PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

Introduction
All electrical components a!e a ten"enc# to eat $p as t eir p #sical con"ition %orsens or t eir electrical properties "eteriorate& In 1'() t e *%e"is Po%er Boar" +e,an inspectin, appro-imatel# 1.)/./// components a #ear& In 1'0( t e 12 Electrical Generation Boar" +e,an $tili3in, in4rare" T ermo,rap # 4or pre"icti!e maintenance on transmission lines& Ho%e!er. T ermo,rap # %as re!ol$tioni3e" %it t e intro"$ction o4 ima,e t#pe t ermo !ision cameras in t e Nineties& As t is is a non 5contact tec ni6$e. it is sa4e an" s $t"o%n is not re6$ire"& It elps to recor" an" "oc$ments t e t ermal c aracteristics o4 almost an# o+7ect t at emits in4rare" ra"iation& T ermal ima,es can 6$ic8l# an" easil# locate a+normal so$rces o4 eat. % ic in electrical s#stems o4ten in"icate potential pro+lems& Porta+le in4rare" cameras are $se" to con!ert t is in4rare" ra"iation ener,# into i, resol$tion t ermal ima,es t at are "ispla#e" on con!entional !i"eo screens 4or 6$antitati!e an" 6$alitati!e anal#sis& Temperat$re is t e sin,le most meas$re" parameter 4or a con"ition monitorin, e-ercise& Temperat$re is simpl# cr$cial an" a!in, control o!er it %ill mean i, er 6$alit#. +etter sa4et# an" mone# sa!e"& T ermo,rap # spans man# s$+7ect areas li8e electrical po%er ,eneration. transmission. an" "istri+$tion s#stems& An In4rare" Camera is "esi,ne" to "etect t is o!er eatin, an" interpret it as earl# %arnin, si,ns o4 imminent 4ail$re&

Infrared energy
O$r en!ironment contains man# "i44erent 4orms o4 ener,# t at are propa,ate" t ro$, space at t e spee" o4 li, t& T ese 4orms o4 ener,# are "i44erentiate" as a 4$nction o4 t eir %a!elen,t & In4rare" ra"iation +e,ins 7$st a+o!e t e !isi+le li, t spectr$m an" contin$es $p to %a!e len,t s o4 one t o$san" o4 a meter& A+o!e in4rare" are ra"io %a!es& All o+7ects a+o!e a+sol$te 3ero in temperat$re emit in4rare" ra"iation &T is nat$ral occ$rrence is ca$se" +# t ermal a,itation o4 t e o+7ect9s molec$les &Beca$se molec$les are compose" o4 electrical c ar,es. t e oscillations o4 t e molec$les create" ra"iation emitte" +# an o+7ect is "irectl# relate" to its temperat$re&

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PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

T e In4rare" spectr$m is "i!i"e" in to 4o$r common re,ions& T ese are /&<) to ; micron re4erre" to as near in4rare". ; to ) microns re4erre" to as s ort %a!e In4rare". 0 to 1= microns re4erre" to as lon, %a!e In4rare"& Ra"iation in t e ) to 0 micron ran,e is almost completel# a+sor+e" +# t e atmosp ere& In4rare" T ermo,rap # spans man# s$+7ect areas li8e electrical po%er ,eneration. transmission. an" "istri+$tion s#stems an" !ario$s 4iel"s li8e mec anical an" me"icine 4iel"s as 4ollo%s&

Lon, %a!e s#stems are t eoreticall# more sensiti!e to lo% temperat$re emission. % ereas s ort %a!e as in t eor# +etter capa+ilities to "etect a +roa"er +an" o4 i, er temperat$res& Ho%e!er t e s ort %a!e re,ion as areas o4 si,nal atten$ation ca$se" +# t e a+sorption o4 t e si,nal +# CO; H;/ an" />& T e lon, %a!e s#stem is not sensiti!e to re4lections. % ic are normall# a pro+lem 4or a s ort %a!e s#stem& T e c oice o4 $sin, a s ort %a!e s#stem o!er a lon, %a!e s#stem. or a lon, %a!e s#stem o!er a s ort %a!e s#stem. s o$l" not +e +ase" on t eoretical "etection +$t on act$al "etecta+ilit# o4 t e partic$lar s#stem&

Basic Thermal Science

One m$st 8no% t e +asic concepts o4 temperat$re. "irection o4 eat. eat trans4er an" eat trans4er. to $n"erstan" in4rare" T ermo,rap #& T ermal ener,# is

trans4erre" 4rom one +o"# to anot er +o"# +# an# or all o4 t e 4ollo%in, mec anisms& 1. Conduction 2. Convection 3. Radiation 4. Eva oration ! Condensation

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PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

>

?it in4rare" ima,in,. t e sensor or t e scanner is onl# "etectin, ra"iate" ener,#& Heat trans4er +# ra"iation is ac ie!e" +# emission an" a+sorption o4 t ermal ra"iation& All o+7ects %ill emit an" a+sor+ t ermal ration at t e same time& T e net eat trans4er is t e "i44erence +et%een % at an o+7ect a+sor+s an" emits E-istent ra"iation is all t e ra"iate" ener,# t at lea!es t e s$r4ace o4 an o+7ect re,ar"less o4 its ori,inal so$rces& 1& Emitte" 4rom t e o+7ect itsel4 ;& Re4lecte" 4rom a so$rce in 4ront o4 t e o+7ect >& Transmitte". 4rom a so$rce +e in" t e o+7ect

T e tar,et 4i, @; as a temperat$re an" an emissi!it#. % ic t e po%er o4 t e ra"iation comin, 4rom t e tar,et "epen"s $pon t e ra"iation po%er o4 t e ot er t%o ra"iation component "oes not "epen" on t e tar,et temperat$re. +$t on t e temperat$re an" emissi!it# o4 t e re4lection an" t e transmission eat so$rces. respecti!el#&

"o# a $isual %ight Image Created &rom Infrared energy'

An in4rare" ima,in, "e!ice contains one or more "etectors t at con!ert ener,# in t e in4rare" spectr$m into an electrical si,nal& T e more ener,# "etecte" t e ,reater t e electrical si,nal o$tp$t& T e electrical si,nals are t#picall# 4ormatte" into a !i"eo si,nal an" "ispla#e" on a CRTALCD& T e amplit$"es o4 t e electrical si,nals are t en "ispla#e" as !ar#in, intensities on t e CRTALCD t $s creatin, a contrast in t e ima,e in "i44erent pallets s$c as Gre#. Iron an" Rain+o% etc& "epen"in, $pon t e applications&

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PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

In T ermo,rap #. t ere are man# 4actors apart 4rom t e s$r4ace temperat$re o4 t e o+7ect s t at a44ect an" "ist$r+ t e temperat$re meas$rements 4or acc$rate temperat$re meas$rements it is cr$cial to 8no% % ic t ose 4actors are. an" o% t e e6$ipment compensates 4or t em& Be4ore t e meas$re" ra"iation can +e trans4orme" into temperat$re all ot er ra"iation so$rces a!e to +e compensate" 4or +# t e e6$ipment so t at t e meas$re" temperat$re is a 4$nction o4 t e o+7ect temperat$re an" not o4 t e "istance. emissi!it# or t e internal e6$ipment temperat$re& I4 an# i4 t e Electrical components "eteriorate t ere is an increase in resistance to t e 4lo% o4 electrical c$rrent& ?it increase in resistance comes t e increase in ra"iant ener,# o$tp$t as t e component ,ets eate" a t ermal ima,in, s#stem "etects t is ra"iant ener,#& In case o4 an o!erloa"in, con"$ctor or im+alance in a t ree p ase s#stem t e more c$rrent 4lo%in, t ro$, t e line t e ,reater t e temperat$re o4 t at line an" t e +ri, ter t e t ermal pattern appears&

$isual v!s Infrared Image

T ere are to 4$n"amental "i44erences +et%een loo8in, in t e in4rare" an" in t e !is$al& Bis$al is mainl# re4lections. % ile in4rare" is mainl# a com+ination o4 o+7ect emission an" re4lection& Bis$al is color an" intensit#. % ile in4rare" is onl# intensit#& I4 t%o o+7ects are at same temperat$re. t e o+7ect %it t an t e secon"& Emissi!it# ca$ses t e contrast in +ot t e t ermal ima,es i, er emissi!it# ra"iates more t an t e o+7ect %it lo% emissi!it#& Hence t e 4irst o+7ect loo8s +ri, ter

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PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

T o$, +ot recei!e ra"iation 4rom t e s$rro$n"in,s. % ic is also re4lecte". +$t more +# t e secon" o+7ect %it lo% emissi!it# an" i, re4lecti!it# an" less +# 4irst o+7ect %it i, emissi!it# an" lo% re4lecti!it#&

(uantitative v!s (ualitative )nalysis

In plannin, 4or an in4rare" inspection is normall# loo8in, to o+tain t e +est ser!ice 4or t e amo$nt o4 mone# spen"& 1n4ort$natel#. "$e to man# mis@representations +# in4rare" ser!ice companies t e c$stomers are con4$se" a+o$t t e C4acts o4 in4rare" operationsD an" o4ten pa# 4or meanin,less "ate& T is pro+lem is especiall# pre!alent in con"$ctin, in4rare" inspections 4or t e electrical $tilit# in"$stries& In4rare" as a tec nolo,# is not ne%E In 4act. 6$alit# in4rare" s#stems a!e +een in ser!ice 4or o!er >/ #ears an" contin$e to e!ol!e&

Thermal Image )nalysis Techni*ues

Thermal +radient @ It is a ,ra"$al c an,e in temperat$re o!er "istance& It in"icates presence o4 con"$cti!e eat trans4er % ic is t e onl# mo"e in opa6$e soli"s& Thermal TuningF It means a"7$stin, t e scale o4 t e ima,e in or"er to optimi3e contrast& For t is le!el an" span controls o4 t e camera are $se"& IsothermF It replaces certain colors in t e scale %it a contrastin, color& It mar8s an inter!al o4 e6$al apparent temperat$re& T e 4eat$re is $se" to 4in" o$t i4 t ere is an# eat 4loe e&,& t ermal ,ra"ient& ,alettesF T e color palettes o4 t e ima,e assi,ns "i44erent colors to mar8 speci4ic le!els o4 apparent temperat$re t e# can ,i!e more or less contrast "epen"in, on t e colors $se" in t em 4or electrical installation. ,enerall# an iron palette is $se" % ic is a lo% contrast palette&

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PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

&actor )ffecting the -easurement

.)tmos

hereF@ T o$, it is a Tran missi!e o+7ect +et%een camera an" t e

tar,et t e e!en some 4actors a44ect t e meas$rement t e# are Distance. Am+ient temperat$re. an" Relati!e $mi"it# Reflected radiation. / Re4lection 4rom near+# o+7ects apparent temperat$re o4 t ese o+7ects t at res$lt in ra"iation t at is re4lecte" +# t e tar,et into t e camera is 8no%n as re4lecte" apparent temperat$re& Emissivity. / A lo% emissi!it# tar,et %ill al%a#s tr# to loo8 li8e t e s$rro$n"in,s i4 t e tar,et is otter t an t e s$rro$n"in,s it %ill loo8 col"er t an it is an" i4 it is col"er t an t e s$rro$n"in, it %ill loo8 %armer t an it is& It can +e sai" t at a lo% emissi!it# tar,et tries to camo$4la,e its real temperat$re to t e t ermal ima,er 4or i, emissi!it# tar,ets apparent t temperat$re is !er# close to real temperat$re&

Cali0ration. / T e cali+ration o4 t e camera is per4orme" in a la+ $n"er controlle" en!ironmental con"itions %it a lar,e n$m+er o4 +lac8 +o"# re4erence so$rces %it in emissi!it# approac in, 1&/ S atial resolution and target si1eF@ I"eal e6$ipment %o$l" o4 co$rse meas$re t e same o+7ect temperat$re e!en % en loo8in, at an o+7ect t at is !er# small ANNAMACHARYA IN*TIT1TE OF TECHNOLOGY : *CIENCE*

PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

<

compare" to t e % ole 4iel" o4 !ie%& Relation +et%een Fiel" O4 Bie% an" Distance G;=/ LensH

&

Infrared )

lications. Electrical 2istri0ution Systems

3hat Can Be 2etected

LooseA"eteriorate" connections O!erloa"s Im+alance" Loa"s Open Circ$its In"$cti!e Heatin, Harmonics De4ecti!e E6$ipment

Improperl# Close" Air *%itc

Loa" Im+alance on B$s D$ct

Benefits.

locate pro+lems 6$ic8l#. %it o$t interr$ptin, ser!ice "rasticall# re"$ce costl#. $nsc e"$le" po%er o$ta,es minimi3e pre!enti!e maintenance time an" ma-imi3e tro$+les ootin, e44ecti!eness pre!ent premat$re 4ail$re .e6$ipment li4e

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PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

-echanical Systems

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PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

'

Structural Energy %oss

3hat Can Be 2etected

Missin,. "ama,e". or improperl# installe" ins$lation Ener,# losses ca$se" +# air in4iltration an" e-4iltration ?ater in4iltration Dama,e" re4ractor#

IAA Inspection Detects Missin, Ins$lation in Ne% B$il"in,

Benefits.

elp re"$ce eatin, an" coolin, ener,# costs e!al$ate t ermal per4ormance o4 retro4its i"enti4# areas o4 latent moist$re "etect con"itions con"$ci!e to mol" or insect pro+lems

Compromise" Re4ractor# in *teel La"le

pro!i"e ar"cop# proo4 o4 pro+lems

Conventional -aintenance ,rocedures

Generall# a 4airl# $ni4orm set o4 maintenance proce"$res are a"opte" in man# or,ani3ations& T ese incl$"eF@ JBis$al inspections JCleanin, e6$ipment JTi, tenin, connections JO!er c$rrent "e!ice testin, JIns$lation 6$alit# testin,

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PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

1/

)dvantages of Thermo gra hic )

roach

In4rare" inspection is non@contact& It $ses remote sensin,& Firstl#. it 8eeps t e $ser

o$t o4 "an,er i&e& a%a# 4rom li!e electrical components& *econ"l#. it "oes not intr$"e $pon or a44ect t e tar,et as %ell In4rare" T ermo,rap # is t%o "imensional& ?e can meas$re temperat$re o4

man# points in t e same ima,e an" compare t em& T $s anal#sis o4 ima,e is !er# e44ecti!e an" simple& In4rare" T ermo,rap # is real time& It allo%s $s to "o o!er 4ast scannin, Electrical e6$ipment is inspecte" "$rin, operation. so t e po%er "oesn9t a!e to Re"$ce" inspection costs as lar,e 6$antities o4 e6$ipment can +e scanne" in a la+o$r time an" mone#

+e interr$pte"& s ort perio" o4 times 4in"in, t e tro$+le spot 6$ic8l#. sa!in, o!er re,$lar tro$+le s ootin,& Fa$lts can +e pinpointe" +e4ore maintenance is carrie" o$t. so maintenance

reso$rces are "irecte" % ere t e# are most nee"e" an" prioriti3e". res$ltin, in si,ni4icant la+o$r an" cost sa!in,s&

Infrared ,rogram
In or"er to pro4it 4rom t e +ene4its o4 in4rare" t ermo,rap #. re,ar"less o4 t e tec nolo,# c osen. m$c consi"eration s o$l" +e ,i!en to esta+lis in, an in4rare" inspection pro,ram& One t at is properl# initiate" is ,$arantee" to pro!i"e $sers %it a 6$ic8 ret$rn on in!estment& T#picall# t is %ill occ$r %it in > mont s o4 p$rc asin, an" $sin, t e e6$ipment. +$t man# companies claim recei!in, a pa#+ac8 t e !er# 4irst "a# on % ic t e# per4orme" an in4rare" inspection&

T e 4irst o4 se!eral steps in settin, $p a s$ccess4$l t ermo,rap # pro,ram isF

T e interest in t is tec nolo,# is t at it promises ma7or a"!ances 4or in4rare" 4ocal plane arra#sF KE-cellent pi-el $ni4ormit#. ima,in, an" sensiti!it# per4ormance&

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PLANT CONDITION MONITORING BY INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY KLar,e pi-el 4ormat capa+ilit#. $p to (=/ - =0/

11

I?IPs are t$na+le an" can +e ma"e responsi!e 4rom a+o$t > to ;) microns. can +e ma"e 4or +roa" +an" an" "$al +an" applications& Can +e pro"$ce" at relati!el# lo% cost an" in lar,e 6$antities& Education T e !er# 4irst step is to 4in" o$t some more a+o$t t e pro"$cts an" tec nolo,# t at are a!aila+le an" o% t e# can +e $se"& KGo to intro"$ctor# seminars an" con4erences& Re6$est pro"$ct "ata s eets an" application literat$re 4rom e6$ipment !en"ors Bro%se t e internet& T is is a little time cons$min,. +$t t ere is a %ealt o4 In4ormation on t e %e+& Contract in an in"epen"ent cons$ltant to assist in t e assessment an" e"$cation Process& Hire an e-perience" in4rare" ser!ice compan# an" learn 4rom t eir emplo#ees % ile t e# are per4ormin, an inspection in t e 4iel"&

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