Ultrasonic measurement of suspended sediment concentrations: an experimental validation of the approach using kaolin suspensions and reservoir sediments under variable thermal conditions

摘要

Multiphase suspension systems are used extensively in hydrology, biochemistry, and the food industry. Ultrasonic spectroscopy is a rapid, on-line, non-invasive measurement technique for suspension characterization over different particle sizes and a wide range of concentration. Although the properties of kaolin suspensions have been investigated extensively, kaolin ultrasonic attenuation properties at different temperatures and concentrations have not yet been reported. Through experimental validation in the laboratory, this study provides results from a series of measurements of kaolin ultrasonic attenuation over a wide range of concentrations (0-300000 ppm) and practical temperatures (5-25 ℃). The ultrasonic measurement of attenuation of sediment sampled from the Shihmen reservoir in Taiwan is also investigated. Results show that variations in ultrasonic attenuation are driven by concentration and temperature. Two regression functions are established to quantitatively relate attenuation to kaolin concentration and the Shihmen reservoir sample at a given temperature. An ultrasonic system is designed and manufactured for real-time sediment concentration monitoring in the Shihmen reservoir based on these experimental ultrasonic attenuation measurements.