Phased-array ultrasonic surface contour mapping system. Technical note
The development of reliable mechanistic models for prediction of conventional and fluidized-bed combustor and gasifier operation and solids flow behavior in silos or other solids handling and storage components requires knowledge of the contained solids flow characteristics. This knowledge is gained from dynamic experimental measurements of bed top surface contours in addition to measurements of bulk bed properties. The surface contour mapping system (SCMS) provides a means of generating surface contour maps in real time with a unique, automatically focused, density-compensated, digital phased-array scanning, ultrasonic-range measurement system. The system is designed to operate in environments having gas temperatures up to 1,600 {degree}F and pressures to 1,000 psig. Computer simulation of several SCMS candidates and acoustic carrier modulation techniques indicates that a surface measurement resolution of {plus_minus}2 inches over a range of 5 to 20 feet distance between the transmit/receive (T/R) transducers and the bed surface can be expected. The simulation of a particular design, a 9-T/R, 25-pixel bed surface, in which the level of each pixel was randomly set between 5 and 7 feet below the plane of the T/R transducers, then measured using two different modulation techniques, produced excellent results. The simulation of this surface contour mapping system determined the value of the level of each of the 25 pixels to within {plus_minus}1 inch for over 95 percent of more than 100 test cases for one of the modulation techniques, and for over 99 percent of about 100 test cases for a second modulation technique. A hardware implementation of the design simulated but using only a two-T/R, three-pixel SCMS produced results very closely approximating those obtained during the simulation.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC), WV (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 10175361
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/METC-93/4113; ON: DE93000263; NC: NONE
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Nov 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Startup of the New 200 West Pump-and-Treat, Hanford Site, Richland, Washington - 13214
Phased-array ultrasonic surface contour mapping system and method for solid hoppers and the like