Modular ultrasonic logging system: Design and measurements in physical model of borehole

A series of the original constructional solutions proposed for the design of an acoustic borehole probe are aimed to improve efficiency and reliability of measurement. The design implemented the technology of pneumatic hold-down and the quasi-point dry acoustic contact at the rock–transducer interface (in that case, the protector had a curved surface and a small area which repeated the borehole well geometry), which enabled optimum (in terms of energy loss) conditions for the inlet and intake of ultrasonic vibrations. For testing reliability of the hardware system, a physical model of a borehole was created, with intact areas, single cracks and crack systems. The experimental investigation has found out that ultrasonic logging with the designed probe allows stable detection of both single discontinuities and their systems in rocks. The stable behavior of the ultrasonic wave velocity in the intact rock area indicates that the developed holddown mechanism and the shape of the protector of the piezoelectric transducer ensures uniform contact conditions along the whole length of boreholes in the course of measurements.

Chumakov A. A., Nikolenko P. V., Gupalo V. S. Modular ultrasonic logging system: Design and measurements in physical model of borehole. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2024;(3):119-129. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2024_3_0_119.

A.A. Chumakov¹, Graduate Student, e-mail: aachumakov@misis.ru, ORCID ID: 0009-0006-3697-3527,
P.V. Nikolenko¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: p.nikolenko@misis.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-5126-6576,
V.S. Gupalo, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Head of Laboratory, Nuclear Safety Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences «IBRAE RAN», 115191, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: gupalo@ibrae.ac.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-2228-1275,
¹ NUST MISIS, 119049, Moscow, Russia.

A.A. Chumakov, e-mail: aachumakov@misis.ru.

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