Apparatus for couplant management
A couplant feeding circuit is provided. The couplant feeding circuit has a first set of walls extending from a bottom surface and a second set of walls extending from the bottom surface and between the first set of walls. A membrane extends between the first and second set of walls such that the first and second set of walls along with the membrane form a couplant cavity. The couplant feeding circuit also has a couplant port disposed in one of the first or second set of walls that allows routing of couplant to the couplant cavity. Moreover, the couplant feeding circuit also has a vacuum port disposed in one of the first or second set of walls that allows removal of at least a portion of the couplant from the couplant cavity. Furthermore, the couplant port and the vacuum port form a closed loop within the couplant feeding circuit.
1. A couplant feeding circuit plate comprising:
a housing comprising a wall extending circumferentially around a couplant cavity, the couplant cavity defined by the wall and a membrane;
a couplant port disposed in the wall, the couplant port fluidly coupled with the couplant cavity and being configured to route couplant to the couplant cavity; and
a vacuum port disposed in the wall, the vacuum port fluidly coupled with the couplant cavity and being configured to route at least a portion of the couplant from the couplant cavity.
2. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 1 , wherein the couplant has a first acoustic impedance and the membrane has a second acoustic impedance similar to the first acoustic impedance.
3. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 1 , wherein the couplant feeding circuit plate has a top surface and the couplant feeding circuit plate is configured to couple with a wedge of a non-destructive testing (NDT) apparatus at the couplant feeding circuit plate top surface.
4. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 3 , further comprising:
a first side that is a first distance away from an upper surface of the wedge when the couplant feeding circuit plate is coupled with the wedge, where each of the couplant port and the vacuum port are disposed at the couplant feeding circuit plate first side; and
a second side that is a second distance away from the wedge upper surface, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance such that the first side is closer to the wedge upper surface than the second side.
5. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum port is configured to couple directly with a negative pressure source.
6. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first gasket disposed in the wall; and
a second gasket disposed in the wall, wherein the first gasket and the second gasket enclose the couplant cavity.
7. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 6 , wherein each of the first gasket and the second gasket are formed of foam and Polytetrafluoroethylene.
8. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 1 , where the housing wall comprises:
a first set of walls extending from a surface of the couplant feeding circuit plate; and
a second set of walls extending from the couplant feeding circuit plate surface, the second set of walls extending between the first set of walls.
9. A non-destructive testing (NDT) apparatus comprising:
a wedge comprising:
a couplant chamber;
a vacuum port; and
a couplant port;
a transducer disposed at a first end of the couplant chamber; and
a couplant feeding circuit plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, the couplant feeding circuit plate top surface being disposed at a second end of the couplant chamber opposite the couplant chamber first end, the couplant feeding circuit plate comprising:
a housing comprising a wall extending circumferentially around a couplant cavity, the couplant cavity defined by the wall and a membrane;
a couplant port disposed in the wall, the couplant port fluidly coupled with the couplant cavity and being configured to route couplant to the couplant cavity, the couplant port being coupled with the wedge couplant port; and
a vacuum port disposed in the wall, the vacuum port fluidly coupled with the couplant cavity and being configured to route at least a portion of the couplant from the couplant cavity, the vacuum port being coupled with the wedge vacuum port.
10. The NDT apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the couplant has a first acoustic impedance and the membrane has a second acoustic impedance similar to the first acoustic impedance.
11. The NDT apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the wedge vacuum port is configured to couple directly with a negative pressure source.
12. The NDT apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the couplant feeding circuit plate further comprises:
a first gasket disposed in the wall; and
a second gasket disposed in the wall, wherein the first gasket and the second gasket enclose the couplant cavity.
13. The NDT apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each of the first gasket and the second gasket are formed of foam and Polytetrafluoroethylene.
14. The NDT apparatus of claim 9 , the couplant feeding circuit plate further comprising:
a first side that is a first distance away a top surface of the wedge when the couplant feeding circuit plate is coupled with the wedge, where each of the couplant port and the vacuum port are disposed at the couplant feeding circuit plate first side; and
a second side that is a second distance away from the wedge top surface, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.
15. The NDT apparatus of claim 9 , where the housing wall comprises:
a first set of walls extending from a surface of the couplant feeding circuit plate; and
a second set of walls extending from the couplant feeding circuit plate surface, the second set of walls extending between the first set of walls.
16. A couplant feeding circuit plate comprising:
a housing comprising a wall extending circumferentially around a couplant cavity, the couplant cavity defined by the wall and a membrane;
a couplant port disposed the wall, the couplant port fluidly coupled with the couplant cavity and being configured to route couplant to the couplant cavity;
a vacuum port disposed in the wall, the vacuum port fluidly coupled with the couplant cavity and being configured to route at least a portion of the couplant from the couplant cavity;
a first gasket disposed within the wall;
a second gasket disposed within the wall and next to the first gasket; and
a couplant suction circuit disposed between the first gasket and the second gasket.
17. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 16 , wherein the couplant has a first acoustic impedance and the membrane has a second acoustic impedance similar to the first acoustic impedance.
18. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 16 , wherein the first gasket and the second gasket enclose the couplant cavity.
19. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 16 , wherein the couplant feeding circuit plate has a top surface and the couplant feeding circuit plate is configured to couple with a wedge of a non-destructive testing (NDT) apparatus and the couplant feeding circuit plate further comprises:
a first side that is a first distance away from an upper surface of the wedge when the couplant feeding circuit plate is coupled with the wedge, where each of the couplant port and the vacuum port are disposed at the couplant feeding circuit plate first side; and
a second side that is a second distance away from the wedge upper surface, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance such that the first side is closer to the wedge upper surface than the second side.
20. The couplant feeding circuit plate of claim 16 , where the housing wall comprises:
a first set of walls extending from a surface of the couplant feeding circuit plate; and
a second set of walls extending from the couplant feeding circuit plate surface, the second set of walls extending between the first set of walls.