infrared thermography for predictive maintenance - article

8/14/2019 InfraRed Thermography for predictive Maintenance - article

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HERMACAM PM SYSTEMS

LIR Systems ThermaCAM family of thermal imagingystems have set the standard for thermographicnspections, offering unique camera and software

apabilities to facilitate easy, fast and accurateredictive maintenance tasks.

hermaCAM features simple "point andhoot" operation, state-of-the-artetector technology, portability,nd ease-of-use, making it annvaluable tool for predictivend preventive maintenance.ightweight, cordlessperation and low power

onsumption assure longours in the field.nnovative features fornstant recognition ofritical temperaturesnd alarm conditions, asell as digital image,ext and voice annotation,ssure fail-safe inspections.

hermaCAM systems detect

emperature differences asmall as 0.07C. Since typicalndustrial electrical or mechanicalroblems occur when there is aemperature increase of 10C or more, ThermaCAMsees" these problems well in advance of a failure.ccurate temperature measurements allow prioritizationf repairs to be made.

hermaCAM is also an ideal infrared camera forredictive maintenance when working in extreme and

potentially hazardous conditions. Weighing less thafour pounds, ThermaCAMs rugged one-piece desigrequires no cables and operates for more than two houron a single charge. In addition, while the ThermaCAMlooks like a standard camcorder, the system has bee

fully sealed and hardened for use in harsh environments

THERMOGRAPHY APPLICATIONS

Predictive maintenance applications fothermography are numerous. Companie

worldwide have incorporated FLISystems ThermaCAMs into the

PM programs for inspectinand monitoring electricaand mechanical system

and equipment. Moreovenew and sophisticateapplications continue temerge.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

Thermographic systems arcommonly used for electrica

inspections. As electricaconnections become loose

there is a resistance to currenthat can cause an increase itemperature. This increased temperatur

can then cause components to faipotentially resulting in unplanned outages an

injuries. In addition, the efficiency of an electrical gribecomes low prior to failure, thus energy is spengenerating heat, causing unnecessary losses. If lefunchecked, heat can rise to a point that connectionmelt and break the circuit; as a result, fires may occur.

Thermal imaging has evolved into one of the most valuable diagnostic tools used for predictivemaintenance (PM). Thermal imaging, also called thermography, is the production of non-contact infrared,or "heat" pictures from which temperature measurements can be made. By detecting anomalies ofteninvisible to the naked eye, thermography allows corrective action before costly system failures occur.

Portable infrared (IR) imaging systems scan equipment and structures, then instantly convert the thermalimages to visible pictures for quantitative temperature analysis.

INFRAREDTHERMOGRAPHY

for PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE


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Besides loose connections, electrical systems sufferfrom load imbalances, corrosion, and increase inimpedance to current. Thermography can quicklylocate hot spots, determine the severity of theproblem, and help establish the time frame in whichthe equipment should be repaired.

Thermography is very useful when inspecting indoorcomponents such as motor control centers, breakerpanels, disconnect switches, and transformers.

Additionally, outdoor components, substations,switchgear, transformers, and outdoor circuit breakerscan be inspected quickly and efficiently withthermal imaging.

Another benefit of thermography is the ability toperform inspections while electrical systems are underload. Since thermography is a non-contact diagnosticmethod, a thermographer can quickly scan a particularpiece of equipment from a safe distance, leave the

hazardous area, return to his office and analyze thedata without ever putting himself in harms way.

Bad connections on a

capacitor bank

Plugged cooling fins on

13.8KV transformer

Overheated windings in

a motor

Connection problem on 200Amp disconnect


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MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

In many industries, mechanical systems serve as thebackbone of operations. Typically, when mechanicalcomponents become worn and less efficient, the heatemitted will increase. Consequently, the temperatureof faulty equipment or systems will increase rapidlybefore failure. Typical mechanical systems monitored

in a predictive maintenance infrared program includebearings, motors, pumps, compressors and conveyoridlers. Most mechanical systems will heat up if there isimproper lubrication or misalignment.

Thermographic data can be an invaluable source ofcomplimentary information to vibration studies in thisarea of equipment monitoring. Electric motors can beobserved for brush contact-wear and armature shorts,both of which typically produce excess heat but notnecessarily vibration, prior to failure.

BUILDING DIAGNOSTICS

ThermaCAM can also provide useful data in buildingmaintenance studies. Evaluation of built-up roofingsystems for water leakage is a common application.Since water has a higher thermal mass than the rest ofthe roofing material it retains the heat longer and canbe easily detected with a thermal imaging system atnight after the rest of the roof has cooled.ThermaCAM allows maintenance personnel to quicklylocate and mark any wet areas for cost-effective

repairs. Tremendous savings result when wet areas of aroof can be repaired rather than replacing theentire roof.

Other applications involving plant structures includeissues related to heating and cooling the building.Building envelope studies can be conducted whereheat losses can be detected and analyzed. Steamgeneration and distribution systems can be monitoredfor clogged passages and open steam traps. Evenunderground steam lines can be viewed and manytimes leaks can be detected. Furnace conditionmonitoring is another common application. Refractorybreakdown can be detected from the exterior of thefurnace and tracked with a digital image databasestorage package.

REPORTING AND ANALYZING

INSPECTION RESULTS

Windows-based image analysis and reporting softwareintegrated with modern IR cameras allowthermographers to create quick reports, make criticaldecisions and recommend repair action about theequipment and facilities inspected. Wizard-guidedreporting software allows even occasional users toautomatically generate both simple and complexreports. Another common feature of predictivemaintenance software programs is the ability to embedIR images gathered by the inspection camera directlyinto Word and Excel files.

Additionally, FLIR Systems has developed numerouscamera features specifically designed to automate thereporting process. Analysis functions, text, and voicecomments can be digitally stored on removable datastorage cards with camera images taken in the field,then automatically downloaded and embedded intoresult tables and report text.

Wet insulation on a

flat roof

Easy as Click, Drop, Print.ThermaCAM QuickReportTM allows users to create standard

reports instantly. Simply drag image files to the QuickReport icon,send the completed file to any printer, and you have a professional, high-

impact report in minutes.


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Many ThermaCAM users report full payback of theircamera investment within the first six months or less.Typically, the savings resulting from incorporating IR

into a predictive maintenance program far outweighthe initial camera investment.

When incorporated into predictive maintenanceprograms, ThermaCAM systems can literally savemillions of dollars by locating problems in advance offailure. ThermaCAM is an easy-to-use, self-contained,rugged system designed to operate in harshenvironments. Whether the application involveselectrical equipment, mechanical systems, buildingdiagnostics, or general maintenance, ThermaCAM willprovide maintenance personnel with the accurate

thermal information necessary to make criticaldecisions about equipment repair, replacement andefficient plant operations.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Thermography has proven to be an invaluableresource combined with, or in place of, otherforms of predictive maintenance. ThermaCAMsystems locate problems well in advance of failureresulting in an immediate payback on investmentand avoiding plant shutdowns. Studies haveshown that dollar for dollar, investments in

predictive maintenance and product qualityprograms yield immediate, positive returns to aplants "bottom line".

Regular surveys of a steel mills substationspotentially save the company tens of thousandsof dollars per year. A major steel companydiscovered a significant temperature rise in oneof their 69 KV breakers. If this problem had goneundetected it could have cost the company$50,000 per hour in lost time due to shutdownbecause of the casters. Total loss of power to amill is estimated to be over $250,000 an hour.

At a large public electric utility company, aroutine thermographic survey indicated one ofthe output filter capacitors of a station batterycharger was considerably cooler then the others.As a result, the capacitor in question was testedand found to have failed. Replacement of thefailing capacitor avoided an outage, saving anestimated $500,000.

TM

1 (800) GO INFRAwww.flir.com

Loose bolted connection Overheated bearingon gearbox

Single pane windowinstalled among double

pane windows

Disconnect problemin a substation

FLIR SYSTEMS

BELGIUM

Telephone: +32 (0) 3 287 87 10

FLIR SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, LTD

UNITED KINGDOM

Telephone: +44 (0) 1732 220 011

FLIR SYSTEMS, GMBH

GERMANY

Telephone: +49 (0) 69 95 00 900

FLIR SYSTEMS, SARL

FRANCE

Telephone: +33 (0) 1 41 33 97 97

FLIR SYSTEMS, SRLITALY

Telephone: +39 (0) 2 39 09 121

FLIR SYSTEMS COMPANY, LTD

HONG KONG

Telephone: +852 2792 8955

FLIR SYSTEMS LTD.

CANADA

Telephone: +1 800 613 0507

FLIR SYSTEMS, AB

Worldwide Thermography Center

Rinkebyvagen 19

SE-182 11

Danderyd

SWEDEN

Telephone: +46 (0) 8 753 25 00

FLIR SYSTEMS, BOSTON

Americas Thermography Center

16 Esquire Road

North Billerica, MA 01862 USA

Telephone: +1 (978) 901-8000Toll Free: +1 (800) GO-INFRA

infrared thermography for predictive maintenance - article

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