A Novel Three-Head Ultrasonic System for Distance Measurements Based on the Correlation Method

A novel double-emitter ultrasonic system for distance measurements based on the correlation method is presented. The proposed distance measurement method may be particularly useful in difficult conditions, e.g. for media parameters undergoing fast changes or in cases when obstacles and mechanical interference produce false reflections. The system is a development of a previously studied single-head idea. The present article covers a comparison of the two systems in terms of efficiency and precision. Experimental research described in this paper indicated that adding the second head improved the measurement exactness – standard deviation decreased by 40%. The correlation method is also described in detail, also giving the criterion for the quality of the measurement signal.