A Simulation Framework for Passive Acoustic Thermometry of Homogenous Materials

Purpose: Passive Acoustic Thermometer (PAT) is a safe method for internal temperature estimation that works based on acoustic radiation of materials with a specific temperature. Several experimental studies have been carried out so far in the field of PAT. While, to the best of our knowledge, there is no simulation-based research reported yet. Materials and Methods: In this article (for the first time) we proposed a simulation framework for evaluating the PAT methodologies. This framework supports the generation of acoustic radiation, signal processing, parameter estimation, and temperature reconstruction processes. At the moment, the proposed framework estimates the temperature in the frequency domain and uses the frequency spectrum of the acquired ultrasound signals captured by a single transducer. Results: Using the proposed framework, we tried to implement previously practical experiments and the results of the simulation are consistent with those of the practical experiment. The mean error of temperature estimation was below 0.45 °C. The results show that it is possible to use this framework to evaluate the PAT in different scenarios. Conclusion: Therefore, this method enhances the possibility of examination of different conditions and algorithms. It also reduces the cost of practical experiment.