The Value of Thermography
Through the use of Certified Thermographer’s using infrared imaging systems are a key component of a comprehensive Predictive & Preventative Maintenance Programs. Thermography detects the thermal signatures of problems before they become a failure issue and allows for non-invasive analysis of a wide range of facility processes and equipment. Thermography enables the work to be conducted while a facility is online, preventing costly interruption of plant operations. Programs that consistently use Infrared Thermography (IR) limit downtime by preventing unplanned shutdowns and by streamlining repair and maintenance planning. The resulting cost-saving and safety benefits of this type of examination include energy savings, the protection of equipment and capital investment, reduced insurance premiums, quick pinpointing and providing diagnosis of problem areas, as well as establishing repair priorities base on severity and the critical nature of the item being inspected, and setting quality standards.
Electrical inspections are the most commonly known and practiced infrared application. The benefits are obvious, since electrical failures can easily cause personnel injury and even death, equipment damage, material loss, as well as costly downtime.
One important factor is the load on a component. The load on the item being inspected will exponentially affect the current draw on a circuit and the resulting temperature rise. A small temperature difference under a load of 1A may be critical under a load of 20A. There are still many maintenance personnel and professional Thermographer’s who do not correlate load and temperature rise this can result in very miss informing information, and this can causes a false sense of confidence when serious problems still exist. The load or temperatures are not always referred to in following samples, but that information was used in determining the criticality of the faults.
It is also important to understand the theories involved in how infrared radiation works and how heat transfer are affecting the objects in a thermal image. Concepts such as Emissivity, thermal reflections, thermal conductivity, and indirect temperature measurement are crucial to the identification and diagnosis of electrical problems.
Although infrared electrical inspections are often carried out for insurance purposes, a thermograph’s true value is being an integral part of a predictive maintenance program. Combined with other skill sets which our people posses along with Thermography this service will show cost benefits that will vastly outweigh the costs of inspection.
