Effects of impulse forces on electrical characteristics of bolt-clamped Langevin ultrasonic transducer

This paper investigates the characteristics of electrical transient responses, including maximum strengths, time constants, response times, oscillation frequencies and loss energies, for a bolt-clamped Langevin ultrasonic transducer (BLT) excited by various magnitudes of impulse forces. The responses include open-circuit voltages and short-circuit currents. An equivalent circuit model of the BLT with an impulse force is first expressed. Then, the open-circuit voltage and its related loss energies are derived from the equivalent circuit model with open-circuited terminals. The short-circuit current and its related loss energies are derived from the equivalent circuit model with short-circuited terminals. Moreover, an experimental setup, including an impulse force generator and an oscilloscope, is constructed to record waveforms of electrical transient responses at various magnitudes of impulse forces. Finally, relationships between the characteristics of electrical transient responses and magnitudes of impulse forces are measured and discussed.