Processing and Probability Analysis of Pulsed Terahertz NDE of Corrosion under Shuttle Tile Data
This paper examines data processing and probability analysis of pulsed terahertz NDE scans of corrosion defects under a Shuttle tile. Pulsed terahertz data collected from an aluminum plate with fabricated corrosion defects and covered with a Shuttle tile is presented. The corrosion defects imaged were fabricated by electrochemically etching areas of various diameter and depth in the plate. In this work, the aluminum plate echo signal is located in the terahertz time-of-flight data and a threshold is applied to produce a binary image of sample features. Feature location and area are examined and identified as corrosion through comparison with the known defect layout. The results are tabulated with hit, miss, or false call information for a probability of detection analysis that is used to identify an optimal processing threshold.
Technology and Applications of Terahertz Imaging Non‐Destructive Examination: Inspection of Space Shuttle Sprayed On Foam Insulation
The implementation of terahertz (THz) imaging for non‐destructive evaluation shows great promise in 2 and 3 dimensional non‐contact inspection of non‐conductive materials such as plastics, foam, composites, ceramics, paper, wood and glass. THz imaging employs safe low power non‐ionizing electromagnetic pulses, which produce images with lateral resolution <200 microns, and depth resolution <50 microns. We demonstrate the detection of voids and disbonds intentionally incorporated within the sprayed on foam insulation of a space shuttle external tank mock‐up segment using time domain THz imaging. Recently, highly integrated turn‐key THz imaging systems have been introduced commercially. An industrially hardened THz scanning system which has been deployed to scan the space shuttle tank with small remote THz transceiver on a 30 meter fiber optic umbilical, is described.
Concentrated solar energy in materials processing
Solar energy, which is available in abundant in nature, is least utilised. As per primary energy product, solar energy conversion can be of three different ways: solar fuels, solar electricity, and solar thermal systems. These three approaches are presently not being fully utilised. Concentrated solar energy (CSE) is an alternative to other types of energy for modifying the surfaces of metallic materials. Attempt has been made to overview the current status of CSE in materials processing technology. In this paper, applications of CSE through solar furnace and Fresnel lens for hardening, coatings, sintering, nitriding, synthesis and welding are discussed.