Non-destructive inspection tool for internal fluid passages
This technology uses acoustic signals — essentially the sounds made by fluid flowing through a component's internal passages — to diagnose what's happening inside that component without tearing it apart. By recording those sounds at controlled flow rates and analyzing the frequency and intensity patterns, the system can determine the condition or origin of the component and then automatically adjust the operating parameters in response. Think of it as giving an industrial component a listening test: the acoustic fingerprint reveals whether something is wrong, worn, or different from spec. The method works by comparing live acoustic data against a reference library of known-good and known-bad sound profiles.
What you could build
An inline quality-control and predictive-maintenance system for manufacturers of nozzles, valves, fuel injectors, heat exchangers, or additively manufactured fluid components — integrated as a test station or embedded sensor module that flags defective parts before shipment or predicts maintenance needs in service. Buyers would be aerospace, automotive, and industrial equipment manufacturers running high-value fluid components.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia-based defense and aerospace suppliers, shipbuilders (Newport News), and the dense cluster of federal manufacturing and MRO contractors would be natural customers for non-destructive internal inspection tooling.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Taylor Blair, Gary Pickrell, Michael Cybulsky, Raymond John Sinatra, Romesh Batra
- Granted
- April 30, 2019
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 10274364
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.