Gao Wanjia, Liu Wenyi, Li Fei, Hu Yanjun
Key Laboratory of Instrumentation Science & Dynamic Measurement, Ministry of Education, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China.
Sensors (Basel). 2021 Feb 12;21(4):1320. doi: 10.3390/s21041320.
Selecting and designing the optimum ultrasonic probe is vital for ultrasonic measurements and experiments. The amplitude of the emitted ultrasonic wave excitation signal as well as the diameter and the natural frequency of the probe seriously affect the validity of the probe results. In this paper, we analyze the significance of the key parameters of the ultrasonic probe theoretically. Further, an external fixed-point liquid level monitoring system was assembled according to the principle of ultrasonic reflection and transmission. On this experimental platform, we study the key parameters of the ultrasonic probe that affect the system evaluation through a simulation and experiment, and select the optimal sensor parameters for this experiment. The evaluations show that under the experimental conditions where the tested container is made of aluminum alloy and its wall thickness is 3 mm, the best results are obtained when the diameter of the ultrasonic sensor is 15 mm, the amplitude of the emitted excitation signal is ±15 V, and the frequency is 1 MHz. The results' average deviation is less than ±0.22 V. The evaluations are consistent with the simulation results. This research can effectively monitor the liquid in the closed, ultra-thin-walled container, and can realize non-contact measurement. It provides an effective basis for the parameters selection and design of the ultrasonic probe in the ultrasonic-based experiments and tests.
选择和设计最佳超声探头对于超声测量和实验至关重要。所发射的超声波激励信号的幅度以及探头的直径和固有频率会严重影响探头结果的有效性。在本文中，我们从理论上分析了超声探头关键参数的重要性。此外，根据超声反射和透射原理组装了一个外部定点液位监测系统。在这个实验平台上，我们通过模拟和实验研究了影响系统评估的超声探头关键参数，并为该实验选择了最佳传感器参数。评估结果表明，在被测容器为铝合金材质且壁厚为3毫米的实验条件下，当超声传感器直径为15毫米、发射激励信号幅度为±15 V且频率为1 MHz时，可获得最佳结果。结果的平均偏差小于±0.22 V。评估结果与模拟结果一致。本研究能够有效监测密闭薄壁容器内的液体，并可实现非接触测量。它为基于超声的实验和测试中超声探头的参数选择和设计提供了有效依据。
