Thermal imagers have been a staple of industrial, utility, and power production inspections around the world for more than half a century. That’s because they afford facility managers and maintenance crews a virtually unmatched ability to observe, monitor, and analyze the thermodynamic integrity of all kinds of mechanical processes and installations, without interruption and non-destructively.
Thermography doesn’t just give inspection personnel a deeper view into temperature interpretive states and operations, though. Thermal imaging equipment allows users to observe and assess operations that might otherwise be inaccessible or are better examined from a safe distance. It means plant and process operators don’t have to expose personnel to risks or hazards for complex data collection; that makes thermal imaging an essential component in every industrial and commercial business’s occupational, as well as operational planning.
Modern Thermal Imagers Simplify Essential Inspections
Let’s be honest: you don’t have to be an engineer to understand how sensitive many of today’s industrial processes are. And with any number of cracking, reforming, and pyro-processing activities heavily reliant on consistent mechanical and electrical temperatures for their safe operation, high-resolution thermal image camera equipment is essential for identifying costly, and potentially disastrous temperature inconsistencies.
While their core functionality hasn’t changed in more than half a century, the IP-rated durability of modern handheld thermal imaging cameras, along with their increased accuracy and sharper detail, allows them to perform more complex lists of examinations than ever. And although these minute improvements in infrared thermal imaging camera technology may not seem like much, the result is that these devices are infinitely more effective than their predecessors at detecting heat-producing anomalies, such as:
- Heat blockages, tube failures, or runaway plant processes;
- Corroded, missing, or compromised tank or pipeline insulation;
- Overloaded, unprotected, or faulty electrical circuits and switches;
- Damaged or broken conductors, cables, or field coils; and,
- Excessive internal wear in assemblies like pumps, turbines, and compressors.
And while thermal image cameras are generally regarded as equipment specifically for plant and facility inspections, they’re just as valuable for structural, and engineering inspections, with emphasis on locating:
- Areas where water can infiltrate and cause structural softening, buckling, or mold growth;
- Pneumatic leaks that can lead to diminished air quality, moisture accumulation, and increased energy consumption;
- Plumbing defects that can result in leaks, water pressure and quality difficulties, and sewer problems;
- Temperature variations and fluctuations that would indicate the faulty climate control systems; and,
- Insulation problems that could be precursors to structural damage, pest infestations, or reduced fire protection.
Make no mistake: whether it’s used as part of a regular inspection schedule, or in response to an abnormality that needs to be quickly located and remedied, modern thermal imaging equipment can help you keep your operations going and your personnel safe. And you only have to consider the range of standard features that these thermal imaging camera systems have, to understand why they’re such an essential complement to ordinary visual inspections and standard instrument readings.
Modern Infrared Cameras Boast Improved Thermal Sensitivity
While the increased accuracy and sharper detail that modern thermal cameras have are indisputably advantageous, they’re also engineered to deliver more consistently on their other core thermographic functions than ever. This is especially true, however, when it comes to thermographic camera sensitivity; that’s because it’s central to their ability to detect small variations in temperature, especially on smaller targets.
These incremental measurements of thermal camera sensitivity, technically identified as Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference (NETD), are how infrared cameras are able to distinguish between a subject’s temperature and its surroundings. The best modern cameras are designed to filter out, and to specifically focus in on those subjects; and they boast thermal sensitivity and dependent characteristics that include:
- Thermal sensitivity to within 40mK (0.04°C);
- Temperature measurement ranges from -20°C to 650°C; and,
- Measurement reliability to within +/- 2°C (2%).
With their superior noise sensitivity, modern digital thermal imaging camera kits are ideal for low contrast environments and subjects where earlier generations of cameras would ordinarily experience difficulty, including:
- Loose rock detection in mining operations;
- Gas leaks, or atmospheric discharges;
- Partial electric discharges;
- Furnace and kiln inspections; and,
- Testing emergency braking systems.
Aside from their improved noise sensitivity though, the newest thermal imaging cameras for sale also offer more analytical and reporting features than ever. Where the ability to audit inspection results – not just collect them – is an increasingly important component in industrial quality assurance programs, these are practical temperature sensor camera features that give operators and facility managers the confidence they need to run their processes safely.
Premium Thermal Imager Features That Make an Auditable Difference
Whether it’s graphic-intensive multimeters or full HD pipeline inspection cameras, feature richness has become a value-added expectation with handheld test and inspection equipment. There’s a distinction between feature-rich functionality and excess complexity though, and the newest generation of thermal cameras for sale is packed with versatile, premium performance features that are centred on quality analysis, not pointless analytics.
The perfect productivity complement for the increased accuracy and graphical sharpness that today’s thermal imaging cameras have to offer is software, and compatibility with platforms like AnalyzIR® is the key to unlocking capabilities such as:
- Support for on-camera analysis, with the ability to generate automated reports based on heat images;
- The chance to label and organize image captures with written notes or scannable QR codes;
- The creation of history curves, trend charts, and 3D graphs;
- Recording voice annotations via Bluetooth to any video or image captures; and,
- Sharing and transferring temperature-embedded JPEG image captures via a 64GB memory card or WiFi.
Ultimately, modern heat-sensing thermal imaging camera offerings aren’t just more capable monitors than ever: they make it possible for you to perform the most qualified operational audits and safety inspections you can.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, thermal imaging may only be a small part of the overall operation and maintenance function, but no other process is more crucial. It allows businesses to safely, and non-invasively audit their process performance, which is why investing in the best and most modern imaging equipment is the only way to proceed.
Today’s high-resolution thermal image camera equipment gives you the broadest array of operational inspection tools you can buy. They’re the rugged, handheld solution for all your plant’s occupational, and operational planning and safety concerns.
