Thermal Imaging & Infrared Thermography

In the world of science, thermal imaging provides a key measurement of the behavior of heat. Just about any kind of process or observation involving heat measures both the energy output as well as the radiance signature of that heat visually. The same measurement capability applies to industrial settings as well, serving multiple benefits from safety awareness to operational efficiency measurements.

How Infrared Thermography Works?

Utilizing sensors designed to capture infrared radiation frequency as well as thermal level, thermal imaging helps to visualize events with radiant energy behavior. The technology is extremely useful in capturing imagery, especially in low light or imperceptible conditions for the naked eye. This technology has been developing over multiple decades in capability, depth, and capacity.

For example, night thermal imaging has become more defined and detailed, a significant improvement from the early days of fuzzy green imagery often associated with night vision goggles. Because the technology is based on thermal energy release, the sensors do not require visible light to pick up imaging differences. Instead, the heat signatures of heat-emitting objects create the differences required to create the visualizations.

Understanding the Scope of Thermal Imagery

The value of thermal imagery is realized in the gradient display which can be coordinated with color. The results not only give users a high amount of detail and specificity about where the energy release is occurring and what is creating it, but the differentiation also provides users with the degree of release and distance it reaches as well? This kind of information is extremely valuable in steel making industrial conditions where identification of different substrates with differing emissive outputs can support clean steel practice or where misdirection of heat energy can create significant operational problems resulting failures and higher operating costs.

Both in terms of thermal surveys as well as ongoing monitoring, thermal imagery can be extremely useful for a variety of applications. Some of the most common uses are process performance and compliance, production efficiency, contamination, leak identification, heat source identification, and a lot more

Thermal imagery is not just limited to production either. Firefighters use it to confirm fires are put out in buildings. Plumbers use the technology to find leaks of hot water piping and gas leaks. Both types of industry enjoy being able to see heat changes and potential problems through walls before they have to do any damage to find the actual source. Building managers use the technology to find HVAC issues or to test the efficiency of the air systems, and both law enforcement and animal control have direct applications in finding things moving in the night. Before people can sign off that thermal imagery is only used in buildings, guess again; maritime applications are plentiful as shipping crews and water teams utilize thermal imagery to see each other at night and avoid accidents in the dark.

Find Out More

Connors Industrials provides robust support for businesses and organizations who want to get started with applying thermal imaging in their processes or enhancing the applications they already have. From the software that manages systems to the hand-held equipment used by staff on site reviews or field applications, Connors can provide a holistic approach for the best implementation of a thermal imaging approach. Call us at (219) 838-7200 to find out more!