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Method for determining the wall thickness and the speed of sound in a tube from reflected and transmitted ultrasound pulses

  • US 6,634,233 B2
  • Filed: 01/23/2002
  • Issued: 10/21/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of determining the wall thickness of a tubular workpiece and the speed of sound within said tubular workpiece from a single set of measured time of flight data, said method comprising the steps of:

  • configuring an acoustic couplant medium;

    defining a transmission path in said acoustic couplant medium;

    selectively disposing said tubular workpiece in said acoustic couplant medium such that said tubular workpiece is in said transmission path;

    defining, along said transmission path, an acoustic discontinuity at each interface between a surface of said tubular workpiece and said acoustic couplant medium;

    transmitting a plurality of ultrasonic waves through said transmission path, at least one of said plurality of ultrasonic waves being transmitted without the presence of said tubular workpiece in said transmission path;

    receiving signals corresponding to;

    said plurality of transmitted ultrasonic waves that are reflected from at least one of said acoustic discontinuities; and

    said plurality of transmitted ultrasonic waves that traverse the substantial entirety of said transmission path;

    measuring time of flight data for each of said received signals;

    calculating a speed of sound in said tubular workpiece based on said measured time of flight data; and

    calculating a thickness of each wall of said tubular workpiece based on said measured time of flight data and said calculated speed of sound.

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