.g. a water or heat meter, for measuring a flow rate of a fluid supplied in a flow tube. First and second ultrasonic transducers are arranged at the flow tube for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals transmitted through the fluid and operated by a flow measurement sub-circuit for generating a signal indicative of the flow rate of the fluid. A noise measurement sub-circuit operates a sensor arranged at the flow tube for detection of acoustic signals of the flow tube, and being arranged to generate a signal indicative of a noise level of the flow tube accordingly. This sensor may comprise a separate transducer, or the sensor may be constituted by one or both of the first and second ultrasonic transducers. The consumption meter may communicate data representative of the noise level via a communication module along with data consumed amount of water, heat etc. Such consumer noise level measurement at the consumer site allows collection of noise level data to assist in locating fluid leakages in a fluid supply pipe system.

A method of determining a mixing state of a medium in a container includes: transmitting a plurality of acoustic signals at least partly through the medium and receiving the plurality of acoustic signals after at least partly traversing the medium; determining at least one propagation value of at least one propagation quantity for each of the plurality of received acoustic signals to provide determined propagation values, each at least one propagation quantity being indicative of an interaction of the acoustic signals with the medium; determining at least one fluctuation value of at least one fluctuation quantity based on the determined propagation values to provide a determined at least one fluctuation value, each at least one fluctuation quantity being indicative of and/or correlating with a variance of the determined propagation values and/or with a state of a mixture; and determining the mixing state of the medium.

The present invention comprises methods and systems that use acoustic radiation pressure.

A consumption meter, e.g. a water or heat meter, for measuring a flow rate of a fluid supplied in a flow tube. First and second ultrasonic transducers are arranged at the flow tube for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals transmitted through the fluid and operated by a flow measurement sub-circuit for generating a signal indicative of the flow rate of the fluid. A noise measurement sub-circuit operates a sensor arranged at the flow tube for detection of acoustic signals of the flow tube, and being arranged to generate a signal indicative of a noise level of the flow tube accordingly. This sensor may comprise a separate transducer, or the sensor may be constituted by one or both of the first and second ultrasonic transducers. The consumption meter may communicate data representative of the noise level via a communication module along with data consumed amount of water, heat etc. Such consumer noise level measurement at the consumer site allows collection of noise level data to assist in locating fluid leakages in a fluid supply pipe system.

A sensor assembly communicatively coupled to a processing device is configured to be disposed within and move along a pipe configured to flow a fluid. The sensor assembly includes a tubular housing configured to be centrally retained within the pipe. The tubular housing includes an outer diameter smaller than an internal diameter of the pipe. The sensor assembly also includes a plurality of ultrasonic elements coupled to and distributed evenly along an external surface of the tubular housing to define a gap between an outer surface of the ultrasonic elements and an internal surface of the pipe. The ultrasonic elements are configured to transmit ultrasonic signals and sense ultrasonic signals reflected from the internal surface of the pipe to sense corrosion and scale buildup information inside the pipe. The ultrasonic elements are configured to transmit the information to the processing device.