A Study on Hybrid Split-Spectrum Processing Technique for Enhanced Reliability in Ultrasonic Signal Analysis

초음파 신호 해석의 신뢰도 개선을 위한 하이브리드 스플릿-스펙트럼 신호 처리 기술에 관한 연구

Many signal-processing techniques have been found to be useful in ultrasonic and nondestructive evaluation. Among the most popular techniques are signal averaging, spatial compounding, matched filters and homomorphic processing. One of the significant new process is split-spectrum processing(SSP), which can be equally useful in signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) improvement and grain characterization in several specimens. The purpose of this paper is to explore the utility of SSP in ultrasonic NDE. A wide variety of engineering problems are reviewed, and suggestions for implementation of the technique are provided. SSP uses the frequency-dependent response of the interfering coherent noise produced by unresolvable scatters in the resolution range cell of a transducer. It is implemented by splitting the frequency spectrum of the received signal by using gaussian bandpass filter. The theoretical basis for the potential of SSP for grain characterization in SUS 304 material is discussed, and some experimental evidence for the feasibility of the approach is presented. Results of SNR enhancement in signals obtained from real four samples of SUS 304. The influence of various processing parameters on the performance of the processing technique is also discussed. The minimization algorithm, which provides an excellent SNR enhancement when used either in conjunction with other SSP algorithms like polarity-check or by itself, is also presented.

본 연구는 원자력발전소 1차측 배관계통의 약 60% 이상을 차지하고 있는 오스테나이트계 스테인레스강 배관 용접부 검사시 낮은 신호 대 잡음비로 결함 발견 및 신호 해석에 있어 많은 문제점을 야기한다. 이러한 문제점을 해결하기 위하여 레이다에서 확립된 신호 처리 기술인 스플릿-스펙트럼 기법을 도입하여 주파수를 다양하게 하고 이 다양한 주파수에 따른 RF신호의 진폭들을 최소화, 극성치 확률 분석 및 최소화-극성치 확률 분석법을 이용하여 개선된 신호 대 잡음비를 얻고자 하였다.