Acoustic emission monitoring system
- Richland, WA
Methods and apparatus for identifying the source location of acoustic emissions generated within an acoustically conductive medium. A plurality of acoustic receivers are communicably coupled to the surface of the medium at a corresponding number of spaced locations. The differences in the reception time of the respective sensors in response to a given acoustic event are measured among various sensor combinations prescribed by the monitoring mode employed. Acoustic reception response encountered subsequent to the reception by a predetermined number of the prescribed sensor combinations are inhibited from being communicated to the processing circuitry, while the time measurements obtained from the prescribed sensor combinations are translated into a position measurement representative of the location on the surface most proximate the source of the emission. The apparatus is programmable to function in six separate and five distinct operating modes employing either two, three or four sensory locations. In its preferred arrangement the apparatus of this invention will re-initiate a monitoring interval if the predetermined number of sensors do not respond to a particular emission within a given time period.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA
- Assignee:
- Westinghouse Electric Corporation (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4033179
- OSTI ID:
- 862878
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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