• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2006

Reactor core and internal structures of a liquid metal reactor (LMR) can not be visually examined due to an opaque liquid sodium. The under-sodium viewing technique by using an ultrasonic wave should be applied far the visual inspection of reactor internals. In this study, an ultrasonic waveguide sensor with a strip plate has been developed for an application to the under-sodium viewing technique. The Lamb wave propagation of a waveguide sensor has been analyzed and the zero-order antisymmetric $A_0$ plate wave was selected as the application mode of the sensor. The $A_0$ plate wave can be propagated in the dispersive low frequency range by using a liquid wedge clamped to the waveguide. A new technique is presented which is capable of steering the radiation beam angle of a waveguide sensor without a mechanical movement of the sensor assembly The steering function of the ultrasonic radiation beam can be achieved by a frequency tuning method of the excitation pulse in the dispersive range of the $A_0$ mode. The technique provides an opportunity to overcome the scanning limitation of a waveguide sensor. The beam steering function has been evaluated by an experimental verification. The ultrasonic C-scanning experiments are performed in water and the feasibility of the ultrasonic waveguide sensor has been verified.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.336-339
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• 2007

A sensor having capability to measure two different kinds of ultrasonic waves selectively is described. Under the same bias field configuration, this magnetostrictive type sensor can selectively measure longitudinal waves and flexural ones. Since the switching operation of mode selection is made only by changing the polarity of the permanent magnets used to configure the bias field, it will be very useful after the permanent magnet are interchanged with electromagnets. In order to find the optimal operating bias field, finite elements analysis is used and the condition for flexural wave measurements to meet is found. The linearity of the sensor is verified by experiments and the requirements for linearity also are proposed.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.192-198
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• 2017

In this paper, we newly developed a passive transponder for visible light identification (VLID) using ultrasonic wave. The solar cell in the transponder receives the reader light and generates current for supplying power to the transponder circuit. At the same time the solar cell detects the interrogating signal in the visible light from the reader. The transponder recognizes the interrogating signal and generates the responding signal using ultrasonic wave. In experiments, we used 40 kHz ultrasonic wave for the responding signal from the transponder. The maximum read distance was about 3.4 m when the transponder was exposed to the reader light of 24W LED array.

• Water Engineering Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2006

The scouring process is complex and subject to many factors. Recently, experiments for real-time bridge scour monitoring have been active as means for a more reliable scour prediction. Riverbed materials are an important factor in bridge scouring; therefore, an accurate estimation of riverbed material is critical in predicting a scour. As a part of this approach, an ultrasonic sensor, which can not only detect river bottom during floods but can also be installed lose to the underwater structures, was developed. This sensor is able to map the river bottom using an ultrasonic waves with the characteristics of the returning wave, reflected from an object or bottom ground. The reflected wave is unique according to the situations, or materials below. Therefore, it would be possible to identify the consisting materials of a riverbed if we could reveal each characteristic in the received signals. In this study, a preliminary experiment was performed in the laboratory to identify and classify received signals, which is unique to each material. The analysis of this experiment gives the graph, which makes it possible to identify materials of the river bottom through the ultrasonic signals. The proposed graph was verified through a comparison with the actual field data measured in river.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2021

In this study, we successfully developed a highly reliable ultrasonic sediment sensor to detect the sediment levels in sewer pipes in harsh environments. The ultrasonic transducer employed in the ultrasonic sediment sensor was designed so as to possess a simple structure. The developed sensor was carefully optimized by simulating the electromechanical characteristics, radiated sound wave pressures, and directivity via finite element analysis. It was also designed to possess a simple mounting structure minimizing the flow disturbance in a 400-mm sewer pipe; additionally, eight ultrasonic transducers were arranged in a four-channel mode, allowing for measurement of the sediment height in five easy steps. Through experimental evaluations, we verified the performance of the ultrasonic sediment-level sensor and its industrial applicability. The results suggested that although the precision value was notably low at 15 mm, the sediment detection performance was adequate; therefore, the developed sensor can potentially be used in industrial applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.403-405
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• 1999

Power transformers have a tendency of ultra-high voltage and huge capacity as power demand increases day after day. Therefore, the fault by insulation destruction gives rise to large area of power failure in huge capacity transformers. On-line predictive diagnostics is very important In power transformers because of economic loss and its spreading effect. Hence, this study presents experiments of partial discharge method using ultrasonic sensor in order to confirm the possibility of ultrasonic sensor in power transformers. It carries out the experiments of measuring delay time between ultrasonic sensor and transducer, sensitiities by temperature change of oil and by barriers inside transformers. It is also Included wave analysis by ultrasonic sensor for needle-plate electrode powered on through high-voltage equipments.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.215-220
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• 2012

Miniature ultrasonic and tactile sensors on Si substrate have been proposed, fabricated and characterized to detect objects for a dexterous robot. The ultrasonic sensor consists of piezoelectric PZT thin film on a Pt/Ti/$SiO_2$ and/or Si diaphragm fabricated using a micromachining technique; the ultrasonic sensor detects the piezoelectric voltage as an ultrasonic wave. The sensitivity has been enhanced by improving the device structure, and the resonant frequency in the array sensor has been equalized. Position detection has been carried out by using a sensor array with high sensitivity and uniform resonant frequency. The tactile sensor consists of four or three warped cantilevers which have NiCr or $Si:B^+$ piezoresistive layer for stress detection. Normal and shear stresses can be estimated by calculation using resistance changes of the piezoresitive layers on the cantilevers. Gripping state has been identified by using the tactile sensor which is installed on finger of a robot hand, and friction of objects has been measured by slipping the sensor.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.254-260
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• 2023

A sensor system has been developed that uses an ultrasonic sensor to detect the downhill slope on the side of a forest road and prevents a vehicle-type forest machine from rolling down a mountainside. A specular reflection of ultrasonic wave might cause severe issues in measuring distances to targets. By investigating the installation angle of the sensor to minimize the negative effects of specular reflection, the installation angle of lateral monitoring ultrasonic sensor could be determined based on the width of road shoulder. Obstacles such as small rocks or piece of log in a forest road may cause the forest machine to be overturned while the machine riding over due to excessive its posture change. It was determined that the laser sensor could be a part of a sensor system capable of specifying the location and size of small obstacles. Not only this sensor system including ultrasonic and laser sensors can issue a warning of dangerous sections to drivers in forest forwarders currently in use, but also it can be used as a driving safety sensor in autonomous forest machine or remote-control forest machine in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.283-292
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• 2009

Laser-based ultrasonic sensing requires the probe with fixed fecal length, but this requirement is not essential in laser-based ultrasonic generation. Based on this fact, we designed a pulsed laser-based ultrasonic wave propagation imaging (UWPI) system with a tilting mirror system for rapid scanning of target, and an in-line band-pass filtering capable of ultrasoaic mode selection. 1D-temporal averaging, 2D-spatial averaging, and 3D-data structure building algorithms were developed far clearer results allowing fur higher damage detectability. The imaging results on a flat stainless steel plate were presented in movie and snapshot formats which showed the propagation of ultrasound visible as a concentric wavefield emerging from the location of an ultrasonic sensor. A hole in the plate with a diameter of 1 mm was indicated by the scattering wavefields. The results showed that this robust UWPI system is independent of focal length and reference data requirements.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2003

Ultrasonic transmitter used for scale prevention in boiler or heat exchanger is composed of the magnetostrictive material which transforms electric energy into ultrasonic wave and the horn which amplifies generated ultrasonic wave and transfers it into medium loaded. In this paper, we have performed the shape design for magnetostrictive material and analyzed a few type of horns which amplify generated ultrasonic wave and found each solution theoretically. Final length of the horn has been determined by measuring the sound pressure in medium between theoretical value and experience data. At last we have given the results of our study for the effects of ultrasonic wave irradiated by manufactured ultrasonic transmitter on preventing scale deposition on test pipe under the similar condition to boiler.