Infrared thermography is a non-destructive, predictive maintenance technique that can be used to monitor the thermal signatures of plant machinery and electrical apparatus while running at full load. It uses imagers designed to monitor the emissions of infrared energy. Infrared thermography detects electromagnetic energy from an object in the form of heat and converts it into a video signal that produces a color image that can be stored for further detailed analysis.
Thermography can be applied to any situation in which an anomaly or condition can display itself by means of a thermal variance. This predictive technique can be used to inspect substations, utility line distribution, roof moisture, refractory systems, mechanical systems and building envelopes, to name a few. We perform our inspections with the “Infratech” high performance, handheld thermal and digital thermal imaging systems. This imagers use a third generation uncooled micro bolometer detector—the most advanced infrared technology available today.
An infrared thermography program using appropriate equipment and properly trained thermographers can be an extremely effective tool to optimize equipment and system efficiencies and help diagnose existing or potential failures of electrical, mechanical, refractory and building envelope related systems.
Electrical
Many industrial, high-rise and commercial fires are caused by faulty electrical components, which
result in costly downtime, lost production, equipment replacement costs and even loss of human life.
Infrared thermography provides non-destructive detection of potential “hot spots” and allows for
planned monitoring of electrical apparatus and scheduling for preventive maintenance repairs
before catastrophic failure occurs.
Hi Voltage
Inspectors use both infrared thermography and airborne ultrasound to do high voltage electrical inspections in order to give a more accurate and thorough coverage. Infrared
thermography detects hot spots produced when there is an electrical anomaly. Infrared can not detect the presence of corona discharge, however, which is produced when there is ionization of air molecules due to an electrical discharge. Corona does not generate heat but generates a distinct airborne ultrasonic signal which can be detected by ultrasound.
Mechanical
Refinery, Petrochemical, & Power industries, like other process industries, generally benefit
from electrical/mechanical thermography Inspections. Infrared inspection of various refractory lined vessels is an extremely cost effective process. The condition of
refractory lining is extremely critical to vessel integrity and the safety of various high temperature applications such as boilers, furnaces, dryers, process vessels, rotating kilns, off gas ducting and cyclones. Some of the anomalies that can be detected are refractory wear, refractory loss, blockages and sintering. |
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