Ultrasonic testing probe, couplant delivery system, and ultrasonic testing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12163924-B2
Application number	US-202017755566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2020
Priority date	Nov 1, 2019
Publication date	Dec 10, 2024
Grant date	Dec 10, 2024

Abstract

An ultrasonic testing apparatus structured to perform an ultrasonic inspection on a workpiece. The ultrasonic testing apparatus comprises an ultrasonic testing probe structured to generate an ultrasonic output directed toward the workpiece and to receive an ultrasonic input from the workpiece that is responsive to the output; a couplant delivery system comprising a couplant supply, the couplant delivery system further comprising an actuator which, when operated, is structured to apply from the couplant supply an amount of a couplant to at least one of the workpiece and the ultrasonic testing probe; and a control apparatus electrically connected with the ultrasonic testing probe and with the couplant delivery system, the control apparatus being structured to receive the ultrasonic input and being further structured to operate the actuator. A couplant delivery system that is operable with an ultrasonic testing apparatus that is structured to perform an ultrasonic inspection on a workpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasonic testing apparatus structured to perform an ultrasonic inspection on a workpiece, the ultrasonic testing apparatus comprising:
an ultrasonic testing probe structured to generate an ultrasonic output that is directed toward the workpiece and to receive an ultrasonic input from the workpiece that is responsive to the ultrasonic output, wherein the ultrasonic testing probe comprises a bladder located at a distal end of the ultrasonic testing probe to form a first seal and a tube end water seal at a proximal end that engages with an edge of the workpiece to form a second seal, wherein the first and second seal form an enclosed region;
a couplant delivery system comprising a couplant supply, the couplant delivery system further comprising an actuator which, when operated, is structured to apply from the couplant supply an amount of a couplant to at least one of the workpiece and the ultrasonic testing probe; and
a control apparatus electrically connected with the ultrasonic testing probe and with the couplant delivery system, the control apparatus being structured to receive the ultrasonic input and being further structured to operate the actuator
wherein the couplant delivery system further comprises an air supply, a number of air flow channels, and a number of solenoid-operated air valves, the control apparatus being electrically connected with the number of solenoid-operated air valves and being further structured to operate the number of solenoid-operated air valves, wherein a further air flow channel of the number of air flow channels is in fluid communication with the enclosed region, and wherein a further solenoid-operated air valve of the number of solenoid-operated air valves is in communication with the further air flow channel and is operable to place the enclosed region in fluid communication with the air supply via the further air flow channel to cause the amount of a couplant to be evacuated from the enclosed region.

2. The ultrasonic testing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the couplant delivery system further comprises a couplant flow channel that extends from the couplant supply and that has a discharge end opposite the couplant supply, the actuator comprising a solenoid-operated couplant valve that is in communication with the couplant flow channel and is situated between the couplant supply and the discharge end.

3. The ultrasonic testing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the couplant delivery system further comprises a support, the ultrasonic testing probe and the bladder being situated on the support, the bladder being in fluid communication with the air supply via an air flow channel of the number of air flow channels, a solenoid-operated air valve of the number of solenoid-operated air valves being in communication with the air flow channel and being operable to cause the bladder to receive an amount of air from the air supply via the air flow channel to cause the bladder to move between an initial state at atmospheric pressure and an expanded state at a pressure in excess of atmospheric pressure.

4. The ultrasonic testing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein another air flow channel of the number of air flow channels is in fluid communication with a portion of the air flow channel that extends between the solenoid-operated air valve and the bladder, and wherein another solenoid-operated air valve of the number of solenoid-operated air valves is in communication with the another air flow channel and is operable to place the interior of the bladder in fluid communication with the atmosphere via the another air flow channel to cause the bladder to move between the expanded state and the initial state.

5. The ultrasonic testing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the bladder in the expanded state forms an enclosed region between the support and the workpiece, and wherein the actuator, when operated, is structured to apply the amount of a couplant to the enclosed region.

6. The ultrasonic testing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the couplant delivery system further comprises a drain flow channel in fluid communication with the enclosed region and the atmosphere, and wherein the couplant delivery system additionally comprises a solenoid-operated drain valve in communication with the drain flow channel, the solenoid-operated drain valve being operable to change the enclosed region between an evacuation state wherein the enclosed region is in fluid communication with the atmosphere and a sealed state wherein the enclosed region is not in fluid communication with the atmosphere.

7. The ultrasonic testing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control apparatus comprises a processor and a storage, the storage having stored therein a number of instructions which, when executed on the processor, cause the ultrasonic testing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
operating the solenoid-operated air valve to receive in the bladder the amount of air from the air supply via the air flow channel to cause the bladder to move to the expanded state to compressively engage the workpiece, to form the enclosed region, and to retain the support in fixed relation to the workpiece;
subsequent thereto, operating the actuator which to apply from the couplant supply the amount of a couplant into the enclosed region and between the workpiece and the ultrasonic testing probe;
subsequent thereto, operating the control apparatus to rotate the ultrasonic testing probe, to generate the ultrasonic output, to receive the ultrasonic input, and to store the ultrasonic input;
subsequent thereto, operating the solenoid-operated drain valve to place the enclosed region in the evacuation state and operating the further solenoid-operated air valve to place the enclosed region in fluid communication with the air supply via the further air flow channel to cause another amount of air to enter the enclosed region via the further air flow channel and to cause the another amount of air to evacuate the amount of a couplant from the enclosed region via the drain flow channel; and
subsequent thereto, operating the another solenoid-operated air valve to place the interior of the bladder in fluid communication with the atmosphere via the another air flow channel to cause the bladder to move to the initial state.

8. A couplant delivery system that is operable with an ultrasonic testing apparatus that is structured to perform an ultrasonic inspection on a workpiece, the couplant delivery system being structured to be connected with a couplant supply and a control apparatus, the couplant delivery system comprising:
an actuator which, when operated by the control apparatus, is structured to apply from the couplant supply an amount of a couplant to at least one of the workpiece and the ultrasonic testing probe in an enclosed region within the workpiece, wherein the couplant delivery system is further structured to be connected with an air supply, and wherein the couplant delivery system further comprises a number of air flow channels and a number of solenoid-operated air valves, the number of solenoid-operated air valves being structured to be electrically connected with the control apparatus and further being structured to be operable by the control apparatus, wherein a further air flow channel of the number of air flow channels is in fluid communication with the enclosed region, and wherein a further solenoid-operated air valve of the number of solenoid-operated air valves is in communication with the further air flow channel and is operable to place the enclosed region in fluid communication with the air supply via the further air flow channel to cause the amount of a couplant to be evacuated from the enclosed region.

9. The couplant delivery system of claim 8 , wher

Assignees

• Westinghouse Electric Co Llc

Inventors

• Brignac Jacques L
• Rowland George R
• Hart Jr Glenn G
• Farver Bruce A P

Classifications

• G01N2291/106

  one or more transducer arrays · CPC title

• G01N2291/023

  Solids · CPC title

• G01N29/265

  by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material · CPC title

• G01N29/04

  Analysing solids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14) · CPC title

• G01N2291/101

  one transducer · CPC title