METHOD FOR OPERATING AN ACOUSTIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM SO AS TO OPTIMIZE TRANSMITTED POWER
20220311279 · 2022-09-29
Assignee
Inventors
- Olivier FREYCHET (GRENOBLE, FR)
- Sébastien BOISSEAU (GRENOBLE, FR)
- François FRASSATI (Grenoble, FR)
- Ghislain DESPESSE (Grenoble, FR)
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
The invention essentially consists of a system (1) for transmitting acoustic power, which will determine the optimum frequency and the optimum electrical load without data communication being established beforehand with the receiver (3).
Claims
1. A method for operating an acoustic transmission system, comprising the following steps: i/ installing the system with at least one emitter and at least one acoustic receiver on a support, the system being an electric quadrupole whose impedance matrix, linking the emitter voltage (U.sub.1) and the receiver voltage (U.sub.2) to the emitter current (I.sub.1) and the receiver current (I.sub.2), is written using the equation:
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support is a wall the emitter and the receiver being arranged on the same side or on either side of the wall.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distinct electrical loads connected to the receiver in step ii/ is respectively an infinite load, corresponding to an open electrical circuit at the receiver, a load of known value, and a zero load, corresponding to a short circuit at the receiver.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the duration between each frequency scan is defined by the receiver, which waits for a predefined duration that is known to the emitter.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the duration between each frequency scan is defined by the receiver, which indicates to the emitter that it is ready by alternating the connected load, and then changes the connected electrical load.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the duration between each frequency scan is defined by a change in impedance at the emitter without active components at the receiver.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step iii/ comprises the following sub-steps: iii1/ determining the characteristic frequency (fopt) based on the determination of the maximum power achievable at each frequency (f) using the relationship
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein step iii2/ comprises keeping the voltage U1 at the emitter at a constant frequency and applying one of the two distinct electrical loads without the emitter disconnecting the signal.
9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein step iii2/ comprises measuring the amplitude of the signal of the voltage U2 or of the current I2 at the receiver during the connection of the first electrical load.
10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein step iii2/ comprises, before disconnecting the first electrical load, repeating a phase element as though the sinusoidal signal were continued.
11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein step iii2/ comprises applying the second electrical load.
12. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein step iii2/ comprises measuring the amplitude of U2 or I2 and the phase with the continued signal before disconnecting the first load.
13. The application of the method as claimed in claim 1 in order to send electric power through a metal wall.
14. The application according to claim 13, wherein the wall is a metal wall of a vessel, a submarine, a tank, a container or a pipe.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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[0073] A description is given below of a method for operating an acoustic transmission system according to the invention so as to maximize transmitted acoustic power.
[0074] Step i/: An acoustic transmission system 1 as shown in
[0075] This system 1 may be characterized as being an electric quadrupole shown schematically in
[0076] This system is also linear, even for large excitation amplitudes: see publication 1.
[0077] It may therefore be described correctly by its impedance matrix, the emitter voltage (U1) and the receiver voltage (U2) at the emitter current (I1) and the receiver current (I2), using the equation:
[0078] Thus, for each frequency, knowing Z.sub.11, Z.sub.12, Z.sub.21 and Z.sub.22 makes it possible to determine the behavior of the system.
[0079] It is then possible to determine the power transmitted for each frequency, thus making it possible to choose the optimum frequency for maximum power: see publication 2.
[0080] The system is a reciprocal quadrupole, hence: Z.sub.12=Z.sub.21.
[0081] In the most restrictive configuration, it is possible to access only the emitter 2, that is to say the input of the reciprocal quadrupole.
[0082] It is therefore possible only to measure the input impedance.
[0083] The inventors therefore conceived of performing three different measurements in order to be able to determine the values of Z.sub.11, Z.sub.12 and Z.sub.22.
[0084] The input impedance Zin of a quadrupole is given by:
[0085] in which Z.sub.load is the impedance of the load connected to the receiver 3 (
[0086] When the electrical impedance connected to the receiver is changed, the input impedance of the quadrupole also changes.
Step ii and iii1/:
[0087] Changing the load impedance connected to the receiver three times makes it possible to determine Z.sub.11, Z.sub.12 and Z.sub.22.
[0088] This method works for three different connected impedances Z.
[0089] For example, the three different impedances may be: [0090] when an open circuit is applied, then Z.sub.Load=+∞, [0091] when an impedance of known value is applied, then Z.sub.Load=Z [0092] when a closed circuit is applied, then Z.sub.Load=0.
[0093] Thus, in order to measure the input impedance with an open circuit on the output (Z.sub.in.sup.CO), the connected impedance is Z=+∞, hence Z.sub.11=Z.sub.in.sup.CO
[0094] In order to measure the input impedance with a known load on the output (Z.sub.in.sup.Z.sup.
[0095] And therefore,
[0096] In order to measure the input impedance when the output is short-circuited (Z.sub.in.sup.CC), the connected impedance is Z=0 hence
[0097] And therefore,
[0098] With these three measurements, the values of Z.sub.11, Z.sub.12 and Z.sub.22 are thus determined.
[0099] It is then possible to apply the formulas given in publication 2 in order to obtain the transmitted power normalized by the input voltage.
[0100] The normalized transmitted power is given by:
[0101] where
[0102] The normalized power is therefore maximized for each frequency f when:
[0103] By substituting this expression into that for the power, the maximum power achievable at each frequency is:
[0104] where is the real part of a complex number.
[0105] Therefore, by performing three frequency scans, by changing the electrical load connected to the receiver (different Z for each scan) for each scan, it is possible to determine the frequency that maximizes the output power.
[0106] Changing the load connected to the receiver requires only very little energy. It is therefore possible to determine the optimum frequency with very little energy stored on the receiver 3 side, while having access only to the emitter 2 side of the system.
[0107] Once the optimum frequency has been found, the emitter 2 is continuously supplied with power at this frequency.
[0108] The emitter may then trigger additional step iii2/, allowing it to determine the optimum electrical load applied to the receiver 3 in order to maximize the transmitted acoustic power.
[0109] Step iii2/:
[0110] The inventors believe that the connected impedance has a significant impact on the recovered power.
[0111] Indeed, considering a resistive load variation from 0 to infinity, there is recovery of electric power, that is to say that dissipated by the resistor. For these two extremes, the recovered power is zero (zero voltage or zero current).
[0112] There is therefore a maximum power to be recovered.
[0113] Finding this maximum power through iteration is a very lengthy process since it involves testing all possible electrical loads at the receiver, these also being resistive and reactive.
[0114] The inventors have therefore conceived of a method that makes it possible to dispense with this iteration.
[0115] Since the acoustic transmission system 1 is linear, then the inventors believe that Thevenin's theorem may be applied.
[0116] As a reminder, this theorem reads as follows: “A linear electrical network seen from two points is equivalent to a perfect voltage generator whose electromotive force is equal to the no-load potential difference between these two points, in series with an impedance equal to that measured between the two points when the independent generators are made passive”.
[0117] The system 1 may thus be considered to be an equivalent circuit diagram obtained by applying Thévenin's theorem, as shown in
[0118] By applying the maximum power theorem, the power on the load Z.sub.out is at a maximum when:
Z.sub.Load=Z.sub.out*
[0119] where Z.sub.out* is the complex conjugate of Z.sub.out: see publication 3.
[0120] In the case of a purely resistive load, the power transmitted to the load is at a maximum when Z.sub.Load=|Z.sub.out|.
[0121] Knowing Z.sub.out thus makes it possible to determine the optimum electrical load for obtaining the maximum power.
[0122] It is therefore a question of determining Z.sub.out. This complex (resistive and reactive) variable may be determined using two different methods: [0123] either by short-circuiting the emitter and by measuring the output impedance; [0124] or by performing two successive measurements on the (receiver) output when the emitter emits a sinusoidal signal.
[0125] The first method involves the receiver then having to emit a sinusoidal voltage, this requiring a relatively large amount of energy.
[0126] The inventors therefore preferred the second method since it required less energy.
[0127] According to this second method, considering [Equation 10]: U.sub.ėq+Z.sub.outI.sub.2=U.sub.2, there are two variables (U.sub.ėq,Z.sub.out).
[0128] Two equations are therefore needed to determine them. These are obtained by connecting two impedances of different values to the receiver 3.
[0129] For example, these values may be when the loads are open-circuited and short-circuited.
[0130] When the receiver 3 is open-circuited, I.sub.2=0, and then U.sub.ėq=U.sub.2.sup.CO.
[0131] By short-circuiting the receiver 3, U.sub.2=0, thereby making it possible to determine Z.sub.out using:
[0132] Hence:
[0133] The phase between U.sub.2.sup.CO and I.sub.2.sup.CC is large in order to determine the real and imaginary parts of Z.sub.out. Indeed, the optimum impedance to be connected at output may have a reactive component, as already mentioned.
[0134] One difficulty is that the voltage U.sub.2.sup.CO and the current I.sub.2.sup.CC are measured in a time-offset manner and that also, on the receiver side, there is no access to the emitted signal U.sub.1.
[0135] It is then not possible to directly measure a phase offset between U.sub.2.sup.CO and I.sub.2.sup.CC, or between U.sub.2.sup.CO and U.sub.1, or between I.sub.2.sup.CC and U.sub.1.
[0136] To overcome this difficulty, the inventors have conceived of a multi-step solution.
[0137] The first step consists in keeping the voltage U.sub.1 at the emitter 2 at a constant frequency throughout the duration of the two measurements, that is to say with the two different loads (open circuit and short circuit) without disconnecting the signal between the two measurements.
[0138] The second step consists in measuring the frequency and the phase of the signal, of the voltage U.sub.2 or of the current I.sub.2 at the receiver 3 during the connection of the first load. For example, by setting a counter to zero, when U.sub.2 or I.sub.2 crosses zero (with an increasing or decreasing value), and by storing the value of the counter at the next zero crossing of this current, in the same direction (increasing or decreasing) just before resetting the counter to zero.
[0139] The third step consists, just before disconnecting the first load, in continuing until obtaining the repetition of a phase element as though the signal were continuing. For example, in the example of the counter, the counter is no longer set to zero at the zero crossing of the voltage U.sub.2 or of the current I.sub.2, but when the counter reaches the value that had been measured/recorded beforehand at the end of a period.
[0140] Thus, when the second load value is connected, the phase of the current I.sub.2 and/or of the voltage U.sub.2 may be compared with this replicated/repeated phase element. For example, it is possible to measure the temporal or angular distance between the zero crossing of the signal U.sub.2 and/or I.sub.2 with the theoretical zero crossing (at the return of the counter to zero) of the signal U.sub.2 or I.sub.2 measured during the first load as though the single continued to exist.
[0141] “Just before” is understood to mean in practice compensation for the associated delay if necessary by resetting the counter to 1, or a few clock cycles, rather than zero for compensating for the delay induced in the setting to zero.
[0142] The impedance Z.sub.out may then be determined along with the optimum electrical load.
[0143] Steps ii/ and iii/ that have just been described for determining the frequency and the load to be connected in order to maximize the power transmitted to the receiver 3 are summarized in
[0144] Steps ii/ and iii1/ were validated experimentally with a system 1 on a 60 mm-thick aluminum wall.
[0145] The obtained spectra, as shown in
[0146] As already mentioned, in the frequency scans performed during steps ii/ and iii1/, it is necessary to change the electrical load connected to the receiver three times. Each change of electrical load has to be made after the end of the current frequency scan, and before the start of the following scan, in order to avoid interfering greatly with the measurement.
[0147] The duration needed for the change may be defined in line with the following three alternatives, which may be combined:
[0148] a/ Wait for a predefined duration: by defining a waiting duration, known beforehand to the emitter and the receiver. The receiver thus waits for this waiting duration that is known to the emitter after the end of the first frequency scan, before changing the connected electrical load;
[0149] b/ Wait for information from the receiver: the receiver indicates to the emitter, through an alternation of the connected load, that it is ready for the rest of the measurements and will change the connected load. This variation at the receiver is visible at the emitter and is sometimes used as a communication method: [4].
[0150] c/ Observe the input impedance and, based on this measurement, detect a change in output impedance: when the system is symmetrical (symmetrical wall and identical emitter and receiver), Z.sub.11=Z.sub.22. With this constraint, only two electrical loads are needed to characterize the system. These two loads may be applied passively to the receiver using a diode bridge and a capacitor connected to the receiver. In a first scan, the capacitor is discharged and imposes a zero voltage, and the behavior at input of the diode bridge is therefore equivalent to a closed circuit. By performing multiple frequency scans, the voltage across the terminals of the capacitor will increase, this being reflected in diode conducting and non-conducting phases. This non-linear behavior will be able to be analyzed at the emitter via a variation in the input impedance. The emitter may then reduce the excitation voltage level so that the voltage on the diode bridge is always lower than the voltage of the capacitor. The diodes are therefore in the blocking state 100% of the time and the impedance connected to the receiver is an open circuit. It is then possible to characterize the system without changing anything at the receiver.
[0151]
[0152] In this
[0176] Other advantages and improvements may be provided without, however, departing from the scope of the invention.
[0177] In the example described, in order to determine the parameters of the quadrupole (Z.sub.11, Z.sub.12 and Z.sub.22) and of the optimum electrical load at the receiver (Z.sub.opt), the method according to the invention consists in choosing, as distinct loads, an infinite load (open circuit), a zero load (short circuit) and any load other than infinity and zero. However, the method may be implemented regardless of the connected electrical loads, provided that they are distinct.
[0178] Moreover, the method described above relates to determining the frequency for maximizing the transmitted power. However, depending on requirements, it is entirely possible to choose the frequency that maximizes the voltage at the receiver U2 or the efficiency of the system. Indeed, knowing Z.sub.11, Z.sub.12, and Z.sub.22 for each frequency makes it possible to predict the behavior of an acoustic transmission system and therefore to make it work with a parameter that is optimized depending on the desired application.
[0179] The method described above is described with reference to an acoustic transmission through a metal wall. The invention may also apply to a support made of another material whose characteristic acoustic impedance is typically between 1 and 100 MRayl. This may be for example a material chosen from steels, aluminum and other metals, concrete, bitumen, wood, rigid plastics, porcelain, glass, etc.
[0180] Moreover, the method described above is described with reference to an emitter and a receiver arranged on either side of the same metal wall. It also applies to an emitter and a receiver on the same side of the wall, and more generally on the same support.
[0181] The method according to the invention may also apply to air-based inductive systems or inductive systems with magnetic circuits, as long as the system remains linear, that is to say with small signals (far from the saturation of the magnetic materials).
[0182] However, the method according to the invention is more suited to the transmission of acoustic power, for which the optimum operating frequencies are difficult to predict, difficult to reproduce and depend greatly on external variables such as temperature.
[0183] The optimum operating frequencies are difficult to predict as the operation is highly dependent on the transmission medium. In RF, the propagation medium is generally air, or else an intermediate controlled/designed by the designer of the system, and there are not as many randoms and impacts of the propagation medium.
[0184] The invention is not limited to the examples that have just been described; features of the illustrated examples may in particular be combined with one another within variants that are not illustrated.
LIST OF CITED REFERENCES
[0185] 1: T. J. Lawry et al., “Electrical optimization of power delivery through thick steel barriers using piezoelectric transducers”, in Energy Harvesting and Storage: Materials, Devices, and Applications, April 2010, vol. 7683, p. 768314, doi: 10.1117/12.852563. [0186] 2: O. Freychet, F. Frassati, S. Boisseau, N. Garraud, P. Gasnier, and G. Despesse, “Analytical optimization of piezoelectric acoustic power transfer systems”, Eng. Res. Express, vol. 2, no. 4, p. 045022, November 2020, doi: 10.1088/2631-8695/abcb4a. [0187] 3: O. Freychet et al., “Efficient optimal load and maximum output power determination for linear vibration energy harvesters with a two-measurement characterization method”, Smart Mater. Struct., vol. 29, no. 1, p. 015003, November 2019, doi: 10.1088/1361-665X/ab516f. [0188] 4: G. J. Saulnier et al., “P1G-4 Through-Wall Communication of Low-Rate Digital Data Using Ultrasound”, in 2006 IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium, October 2006, p. 1385-1389, doi: 10.1109/ULTSYM.2006.358.