Application Cases

Ultrasonic waves, with frequencies above 20 kHz, are widely used in non-destructive testing of various structures. Non-destructive testing methods that employ ultrasonic waves as detection waves are referred to as ultrasonic non-destructive testing methods, commonly known as ultrasonic methods. These methods exhibit unique advantages in detecting defects and damage in concrete.

Ultrasonic guided waves are characterized by their long propagation distance and extensive detection range, garnering increasing attention in fields such as non-destructive testing of steel rails and structural building components. To generate ultrasonic waves with sufficient voltage and power, a power amplifier is required for driving purposes. The ATA-2042 high-voltage amplifier is well-suited for this task. This voltage amplifier offers a voltage of up to 400 Vp-p (±200 Vp), a bandwidth (-3 dB) of DC to 500 kHz, and the ability to drive high-voltage loads.

The ATA-2042 high-voltage amplifier has numerous applications in this field. Today, we have selected several cases from previous projects to share, hoping they will assist engineers in their research and work.

Case 1: Application of ATA-2042 High-Voltage Amplifier in Nonlinear Ultrasonic Testing of Duct Grouting

Test Equipment Used:
ATA-2042 high-voltage amplifier, signal generator, ultrasonic transducer, oscilloscope, etc.

Experiment Overview:
Ultrasonic methods include linear ultrasonic methods and nonlinear ultrasonic methods. When using linear ultrasonic methods to identify concrete defects and damage, the identification primarily relies on variations in linear parameters, including attenuation coefficient, amplitude, and wave velocity. Typically, linear parameters show significant changes in the presence of larger defects. In contrast, nonlinear ultrasonic methods identify concrete defects and damage by leveraging various nonlinear ultrasonic phenomena that occur when ultrasonic waves propagate through concrete. These phenomena mainly include higher-order harmonics, acoustic resonance frequency shifts, and sidebands under modulation and mixing. Many researchers have confirmed that nonlinear ultrasonic methods exhibit higher sensitivity in detecting minor material defects compared to conventional linear ultrasonic methods, making them easier to identify.

Case 2: Application of ATA-2042 High-Voltage Amplifier in Non-Collinear Mixing Methods for Concrete Detection

Test Equipment Used:
ATA-2042 high-voltage amplifier, signal generator, oscilloscope, transmitting transducer, acrylic wedge block set, etc.

Experiment Overview:
Non-destructive testing is a method for detecting internal damage in an object without causing damage or interfering with its structural materials. Traditional non-destructive testing methods have numerous shortcomings and limitations in terms of portability, operational procedures, detection accuracy, and damage localization. In light of these challenges, nonlinear ultrasonic mixing detection methods have been proposed. When two incident fundamental frequency ultrasonic waves meet specific conditions and propagate through a medium with nonlinear sources, they produce a resonance effect, generating a third ultrasonic wave, known as the mixed-frequency wave. This wave contains relevant parameter information about the damage in the propagation medium material. The discovery of this phenomenon has significantly advanced research on nonlinear ultrasonic non-collinear mixing methods. Based on whether the two incident fundamental frequency ultrasonic waves are collinear and parallel, nonlinear ultrasonic mixing detection methods can be classified into non-collinear mixing detection and collinear mixing detection. Among these, non-collinear mixing detection technology offers distinct advantages such as frequency selectivity, spatial selectivity, and directional controllability. In addition to high sensitivity to micro-damage, it can effectively exclude the influence of nonlinear sources by separately exciting the two incident ultrasonic waves and employing phase reversal methods. Thus, it holds significant research potential.

Case 3: Application of ATA-2042 High-Voltage Amplifier in Ultrasonic Guided Wave Propagation in Steel Rails

Test Equipment Used:
ATA-2042 high-voltage amplifier, arbitrary function generator, piezoelectric ceramic, steel rail, oscilloscope, etc.

Experiment Overview:
This study employs the transmission method to detect damage in steel rails using ultrasonic guided waves, as illustrated in the figure above. A single excitation and single reception setup is used, where rail damage is detected by evaluating the amplitude of the received guided waves. The effective detection range is the steel rail segment between the excitation probe and the reception probe.

According to the propagation characteristics of guided waves, different guided wave modes exhibit varying sensitivities to damage at different locations on the steel rail. Particularly for transmission method detection, if a mode with energy concentration at a different location from the detection point or a mode with dispersed energy is selected, the guided waves are minimally affected by defects during propagation, impacting detection accuracy. Generally, the location where a guided wave mode concentrates its energy is the suitable detection point for that mode. Damage with planes perpendicular to the propagation direction or particle vibration direction yields more pronounced detection results. In practical applications, appropriate guided wave modes should be selected for detecting different types of damage at various locations.

The specifications of the ATA-2042 high-voltage amplifier featured in this non-destructive testing case study are as follows:

Figure: Specifications of the ATA-2042 High-Voltage Amplifier