Patent Application
20230051755
Acoustic transducers are employed in many industries and often use impedance matching layers to improve efficient acoustic conduction to another device or portion of a device. Such layers are generally carefully constructed and then adhesively bound to an acoustic generator such as a piezo crystal. While the arts have been fitted from the utility of transducers with impedance matching layers adhered thereto, even greater efficiency in signal conduction with reduced attenuation and scatter would be desired and has eluded the arts.
An embodiment of an acoustic generator including a piezoelectric crystal, an impedance matching layer directly bonded to the crystal with Van der Waals forces.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Referring to
Referring to
As will be appreciated, SLA machines build onto the build plate. In order to arrive at the generator described above, it was found by the present inventors that there is advantage in causing the surface 18 of the crystal 12 to be coplanar (or as close as possible to coplanar, i.e. within 10%) to enhance the direct bonding of the impedance matching layer 14 to the surface 18 of the crystal 12. Turning to
To secure the crystal 12 in the recess 38, there may be a set screw, a temporary adhesive, a threaded connection, a vacuum connection, etc. Each of these is easily releasable once the additive manufacturing operation is completed and the matching layer 14 is fully formed upon the surface 18 of crystal 12.
Referring to
Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:
Embodiment 1: An acoustic generator including a piezoelectric crystal, an impedance matching layer directly bonded to the crystal with Van der Waals forces.
Embodiment 2: The generator as in any prior embodiment wherein the Van der Waals forces include one or more of dipole bonds, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion bonds.
Embodiment 3: The generator as in any prior embodiment wherein the crystal is cylindrical in shape.
Embodiment 4: The generator as in any prior embodiment wherein crystal includes a surface smoothness less than about 150 micro inches.
Embodiment 5: The generator as in any prior embodiment wherein the impedance layer penetrates the crystal.
Embodiment 6: The generator as in any prior embodiment wherein penetration of the impedance layer upon curing causes a mechanical bond with the crystal.
Embodiment 7: The generator as in any prior embodiment wherein the impedance matching layer is initially formed from a liquid polymer that is cured to the crystal.
Embodiment 8: The generator as in any prior embodiment wherein the liquid polymer has a viscosity of less than about 5000 centipoises.
Embodiment 9: The generator as in any prior embodiment absent any material between the crystal and the impedance matching layer.
Embodiment 10: A method of forming the acoustic generator as in any prior embodiment including disposing the crystal into a recess of a build plate in an additive manufacture machine, depositing material from a vat of the additive manufacturing machine on the crystal, and curing the material on the crystal.
Embodiment 11: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the curing is by applying light to the material.
Embodiment 12: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the depositing material from the vat includes penetrating the crystal with the material.
Embodiment 13: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the curing is by application of UV light.
Embodiment 14: A wellbore system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a string in the borehole, an acoustic generator as in any prior embodiment disposed within or as a part of the string.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The terms “about”, “substantially” and “generally” are intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application. For example, “about” and/or “substantially” and/or “generally” can include a range of ±8% or 5%, or 2% of a given value.
The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a wellbore, and/or equipment in the wellbore, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited.
