Concentration measurement by acoustic reflectance

The speed of sound and the acoustic reflection coefficient of sucrose (0 to 60 wt%), glycerol (0 to 50 wt%), sodium chloride (0 to 27 wt%) solutions and tomato ketchup (0 to 100 wt%) dispersions were measured using a modified pulse-echo technique (2.25 MHz transducer, 20 degreesC). The density of all solutions is measured using a vibrating tube densitometer. All measured parameters are linear functions of concentration. Ultrasonic reflectance can provide equally precise measurements of concentration as conventional ultrasonic velocity measurements. For all samples except concentrated ketchup (> 50 wt%), measured reflectance is demonstrated to be a function of ultrasonic velocity and density.