Monopole, dipole, and quadrupole borehole seismic transducers

• US 5,030,873 A
• Filed: 08/18/1989
• Issued: 07/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
• Inventors: Owen, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Budd, Mark O.
• Application Number:
  US07/395,788
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 310/321-323, 310/334, 310/337, 310/26, 367/155, 367/159, 367/156, 367/162, 367/172, 367/163, 367/174, 367/173, 367/168
• US Class Current: 310/337
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 3/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for transmitting mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/145 by deforming or displacing surfaces , e.g. by mechanically driven vibroseis™
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 9/121 Flextensional transducers

Abstract

Various configurations of cylindrically shaped transducers are used as borehole seismic wave sources. The basic class of transducers of this invention has an outer shell that is generally cylindrical, and may be comprised sections. The shell or the sections may be pre-stressed or preformed to encourage certain bending motions. Depending on the configuration of the transducer, it approximates a monopole, dipole, or quadrupole radiator. Various actuating means, including magnetostrictive forces and piezoelectric forces, are used to drive the motions of the transducer. These transducers are especially useful for generating compressional, shear, or other elastic waves in solids. For example, in geophysical applications, the transducers are placed in boreholes for either hole-to-hole or single hole measurements.

Claims

1. A cylindrical transducer for approximating a dipole acoustic radiator, comprising:

a first cylindrical section, having a wall that is relatively thin compared to its radius, said wall being thinned at the midsection by decreasing the outer diameter of said cylindrical section, said thinned wall imparting a preference of said first cylindrical section to flex inwardly when longitudinally compressed, said cylindrical section having a top and a bottom end,

a second cylindrical section, having a wall that is relatively thin compared to its radius, said wall being thinned at the midsection by increasing the inner diameter of said cylindrical section, said thinned wall imparting a preference of said second cylindrical section to flex outwardly when longitudinally compressed, said cylindrical section having a top and a bottom end,

means for attaching said first and second cylindrical sections in a fixed position such that together their shape approximates a cylindrical shell,

an actuating means for providing an axial force at least one of said ends of said cylindrical sections,

inertial masses at each of said ends of said cylindrical sections for constraining the movement of said shell at said ends, and

means for connecting said actuating means to said cylindrical sections so that energization of said actuating means causes said cylindrical section walls to bend asymmetrically relative to the axis of said cylindrical shell.

2. The transducer of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical section walls are preformed to curve inwardly or outwardly, thereby imparting a preference of said walls to flex inwardly or outwardly.

3. The transducer of claim 1 further comprising means for pre-stressing said cylinder walls in compression.

4. The transducer of claim 3 wherein said pre-stressing means comprises a tension rod along the axis of said cylindrical shell.

5. The transducer of claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a stack of piezoelectric disks axially oriented inside said cylindrical shell, configured such that said stack expands or contracts longitudinally when electrically energized.

6. The transducer of claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a stack of piezoelectric disks axially oriented outside said cylindrical shell, adjacent to one of said ends of said cylindrical shell, configured such that said stack expands or contracts longitudinally when electrically energized, and a means for pre-stressing said actuating means against said cylindrical shell in compression, such that contact between said shell and said actuating means is maintained during said expansion and contraction.

7. The transducer of claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a magnetostrictive circuit.

8. The transducer of claim 7 wherein said magnetostrictive circuit comprises a permanent magnet at each end of said cylindrical shell and a magnetic flux providing coil.

9. The transducer of claim 1 wherein said inertial masses, said attaching means, and said connecting means are end caps at the ends of said cylindrical shell.

10. The transducer of claim 1 wherein said transducer receives rather than generates acoustic waves, and thus said actuating means responds to, rather than creates, bending motion of said cylinder walls and said means for connecting said actuating means to said cylindrical shell permits said actuating means to respond to said bending.

11. A cylindrical transducer for approximating a quadrupole acoustic wave source, comprising:

a first and a second cylindrical section, each having a wall that is relatively thin compared to its radius, said walls being thinned at the midsection by decreasing the outer diameter of said section, said cylindrical sections having a top and a bottom end,

a third and a fourth cylindrical section, each having a wall that is relatively thin compared to its radius, said walls being thinned at the midsection by increasing the inner diameter of said cylindrical section, said cylindrical sections having a top and a bottom end,

means for attaching said first and third and said second and fourth cylindrical sections diametrically opposed to each other, in a fixed position, such that together said cylindrical sections approximate a cylindrical shell,

an actuating means for providing an axial force at one of said ends of said cylindrical sections,

inertial masses at each of said ends of said cylindrical sections for constraining the movement of said shell at said ends, and

means for connecting said actuating means to said cylindrical sections so that energization of said actuating means causes said cylindrical section walls to bend asymmetrically with respect to the axis of said cylindrical shell.

12. The transducer of claim 11 wherein said cylindrical section walls are pre-formed to curve inwardly or outwardly, thereby imparting a preference of said walls to flex inwardly or outwardly.

13. The transducer of claim 11 further comprising means for pre-stressing said cylinder walls in compression.

14. The transducer of claim 11 wherein said pre-stressing means comprises a tension rod along the axis of said cylindrical shell.

15. The transducer of claim 14 wherein said pre-stressing means comprises a tension rod along the axis of said cylindrical shell.

16. The transducer of claim 12 wherein said actuating means comprises a stack of piezoelectric disks axially oriented inside said cylindrical shell, configured such that said stack expands or contracts longitudinally when electrically energized.

17. The transducer of claim 12 wherein said actuating means comprises a stack of piezoelectric disks axially oriented outside said cylindrical shell, adjacent to one of said ends of said cylindrical shell, configured such that said stack expands or contracts longitudinally when electrically energized, and a means for pre-stressing said actuating means against said cylindrical shell in compression, such that contact between said shell and said actuating means is maintained during said expansion and contraction.

18. The transducer of claim 11 wherein said actuating means comprises a magnetostrictive circuit.

19. The transducer of claim 18 wherein said magnetostrictive circuit comprises a permanent magnet at each end of said cylindrical shell and a magnetic flux providing coil.

20. The transducer of claim 11 wherein said inertial masses, said connecting means, and said attachment means are end caps on said ends of said cylindrical shell.