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Ultrasound is an excellent way to acquire data that reveal useful information about systems operating in harsh environments, which may include elevated temperature, ionizing radiation, and aggressive chemicals. The effects of harsh environments on piezoelectric materials have been studied in much more depth than the other aspects of ultrasonic transducers used in pulse-echo mode. Therefore, finite element simulations and laboratory experiments are used to demonstrate the unique characteristics of pulse-echo immersion testing. Using an aluminum nitride piezoelectric element mounted on a vessel wall, characteristics associated with electrode thickness, couplant, backing material, and an acoustic matching layer are investigated. Considering a wave path through a vessel wall and into a fluid containing a target, when the travel distance in the fluid is relatively short, it can be difficult to discern the target echo from the reverberations in the vessel wall. When an acoustic matching layer between the vessel wall and the fluid does not suffice, a simple subtractive signal-processing method can minimize the reverberations, leaving just the target echoes of interest. Simulations and experiments demonstrate that sufficient target echoes are detected to determine the time of flight. Furthermore, a simple disc-like surface anomaly on the target is detectable.

The focus of this paper is an ultrasonic position indication system that is capable of determining one-dimensional target location in a high-temperature steel container with gaseous medium. The combination of the very high acoustical impedance of steel (45.4 MRayl) and the very low impedance of a gas, for example, ambient air (0.0004 MRayl), causes significant reflections at the interfaces. The strategy of this investigation was to develop an ultrasonic transducer capable of replacing a small portion of pressure vessel wall. In building such a transducer, acoustic matching layers for the steel-gas interface, a mechanically and acoustically competent housing, an efficient piezoelectric element, and appropriate backing materials are developed and tested. The results include a successful housing design, high- temperature acoustic matching layers, and subsequent successful wave forms with good signal-to-noise ratio. Target location through 9.6 in. (24.5 cm) of ambient air was possible, with a steel pressure boundary 0.456 in. (1.160 cm) thick, and the use of one matching layer Our transducer was tested repeatedly to 3400 C without apparent degradation. In addition to the experimental results, this investigation includes numerical simulations. Sample wave forms were predicted one dimensionally with the coupled acoustic piezoelectric analysis, a finite element program that predicts wave forms based on Navier's equation for elastic wave propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]