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Articles: Infrared Thermal Imaging

Aerial Infrared – An Asset Management Tool for District Heating System Operators

Abstract

The imagery (IR) from aerial infrared thermal surveys of facilities, complexes, campuses, military bases and cities can be used for many purposes. Systems like supply steam and condensate return lines, hot water lines, chilled water lines, supply water mains, distribution piping, storm water drains and sewer lines can be monitored by looking at surface temperatures/patterns. In the case of district heating systems, the distribution system can be flown rapidly and inexpensively to provide thermal data for asset management planning and predictive maintenance (PdM). As a result of finding and repairing leaks in the steam system, energy usage can be reduced with all the related benefits.

After the Switchgear

ABSTRACT
The practical use of infrared thermography is, in a nutshell: looking at the thermal energy emitted from an object, explaining normality, seeing abnormalities and reporting them in a graphic, usable and easy-to-understand fashion, so that someone who is not familiar with the technology, can act to fix whatever is wrong. This works on heat emissions from all types of energy - not just electrical energy. There are many uses for infrared thermography other than inspecting electrical switchgear. In this paper I will discuss two of those other uses for infrared thermography.

 

Arc-Flash Protection - Understanding NFPA 70E

By John C. Klingler, P.E. Lewellyn Technology

Note: John presented a short course on this subject at IMC-2005 December 6-9, 2005 in Tampa

You have decided to conform to the requirements of NFPA 70E, the standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. You already have an electrical program for preventing shock; here is an explanation of how to address the 70E requirements for arc-flash.

Beyond the Usual Applications for Infrared Thermography

Introduction To Infrared Thermography

Think of the world as a radiator...infrared thermographers do. Thermal energy travels at the speed of light in all directions. An infrared (IR) camera detects this [heat] energy and converts it into pictures or thermographs of heat. One can learn a lot about the world by looking through the lens of an infrared camera.

Choices, Choices, Choices…

Choosing The Right Camera  For Your Particular Needs

by R. Wayne Ruddock

In today’s world of infrared thermography, there are an increasing number of manufacturers offering a wide range of infrared camera packages.  In the past ten years the price has been reduced dramatically and the spatial resolution has increased.  There is far more acceptance of the technology today than in the past and an increase in the applications to which infrared thermography is applied.  The internet is also used to advertise, and in some cases, even sell infrared cameras.

DO Sweat the Small Stuff: The Benefit of Inspecting “Small” Equipment With Infrared Thermography

By Dave Sirmans and Roy Huff

The field of Infrared Thermography (IRT) has seen quite a few changes over the years. Camera innovation would be chief among those. Thermography was once upon a time a much more tedious and cumbersome endeavor than it is today.

Evaluating Winding Connections With Infrared

Introduction

An area that is often overlooked in the rewinding of an electric motor are the internal connections of the winding. Most coils have multiple wires making up one ‘conductor' (Figure 1). The reason for this is to allow the wire to be more flexible for installation while allowing enough cross section for the amount of current that the conductor must carry. This generates a situation where improper brazing, crimping or other methods of making the connections will generate a hot-spot due to IR losses.

Infrared (IR) Thermography for Building Managers

Think back to the 1990s. How important was building energy efficiency, building moisture or building quality? Now think about the past 6 months....has your boss asked you to study your energy usage? Thinking "green" has become in vogue. Why is that? Is it because your boss recently downloaded "An Inconvenient Truth" and Al Gore convinced him or her that global warming is real and something must be done about it? No "green" thinking is about "green-backs". Building costs and energy costs are on the rise and by inspecting a building with IR and other techniques, the owner can determine what needs to be done to manage the building asset better, use less energy and save money.

Infrared Safari:  A Photo Essay on the Hunt for Reliability Problems with Thermography

By Michael Stuart

In the animal world, there is a natural law that is seen day in and day out all around the planet Earth. The strong survive the elements and endure hardships and move on to live another day and often prosper. The weak and the sick, however, succumb to the will of the environment or to those who are stronger, faster, or smarter. Such is the way that it has always been... and such is probably the way that it will always be!

Believe it or not, reliability maintenance can be the same way in many respects. We run into the "big elephants" that either stand in the way of progress or threaten to take down the operation in a wild and dramatic rampage. We also find ourselves battling the smaller, yet equally damaging issues ("hyenas") that creep up quietly and quickly and pick off the smaller things for which we have responsibility. Either way, if we do not have the proper tools to deal with these threats, we must live in continuing fear of potential loss... financial, time, productivity, energy, and sometimes even personnel.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then an "infrared picture" should surely be worth ten thousand! The images and captions that follow represent an "infrared photo safari" of our world and the beasts that we see every day.

Infrared Thermography: Making Wasted Energy Visible

Infrared thermography is one of the best tools available for identifying areas of energy losses in both building and process applications. Beginning with the first truly portable infrared system in Sweden back in the early 1970s, it was determined that infrared could detect a number of conditions that contributed to the waste of energy used for both heating and cooling residential and commercial building envelopes.

Infrared Windows Open the Door to Savings

A Study of a Positive, and Growing, Return on Investment by Martin Robinson

A paper mill in South Carolina had a very successful infrared inspection program that management wanted to expand. However, the requirements of NFPA 70E were causing them to re-think their strategy since inspections of energized equipment was becoming more restrictive, more time consuming and more costly. Furthermore, 8% of the mill's applications had never been surveyed due to either switched interlocks (which automatically deenergize the equipment upon opening, thereby preventing access to energized components), or to incident energy calculations in excess of 100 cal/cm2 on certain equipment (which exceeds personal protective equipment [PPE] ratings, and would place personnel in extreme danger and open the company to OSHA fines).

 

Inspect Your Inspections

NFPA and Its Implications on Infrared Inspections

by Martin Robinson, I Eng,  MInstD

The NFPA has had far reaching impacts on improving the safety of electrical equipment and safe work-practices, not only in the United States, but throughout the world wherever the standards are adopted.

Interview with an Arc Flash Survivor

0. On August 16th, 2007 Bill Giffen was involved in an Arc Flash incident with a 13,800 Volt Switch. He received 3rd degree burns to his left leg and 2nd degree burns to his arm, back and groin area.

Investigating power outages at a plant that makes “mud”

Variable speed drives (VFDs) turn processing machines and pumps at a plant that makes "mud" (joint compound) for finishing interior drywall. The plant is almost fully automated, and depends on the smooth operation of the electrical system.

Leadership Q&A - Tim Rohrer of Exiscan

Terrence O'Hanlon, Publisher at Uptime magazine recently caught up with entrepreneur and innovator Tim Rohrer of Exiscan for a discussion on a new line of Infrared Viewing Windows.

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