• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.17 no.8
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2012

This paper proposes design space exploration methodology of many-core processors including multimedia specific instructions to support high-performance and low power ultrasound imaging for portable devices. To explore the impact of multimedia instructions, we compare programs using multimedia instructions and baseline programs with a same many-core processor in terms of execution time, energy efficiency, and area efficiency. Experimental results using a $256{\times}256$ ultrasound image indicate that programs using multimedia instructions achieve 3.16 times of execution time, 8.13 times of energy efficiency, and 3.16 times of area efficiency over the baseline programs, respectively. Likewise, programs using multimedia instructions outperform the baseline programs using a $240{\times}320$ image (2.16 times of execution time, 4.04 times of energy efficiency, 2.16 times of area efficiency) as well as using a $240{\times}400$ image (2.25 times of execution time, 4.34 times of energy efficiency, 2.25 times of area efficiency). In addition, we explore optimal PE architecture of many-core processors including multimedia instructions by varying the number of PEs and memory size.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.181-189
• /
• 2006

A 2D finite-element numerical simulation has been developed to investigate the generation of ultrasonic waves in a homogeneous isotropic elastic slab under a line-focused laser irradiation. Discussing the physical processes involved in the thermoelastic phenomena, we describe a model for the pulsed laser generation of ultrasound in a metal slab. Addressing an analytic method, on the basis of an integral transform technique, for obtaining the solutions of the elastodynamic equation, we outline a finite element method for a numerical simulation of an ultrasonic wave propagation. We present the numerical results for the displacements and the stresses generated by a line-focused laser pulse on the surface of a stainless steel slab.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.190-197
• /
• 2006

For enhancement of flaw detactability using array transducers, focusing of ultrasonic waves on a target in an inhomogeneous medium or through a complex geometry is important. But focusing can be strongly degraded by geometrical distortion of field radiated by the array transducers or by sound speed fluctuations in the propagating medium. In recent years, the time reversal technique has been proposed. Thus, in this paper, we describe the basic principal of the time reversal technique for focusing. Then, the implementation results of the time reversal technique for ultrasonic inspections using bulk waves and guided waves generated by array transducers are presented.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.15 no.6
• /
• pp.4019-4023
• /
• 2014

This study examined the effectiveness of ultrasound on enhancing the dewaterability and volume reduction of bio solids from a waste treatment plant. The test specimen was obtained from a storage tank immediately before the dewatering process at a local treatment plant. The test conditions included the energy levels of ultrasonic waves and treatment time. The tests were undertaken using three types of different treatment processors (7 liter, 1 ton, 7 ton container). The capillary suction time (CST) and the viscosity of sludge, which is one of the influencing factors for dewaterbility, were obtained under various test conditions. The results showed that ultrasound increases the CST of the raw specimens, whereas a significant reduction (20 % of the maximum value) of CST occurred in the sample with ultrasound and flocculent. The decrease in viscosity reached 40 % of the maximum value. A centrifugal test was performed to examine the characteristics of the sludge settlement. The settling rate and time required to reach the final values were both enhanced by the ultrasonic energy. An ultrasonic treatment is potentially useful tool for reducing the amount of released sludge. To examine the possible use of field application, the real scale sonic processor was designed and operated. The results were similar (50 % of the maximum value) to those of laboratory experiments.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.590-599
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship of nutritional status measured by the body composition and dietary nutrients intakes with calcaneal broadband ultrasound attenuation in college students. Total of 886 (462 male and 424 female) students who received health examination in May 2007 participated in this research. Participants bone status was measured by a quantitative ultrasound method and t-score was calculated via WHO guideline. For body composition measurements, body fat, height and weight were measured and BMI was calculated. Dietary data were collected by a 24-hour recall method. Based on Asia-Pacific standard of WHO, BMI was divided into 3 groups; UW (BMI < 18.5), NW + OW (18.5 $\leqq$ BMI < 25) and Obese group (25 $\leqq$ BMI). Among male students, 2.4% belong to the UW group, 45.0% to the NW+OW group and 52.6% belong to the obese group, bwhile 10.4% of female students belong to the UW group, 71.9% to the NW + OW group and 17.7% of female students belong to the Obese group. Differences among male and female students were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Students with higher BMI showed significantly higher bone health status. Male students did not show any significant differences in nutrients intakes by BMI groups while female students showed the higher intakes of energy, protein, pyridoxin, phosphorus, iron and zinc among NW + OW group than other groups (p < 0.05). The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of diet by BMI groups did not show any significant differences in both male and female students. The result of the multiple regression analyses showed that the body fat and bone status was negatively related while energy intake was positively related with the bone status. These results revealed that bone health status was positively affected by BMI but not by body fat. In conclusion, among those who are at their twenties, the period when the bone density becomes maximized, body fat may negatively affect bone health unlike during other life cycle stages.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.236-240
• /
• 2017

In this paper, we investigate the thermal response of skin tissue to high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) by means of infrared (IR) thermal imaging. For skin tightening, a 7-MHz ultrasound transducer is used to induce irreversible tissue coagulation in porcine skin. An IR camera is employed to monitor spatiotemporal changes of the temperature in the tissue. The maximum temperature in the tissue increased linearly with applied energy, up to $90^{\circ}C$. The extent of irreversible tissue coagulation (up to 3.2 mm in width) corresponds well to the spatial distribution of the temperature during HIFU sonication. Histological analysis confirms that the temperature beyond the coagulation threshold (${\sim}65^{\circ}C$) delineates the margin of collagen denaturation in the tissue. IR thermal imaging can be a feasible method for quantifying the degree of thermal coagulation in HIFU-induced skin treatment.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.53 no.4
• /
• pp.1304-1310
• /
• 2021

Two-phase flow, especially gas-liquid two-phase flow, has a wide application in industrial field. The diagnosis of two-phase flow parameters, which directly determine the flow and heat transfer characteristics, plays an important role in providing the design reference and ensuring the security of online operation of two-phase flow system. Computer tomography (CT) is a good way to diagnose such parameters with imaging method. This paper has proposed a novel image reconstruction method for thermal neutron CT of two-phase flow with improved simulated annealing (ISA) algorithm, which makes full use of the prior information of two-phase flow and the advantage of stochastic searching algorithm. The reconstruction results demonstrate that its reconstruction accuracy is much higher than that of the reconstruction algorithm based on weighted total difference minimization with soft-threshold filtering (WTDM-STF). The proposed method can also be applied to other types of two-phase flow CT modalities (such as X(𝛄)-ray, capacitance, resistance and ultrasound).

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.56-61
• /
• 2018

In Bunsen reaction section for the integrated operation of sulfur-iodine (SI) process, $I_2$ and $H_2O$ reactants are supplied as dissolved species in an $HI_x$ solution. Most of the $H_2SO_4$ product is found in the $HI_x$ phase when Bunsen reaction is performed using the $HI_x$ solution and $SO_2$ feed, so that the volume ratio of the $H_2SO_4$ phase to the $HI_x$ phase is very low. In this study, we investigated the effects of ultrasound irradiation on Bunsen reaction using the $HI_x$ solution to improve its phase separation performance. With ultrasound irradiation, the amount of $H_2SO_4$ moved to the $H_2SO_4$ phase from the $HI_x$ phase increased by up to 58.0 mol% and the volume of $H_2SO_4$ phase also increased by up to 13.1 vol%. In particular, the effect of ultrasound irradiation on the phase separation was improved with decreasing operating temperature, $I_2$ and $H_2O$ feed concentrations. The ultrasound irradiation induces the formation of additional $H_2O$ molecules by shifting microscopically the reaction equilibrium in the $HI_x$ phase. Afterward, the additionally generated $H_2O$ and isolated $H_2SO_4$ molecules form more $H_2SO_4{\cdot}xH_2O$ (x = 5-6) clusters that can be moved to the $H_2SO_4$ phase.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.15 no.7
• /
• pp.669-676
• /
• 2006

PAHs are major pollutants that are widely distributed in soil and groundwater environment, so that may be regarded as carcinogens. We investigated the degradation kinetics of PAH in aqueous solution when low pressure UV energy and ultrasonic irradiation were applied. Phenanthrene and pyrene were used as model compounds. The degrees of degradation of these compounds with time were analyzed with a GC/MSD (SIM-mode). UV photolysis experiments showed that phenanthrene was reduced by 90 -67% at initial concentrations of 1 ppm to 8ppm whilst it decreased to 50% at 10 ppm. Under the same conditions pyrene was degraded up to about 75% at lower initial concentrations but the reduction efficiency dropped to a level of 34 to 29% at the higher concentrations above 8 ppm. The reaction orders for phenanthrene and pyrene were found to be zero-th and ca. -0.4th order, respectively, thus implying that the reported assumption of pseudo 1st order reaction for some PAHs would be no longer valid. PAH degradation was roughly proportional to the intensity of UV (number of lamps), exhibiting maximum 92.5% of the degradation efficiency. The solution pH was lowered to 4.4 from 6.4 during the experiments partially because the carbons decomposed by the energy reacted with oxygen radicals to produce carbon dioxides. Ultrasonic irradiation on phenanthrene solutions gave relatively poor results which matched to 50 to 70% of degradation efficiency even at 2 ppm of initial concentration. Phenanthrene was found to be degraded more efficiently than pyrene for the two energy sources. Ultrasound also followed the same reaction kinetics as UV energy on PAH degradation.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.155-160
• /
• 2011

An animal fat is an attractive biodiesel energy source for its high stability against oxidation and low incomplete combustion ratio due to the high heating value and cetane value. However, it requires a refinery process because of the high content of saturated acid and impurity which increas the boiling point. In this study, the optimum biodiesel synthetic process of lard is suggested. Indeed, we demonstrate new biodiesel production processes to alter conventional process of heating and mixing by applying ultrasonic energy. While the optimum reaction temperature and mole ratio of methanol and lard, when using conventional mixing and heating process, were $55^{\circ}C$ and 12, respectively, the reaction time were reduced to 30 minutes by applying ultrasonic irradiation power of 500 W. The new process applying ultrasonic irradiation yielded synthetic biodiesel properties as followings: 3.34 cP of the viscosity, 37.0 MJ/kg of the caloric value and below 0.25 mgKOH/g of the acidic value, which satisfy biodiesel quality criteria.