• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2006

A digital ultrasonic image construction system was developed for the nondestructive detection of cracks in water distribution pipes. The system consists of PC based ultrasonic testing system and a scanning device. The PC based ultrasonic system has an ultrasonic pulse/receive board for the generation and reception of ultrasonic signals, an analogue to digital conversion board for the digitization of the received ultrasonic signals, and transducers for the ultrasonic sensors. Using this system, the digitized ultrasonic signals were properly constructed in accordance with the position information obtained by scanning device that moves an ultrasonic transducer along the outer surface of pipes. In the construction of the ultrasonic signals, signal processing concepts, such as spatial average and array concept, were considered to enhance the resolution of ultrasonic images of pipe wall. Using the developed system, crack detection experiments were performed in both laboratory and field, which shows promise for crack detection in the water distribution system.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.95-108
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• 1996

In ultrasonic testing, flaw signal from which quantitative information on flaws is determined is influenced by 3 factors : (1) the incident wavefield.produced by the transducer, (2) the scattered waves produced by flaws, and (3) the reception of the scattered waves back at the transducer. So even small changes in transducer performance due to aging or unexpected damages can produce the changes in the characteristics of flaw signal and finally the changes in the quantitative information on flaws. Thus a reliable calibration method of transducer performance is desired. Recently, theoretical models for ultrasonic testing have been employed as reference standards for the calibration of transducers which are considered as circular planar piston sources in the most of cases. But this simplification cannot be applied to partially damaged transducer which has lost their symmetry in performance, even not in appearance. Unfortunately there has been no reliable practical model which can be used for the calibration of partially damaged transducers. Here a pulse-echo testing model for partially damaged ultrasonic transducers was developed with experimental verification. The experimental responses agree very well with the theoretical prediction. So we expect that this model can be served as a theoretical reference standards for transducer calibration.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.279-284
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• 2008

The firmness of fruit is one of the most important quality factors and is highly correlated to the elastic modulus. In this study, the ultrasonic transmission method was applied to evaluate the elastic modulus of the apple. In order to transmit and receive the ultrasonic wave through the whole apple, the ultrasonic measurement setup consisted of ultrasonic pulser, two specially fabricated ultrasonic transducers for fruit and digital storage oscilloscope. Ultrasonic parameters such as ultrasonic wave velocity, apparent attenuation, and peak frequencies were analyzed. The elastic modulus of apple was measured by using compression test apparatus. The correlations between ultrasonic parameters and elastic modulus were analyzed. A multiple linear regression model describing the relationship between elastic modulus and ultrasonic parameters was proposed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.780-786
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• 2005

This study presents a non-video, non-invasive, automatic, on-site monitoring system the system employs ultrasonic transducers to detect behavior in sows before, during and after parturition. An ultrasonic transmitting/receiving (T/R) circuit of 40 kHz was mounted above a conventional parturition bed. The T/R units use ultrasonic time-of-flight (TOF) ranging technology to measure the height of the confined sows at eight predetermined locations. From this data, three momentary postures of the sow are determined, characterized as standing-posture (SP), lateral-lying-posture (LLP) and sitting posture (STP). By examining the frequencies of position switch Stand-Up-Sequence (SUS) between standing-posture (SP), lateral-lying-posture (LLP) and sitting-posture (STP) rate can be determined for the duration of the sow' confinement. Three experimental pureblooded Landrace sows undergoing normal gestation were monitored for the duration of confinement. In agreement with common observation, the sows exhibited increased restlessness as parturition approached. Analysis of the data collected in our study showed a distinct peak in Stand-Up-Sequence (SUS, i.e. the transition from lying laterally to standing up ) and sitting-posture (STP) rate approximately 12 h prior to parturition, the observed peak being 5 to 10 times higher than observed on any other measurement day. It is concluded that the presented methodology is a robust, low-cost, lowlabor method for the continuous remote monitoring of sows and similar large animals for parturition and other behavior. It is suggested that the system could be applied to automatic prediction of sow parturition, with automatic notification of remote management personnel so human attendance at birth could reduce rates of sow and piglet mortality. The results of this study provide a good basis for enhancing automation and reducing costs in large-scale sow husbandry and have applications in the testing of various large mammals for the effects of medications, diets, genetic modifications and environmental factors.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.313-320
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• 2007

Recently, a new class of single-crystal piezoelectric materials such as lead metanibobate doped with lead titanate (PMN-PT) has been synthesized and were found to further enhance the electro-mechanical coupling factor compared to piezo-ceramic materials. This paper describes fabrication and evaluation of PMN-PT single crystal ultrasonic transducers for contact measurement of stainless steel that is one of the highly attenuative materials. The design conditions for ultrasonic transducer such as front matching layer between test materials and piezo-material and backing materials were investigated based on the simulation results by KLM model. The PMN-PT single crystal ultrasonic transducers with centre frequencies at 1 and 2.25 MHz were fabricated and their performances were evaluated.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 1987

In recent days, the application of ultrasonics has been increased in the field of engineering and medicine. The ultrasonic hardness tester to apply the principle of contact compliance method is entirely different from hardness tester in the past and in the practical use, the more pre- cisive measurement is required because it has a slight change of hardness value due to the difference of resonance frequency. Therefore, in this study, as one type of applicative transducers which can detect the optimum pressure load, ring type load cell was used in the measurement of ultrasonic hardness. From experimental results, it was compared ultrasonic hardness testing method with the other hardness testing methods. Also, the measurement error of ultrasonic hardness tester could be measured within .+-. 0.5 HRC F.S. in the case of 3.0Kg pressure load.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.667-681
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• 2015

The scour induced by strong currents and wave action decreases the embedded length of monopiles and leads to a decrease of their structural stability. The objective of this study is the development and consideration of scour-monitoring techniques for offshore monopile foundations. Tests on physical models are carried out with a model monopile and geo-materials prepared in a cylindrical tank. A strain gauge, two coupled ultrasonic transducers, and ten electrodes are used for monitoring the scour. The natural frequency, ultrasonic reflection images, and electrical resistivity profiles are obtained at various scour depths. The experimental results show that the natural frequency of the model monopile decreases with an increase in the scour depth and that the ultrasonic reflection images clearly detect the scour shape and scour depth. In addition, the electrical resistivity decreases with an increase in scour depth. This study suggests that natural frequency measurement, ultrasonic reflection imaging, and electrical resistivity profiling may be used as effective tools to monitor the scour around an offshore monopile foundation.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.1069-1074
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• 2004

This study investigated the effect of pressure variations on augmentation of heat transfer when the ultrasonic waves were applied. The augmentation ratio of heat transfer was experimentally investigated and was compared with the profiles of pressure distributions calculated applying a coupled finite element-boundary element method (coupled FE-BEM). As the ultrasonic intensities increase from 70W to 340W, the velocity of the liquid paraffin is found to increase as well as kinetic energy, This physical behavior known as quasi-Eckart streaming results from acoustic pressure variations in the liquid. Especially, the higher acoustic pressure distribution near two ultrasonic transducers develops more intensive flow (quasi-Eckart streaming), destroying the flow instability. Also, the profile of acoustic pressure variation is consistent with that of augmentation of heat transfer. This mechanism is believed to increase the ratio of hear transfer coefficient.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1630-1639
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• 2004

The present paper investigated the correlation between the acoustic pressure variations and the augmentation of heat transfer in the ultrasonic induced acoustic fields. The augmentation ratios of heat transfer coefficient were experimentally measured and were compared with the profile of the pressure distribution in the acoustic fields predicted by numerical analysis. For numerical analysis, a coupled finite element-boundary element method (coupled FE-BEM) was applied. The results of the present study reveal that the acoustic pressure is higher near two ultrasonic transducers than other points where no ultrasonic transducer was installed. The augmentation trend of heat transfer is similar with the profile of the acoustic pressure distribution. In other words, as the acoustic pressure increases, the higher augmentation ratio of heat transfer is obtained. Numerical and experimental studies clearly show that the acoustic pressure variations are closely related to the augmentation of heat transfer in the acoustic fields.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.04b
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• pp.168-171
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• 2000

Underwater acoustic communications have made considerable advances in the past decade. The purpose of this paper is to achieve the underwater communication by ultrasonic sensors and to investigate conditions of good underwater acoustic communicators. As a result of this experiments, the ultrasonic sensors, MA40E7R/S, made by Nicera can be used as ultrasonic transducers for underwater communication using AM(Amplitude Modulation) signal and Transmission Loss is 17.328[dB] at 65[cm]. To make a good underwater communicator, proper diameter of disk PZT transduers is the one of most important factors, because radiation of acoustic wave depends on proper diameter of transduers and the transmission loss strongly depends on the spreading loss.