Electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) are increasingly used in industries due to their attractive features of being non-contact, cost-effective and the fact that a variety of wave modes can be generated, etc. There are two major EMATs coupling mechanisms: the Lorentz force mechanism for conductive materials and the magnetostriction mechanism for ferromagnetic materials; EMATs operated on Lorentz force mechanism are the focus of this study.This work aims to investigate novel efficient modelling techniques for EMATs, in order to gain further knowledge and understanding of EMATs wave pattern, how design parameters affect its wave pattern and based on above propose and optimise novel sensor structures. In this study, two novel modelling methods were proposed: one is the method combining the analytical method for EM simulation and the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for US simulation for studying the Rayleigh waves' properties on the vertical plane of the material; the other one is the method utilizing a wholly analytical model to explore the directivity of surface waves. Both simulations models have been validated experimentally. The wholly analytical model generates the radiation pattern of surface waves, which lays a solid foundation for the optimum design of such sensors. The beam directivity of surface waves was investigated experimentally, and results showed the length of wires has a significant effect on the beam directivity of Rayleigh waves.A novel configuration of EMATs, variable-length meander-line-coil (VLMLC), was proposed and designed. The beam directivity of surface waves generated by such novel EMATs were analytically investigated. Experiments were conducted to validate such novel EMATs models, and results indicated that such EMATs are capable of supressing side lobes, and therefore resulting in a more concentrated surface waves in the desired direction. Further, another two novel configuration of EMATs, the four-directional meander-line-coil (FDMLC) and the six-directional meander-line-coil (SDMLC), were proposed and designed; results showed these EMATs are capable of generating Rayleigh waves in multiple directions and at the same time suppressing side lobes.
Date of Award | 31 Dec 2016 |
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Original language | English |
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Awarding Institution | - The University of Manchester
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Supervisor | Wuliang Yin (Supervisor) & Anthony Peyton (Supervisor) |
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- Analytical solutions
- EMAT sensors
- Modelling and Simulation
- Non-destructive Testing
- Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers (EMATs)
- Ultrasonic Phased Array
Modelling Techniques and Novel Configurations for Meander-line-coil Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers (EMATs)
Xie, Y. (Author). 31 Dec 2016
Student thesis: Phd