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What is Infrared Thermography?
Infrared is an invisible portion of the light spectrum extending from 0.75 to 1000 microns. All objects warmer than absolute zero (0 Kelvin or -273.15°C) emit energy somewhere within that range. The warmer the object, the brighter is its image in thermal camera. In the color spectrum, the white is hotter & black is colder. Only Infrared Cameras can sense & display the surface temperatures of any object. The Thermography is evolving daily and being deployed in many unusual applications like Defence, Rremote sensing, Green building applications, Predictive maintenance tool, Health monitoring of Electrical & Mechanical equipments etc. Thermography used to be expensive, difficult, and primarily used by large industrial facilities and the military. These days, it’s become much more affordable, more accurate, more broadly applied and even professional qualified thermographers of international standards are also available.
Who does the Infrared Thermography?
Infrared Thermography is a very specialized field and should only be done by a Trained and experienced Thermographer. A thermographer is a thermal evaluator and imaging expert. He or she will have a solid understanding of heat transfer laws, thermodynamics and behaviour of heat energy besides expertise in thermal image capturing and correcting the effects of emmisivity & reflections. A thermographer also has good knowledge of the other non-destructive testing tools to evaluate the equipment health.
Its to be noted that objects with the same thermal radiant pattern or temperature can not be distinguished by any IR or thermal camera. This property was exploited by Arnold Schwarzenegger who "fooled" the "Predator" covering himself with mud, he changed his thermal pattern to match the surrounding "temperature" and turned himself "thermally invisible".
Why should Infrared Thermography be used?
As the old saying goes, “a penny saved is a penny earned”. In recent years, the idea of infrared thermography is gaining popularity in many industrial sectors. The objective is to develop cost effective programs that save the clients’ money and minimizes downtime. Mechanical, Process & Electrical components give off heat, so, the surveys seek out heat patterns and temperature differentials. comparison of temperatures/heat is vital in interpreting the situation and arrive at the root cause of the problem. Thermography helps in early identification & some times quantification of the potential problem area. Component failures result in downtime. Waiting, while the maintenance crew replaces a head bearing or because a starter tripped out resulting in stoppage of machine, is counterproductive. Breakdowns and Downtime is a force to reckon with in all industries. Minimising downtime is essential to running an efficient operation. Thermography is very effectively used to give early warnings on equipment/component failure and also helps to avoid excessive preventive maintenance. It optimizes the maintenance costs and also Minimizing Downtime.
Where all can Infrared Thermography be used?
The applications for IR Thermography are expanding every day. Some of the areas where it has been very effectively deployed are :
Building Inspection Applications:
When should Infrared Thermography be done?
There is no definite time interval fixed for thermography of any facility. It is however advisable to carry it out at least once a year in facilities that are less prone to wear and tear, and at least once every quarter in heavy duty facilities. This will help in benchmarking and studying the trend. This kind of benchmarking and trend analysis is the basis for predictive maintenance.
How can Infrared Thermography help me?
Most equipment failure mechanisms involve a significant rise in operating temperature long before catastrophic failure occurs. Thermography is typically used for predictive maintenance, troubleshooting, and thermal energy audits. It is also sometimes deployed during installation. For predictive maintenance, we can take thermal images of key units (panels, drives, motors, etc.) at least once a year, if not more often, and compare the images with earlier ones to watch the trend of thermal deterioration. Hot spots that weren’t there last time indicate problems in the making to investigate before they cause failure. Software tools on the thermal images help us to align the images time after time, so that one can make consistent & relevant comparisons.
For troubleshooting, taking a thermal image of a malfunctioning unit can often identify the source of the problem— electrical hotspots can tell you which phase or connectors to check, motor hotspots can narrow it down to bearings, and so forth. Then, after repairs, follow up with another thermal image and verify that the component is no longer overheating— or that something else isn’t now overheating, instead.
Advantages of Infrared Thermography:
Ø Thermal images are taken while equipment is operational. Thus no shutdowns are needed and thermal imaging can be completed without disturbing the normal operations of the plant.
Ø Thermography is non-destructive form of testing and temperature measurement.
Ø Thermal images are non invasive and can be taken from a safe distance.
Ø Thermal images can access components and units not otherwise measurable, such as ceiling runs, insulated pipe leakages, non functional steam traps etc.
Ø Thermal measurements help detect imminent failures in nearly all types of equipment, from electrical to mechanical, process, electronic, and so on.
Ø Because thermal inspections are fast, they can cover more ground and find problems in areas that would typically be ignored.
Minimum Specifications for Quality Thermography:
Thermography is a very specialized field just like photography. One needs a good thermal imaging Camera and also a well qualified & trained thermographer.
For a majority of industrial applications the following specifications are minimum required criteria for a good Thermography camera:
MINIMUM Required Performance Specifications for a Thermography camera:
For a Thermographer the following are minimum required criterion:
P.S.: Generally the fee charged is on a per-day basis. Depending on the complexity and accessibility of the equipments in the plant, an average of 25 to 30 quality thermograms may be possible per day
Electrical:
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Fuse |
Breaker Connection |
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Load Breaker Elbows |
Transformer |
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Electrical Connections |
Electric Pole |
Mechanical:
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Air Compressor |
Bearing |
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Motor |
Conveyor Roller Assembly |
Process:
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Valve |
Storage Tank |
Building:
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Moisture in Wall |
Water Leaks |
Miscellaneous:
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Aircraft |
Military |
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Equine |
Security |
