Thomas N. Claytor - Woodridge IL Henry B. Karplus - Hinsdale IL
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy - Washington DC
International Classification:
G01N 1506
US Classification:
73 61R
Abstract:
Voids and particulates are detected in a flowing stream of fluid contained in a pipe by a detector which includes three transducers spaced about the pipe. A first transducer at a first location on the pipe transmits an ultrasonic signal into the stream. A second transducer detects the through-transmission of the signal at a second location and a third transducer at a third location upstream from the first location detects the back-scattering of the signal from any voids or particulates. To differentiate between voids and particulates a fourth transducer is positioned at a fourth location which is also upstream from the first location. The back-scattered signals are normalized with the through-transmission signal to minimize temperature fluctuations.