Mechanical Sound Flux Amplifier for Diagnostics by the Auscultation Methods

Abstract

The article notes that occupational safety in industry largely depends on the working equipment reliability. Among the various methods of maintaining equipment operability, there is a diagnostic method that helps to identify hidden defects before they appear. Thanks to equipment diagnostics, it is possible to increase safety, avoid accidents, catastrophes, and minimize repair and operation costs. There are two types of diagnostic methods: contact and non-contact. The most efficient non-contact methods are acoustic methods that are not associated with the destruction of the equipment under study. The possibility of applying the methods of auscultation used in medicine for diagnosing the state of industrial equipment is shown. Various methods and devices of auscultation are considered. The advantages and disadvantages of currently existing auscultation devices are noted. The design of an auscultation device with a mechanical sound flux seal is presented. Mechanical sealing of the sound flux is based on the parabolic reflectors use. The efficiency of using parabolic reflective surfaces is shown. A relationship is obtained that relates the magnitude of the amplification of the sound flux with the dimensions of the auscultation device. The results of calculations of the increase in the sound level in the auscultation device show that even with a sufficiently small ratio of the diameter of the inlet for the sound flux to the diameter of the outlet cross section of the sound flux and the diameter of the reduced parabolic reflector, a noticeable increase in the sound level is obtained when using a mechanical amplifier of the sound flux in the auscultation device.