• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.124-130
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• 2011

In this study, in order to evaluate the yield of bubble by ultrasonic cavitation in HIFU sonication, the bubble image analysis was performed. The changing phenomenon of cavitation effect according to the sonication condition was discussed by analyzing the bubble image. Especially the appearance of bubble cloud, the size of micro-bubble, and the yield of bubble were considered. The 500 KHz and 1.1 MHz concave type ultrasonic transducers were used for HIFU sonication. Computer controlled digital camera was used to obtain the bubble image, and the binary image processing(binarization coefficient : 0.15) was performed to analyze them. In results of 500 KHz and 1.1 MHz transducer, the area of bubble cloud was increased in proportion to the rise in sonication intensity($R^2$ : 0.7031 and 0.811). The mean size of single microbubble was measured as 98.18 um in 500 KHz sonication, and 63.38 um in 1.1 MHz sonication. In addition, the amount of produced bubble was increased in proportion to sonication intensity. Through the result of this study and further study for variable image processing method, the quantitative evaluation of ultrasonic cavitation effects in HIFU operation could be possible with the linearity associated with the sonication conditions.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.388-394
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• 2010

In the present study, polyacetal bone mimics with circular cylindrical pores were used to investigate variations of speed of sound and attenuation coefficient with porosity and microarchitecture in bone. The speed of sound and attenuation coefficient of the 6 bone mimics with porosities from 0 % to 65.9 % were measured by a through-transmission method in water, using a pair of broadband, unfocused transducers with a diameter of 12.7 mm and a center frequency of 1.0 MHz. Independently of the structural properties of the bone mimics, the speed of sound decreased almost linearly with the increasing porosity. The attenuation coefficient measured at 1.0 MHz exhibited linear or nonlinear correlations with the porosity, depending on the structural properties of the bone mimics. These results are consistent with those previously published by other researchers using bone samples and mimics, and advances our understanding of the relationships of the ultrasonic parameters for the diagnosis of osteoporosis with the bone density and microarchitecture in human bones.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.158-166
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• 2011

In the present study, copper and nickel foams with an open-celled structure as trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms were used to investigate the dependencies of group velocity and attenuation coefficient on structural properties such as trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) in trabecular bone. The group velocity and attenuation coefficient of the copper and nickel foams were measured by a through-transmission method in water, using a pair of broadband, unfocused transducers with a diameter of 12.7 mm and a center frequency of 1.0 MHz. The separation of the Biot's fast and slow waves was consistently observed in the ultrasonic signals transmitted through the copper and nickel foams. The group velocities of the copper and nickel foams showed highly positive correlations with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp. The attenuation coefficient of the copper foam showed a highly negative correlation with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp, whereas that of the nickle foam showed a highly positive correlation with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp. These results advance our understanding of those previously reported by other researchers using trabecular bone samples or phantoms.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.220-225
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• 2014

Generally, the nonlinearity of ultrasonic waves is measured using a nonlinear parameter ${\beta}$, which is defined as the ratio of the second harmonic's magnitude to the power of the fundamental frequency component after the ultrasonic wave propagates through a material. Nonlinear parameter ${\beta}$ is recognized as an effective parameter for evaluating material degradation. In this paper, we evaluated the nonlinear parameter of Al6061-T6 which had been subjected to an artificial aging heat treatment. The measurement was using the transmitted signal obtained from contact-type transducers. After the ultrasonic test, a micro Vickers hardness test was conducted. From the result of the ultrasonic nonlinear parameter, the microstructural changes resulting from the heat treatment were estimated and the hardness test proved that these estimates were reasonable. Experimental results showed a correlation between the ultrasonic nonlinear parameter and microstructural changes produced by precipitation behavior in the material. These results suggest that the evaluation of mechanical properties using ultrasonic nonlinear parameter ${\beta}$ can be used to monitor variations in the mechanical hardness of aluminum alloys in response to an artificial aging heat-treatment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.682-692
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• 2007

This study presents an automatic system to predict parturition time in the crated sows. The system relies on ultrasonic transducers mounted from above along the length of the crate. Using a 40 kHz time of flight (TOF) single envelope wave, the momentary distances between the sensors are measured. Therefore, the local momentary height of the sow and the momentary posture, i.e. standing posture (SDP), kneeling posture (KP), sitting posture (STP) and lateral lying posture (LLP) are determined. Crated sows change their postures from standing to lying and vice versa which follows a characteristic pattern. As parturition approaches, sows exhibit uneasiness, restlessness and the stand up sequence (SUS, the posture transition from LLP to SDP) rate increases because of labor pains. In time series, the SUS rate demonstrates a peak and it happens approximately 0-12 h before parturition. In this paper, the basic parturition threshold value method (BPTVM) and the same hour method (SHM) are proposed for predicting parturition, both of which are based on the SUS rate. The BPTVM mainly detects the peak of the SUS rate. As the SUS rate exceeds the threshold value, the parturition becomes predictable. Moreover, the SHM calculates the difference in the SUS rates between a particular time of day and the corresponding time of the preceding day. Compared to the BPTVM, the SHM can eliminate the circadian rhythm of the SUS rate influenced by feeding behavior. Using the SHM the parturition can be approximately predicted within hours. In an attempt to define the threshold parameters of predicting parturition, a data set with 32 sows of the SUS rate are used to estimate assumable predicting probability. The results show the assumable probability of the parturition prediction within 9 h is 96.9% for the SHM and 84.4% for the BPTVM. Moreover, the SHM can even reach a 75% probability of prediction within three hours of parturition. We conclude that the SHM is more accurate and is more useful for parturition time prediction. When parturition is detected, the proposed algorithm generates a warning signal which can inform human personnel to protect the mother and newborn piglets.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.193-197
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• 2013

In this study, ultrasonic nonlinear characteristics in the heat-treated aluminum alloy have been evaluated. The nonlinearity of ultrasonic wave has been measured as the acoustic nonlinear parameter ${\beta}$, depending upon the amplitude ratio of the second-order harmonic and the fundamental frequency component of ultrasonic wave propagating through the materials. The parameter ${\beta}$ measurement has been carried out with the reflected signals from the back-wall of specimens at the same plane using the contact-type transducers. The heat-treatment, aging, has been achieved at $300^{\circ}C$ for various durations in the range of 1 to 50 hours. The tensile strength and elongation are obtained by the tensile test and then compared with the parameter ${\beta}$. There is a peak of the acoustic nonlinear parameter ${\beta}$ on 5 hours aging and the ${\beta}$ decreases thereafter, exhibiting closed relations with tensile strength and elongation. Also, the heat-treatment time showing peak in the parameter ${\beta}$ was identical to that showing severe change in the ${\sigma}-{\varepsilon}$ curve. These results suggest that the acoustic nonlinear parameter ${\beta}$ can be used for monitoring the strength variations with aging of aluminum alloys.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.408-416
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• 2021

In the ultrasonic dispersion, in order to avoid direct contact of the radiation surface of ultrasonic transducers with a liquid sample, the liquid sample is separated by a glass container and it receives ultrasonic energy through an acoustic medium. The transmission efficiency of the ultrasonic energy in the multi-layered ultrasonic system is an important factor. In this study, we suggested a method that can improve the ultrasonic energy transfer efficiency by using a propylene glycol solution as a liquid matching layer in the multi-layered acoustic system. In this method, a propylene glycol solution was filled between the Langevin-type ultrasonic transducer and the luminol solution and the sonoluminescence phenomena in the luminol solution, which is caused by nonlinear effect of high power ultrasound radiated from the transducer, was examined by using a Photo Multiplier Tube (PMT). The transmission efficiency depending on the concentration of propylene glycol solution was observed, and we can see that as the concentration of the propylene glycol solution increased, the matching effect increased while the acoustic attenuation increased. It was confirmed that there is an optimal concentration compromised these two conflicting conditions, and the optimum concentration of the propylene glycol solution was determined experimentally.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.661-667
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• 2009

Trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms consisting of parallel-nylon-wire arrays were used to investigate correlations of phase velocity and attenuation coefficient with structural properties in trabecular bone. Trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) of the 7 trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms ranged from 300 to $900\;{\mu}m$ and volume fraction (VF) from 1.6% to 8.7%. Phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of the phantoms were measured by using a through-transmission method in water, with a matched pair of broadband unfocused transducers with a diameter of 12.7 mm and a center frequency of 1 MHz. Phase velocity and attenuation coefficient at 1 MHz decreased almost linearly with increasing Tb. Sp and increased almost linearly with increasing VF. The simple and multiple linear regression models with phase velocity and attenuation coefficient as independent vanables and Tb.Sp and VF as dependent variables demonstrated that the coefficients of determination for the prediction of VF were higher than those for the prediction of Tb.Sp. The results obtained in the trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms consisting of parallel-nylon-wire arrays were consistent with those in human trabecular bone suggesting that the structural properties can be estimated from the measurements of phase velocity and attenuation coefficient in trabecular bone.