Ultrasonic hydrometer
Abstract
The disclosed ultrasonic hydrometer determines the specific gravity (density) of the electrolyte of a wet battery, such as a lead-acid battery. The hydrometer utilizes a transducer that when excited emits an ultrasonic impulse that traverses through the electrolyte back and forth between spaced sonic surfaces. The transducer detects the returning impulse, and means measures the time "t" between the initial and returning impulses. Considering the distance "d" between the spaced sonic surfaces and the measured time "t", the sonic velocity "V" is calculated with the equation "V=2d/t". The hydrometer also utilizes a thermocouple to measure the electrolyte temperature. A hydrometer database correlates three variable parameters including sonic velocity in and temperature and specific gravity of the electrolyte, for temperature values between 0.degree. and 40.degree. C. and for specific gravity values between 1.05 and 1.30. Upon knowing two parameters (the calculated sonic velocity and the measured temperature), the third parameter (specific gravity) can be uniquely found in the database. The hydrometer utilizes a microprocessor for data storage and manipulation. The disclosed modified battery has a hollow spacer nub on the battery side wall, the sonic surfaces being on the inside of the nub and the electrolyte filling between the surfaces tomore »
- Inventors:
-
- Naperville, IL
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 864957
- Patent Number(s):
- 4442700
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- ultrasonic; hydrometer; disclosed; determines; specific; gravity; density; electrolyte; wet; battery; lead-acid; utilizes; transducer; excited; emits; impulse; traverses; forth; spaced; sonic; surfaces; detects; returning; means; measures; time; initial; impulses; considering; distance; measured; velocity; calculated; equation; 2d; thermocouple; measure; temperature; database; correlates; variable; parameters; including; values; degree; 40; 05; 30; knowing; third; parameter; uniquely; found; microprocessor; data; storage; manipulation; modified; hollow; spacer; nub; wall; inside; filling; exclusion; intervening; structure; accessible; pad; exposed; opposite; surface; allows; reliable; placement; thereagainst; measured temperature; parameters including; surface allows; data storage; specific gravity; measured time; sonic velocity; electrolyte fill; lead-acid battery; ultrasonic hydrometer; variable parameters; temperature value; sonic surface; /73/
Citation Formats
Swoboda, Carl A. Ultrasonic hydrometer. United States: N. p., 1984.
Web.
Swoboda, Carl A. Ultrasonic hydrometer. United States.
Swoboda, Carl A. Sun .
"Ultrasonic hydrometer". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864957.
@article{osti_864957,
title = {Ultrasonic hydrometer},
author = {Swoboda, Carl A},
abstractNote = {The disclosed ultrasonic hydrometer determines the specific gravity (density) of the electrolyte of a wet battery, such as a lead-acid battery. The hydrometer utilizes a transducer that when excited emits an ultrasonic impulse that traverses through the electrolyte back and forth between spaced sonic surfaces. The transducer detects the returning impulse, and means measures the time "t" between the initial and returning impulses. Considering the distance "d" between the spaced sonic surfaces and the measured time "t", the sonic velocity "V" is calculated with the equation "V=2d/t". The hydrometer also utilizes a thermocouple to measure the electrolyte temperature. A hydrometer database correlates three variable parameters including sonic velocity in and temperature and specific gravity of the electrolyte, for temperature values between 0.degree. and 40.degree. C. and for specific gravity values between 1.05 and 1.30. Upon knowing two parameters (the calculated sonic velocity and the measured temperature), the third parameter (specific gravity) can be uniquely found in the database. The hydrometer utilizes a microprocessor for data storage and manipulation. The disclosed modified battery has a hollow spacer nub on the battery side wall, the sonic surfaces being on the inside of the nub and the electrolyte filling between the surfaces to the exclusion of intervening structure. An accessible pad exposed on the nub wall opposite one sonic surface allows the reliable placement thereagainst of the transducer.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1984},
month = {1}
}