Ultrasonic thickness measuring and imaging system and method

Patent · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:875149

Bylenok, Paul J. ^[1]; Patmos, William M. ^[2]; Wagner, Thomas A. ^[3]; Martin, Francis H. ^[4]

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1. Clifton Park, NY
2. Schenectady, NY
3. Bronswick, NY
4. Melrose, NY

An ultrasonic thickness measuring and imaging system uses an ultrasonic fsed beam probe for measuring thickness of an object, such as a wall of a tube, a computer for controlling movement of the probe in a scanning pattern within the tube and processing an analog signal produced by the probe which is proportional to the tube wall thickness in the scanning pattern, and a line scan recorder for producing a record of the tube wall thicknesses measured by the probe in the scanning pattern. The probe is moved in the scanning pattern to sequentially scan circumferentially the interior tube wall at spaced apart adjacent axial locations. The computer processes the analog signal by converting it to a digital signal and then quantifies the digital signal into a multiplicity of thickness points with each falling in one of a plurality of thickness ranges corresponding to one of a plurality of shades of grey. From the multiplicity of quantified thickness points, a line scan recorder connected to the computer generates a pictorial map of tube wall thicknesses with each quantified thickness point thus being obtained from a minute area, e.g. 0.010 inch by 0.010 inch, of tube wall and representing one pixel of the pictorial map. In the pictorial map of tube wall thicknesses, the pixels represent different wall thicknesses having different shades of grey.

• Research Organization: Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL), Niskayuna, NY
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC12-76SN00052
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US H1084
• Application Number: 07/565524
• OSTI ID: 875149
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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